Okay, so this chapter will be a long one but it will explain a lot so if you are still confused, please let me know and I will try to clarify in later chapters.
Ch 8 The Truth Comes Out.
Leo brought his tunic up against his face in an attempt to hide himself from Raph while the green eyed turtle looked over the other turtle's naked body. His arms and legs, usually hidden by his clothing, could now be seen littered with scars, old and new, and deep ugly bruises still shown clearly, and he couldn't help but notice Leo's wrist and ankles were now rubbed raw. As Raph attempted to get Leo to look at him, Leo pushed him away and tried to get to the door leading to the little garden, but Raph grabbed his arm and finally made him turn to look at him. He gasped in horror when he saw the large darkened bruise on his right cheek.
"Leo, who did this to you?" Raph asked again, his voice a little more demanding..
"No one." Leo told him adamantly. "I fell coming in here." He looked at Raph and it was clear Raph was not convinced of what he was saying. "I'm very clumsy." Leo told him, his voice shaking hard. "Ask Mikey, I've fallen down those stairs at the abandoned house many times."
"I don't believe that for a second Leo." Raph said, his eyes continuing to look Leo up and down. "I've watched you with my father's weapons, I've seen how graceful you are." Leo looked into Raph's eyes, the green orbs were pleading with Leo for the truth. "There is no way your that clumsy. Now please...talk to me." He implored. "Tell me what happened!"
He placed his left hand on Leo's right cheek and made him turn his head slightly so he could get a better look at the bruise but Leo pushed it away. "I told you Raphael, I am clumsy and I am constantly bumping into things and I fall all the time." He looked away from him in shame and tried again to get out of the more muscular turtle's grip. "Now, please let me leave."
"Leo." Raph refused to move and he kept his hand on Leo's arm. He gently placed his hand under Leo's chin and made him look up at him again. "You forget who your talking to." He said. "Master Splinter has been teaching Donnie and I ninjutsu for years and I can tell when someone gets a bruise from bumping into something or from when he's been hit." His eyes continued to scan over the turtle's body. "And you've been hit hard several times over now tell me…who did this to you?!"
"Why do you care!?" Leo suddenly yelled, he pushed him away and tried to hide the tears that threatened to fall. "What does it matter to you what happened to me?" He attempted to push his way past Raph again. "I am nothing but a whore anyway."
"No you're not!" Raph yelled back. He grabbed Leo's arms causing the blue eyed turtle to wince. "You are a terrapin, one of us, and we are to be revered, not treated like some common hooker!" He brought Leo closer to his body til their beaks were almost touching. "Please Leo." His green eyes looked deep into the blue eyes that were filling with tears. "Tell me who did this."
They stared at each other for several moments before Leo finally looked down and allowed the tears fell. "Sometimes they like to hit." He whispered. "It makes them feel superior, like they have power over us." His body again began to tremble and he again tried to pull himself away from Raph, but Raph wouldn't let him. He wrapped his right arm around Leo's body bringing him in close and gently caressed Leo's bruised cheek. Leo closed his eyes and leaned into the touch .
"They have no power over you." Raph whispered. "Why would you go back to doing this?"
"I have no choice." He choked out.
"Yes you do Leo." Raph said, his thumb gently moving over the bruise. "Talk to me, please." He begged. "I care about you." He moved his thumb under Leo's chin and made him lift his head. "I care very much."
Their eyes met and Raph began to bring Leo's mouth closer to his. Leo closed his eyes and breathe in the heavy musk that surrounded them. Their lips ghosted over each others and gently, Raph placed his lips on Leo's.
"RAPHAEL!" Splinter's booming voice caused both turtles to startle apart and look down in shame. "Perhaps Leonardo will feel more comfortable speaking about this in the kitchen." Splinter turned to leave the bath house. "Where we can enjoy some tea." He walked out of the room with a clear expectation for the two to follow him.
