Author Notes: Thank you so much for all the well wishes! Thankfully, the tornado that hit us was only a EF1, which is a REALLY good thing, considering how many houses it directly hit. The worst injury I heard of was a neighbor needing a few stitches. In the manner of strange tornado stories, the worst hit house was a trailer home, which was lifted up off the foundation, completely flying over the dachshund dog tied up in the backyard while his owner was at work, and landing on the other side. The dog was completely unscathed, though, understandably, a little startled.

Also, ART ALERT: Dream Dancer has made an absolutely ADORABLE art piece of Leo interacting with each of the Hamato Brothers. I left a link up on my profile, along with the others.

Chapter 15: Dreams of Family

The tiny yellowish-orange flame dance and flicked at the end of the tiny wooden stick, then greedily engulfed and ignited the wick it had been touched to, leaving a twin glowing and dancing in its wake as it was pulled away.

I shook the match, extinguishing the tiny flame before it could reach my fingertips, and examined the ring of pilfered candles I had set up, a glowing circle of tiny flickering orange wisps. Hopefully nobody would notice that many candles missing out of their supply, at least until tomorrow at the earliest, and even more hopefully, nobody would try to enter this rarely used storage room, made all the more secure by a heavy shelving unit shoved in front of the door. I was going to leave myself particularly vulnerable, and I didn't want to risk somebody walking in on me.

I had to wonder to myself, just what did I hope to accomplish here? Why was I doing this? I hadn't tried anything even close to this, and besides, I was out of practice. I hadn't properly meditated in months, not since Master Splinter had...

I took a deep breath, and stepped over the candles to settle myself down in the middle of the ring of tiny flames, feeling a nervous flutter deep in my chest. I straightened my shell, sitting up tall as I took a deep, calming breath, and crossed my legs as I prepared myself.

I wasn't sure why I was so apprehensive. I had meditated hundreds of times under Master Splinter's direction. It was an activity I normally enjoyed immensely.

But... this time felt different. The small flames dotting around me in the ring of candles crackled with anticipation, almost filling the air with an electric energy. For a moment, I thought I saw the shadow of a rat cast by the dancing flames against the wall, but it was gone before I could even blink.

I shook my head, inhaled deeply and sat back.

I was starting to imagine things. I needed to calm down.

I closed my eyes, rested my hands on my knees, and exhaled slowly, listening to the quiet crackle of the flames around me.

Breathe in...

Breathe out...

Feel the air enter in through my mouth...

Feel it exhaled slowly through my nose...

I felt myself fall deep and deeper into the trance, a mental and spiritual path I traveled with practiced ease. I had feared that I would find the way difficult, being out of practice like I was, but instead I now reveled in the calming familiarity of it.

I slowly slipped away from the mortal world, and felt myself skirting the edge of the astral plane itself.

The first time I had ever managed to visit this otherworldly plane of existence, under Master Splinters watchful guidance, I had truly delighted in the experience. Not just because it was a feat only few ever learned to master, but because it was a trip of the soul to the world of dreams and spirits.

Visiting the Astral Plane proved I had a soul.

It proved that all those humans over the years were wrong. I was more then just an animal, a monster.

I was Leonardo, and I had a soul.

I uncertainly examined the shadow filled darkness around me, the border of the astral plan, and wondered to myself once again just what I had hoped to find here. Enlightenment? Clarity? Guidance?

I sighed. More then likely, I was just wasting my time. I wasn't going to be able to help the Hamatos by finding universal serenity.

Movement on the edge of my vision caught my attention, and I turned to see a shape mostly obscured in the mists around me. Was... there a spirit here? Creatures were rumored to wander this otherworldly plane, both benevolent and malevolent, though I had never come across one before.

My eyes narrowed as I tried to peer through the midnight fog, trying to see what astral creature lurked within, debating whether to approach it and ask for help, or to quickly retreat and give up on this pointless venture.

My heart lurched in my chest, and I froze.

Wait... I knew that shape. It was no human... and it was no astral creature...

There was only one it could belong to, and I had never thought that I would ever see him again.

"Master Splinter?!" I choked out in disbelief, and then, stumbling at first, I quickly caught my balance and broke out into a run through the mists towards the form, towards the beloved sensei I thought I had lost forever.

But the shadow of the humanoid rat seemed to sink deeper into the shadows and mist, disappearing from sight.

"No!" My voice was almost a sob as I recklessly dove forward, desperate to find my lost father, my only friend in the whole world. "Please..." I begged to the shadows, slowing to a stop and peering through the mists in a frantic attempt to spot him again. "Master Splinter! Sensei! Don't leave me alone again!"

I heard a squeak, and froze, then, swallowing hard, slowly turned around.

There, sitting on the ground, a brown furred rat with greying whiskers sat back on his hind legs, sniffing the air with his little pink nose. A surprisingly real and solid creature in this world of wispy fog and intangible lines.

