Leo was hovering in the garden below Amanda's bedroom window, when he heard footsteps and a voice say, "You, who are you?"
Leo immediately unsheathed his katana, on guard, glanced up and saw a dark haired and eyed boy. "Could say the about you," he said. "Like to sneak up on people?"
"You're a turtle!" the man exclaimed.
"I hadn't noticed," Leo said sarcastically, debating whether the man was a threat.
The man laughed. "Are you a relative of Raphael's? He said he had three brothers, unless you're someone else."
"Maybe I am and who are you?"
"Damien, Raph's friend."
"Yes, I'm Leo, his eldest brother."
"Oh. He's told me a lot about you."
"I'm sure he said nothing good."
"So you're a ninja too?" Damien said, changing the subject.
Leo decided he was harmless and sheathed his katana. "Yes."
"What does being a ninja involve?"
"It's very detailed."
"I have time. Sit with me on that bench and tell me. I've always been fascinated by the Martial Arts."
"All right."
They went to a bench and sat down. "We have a clan," Leo said. "The Hamato Clan and our father follows the Japanese customs, which he taught us. We all were taught Japanese. I speak it fluently, but my brothers are less fluent. "
"Raphael told me how you came to be mutant turtles and in order for you to defend yourself, your dad taught you Ninjutsu and you use your skills to protect the city from crime as well as protect one another."
"Yes. Dad's the Soke, which means leader of our clan. I'm the team leader and seen as the future leader of the clan. Dad picked me, because he thought I was better qualified than the others. Raphael's too volatile and Mikey's too immature."
"And Don?"
"He'd rather work in his lab than fight crime, but if I were injured or died, Dad would probably make Don leader, because he's more mature and level-headed than the others."
"Okay. So how are ninjas judged?"
"On their skill levels. Jozu no ninja means good ninja. Joko no ninja means skilful ninja. Chukichi no ninja means ninja of middle skills and yo-nin means ordinary ninja."
"I'm guessing you fall into the first category."
"Yes, because I'm the most diligent at training and therefore the highest skilled one, so I'm leader. Raphael and Don are in the second category, but Raphael's temper makes him an unsuitable candidate for leader. Mikey 's ninja skills are considered middle, but he's so immature, he could never lead the team. Every other word out of him is dude. How could anyone take him seriously? The only one I listen to is Don. He makes sense, is rational, not condescending and he doesn't question my every decision like Raphael! He's reckless and never thinks before he acts."
Hannah appeared and Damien introduced her to Leo. Then she said, "Am I interrupting?"
"No," Damien said. "Leo was just telling me about the ninja way of life."
"Oh. Wow. You're a ninja like Raphael? My cousin said he's one."
"Yes," Leo said. "I am."
"Way cool," Hannah said. "So fill me in on what you told Damien." Leo did and when he was finished, Hannah said. "So what's the ninja code? There is one, right?"
"Yes. There's a difference between the Honorable Ninja and the Dishonorable Ninja, called Nusubito and it's something called the Correct Heart."
"And what does the Correct Heart involve, Leo?" Damien asked.
"The Correct Heart involves Adherence to Virtue, Righteousness, Loyalty, and Sincerity. These are fundamental to the way we think." As he said the last word, Leo swallowed hard and thought, I haven't been an honorable ninja. I have violated our code. I should be tossed out of the clan. The way I treated Amanda was anything but honorable, as well as my other actions. I will have to confess to Dad. The punishment for dishonour is seppuku, which I deserve. No, I can't confess. I can't do that and shatter my spotless reputation. I'll say nothing. "Fascinating," Damien said. "You okay, Leo? You look distant."
"Yeah, fine."
"I'm going back inside," Hannah said, standing up. "Lovely meeting you, Leo. You'll come inside?"
Damien rose as well. "Maybe in a bit," Leo said.
"Hannah, 'm going to stay a few minutes," Damien said. "See you in a few."
"Okay. Later."
"Great meeting you, Leo," Damien said. "I'm going in shortly, but I feel I need to say something as Raph's friend. He loves that girl. No, adores her. It's sweet seeing them together. I hope you won't make any more trouble for them and will let them be. Raph's been through so much. He doesn't need any more shit, least of all from the big brother he always admired and looked up to. Finally, your actions towards your brother haven't been honorable. I'm talking about the way you got him banished from the lair. You provoked him, which was why he attacked you, and of course your dad took your side, you being the golden boy. Raphael being thought of as the hothead and irresponsible one." Leo flushed. "You owe him an apology. I hope you two will reconcile. Family's so important. I don't have any anymore and it hurts something fierce. I'd give anything to have my family back. You're lucky. You have three brothers, who love you and a doting father. Love them and stop this feud before it's too late. You know the last words I ever said to my dad were that I hated him. I can't remember why I said it, just that I did. I regret it more than you can imagine. So listen to me."
"Thanks for the lecture," Leo said curtly.
Damien shrugged. "Suit yourself, but you will be sorry someday if you don't fix things, Leo."
Leo watched Damien walk away and thought, no, I can't confess to Dad. I'll say nothing. Besides Raph was dishonorable when he attacked me. He deserved the banishment.