Leo quickly put his tunic on over his trembling body. His hand instinctively felt the pocket that housed his money bag, and taking a deep breath, walked past Raph keeping his eyes averted from him. "You are betrothed Raphael." Leo told him sternly. "Please do not ever do that again." Raph watched Leo walk out of the bath house and follow Splinter to the kitchen. A few seconds later, Raph reluctantly followed behind, with an annoyed look and grumbling incoherently under his breath.
Splinter set three cups of tea on the table and sat across from Leonardo. Raphael sat in the chair on the side in between them and cautiously looked from Splinter to Leo, then down at his tea. He took a deep breath waiting for a lecture but Splinter only stared at Leo while he sipped his tea.
"Thank you for the tea Master Splinter." Leo said trying to break the awkward silence.
Splinter said nothing. He sipped his tea and continued to stared at Leo waiting for an explanation. Finally, after several long awkward minutes had passed, Splinter cleared his throat. "Explain Leonardo." He demanded.
Leo lowered his eyes in shame. "I can't Sensei." Leo told him. A loud thump by Splinter pounding his hand on the table caused both Leo and Raph to jump and look at Splinter in fear.
"You will explain everything or I will have you sent to the dungeons at the Hamato castle!" He yelled at him, causing Raph to stiffen. It wasn't often his father got angry but when he did, he was truly one to be afraid of.
Leo swallowed hard and stared up at him with fearful eyes. "I am sure that is something you would prefer not to have happen." Splinter told him. "Now tell me WHY, after you assured me you would never sell yourself again, you would go back on your word!?"
Leo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I need the money." Leo explained, his eyes looking away from Splinter in shame. "I need to get Mikey and I to the Daimyo's stronghold as soon as possible."
"Tell me why." Splinter demanded, his eyes hard and angry.
Leo shook his head and stared blankly at his tea. "I don't know if I can trust you." Leo whispered. His breathing hitched and he suddenly looked at Splinter with defiant eyes. "How do I know you do not work for the Foot clan?" He suddenly demanded. He looked at Splinter's surprised face."For all I know you could be in league with Oroku Saki!" He was almost shouting. Raph's jaw slowly slacked opened and watched Leo's hand tremble as he took a sip of his tea.
"How could you think we work for that murdering son-of-a-bitch?" Raph growled angrily at him.
"Language Raphael." Splinter said calmly. He then turned to look at Leo with a more soothing voice. "Why would you think we would work for someone as evil as Oroku Saki?"
Leo took a deep breath trying to calm himself. He knew the truth would have to come out sooner or later. "After our village was attacked." He looked at Raph briefly before turning to Splinter. "My brother and I were taken by Saki. I was only four and my brother was newly hatched. He took us to his lair where he raised us. Taught me ninjutsu and tried to make me one of his warriors." He continued to look from Raph to Splinter before looking down at his tea. "In that time, I've seen many people come and go who were suppose to be loyal to the Hamato monarchy. But instead they were being paid off by Saki to get information for him."
Splinter finished his tea and stroked his long beard as he listened to Leo's tale. "So it was Saki who attacked your villages almost fourteen years ago." He mused, looking from Raph to Leo. "Many children were massacred in the attack." He stated raising an eyebrow. "Why were you taken and not put to death along with the rest of them?"
Leo looked down shamefully. "Because of what my brother is." He stated quietly.
Raph narrowed his eyes at Leo's explanation. "And what exactly is your brother?" He demanded, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Leo kept his eyes averted from Splinter and Raph as his explanation continued. "As you know, in a few nights, the moon will be full." Both nodded, waiting patiently for Leo to continue. "On that night, Mikey will turn fourteen years of age."
"So?" Raph asked sounding irritated.
"At that time, the light of the moon will be red." Leo watched as Splinter's eyes narrowed as a sudden thought seem to be occurring to him. "It will be almost like blood red." Leo said with a sense of urgency.
"Ok." Raph stared at Leo, his irritation mounting. "What about it?"
