Disclaimer: Read the Prologue for it. =P
Warning: Major angst for everyone
This takes place when the turtles are 12.
'Dreams can give wings, but if enough is enough, then they can be the gateway to eternity' --My own quote (you'll understand later.)
Hello! Sorry it's been so long since I updated!!!!
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Splinter burst into Leonardo's room in a state of panic, followed closely by Mikey, Donny, and Raph.
The group stopped and looked around the room in surprise. There was no one there.
Raph turned to glare at Mikey, who was standing with his mouth open. "Mikey..." He growled warningly.But Splinter raised his hand. "Raphael! Shush!"
Raph looked up at Splinter, and was surprised to see that Splinter was looking around the room as if searching for something.
"Master Splinter...?" Don questioned, looking at Splinter as well.
But Splinter just raised his hand again, before suddenly gasping.
"Leonardo!"
That's when the turtles noticed their elder brother lying in the corner of the room, unconscious.
Mikey gasped and rushed to Leo's side, and began to shake him. "Leo! Leo! Wake up! WAKE UP!!! Master Splinter..." He looked at Splinter, "Why won't Leo wake up?"
Don kneeled next to his brother and checked Leo's pulse. Leo's hand was cold and clammy, and his pulse was faint.
"Master Splinter...?"
Don asked as well, looking at Splinter, wide-eyed. "Why won't Leo wake?" Don asked again.
Splinter was about to answer, when something behind them answered for him.
"Because I don't want to."
Splinter and Raph whirled around, while Don gasped and Mikey 'eep'-ed.
There, behind Splinter and Raph, stood Leo.
Raph cocked his head before looking behind him at the unconscious Leo, then at Leo who was standing in front of them. "Leo?" He questioned, before looking at Splinter. "There are two Leos??? I always thought there was one!!!"
Splinter did not take his eye off of Leo as he answered Raphael. "There is only one, Raphael."
Raph stared before looking behind him again. "But...but...?"
Splinter smiled sadly. "Look, my sons."
The three turtles looked at Leo and saw that he was outlined by a faint, blue line.
Mikey yelled and hid behind Donny.
Raph's jaw dropped. "Leo??!!"
Splinter sighed. "Leonardo."
Leo looked up at Splinter. He was not smiling.
"Why have you left your body?"
"Because I wanted to."
The answer was short and right to the point. Leo did not smile at them. Only stared at them with a cold expression. Raph shivered. He never had seen Leo act so cold towards them.
Splinter, however, did not seem fazed by Leo's sudden change in character.
"And why's that, my son?"
Leo didn't answer, instead, to the right of them, someone else did.
"Because I offered to."
Splinter, and the turtles turned quickly to see who spoke. Mikey suddenly yelled. "Master Splinter!!!!!! It's that weird girl!!!!!"
Because in front of them, stood a girl, glowing faintly blue. She had a pale but pretty face, long brown hair, and dark brown eyes. She wore a dark-blue nightgown with a pair of torn jeans underneath.
And she was glaring at them.
Splinter's ears twitched. "An Effluoerro." He whispered, looking at the girl with a mix of pity and sadness.
The three turtles looked at him in confusion. "What's that?" They asked him.
Splinter didn't look at them, but explained. "An Effluoerro. A Forgotten Wanderer. They are children, who died after some sort of abuse. They wander the Earth for a month, finding and befriending others who they feel are being abused, before offering to take them."
"Take them where?" Mikey asked, a hint of childish naivety in his voice.
"Take them to the gathering of others like them on the night of a New Moon and to wait for the Angels to open the Gates of Heaven."
Raph cocked his head. "And? Why's that so bad?"
Don paled. "Because, Raph. Once someone passes through the Gates of Heaven, they won't ever come back."
Seeing the look of confusion still on Raph's face, Don explained. "They die."
Raph's eyes widened.
Mikey looked at Splinter in confusion. "But what does she have to do with Leo?"
The girl answered instead. "I've offered him to come with me to the Gates."
Mikey looked at her. "Why, Lady?"
The girl scoffed. "Name's Rebecca, and I think you all know the reason."
Mikey opened his mouth to ask, but Splinter held up his hand.
"Enough Michaelangelo. Leonardo," He started, looking towards Leo. But Leo just shook his head.
"No." He whispered, walking towards Rebecca. "I don't want to listen. I'm tired, Sensei. I'm sorry, but I wanna go."
Splinter's eyes widened, before raising his voice. "Leonardo..." He said warningly.
Leo looked at them apologetically. "No. I can't stay here anymore. I'm sorry. I'm tired of being the maid of this household. I'm just tired of it all. I can't bare it, I'm sorry."
He looked up at Splinter. A tear trickled down his face. "I know. I failed. I'm the eldest and all, and am supposed to bare this burden, but I can't. I'm sorry, Sensei."
He whispered, before looking at Rebecca. "Let's go."
Rebecca nodded.
Raph got over his surprise the fastest. "No!!! Leo! Wait!"
But Leo ignored him. He nodded back to Rebecca before turning and walking towards the wall which was the only thing separating his room from the outside of the sewers. He stopped before looking back at them. Leo shook his head sadly, before turning and walking right through the wall.
Rebecca followed, but stopped and looked back at them. "I bet you guys are real happy now, aren't you?"
She shook her head when Raph was about to speak. "No. Don't try to defend yourselves. I've been here all along. Watching. Waiting. Knowing. Leo knew. Maybe not consciously, but he knew unconsciously."
Splinter spoke up for the first time. "So you are the reason why Leonardo has been fainting?"
Rebecca smiled. "Yep. Ever since I realized what was going on, I have been here, helping his soul to be less and less connected to his body. Sadly, when that happens, the body becomes weaker and weaker, until it cannot function anymore."
She whispered, nodding towards the unconscious body of Leo, before turning and walking through the wall as well.
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R&R PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
