Amongst Four
By: Kuroi Neko-kun
Summary: A discovery made by one of the turtles leads the four brothers to a secret of the earth and their place on it.
Warning: I can't think of one for this one
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wishing I did… Oh well…
---
Chapter 2: Chosen for Choice, the Guardian of the Earth
---
Shredder never gave up on them. That was the main reason they have the Foot hot on their tails. This particular time, they managed to get the four to split up. Maybe they thought that the turtles were weaker divided. Whatever it was, it just got anticipation in his mind. All he thought about was getting to at least one of his brothers. He gripped his swords tight, slashing the first two soldiers before running again. It was a seemingly working plan until he hit a dead end: A wall.
"Crap," Leo muttered as he faced the circle of Foot soldiers. Thinking of a strategy, Leo came up with only one. He jumped, grabbing hold of a steel bar connected to one of the building's exterior staircases, only to catch with one hand. With only one arm, Leo could only hold on and he was slipping due to the pulling of the annoying Foot. Oh joy… His last finger slipped and he was sure to fall when a hand caught him and pulled him up, kicking any Foot soldier on him. He found himself face-to-face with a violet haired girl.
"Who are you?" Leo managed out but the girl grabbed his hand.
"No time…" she muttered and led him away from danger to a secluded alley. They were safe… for now. He turned to the girl.
"Who are you?" he repeated after taking a few moments of breaths.
"Houki," she answered without hesitation.
"Nice name…" he noted, with a hint of sarcasm he never intended. Being saved by a girl was something his ego was not about to handle, especially if his brothers found out.
"This isn't the time for sarcasm, Leonardo. Your brothers will have to face something that is far worse than Shredder," she said, looking straight into his glaring eyes.
"How did you know my name?" he asked suspicion in his mind.
"I know everything I need to know about you and your family," she stopped momentarily, slightly dazed. Before Leo could ask any more questions, she spoke. "But I will explain this later, once we are alone."
"Aren't we now?" As if to answer his question, he clearly heard the calls of his brothers for him. They were searching for him.
"Meet me here at the stroke of midnight. I will assure that we are truly alone."
"How can I be sure that you are not one of Shredder's goons?"
"Because you owe me your life," she answered with a small smirk. She walked away into the darkness. Moments later, the three came up to him.
"Were you planning to stay here all night waiting for us to find you?" Raphael muttered.
"Gee, Raph," the orange sash turtle started," if you were worried just say so." Raphael hit him on the head. Soon, those two got into a fight. Leo was barely registering to that. He was thinking about Houki's words.
"Hey bro, you okay?" Don tapped him on the shoulder. Leo nodded before leading the group back to their sewer home.
~~~
'Your brothers will have to face something that is far worse than Shredder…' Those words haunted him as he tossed about in bed. He watched the clock with eagerness, waiting for it to be the right time to leave. He could hear Mikey's television still on. He must be watching all his late night monster movies again. He smiled, knowing that the turtle was already asleep. Getting up, he went up to the set and proving to himself right again. His brother slept on the couch, mumbling something about surfing. He smiled as he turned off the television before covering his brother with a blanket. Then he quietly went out into the city.
~~~
She waited patiently. She knew he would come but waiting was endless for her. Houki laughed at herself, reminding that she used to be very impatient. Then again, Shura was the one who was always patient. A small rustle alerted her. Something was amiss. Whipping up two metallic fans, she turned to her attacker. Leo held his hands in a surrendering gesture. She placed the fans in her belt.
"I thought you were expecting me," Leo said, smirking at her.
"I am… but you took your time and I got bored." The turtle laughed before turning to her.
"You sound like… never mind." He shook his head, bringing them back to business. "Tell me what you meant by what you said." Houki's smirk turned a sly smile. She observed Leonardo with interest.
"Always with the serious approach," she noted before turning to him," heed my words, Leonardo. Man has always protected the world but man chooses to take advantage of the earth they live on, leaving a wrath of earth that man can never conquer. So deep within the earth lies a burning desire to be born again. But four siblings of great strength made a deal with the Powers that Be. If one of them were to become their guardian and ensure the safety of earth and man, the earth will not destroy itself. So that was to be but the Powers choose another sibling to inherit earth's wrath, so that the earth would have to be able to speak out. The Powers also chose the other two to be mediators. One could see the future, while the other will become their gatekeeper. As the two siblings fought, the other two would watch. This battle had gone on for centuries… and it always starts with the one who chooses to either become guardian or to inherit earth's wrath."
"And so the battle begins again," Leo said, understanding the story," but what does it have to do with me?" Houki closed her eyes.
"You are chosen to choose, Leonardo. And the battle amongst four will begin." Leo could come up with one thing in his head.
"You're crazy…" The girl accepted that and sighed.
"Then there is no other choice but for you to meet your predecessor." At that, Houki held up her hand, opening a portal. "Go there and see it through her eyes." Leo thought about it, still recovering from the shock of seeing the portal open up in front of him. He looked into Houki's amethyst eyes. He stepped into the portal.
~~~
He was tugged into a vortex, feeling that he was set for a trap. He tried to reach for something but he could not find anything to grasp. Helplessly flying about, Leonardo let out a sigh. Boy, he felt stupid… A hand reached out and grabbed him by the shell, pulling him out. He found himself staring a young blonde girl, no taller than Houki but she has the same eyes as her.
