Chapter Thirteen: My Loyal Sacrifice

Shredder removes the blades from her chest, and Venus slowly collapses to the ground. Leo then pulls himself off the wall, and he drops on his knees, and he gently lifts Venus up, and holds her in his arms.

"Not the right person to kill, but at least I killed the last of them at least!" Shredder chuckles as he backs away.

"Venus? Venus?!" Leo whimpered.

Venus slowly opens her eyes, and she smiles warmly as she just managed to see Leo, even though she has a hole in her chest, and was losing so much blood. The turtles and Splinter all were teary eyed as they looked on what happened.

"Leonardo." Venus said faintly.

"Venus, why did you do that?! You shouldn't even be here! This was my job! It was my sworn duty to protect you, and the others!" Leo sadly told her.

"You have saved me, Leonardo. You gave me a home when my home was destroyed, and when I had nowhere to go. You too me in when you didn't have to. And I am forever grateful for that. So this is my way to return the favour. You saved me, and this is me saving you." Venus explained.

"But... I didn't want this!" Leo whimpered, as tears started to fall from his eyes.

"It'll hurt for a very long time, I know. But I had to do what I had to, because the boys will need their brother, and your master still needs his son. I miss my Daddy, however. Now I know I can die happy, knowing I'll be with him again shortly." Venus told him.

"But Venus, you're still young, and you're the last of their kind. If you die now, how will the legacy live on?" Leo asked in pain.

"It's alright, Leonardo. My Master Chung I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I think I know the reason he sent me here now." Venus thought.

"Why is that?" Leo wondered.

"He sent me here, so I can meet someone like you. Who's loyal, who's protective, who was willing to keep anybody safe, no matter what the cost. He told me there's a magic I have not discovered yet, until I made it to America. And I believed the magic he was talking about, was you." Venus smiled.

"Oddly enough, Splinter keeps telling me that I had something missing from my skills, and abilities. And even now, I still have no idea what he means by that." Leo sadly stated, more tears falling from his eyes.

"Leonardo, you don't need to cry for me." Venus stated.

"But I do! And I don't even know why! I find that I have something missing, and I don't even know why, I couldn't keep my promise to you, when I promised you I would, I am just lost! I don't know what to do, and I don't know what I am looking for any more! I am lost, Venus!" Leo whimpered again, as he cries almost uncontrollably.

"Well, don't worry about that, Leonardo. I am safe now, because I am going somewhere, a place where no harm will get to me any more. And I have you to thank for that. And I have one more thing to tell you." Venus stated.

"What's that, Venus?" Leo sobbed.

"Ever since I came here to America, I wanted to let you know, every second of being here, I have enjoyed every moment with it. Our little spar in the dojo, exploring the city, staring at the moonlight, I have loved every single moment of that..." Venus cuts herself off.

Venus smiles, as she slowly reached her hand up towards Leo, and placed a hand on his face. Leo gasped in surprise, with eyes still filled with tears. Happy tears started to flow from Venus' eyes as well.

"...just as much as I loved you." Venus finished.

Leo gasped in shock after hearing that. Then all of a sudden, Venus' hand slowly strokes Leo's face, and slowly falls off his face, and it hits the ground. Venus closes her eyes slowly, tears fell from her eyes, and her head fell sideways, and breathes her last breath. Venus has tragically died in Leo's arms. Leo gasped in fear, and he gently shakes Venus.

"Venus? Venus?! Venus, please, don't go! DON'T LEAVE ME! Don't go where I can't follow, Venus! It's not fair!" Leo sobs.

Leo lifts her lifeless body higher, and wraps his arms around her warmly, and cries uncontrollably, placing her head on his chest, and he rests his head on hers. Tears flow from his eyes, and they land on Venus' head.

"I don't get it, Splinter! What is my missing something?!" Leo thought, as he sobs.

(Flashback)

"Now, what exactly is wrong, my son?" Splinter asked.

"What do you mean, Master?" Leo wondered, in confusion.

"It is not like for you to be wide awake at this time, especially coming back from Japan. Normally you'd be in bed by now, yet you are still awake. What do you believe is troubling you, Leonardo, my son?" he asked again. Leo couldn't help, but sigh.

"I don't know, Master. Don't get me wrong, I feel great about myself. I trained in Japan for six months, I have learned new things, I have grown stronger, stealthier, and wiser than I once was, compared to when I was only sixteen years old." Leo started explaining.

"You are happy about what you've learned, are you not?" Splinter asked.

"Oh, yes! Of course, don't get me wrong. I loved all the lessons I learned, regardless if I was close to quitting because it was tough, I loved every aspect of it. But I feel like there's just something I haven't learnt yet." Leo finished.

"How do you mean, son?" Splinter asked again.

"Well, even though I learned a lot more than I have, even though I learned a lot from you, but to me, I feel like there's something missing from my life. Something I have not learned yet, that I have yet to learn." Leo added.

"We all have something like that, Leonardo. Why, even myself at my age, even I believe there are some things I have not known yet. You learn a lot of things when you are young, and you still learn a lot of things as you get older." Splinter explained.

"I guess you have a point there, Master. The only thing I don't get however, is that even though I think something is missing, and I am yet to learn it, I have not the foggiest idea what it could be. Like I get what you mean how you can still learn things, whether you are young or old, but how can one learn something, if they don't know what it could be?" Leo wondered.

"That is also very true, my son. And what you need to realize as well, Leonardo, is that within your mind, and your soul, there are some things you won't always see. Sometimes it's not always about what you hear, or see, or what you know. Sometimes in order to find the one thing that is missing from your mind, is that you have to find it." Splinter explains.

"How do you mean?" Leo wondered again.

"You use your eyes to see, your ears to hear, your nose to smell, your entire body to feel, and your skills to fight. Maybe the one thing you are missing, and not learned yet, is how to use your heart, and your soul." Splinter mentioned.

"What do you mean by that, Master? I have always used my heart and my soul. I've put my heart and soul into everything. Protecting people, fighting the enemy, training with you, my mentor in Japan, a lot of things." Leo stated.

"True as well. But your heart and soul can be used for a lot more than hard work and dedication to your fighting skills. There are more to the power from that." Splinter added.

"Like what, Master Splinter?" Leo asked.

"That is the part I am unable to tell you. Because that is the thing you need to find out for yourself. Only you can find that part out. Nobody can help you with that part, not even me, your brothers, April, or whoever else you have trained with. Only you can awaken that missing thing in your heart, and soul." Splinter explained even more.

(End of Flashback)

Leo gasped in surprise.

"Is that it? Is this my answer?" Leo wondered.

"I have had enough of this weak pathetic shit! It's about time I be rid of you forever! SAY GOODNIGHT, LEONARDO!" Shredder yelled.

He was about to slash Leo with his claws, but all of a sudden, a bright blue aura formed around Leo and Venus as an energy field. Everyone else gasped, and Shredder looked on in shock.

"WHAT?!" Shredder exclaimed in shock.