I didn't want to go home.
I knew it wasn't a great idea on my part to hang around the city by myself without at least one of my brothers with me. Splinter didn't allow it. But I was mad. I was so mad that I didn't care that I wasn't supposed to be out topside like this. Leo. Out of all the turtles it was Leonardo who had gone off the deep end. He wasn't supposed to do that. That's not what the eldest was supposed to do.
Why did he do that?
Why did he believe Oroku Saki?
There was a reason Master Splinter told us his background story over and over. I always knew there was a reason. Oroku Saki was a bad man. He had done very bad things. He left Splinter for dead. It was true that I really knew nothing more about Saki after that. He left my adoptive rat father for dead. That's all I knew. And maybe that he works with Stockman, the man who was also somehow a part of my robbed toddler and early childhood. But after that... Oroku Saki was a stranger and the kind of stranger I had the worst gut feeling about.
Fine. You know what? Do whatever the heck you want Leonardo. Ruin your life. Get yourself killed. Get our family killed while you're at it. Maybe you'll realize how much of an idiot you're sounding like after we're all dead.
I walked along the edge of the suburban rooftops with my hands shoved in my sweatshirt pockets. The nights were getting colder. Frost nipped at my exposed skin, especially tingling my cheeks. Winter was well on its way. The worst season for my brothers. It would be hard for us to go on patrol with such cold nights. They froze too easily being cold blooded and all.
My Shell Cell vibrated. Donnie.
"Jade? Where are you?" Only slightly worried. He knew I was upset.
"Corner of 34th and Anderson. Just walking."
"You should probably start thinking about heading back. Splinter will get antsy if you're gone for too long."
"I'll think about it." I muttered, turning around. I was a miles from home. I could take my time.
There was a silence and then, "Leo screwed up."
"Ya think?" I huffed a very unamused puff of cold air. That was the understatement of the year.
"What he said Jade... You know he didn't mean it. Oroku Saki is a very manipulative individual."
"Splinter told us about Saki for a reason. He wanted us to be prepared. Leo is supposed to be on top of his game before the rest of us. Right? He's supposed to be our leader," I sighed. Kicking at a chunk of cement on the corner of the rooftop, "Some leader," I huffed.
"He's our leader but he's not a perfect turtle. Leo was frustrated with his own self esteem and he let his desires cloud his judgment."
I felt a small smile lift on my lips, "You're starting to sound like Splinter."
"I try," heard a low chuckle on the other end of the line.
My smile faded after a few minutes of silence, "So are you telling me this to get me to apologize for running off?"
"Definitely not. I think you had every reason to take a little quiet time."
"Then you're apologizing for Leo?"
"No. It's actually really late. Splinter and I are the last ones waiting up for you,"
How rude of Leonardo to go to sleep.
"Besides, I can hear your teeth chattering."
He was right. I'd gotten more cold the last hour. I could see my breaths in whispy puffs or air.
I rubbed the back of the Shell Cell with my thumb. I guess he had a point. Leo was in a rough state of mind in the time that the training session had ended to the moment he said what he'd said. He didn't mean it. He couldn't have. And Leo would never join with Oroku Saki. The Shredder. He always despised the story of Hamato Yoshi's death. I wasn't sure how his common sense had gotten so foggy but he would come through. He always would for his family.
Right?
"I'll be home soon, Don."
"Good. There's a cup of hot chocolate with your name written on it."