I licked my dry lip, and then shakily took a step towards him, a hand hesitantly reaching out.

Those murky brown eyes, so familiar even in this tiny form, blinked at me, then the rat turned and scurried away.

"No!" I reached out towards him with a hand, pleading after the tiny fleeing form, and once more desperately bolted forward to try and reach him. "Come back! Father! Please!"

But this time, the tiny rat didn't disappear into the shadows around us. He always stayed within sight, as if he were leading me somewhere.

I had no idea where I was anymore. I had previously skirted the edges of the Astral Plane before, dipping into its shallow edges, but never before had I ventured so far inward before. Now, following the spirit of the rat before me, I found myself going further and further in, deep in unknown territory.

This was definitely not the world of mortals. The shadows and mists began to take form, creating smokey trees that combined into dark and star-filled forests, and mountains of glittering ebony and shadowy cliffs towered above us. All sense of direction was quickly lost, and at times, and in the back of my mind, I wondered if I would even be able to find my way back. It didn't matter though. All that mattered to me at that moment was only the small, scurrying rat in front of me, my sense of family that I longed for with ever fiber of my being.

I followed the rat through the trees and watched helplessly as he slipped over the rocky edge of a looming ravine, leading into what looked like a vast and bottomless pit.

"Master Splinter!" I rushed up and peered over the edge.

The shape of the rat had slipped between rocks and crevices, and was carefully picking his way downwards.

I swallowed hard, looking down. The pit was filled with swirling fog, velvet black and dark as a midnight sky. There was an ominous feeling about those shadows down there, and I instinctively knew that if I fell in there, I would be lost forever.

But...

I took a deep breath, sat on the midnight, star speckled grass, and slipped my legs over the edge, carefully feeling around for any footholds. Thankfully, the jutting rocks were solid, and offered enough of a anchor for me to climb down with fairly little trouble. I gulped and risked a glance down into the swirling, bottomless abyss looming endlessly below. I could not fall.

I slowly picked my way down, the small brown rat patiently leading the way. And he was definitely leading me somewhere. He paused to patiently wait when I had to puzzle my way through particularly tricky sections, but quickly moved on again once I had made my way through, a determination and purpose in his movements. I didn't know where he was leading me, or why, but it didn't matter. I would follow him anywhere.

After what seemed like hours of descending down the seemingly endless cliff face, I eventually noticed a light glowing off in the gloom below us, a bluish glow that grew larger and broader, a beacon in the otherwise swirling gloom. Apparently that was our destination, as the rat was obviously moving us directly in that direction.

As we drew closer, I realized that the shadowy rocks had reached out and formed some sort of island hanging off the rock cliff face, a literal oasis with a shimmery pond of liquid blue light, and beautiful trees that glowed as if filled with a thousand blue fireflies.

I hopped over a rock, following the rat closer to this sanctuary, and finally noticed a human man sitting cross legged at the edge of the brilliant, beautiful water, peering into its depth sadly, as if looking for something.

I swallowed hard.

There was no mistaking it.

The human spirit dwelling on this island oasis was that of Hamato Yoshi.

He looked just as he did in the picture hanging on the fridge I had seen, though his form had the same misty quality of everything in this realm, and was slightly transparent. He was dressed in a burgundy red kimono, with a black circle with the Hamato clan symbol embroidered on the back. He was facing away from us, so I couldn't see his face, but his broad shoulders seemed somewhat bowed with care and weariness.

The rat didn't hesitate for a second, clambering up onto the island and immediately scurrying over towards the human. The human shifted slightly as the brown rat approached him, and he seemed to perk up at the sight, his body language welcoming as the rat scrambled up into his lap before climbing up his robe to perch on his shoulder.

"Ah, there you are, Splinter-san. I was wondering where you went." the man said in a glad but undeniably tired voice, reaching up to gently stroke the rat's head. "I was starting to fear I would once again be left to sit here alone, my old friend."

The rat preened, obviously pleased under his touch, then turned to look back at me, squeaking.

"Hm?" the human man turned, and slate blue eyes blinked in surprise when he saw me peeking out from behind a blue sparkled tree trunk. "Oh... Who... who is this?"

Swallowing hard, I slowly slipped out from behind the tree, clutching my arm nervously, and stepped forward. "Um... hello, Great Hamato Yoshi..." I hoped desperately that he wouldn't be alarmed by a turtle creature trespassing on his island. I never had much luck with meeting humans without them turning hostile, the Hamato brothers were one of the few exceptions, but I really needed to talk to him. I held my hands out to the sides, trying to appear nonthreatening. "Please, don't let my appearance frighten you. I assure you, I am a friend."