Two hours elapsed and Leo climbed back in through Amanda's window. Entering the bedroom, he stood before Raphael's bed, hands folded over his plastron, and said, "Well. Made your decision?"
Golden eyes glared at him and Raphael said, "Go fuck yerself, Leonardo."
"That isn't an answer."
"It's the one ya deserve and it should be clear with that answer what my decision is."
"So you choose to dishonor the clan."
"Me dishonor the clan? Bullshit. All I did was fall in love, Leonardo. Ya stole her from me, knowin' I loved her. Ya provoked me into attackin' ya. Maybe it was all part of the plan ta get me banished and isolated from everyone. Of course it worked, because Dad would never believe that his favorite was ta blame, would he? I know the ninja code, Leonardo, and it's ya've who've been dishonorable. Not me. Cheapenin' Amanda by tellin' her that she'll be a mate ta all of us. Where was her choice? All because I made that stupid little agreement when I was small. Orderin' such a thing was anythin' but noble."
"Shut up, you little…"
"No ya shut up. This is probably the last time we'll ever see one another and I'm gonna talk. The idea of sharin' a mate revolts me. I won't do it! She's mine and mine alone."
"Then you're no longer welcome back home and you're dead to everyone there."
Raphael laughed mirthlessly. "Whatever. It ain't a clan anymore. It's broken, fractured, split, and ya know who did that? YA. Ya violated the honor code and ya deserve seppuku. Ya know that, don't ya? Yer the disgrace, golden boy."
"SHUT UP," Leo said, raising a fist.
"Hit me. I don't care. I have what I want and I'm gonna be very happy with her. Ya will have ta live knowin' what ya've done and don't think Dad won't hear about it, Leonardo. Or maybe he has."
"You threatening me?" Leo snapped.
"No. Fact. Ya know, Leonardo, when I was rejected, I never once thought of hurtin' Amanda. I loved her and still would have done anythin' for her. Ya on the other hand, clearly don't love her, because ya treated her like shit. Ya don't do that ta someone ya love. Ya've been rejected and it must hurt, but if ya really loved her, ya'd just accept it, set her free and be happy for her. Instead ya act mental. See the difference between our love for her? I have the correct heart. Ya don't."
"Fuck you, Raphael. You're dead to the clan."
"And yer dead ta me. Ya can fuck off."
"She still has my baby inside of her. You can't stop me seeing him or her."
"Not upto date, I see. Mandy thinks she lost the baby. So ya have nothin'. Just yer shit rules and yer dishonor."
"You'll never be happy, Raphael, because she doesn't love you and she'll find her way back to me where she belongs." With that Leo stormed out and left the building.
Raphael sank back against the pillows, a stray tear coursing down his cheek. It had been difficult talking to Leo, but he knew he'd made the right decision.
Amanda entered the room a few minutes later, looking for her sunglasses. Not able to meet Raphael's eyes, she mumbled. "I'm just looking for my sunglasses. You seen them, Raphael?"
"Think they're in yer handbag. Come here."
"So you've made your decision," Amanda said despondently. "When are you going home?"
"Come here. Do I have ta beg?" Amanda stood by the bed. "Sit," Raphael added.
Sitting down, fear clutched at Amanda's heart and she said, "Tell me what you decided."
Raphael took her hand, kissed it and said, "I ain't goin' home. I can't share ya. The idea of it sickens me. I love ya too much ta do that. I want ya ta be my mate only."
"But, Raphael, your family?" Amanda said, trying hard to swallow her joy, knowing it must have been a painful decision he'd made.
"Ain't no family, except ya and Don and our soon ta be babies. That's all I need, especially ya."
"Oh, Raphael. You all right?"
"It was hard talkin' ta Leo, but I know I made the right decision. I could never be without ya. There's no clan anyway. Leo destroyed it with his actions. Not me. He's been dishonorable and he'll get his just desserts. I'm gonna talk ta Don 'bout it later."
"Will you and Leo ever reconcile?"
Raphael shook his head. "I doubt it. But it don't matter. All that matters is that yer here with me. If ya still want ta be."
"Of course I do. I love you, Raphael," Amanda said, leaning over and kissing him on the lips. He pulled her close and they locked lips, tongues battling for dominance, a deep rumble leaving Raphael's chest. When they came up for air, Raphael hugged Amanda, his head nestled against her chest and thought, I'll miss my family, but there ain't no way I'd offer Amanda up like she was a piece of meat. So if it means never seein' my family again, so be it. I'll make my own life with my princess and my own clan. I hope someday Dad realizes what Leo did and tosses him out. He deserves that, but would I go back if Dad asked me back? I don't know.
"Raphael?" Amanda asked, pulling apart.
"Hmm?" he said, gazing at her tenderly.
"Want to watch a movie? The Notebook's on soon."
"Love ta."
They cuddled up together and watched the movie, hands entwined. Raphael snuck a look at his sweetheart pressed up against him and thought, yeah, I made the right decision. Amanda and I are gonna be together forever and have an amazin' life. I don't need Leo or the clan. I have everythin' I want right here.