The day.
Mikey: *gasp!* Is it-
No, not the wedding day, that's tomorrow.
Mikey: Ohh...
But it is: The Day.
On the day before the wedding, Leonardo kneels in front of his father at the Great Master's garden. "I still don't know what I'll decide, Father," he says.
The Great Master finishes observing a cherry blossom tree nearby and answers, "Meditate on it, my son."
"Will you meditate with me?" The Great Master strokes his thin beard.
"It is not my decision to make.. but I will guide you as best I can." Leonardo does not move to get up. "Is there something else?"
"Hai, Father... What do you hoping I'll pick?"
"My son," the Great Master places his hand on Leonardo's shoulder, "it does not matter." Leonardo stands, bows, and walks away. He sits cross legged where nothing would disturb him. He concentrates, clears his mind.
The mist of the spirit world mentally flows around him. He breathes deeply and focuses on the dilemma. He sees what had happened, everything he knows. Raphael is hot headed and stubborn, he doesn't show emotions very well. Of course, out of his brothers, it was Raphael that would do something like this.
'What should I do?' Leonardo asks himself. After hours of silent, vigilant meditation, he smiles.
Raphael paces in his dining room. This is it, the evening he'll hear it. 'Rafaero, by the code we live by and for your crimes, I hereby banish you and strip you of your title Great Kame,' is what Leonardo will say. Raphael with hand him the red arm band that symbolizes the status and spend one last night in the palace. Either he will be allowed to be at the wedding, or he will have to leave that morning.
The Kame watches the sun set and spread its color like a cracked egg across the horizon. He keeps his sais at his sides and the armband at its place, knowing they won't be there much longer. He's deciding whether to act strong so he can present himself with a little dignity, or just show everything and not be a coward by wearing a mask in front of the one he has wronged.
But before he can decide, the door opens behind him, catching his unattuned senses off guard. "The Great Kame Leonardo is ready to pass judgement for the Great Kame-"
"Don't call me that..." Raphael says, completely broken.
"..R-Raphael's crime against Josei Meiki Tote," the servant finishes. Raphael nods and follows him down the stairs. He walks out the Doorway after nearly a month of solitude. He's led to the large patio. It slaps him in the face with the memory of the battle, but he keeps walking. Leonardo is standing next to the Great Master.
Raphael notices how his brother isn't the peak physical condition he prefers to be at. 'But he is better than I last saw him,' Raphael reminds himself. Leonardo's crutch is gone and his expression is stoic. Raphael now wishes that he did the same.
"Rafaero, kneel." He obeys without question, looking away from his brother and at the tiles. Leonardo notices this; He sees how Raphael does not question their father's command, nor does he hold himself the same as before. He avoids Leonardo's gaze, but not trying to hide it. He looks deflated, defeated; bearing shame and grief in one load that could kill him. Or it could make him kill himself. Leonardo softens his gaze at this. He understands.
"Rafaero, by the code we live by-"
"Stop.." Raphael says, tears starting to form, "S-Stop, I know what yer going ta say." He looks up briefly before continuing to talk to the tile in the accent he holds back most times, "I know ya aren't harsh enough ta kill ma," small salty tears hit the ground. The sensation is new to him, but it doesn't stop him. "B-But by sayin' what ya hafta say, y'll do jus' that."
"Raphael, look at me," the Blue Kame says. His brother doesn't do anything, "Raph," he kneels down so he's eye level, "Raph, please."
"I don' deserve anythin' Leo… espec'ally from you.." Leonardo is about to reach out to take his brothers hand with one of the very hands he broke. "...I'm sor- hic -ry for what- hic -I did..." Raphael gets up and bolts back to his room. Leonardo stands to follow, but is stopped by his father.
"Do not push him Reonarudo. Just as you did, Rafaero needs time to heal." Leonardo bows to his father and returns to his room for sleep. After all, tomorrow's a big day.
Raphael slams his door shut, breathing hard. He's out of shape. He wipes the still flowing tears from his cheeks and tries to calm his breathing. But doesn't do calm.
'I couldn't do it.' He thought he could hear Leonardo say the words he's told himself over and over again. He even thought in the other Kame's voice. But for him to actually say it is very different.
'It's over now.' He looks down and realizes he forgot to give his weapons and arm band over. He unsheathes the sais from his belt and lays them on the table. With one hand, he undoes the red cloth. He stares and the symbol for fire. 'Fierce as Fire, heh, not anymore.' He let's it slide out of his hands and onto the sais. He doesn't call them his anymore.
'I'll leave in the morning. After that cowardly outburst, I can't show myself at an event like a wedding.' He takes off his armor and hangs it in the closet for the last time. He lays down on the floor, not feeling worthy enough to sleep in a Great Kame's bed. 'That person is gone,' he reminds himself, 'get use' ta it.'
Poor Guy. You can just see a storm cloud above him.
*Gasp!* Guess what! TWO CHAPTERS LEFT!
That means I will be done tomorrow. So if you want to look at anything from my original, (copy reviews you find funny, see the differences, look at other random stuff), you need to do that TODAY! Because tomorrow, I'm deleting it! *dun dun DUN*