The human's eyes, the blue pools so similar to my own, were only filled with a serene warmth, mixed with surprised curiosity and a tinge of weariness. "Then you are most welcome, my new friend." He nodded his head slightly in a welcoming gesture, then gestured towards the ground next to him, inviting me over. "I am curious, who and what may you be?" He paused for a moment as I drew closer, and studied me, looking surprised and intrigued. "You look strangely familiar to me for some reason."

"It's... uh... complicated." I felt awkward as I walked over, carefully lowing myself to kneel on ground next to him. Once settled down before this spirit of a great man, I hesitantly asked, "I don't suppose... you remember buying a pet turtle? For your sons?"

Yoshi blinked, then narrowed his eyes, peering at me closely. Then his eyes widened in wonder. "Wait... Leonardo? Is that really you?"

I swallowed hard and lowered my head, nodding.

He sat back on his heels, looking over me, marveling. "You... have changed." His eyes blinked as he seemed to realize something, and he looked at me in surprised wonder. "I sense my blood now runs through your veins, the same as my sons. How... how can this be?"

I cleared my throat. "As I said, it's... a long story." I swallowed hard, and shook my head. "But that is not why I'm here. I've actually come in hopes of bringing you back."

"Bring... me back?" Yoshi looked confused. He looked around. "To tell the truth, I'm not even really sure where I am, or how I got here."

"We're deep within the Astral Plane. I'm not sure how exactly you got here, but..." I took a deep breath, then set my three fingered hands on the ground, and lowered my head to touch them respectfully in a deep bow. "Great Hamato Yoshi, your sons need you. Please... wake up."

Yoshi looked perplexed. "Wake... up...?" He looked down at his hands, obviously confused. "Am I asleep?"

I nodded, exhaling as I sat back up to rest on my heels, looking at him. "You've been in a coma for twelve years."

Yoshi sat up straight and stared at me, clearly startled. "Twelve... years...? I've been here for twelve years? It... can't be..."

I nodded grimly. "Your sons have been trying to hold the clan together, but they need their father. Please, wake up."

"My sons... They need me?" Yoshi swallowed hard, and turned to look at the rat on his shoulder, "Is... is that what you've been trying to tell me, my old friend?"

The rat Splinter sat back on his haunches, looking at Yoshi with concern, and squeaked.

Yoshi's face firmed up with determination, and I watched as he stood up beside me. "I must go to them then at once." But then he exhaled, and shook his head, looking around. "But... I have been lost for so long... I fear I do not know how to return home."

I glanced at Splinter, then upwards, towards the ceiling of swirling mist obscuring the world above us. "I came down from up there. My guess is that's the way back as well. "

Following my gaze, Yoshi turned to look up the cliff face looming over us. "Perhaps. I... I have tried to climb out before, but..." he exhaled and turned back look to me sadly. "I fear that I no longer have the strength." He straightened his shoulders, and walked to the cliff face, looking determined. "But if my sons need me, then I must try."

I stood up as well, standing next to him, as I looked up at the daunting climb before us. I looked over to the human soul, and noticed just how faded and tired he looked.

I realized with a sinking heart that he would never make it. He would either be forced to return to this island, trapped once more, or, even worse, fall down into the abyss below, and be lost forever. If he could have returned, this remarkable human would have by now.

"Climb on my shell." The decision was an easy one to make. "I can carry you home."

Yoshi looked over at me, his blue eyes blinking in surprise. "Leonardo, the climb will be hard enough for you as it is. I cannot ask you to carry me as well."

"Don't worry. I am a turtle." I smiled reassuringly, reaching over to tap my shell with a finger. "I can carry the weight of the world on my shell if such a task is required of me."

Yoshi looked at me for a long moment, then up at the cliff face. He was obviously torn, and debated inwardly for a long minute. Finally, he exhaled slowly, then turned back to me and nodded. "I see no other way. I must get back to my sons." He held his hands together and bowed slightly. "I do not know why you are here, or how you came to be here, but I am grateful, Leonardo."

I bowed respectfully in return, then paused and watched, startled, as Yoshi's soul faded away, condensing into a ball of white mist, and floated over to settle heavily over my shell. I turned my head to glance back. Despite the fog-like form he had taken, I could feel the weight pressing down, still as heavy as a full grown man.

Splinter, who had scrambled off Yoshi's shoulder to perch on a rock, watching us.

I glanced at him, then bowed respectfully, knowing now why he had led me here. "Please... lead us home, Master."

The rat gave a squeak, and turned to start climbing over the rocks, stopping to glance back and check to see if I followed.

And thus I began to slowly and laboriously climb back upwards. If I had thought the climb down had been difficult, then climbing up, now laden down with the precious burden nestled on my shell, tested the very limits of my endurance. It was a very difficult climb, and at some points, the only anchor points I could find to pull myself upwards were temporary ones I made myself by sliding my hands into jagged crevices and balling up my fists, using nothing but my sheer body strength to hoist myself upwards hand by hand in some places.

