Disciplines Of War

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Author's Note: Thanks to all for your reviews it is greatly appreciated.

Part Five

Raph watched Leo leave and he wondered vaguely what Leo was up to what had Leo found that was so interesting to him? Something had to of gotten under Leo's shell that was for sure because since they had arrived at the farm Leo had been acting very unLeo like.

First off Leo was spending A LOT of time off by himself and Raph was pretty sure he wasn't spending ALL of that time in meditation.

Secondly and this was really strange for Leo at any rate, was Leo wasn't pestering his brothers to get in some extra practice.

Not that Raph really minded that part in the least. After all Leo could be more of a slave driver then Splinter and his over bearing need for perfection drove Raph to insanity.

No something had to be going on but knowing Leo it couldn't be anything too bad he was the perfect son after all and Leo wouldn't do any thing to tarnish his golden perfect image. Or Would he? Raph gave a wicked grin at that thought then dismissed it.

They had come here to relax after all and may be just this once Leo was actually going allow them to enjoy their time off…and just who am I trying to kid? Who would ever believe that Leo would let them rest and enjoy their vacation?

" The world must be coming to an end," Raph muttered to himself as he went off in search of his other brothers.

He found Don and Mike in the living room of the old farm house Don was fiddling with his lap top and mike was flipping through channels " Anyone know where Leo disappeared to?"

" I think he went for an exercise run Mike. Can you guys actually believe him? He's letting us rest for a change." Raph grinned.

" You two haven't fought since we got here," Mike noted suddenly.

 " It's easy to do when he isn't around so much nagging me about all my faults" Raph quipped.

Don scowled " Some thing just doesn't seem right though. I mean he looks fine but he isn't acting normal for Leo not that I don't enjoy the chance to catch up on my own stuff."

" Brothers I think it is time to find out what our great leader has been up to that has changed him so. Let's check his room" Raph declared.

" Raph that happens to be an invasion of privacy" Don snapped.

 " Aw, Donny it isn't like we haven't done this before" Mike cut in.

 " You guys might have I NEVER" Don insisted.

 " Suit yourself then Don" Raph gave an indifferent shrug as he turned to head up the stairs followed closely by Mike.

Don hesitated only for a second or two before following his brothers up the stairs and as they entered the room Leo slept in Don lingered in the door way.

Raph found a videotape " Ninja's kurr. Either of you know what a kurr is? I don't recall Splinter mentioning kurrs and besides this isn't his writing or any of our writing on here."

 " I don't think so. I have never heard of a kurr at any rate" Don muttered.

 Mike opened a drawer on the night table " Hey guys there is a book in here about horses. Why would Leo be reading about horses it's not his usual reading material. It is written by a dude called Xenophon and I thought our names were bad" Mike chuckled as he opened the book " There is a name in here Jessica Rannelly and a phone number.

Leo's got a girlfriend!" Mike couldn't help chanting the last bit out.

" Wait a sec Mike do you know what this means?"

 " Yeah Raph Leo has a girlfriend!"

 " No goof ball! Leo has BEEN SEEN! Leo let someone around here SEE him and…oh, if Splinter only knew!" Raph stated cheerfully.

Mike grinned " We can follow him and take pictures to use on him as black mail. Can you believe it our leader has fallen from grace?"

" Yeah all of his lectures about not letting anyone see you and all that stuff. He is not so perfect after all. I have got to see what is on this tape." Raph announced leaving Leo's room.

They all trooped downstairs and Raph popped the video in and they waited to see what was on the video.

" Next up is Jessica Rannelly performing a free style kurr on Ninjinsky's Shadow Warrior." A voice came over.

 Silence fell and the image showed a ring of sorts and a black horse entering the ring a young female mounted on the horse's back.

They stopped in the center and the girl bowed the horse and rider stood stock still for a moment and then music began to play as the music played the horse began to move.

The horse's footfalls landed perfectly in time with the music and no matter how the music changed the horse kept time.

Raph watched for a few minutes before looking at the others " Anyone get this? I mean this is nothing more then a stupid horse going around in circles and moving sideways and a bunch of nonsense. Why would Leo be interested in this? Or is it just the rider he's keen on?"

 " I think its kind of pretty Raph. Look at him; the horse looks like he is skipping to the music. I think he likes dancing just look at him. He looks pretty light on his feet for such a heavy fellow. It sort of reminds me of figure skating in some ways you know the music the flowing movements in time with the song" Mike stated there was something about that playful horse that Mike could relate to. Maybe it was because the horse seemed so cheerful and playful.

" I guess she call's her horse Ninja for short and this dancing stuff they do is a kurr" Don decided it was nice but didn't interest him.

" BORING! What would Leo want with this stuff? Why did he go and put everything on the line? He's given me long lectures for far less you know." Raph snapped irritated at Leo.

" You would have to ask Leo what it is he sees in this stuff and if you did that then he would know you were snooping in his room if I were you Raph I'd let it drop were going home in a few more days any ways" Don suggested gently.

Mike waited patiently for Leo; he heard his brother slip silently into the old farmhouse avoiding the creaky boards on the porch as his brother closed the door softly behind him Mike switched on the lamp by the couch.

" So where have you been going to Leo that you have to come sneaking in all Ninja like?"

" None of your business Mike" Leo retorted quickly.

  " Uh-huh. I think it is my business. I thought Raph was the antisocial one of the family. How can we ever trust you if you keep secrets from us Leo? Come on come clean and tell the truth" Mike teased.

 " What secret?" Leo responded.

 " The one you are trying to keep from us. You are trying to hide things from us Leo and you know it" Mike declared quickly then started to hum the music he heard from off the video.

" If I tell you Mike you have to promise NOT to tell the others."

 " OOOH! Leo is going tell me his juicy secret. I'm listening" Mike sat up on the sofa looking at Leo expectantly.

" First you have to promise me or I won't tell you a single thing," Leo threatened.

 " All right I promise I won't tell." Mike allowed.

 " I met a girl and a horse that she rides. The horse's name is Ninja and he broke away from Jessica and I caught him for her but when I went to disappear before she could see me Ninja sort of pushed me out in the open.

I didn't intend for her to see me, or anything like that but once it happened there wasn't a lot I could do about it.

Any ways I found out that Jessica practices a sport called dressage and I sort have been learning a bit about it from her. She must be getting more comfortable with me too because she is starting to ask me stuff about our training.

There are quite a few similarities between what she does and what we do and I guess when I learned dressage was originally meant for in battle it made me want to learn why and how and all the things that go with it.

The more I learn the more similarities I can see.

We are both trained in disciplines of war its just different aspects of war games." Leo admitted.

" So that is why you are seeing her because of her connection to war games. Tactical warfare and all that."

 " Well it isn't just that Mike. Though it was originally why I was interested. Splinter has tried to teach us to enjoy other things like music and art and… It is just beautiful watching what she can do with her horse. It almost like a meditation relaxing, calming, peaceful to watch."

 " Can I come see it Leo? PLEASE!" Mike begged, " She already knows about us so what is the difference?"

 " Why is it that important Mike?" Leo wondered what his brothers reasoning were.

 " I like animals and I want to see him dance for real," Mike blurted out.

" Wait how did you know…"

 " A lucky guess Leo" Mike responded quickly giving one of his amiable innocent disarming grins that got him out of so much trouble.

" That and snooping through my room again" Leo muttered heaving a long suffering sigh " All right I'll let you come for one reason if I don't allow you to come you will just end up following me any ways then again you could probably use the work in Ninja stealth" he decided in a resigned way.

" Thanks Leo I knew you'd see it my way" Mike crowed before heading up stairs to bed.

TBC