"You must be the one Houki sent," she noted," I believe she had explained to you about your place?" He nodded. "You have doubts about this, don't you?"
"Can you read my mind?" The girl shook her head.
"I know how it feels. I was there once. I have had the same doubts as you," she said. She touched the air and their surroundings changed to the sea and they were walking on the water.
"What…?" Leo exclaimed.
"Meeting you has allowed me walk the steps to my final resting place. I had wished for you to accompany me," she said taking her first step.
"So you're my predecessor? You were chosen for this? By the Powers?" He asked, walking with her. She nodded.
"I chose to be guardian but I died after the battle. For the sake of my sisters," she answered with a touch of sadness in her voice.
"What happened to your sisters?"
"One of them inherited earth's wrath and the ability to see inner beings. She became blind because of me and she killed me after. I barely managed to get her back. I believe Yumi and Houki are taking care of her inside the earth," she explained," Without me, it is dangerous for them to walk on the earth's surface." The turtle stopped and watched the blond continue walking.
"If I chose, will that happen to my brothers?" Leo asked.
"The same that will happen to mine…"
"What if I don't choose? What if I just let them be?"
"Then you allow the earth to destroy itself for its rebirth. Do you wish to see it destroyed?" Leo shook his head. "The world is only moving because it chooses to. People do bad things because of their choices. Everything about this place is choice. So it is up to you to choose to help the world."
"So the future is also about choice?"
"Yes," she nodded," so make a wise choice. That is all you can do." She stopped, reaching a sandy shore. "I might be going against Yumi on this one. The future is undecided, so heed it with an open mind and a big heart." For the first time, the young girl smiled at him and took his three-fingered hand. "My name is Shura."
"I am Leonardo. I'm grateful to have met you, Shura."
"Thank you for walking these steps with me. And remember, the future is undecided," she walked to the sandy shore. Leo watched her as she faded away.
"You're welcome, Shura…"
~~~
Houki had watched the scene, tears in her eyes as she knew this was the last time she would see her sister who sacrificed herself so that the three of them would live. But does she know about their real fates that they will die if she does? Houki wiped her tears. She had to get the turtle from out of the realm. As he came out, he gave Houki a grave look. Houki would do anything to break the silence but she waited for the turtle to speak. And he did.
"Shura chose to die for you, didn't she?" he asked. Houki nodded.
"I was more than willing to take her place…" the girl mumbled. A single tear streaked down her cheek. "But she told me what use is a gatekeeper if she was dead." Houki gripped her hand, in frustration. Shura had told her to live. Taking that as her wishes, Houki did. "The Powers are cruel, giving us an impossibility to break this cycle. I hope that someday, the earth would relieve its pain and let siblings who already have their hardships be."
"Houki…" Leo mumbled, turning to the purple haired girl.
"You have a lot to think about…" Leo sighed.
"That's true… I think I'll take my leave now…" Houki grabbed his hand, not allowing him to leave just yet. She took off a jade necklace and placed it around his neck.
"If there is anything you need, you can call me using this necklace…" The turtle gave the girl a look.
"How is that even possible?" Houki smirked, touching the necklace.
"Your heart will be my guide," she mumbled, before pecking him on the cheek. Soon after, she disappeared, leaving Leo to his thoughts.
~~~
"Is that so, Leonardo?" his master and parent asked, after hearing his story. He had heard of the tale before but he never thought it was real. And his son faced a big dilemma of not wanting to drag his brothers into this and the earth.
"Master Splinter… I understand if you don't believe me but…"
"It's not that I don't. But if you refuse to be guardian then you will become your brothers' enemies. Are you willing to do that?" Leo shook his head.
"But if I choose, then one of them will become the enemy. I will have to fight…" he turned to the other three, poking fun at each other," I can't have any of them share that burden." It was then the rat hit the turtle with his walking stick.
"Stop being an idiot at these situations," he declared," they will understand if you explain it to them. What else can you do?" Leo rubbed his head, heeding his master's words. He sighed.
"I'll tell them."
~~~
As crazy as it sounded, none of them questioned Leonardo. If it was Mikey on the other hand… the Sai wielder glanced at Michelangelo who was asking many questions, half of them related to his comic books. They all knew he was trying to lighten up a serious situation. Leo shook his head, patiently answering each question with restraint that only belonged to their 'fearless leader'. But Donnie did raise some doubts, mostly logical ones. Leo glanced at him, waiting for a blowout ala Raphael. There were none. Once everything was clear, Leo told them to sleep on it. He was going to bring them all to see Houki. As they all got ready to turn in, Leo approached him.
"So why didn't you ask any questions? Raise your doubts?"
"Because I had none," was the answer. He knew that Leo would leave him be. Maybe an answer to so many questions would be right for his mind right now. He turned to his brother. "Remember the times when I wanted to go out so badly that I got my butt into trouble? After the whole fiasco, Master Splinter told me about the earth once. How four siblings sacrificed their livelihood to protect it. Kinda like we're doing right now… Anyway, the story he told is, surprise-surprise, the one you're in. All I know from the story is that I'm not alone. And only I can bring my brother back from darkness. You can too. So I know that if I were to fall, you're there to save me and vice versa… Understand?" Leo nodded, smiling. Somehow, Raphael had given him some light. He knew what to do but he needed to know more information than what was given. He touched the jade necklace's pendant. It was of the Goddess of Mercy. Like the Goddess to her subjects, Houki was the answer to all of their questions.
---