At one point, I shifted carefully along an extremely narrow ledge, then glanced up, studying the best path to take next. Splinter waited patiently above, and I finally leapt up, grabbing a ledge with just my fingertips, supporting my whole weight with the precarious hold. I started to pull myself up, but then the astral rock crumbled under my grasp, and with a yelp, I slipped and fell.

Rocks and rubble bounced around me, my shell made a teeth-grating scraping noise against the stones, and my scaled skin tore and scraped painfully as I scrabbled desperately to stop our plunge, Splinter racing down and squeaking in alarm after us.

After a heart-stopping slid that bordered on freefall, I was able to grab a jutting rock, ending our fall with a jarring jolt. Clinging to the rock and exhaling shakily, I risked a glance down to watch the broken rocks I had dislodged fall into the abyss below, then looked back up, wearily noting the distance I had lost in my near fall that I would have to travel up again.

With a growl, I reached up and ignored the pain and tiny cuts, determinedly starting up once more.

The rat peered down at us, concerned, and brushed me with his face as I moved passed him, the momentary contact both electrical and warm and comforting. Then he turned about and scrambled up above us, leading on once more.

I had thought the astral plane to be a purely spiritual realm, but the physical strain seemed very real on my muscles. My muscles hurt, my scales felt tender with the dozens of scrapes and bruises I had earned, and my fingertips felt like they had been worn raw.

Still, I carefully picked my way up, ever climbing upwards, ever bearing the burden I was glad to bear for the sake of the future of the Hamato family.

Finally, midnight black tree roots, speckled with stars, began to appear weaving in and around the rocky cliff face, offering me even more handholds, and the mist thinned out and cleared enough that I could at last see the top of the cliff above us, the odd ebony grass lining the edge like a thin layer of fuzzy hair.

Renewed by the sight, I pushed my aching, crying muscles even farther, eagerly making my way to grab particularly sturdy looking tree root, and using them to climb the last dozen feet or so. Splinter scrambled up behind us now, bringing up the rear and squeaking, encouraging me on as best as he could.

Then my three fingered hands felt grass beneath them, and with an exhausted, shuddering growl, I swung my leg up and managed to crawl the rest of the way, collapsing on my knees and breathing hard, sweat rolling down my scaly skin. I didn't even know one COULD sweat in the Astral Plane!

"Leonardo..." I felt Yoshi's spirit ease off my shell, and he reformed as a human spirit, kneeling besides me with both concern and gratitude on his face, one ghostly hand resting on my shell.

Then his expression changed, growing more distant and confused, and he paused and stood up again, looking around in wonder.

"Wait..." he murmured, his voice slowing down, thick as if he was suddenly falling in a deep trance. "I know this place... I... I'm not supposed to be here."

And, as I watched, he slowly faded away and disappeared.

I looked around, not sure if I should feel confused or alarmed. Was... was that supposed to happen?

I looked around, hoping for answers, but then I noticed that the rat was gone again. My breath hitched as I still struggled to catch it after that difficult climb. No... please... don't leave me...

And then two warm, familiar furry arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me in close to his chest, just like he used to comfort me as a child.

"Leonardo..." the wonderfully familiar voice murmured, the sound rumbling deep in the chest as I leaned against it, breathing in the scent. "Thank you. You have born a tremendous burden, more then any son should be asked to bear, and I am so very proud of you."

I couldn't see his face, but that didn't matter. I reached up to cling at his arm around me, pressing into the warmth and shivering. "Father. I've been so lost without you." I whispered hoarsely.

"Oh my son... You are not alone." The arms tightened around me. "And I will always be there. Even when you cannot see me. I promise."

And then the Astral Plane faded away, along with the arms wrapped around me, and with a gasp, I sudden jerked and woke up, sweat beaded on my forehead as I found myself kneeling back in the dark but jarringly solid and real storage room.

Master Splinter was gone, and I was sitting alone in the dark.

But no... I could still smell his familiar scent all around me.

I ran my hand over my sweat drenched forehead, then looked down at my hand. My skin and fingers bore none of the scrapes and bruises I had endured on my climb, and my body looked none the worse for the wear, though I felt heavy and exhausted, as if the physical exertion had really happened.

I glanced around the dark room, and quickly noticed that the candles had all long burned out, melted down to nubs. I reached out and touched one, and felt it cold to the touch. I rubbed my fingers together, and looked around. I had been deep in meditations for hours, from the look of it.

I unfolded my legs and sat back, closing my eyes as I shakily inhaled, tears running unbidden from my eyes.

Had that really happened?

And, more to the point, WHAT had really happened?

Author Notes:

I've had Leo reference it before, but I should probably clarify that when he's talking about turtles bearing burdens on their shells, he's referring to the mytheme of several eastern civilizations that claims that the world is carried on the back of a giant turtle.