"The blood red moon's shinning light, will bring forth a terrapin full of power and might." Splinter recited. "You did say your brother was newly hatched on the morning of the attack." Splinter asked. Leo nodded as Splinter stroked his long beard. "Exactly what time did he hatch?"
Leo looked away from Splinter. "At midnight." His voice trembled as he spoke.
Splinter's eyes slowly widen. "Then…your brother is…." His voice trailed off as a sudden realization dawned on him.
"The Savior of the Terrapin Nation." Leo finished his thought. "The reincarnation of the original terrapin who created our clan." He looked from Splinter to Raph.
"Wait!" Raph looked between his father and friend. "What do you mean he's the Savior?" His eyes darted back and forth. "What Savior are you talking about?"
"You don't know the legend?" Leo asked his eyes wide in disbelief. "I thought all terrapins knew about the Savior and his return."
"I've heard something about it but always thought it was just a legend." Raph told him. "You don't really believe that your brother is the actual Savior do you?" Raph told him incredulously while crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"You may not believe it." Leo told him, squaring his eyes with Raph's. "But I know it to be true. Just like my parents knew it to be true." Leo took another deep breath and looked back down at his now empty cup. "I'll never forget the first time my parents realized what was happening to us." He said with a downcast look. "I was looking forward to having a baby brother or sister." He gave a teary smile. "We were so happy til a few days before when everything began to go wrong."
FLASHBACK
"Are you excited for your new sibling to hatch?" A young female turtle asked her four year old blue eyed turtle tot.
"Yes mommy." He looked up at his mother who was pulling weeds out of her vegetable garden while he pulled tomatoes off a vine and into a basket. "I've been thinking of some names for my baby brother or sister after they hatch."
"Really Leonardo." The young mother smiled while she watched him pull a tomato off the vine. "What names have you come up with?"
"I would like to have a brother named Michelangelo or a sister named Angel." He told her with a proud smile.
"Those are very good names my son." She told him as she made her way to the opposite end of the large garden. "We must let your father know at supper tonight." She looked at her son and pointed to another side of the tomato plants. "There are some more good looking tomatoes on those vines over there Leonardo."
"Yes mommy." The small turtle nodded and walked over to another vine to pick more tomatoes. He worked quietly for several seconds til a large shadow fell over him. He turned thinking it was his father but was surprised to see a wrinkly old hunched back woman with a toothless grin looking down at him rather intently. Her eyes were almost black and a black scarf over her head hid grey straw like hair that stuck out everywhere.
"Mommy." The turtle called out in fear as the woman came closer to him and held out a gnarly hand and pointed a crocked finger at him.
"On the night of the blood red moon shall be. A terrapin Savior born to thee. In fourteen years a nation reborn. And only the guardian can save his ward." She smiled at the small turtle as his mother came toward them. "A terrapin babe filled with love and might. And only the Guardian can save his light."
"Who are you?" She demanded, rushing to her son's side and pulling him against her. "What are you saying to my son?"
The woman looked at the young mother and smiled at her with a twisted look. "Listen well to my words of gloom. For the blood red moon will spell your doom." She once again pointed to Leo. "Only the Savior must the guardian take, for it is through him will your kind be saved."
Both mother and son watched in confusion as the old woman suddenly turned and left their little farm.
PRESENT
"After that, my mom watched my brother's egg like she was expecting a demon to come out of it." Leo's eyes looked far away as he thought back to that time long ago. "Three days later was the night of the full moon. I heard my mom crying and I peaked in and saw Mikey's egg hatching. I looked out the window and noticed the moon was red, almost the color of blood. I was so scared when I saw that and the old woman's words came back to me." Leo shuddered and closed his eyes. "Shortly after Mikey hatched, all chaos ensued. My dad had already gathered the villagers and told them they had to get Mikey and I to the Daymo's stronghold. We never got out of the village." Tears were flowing down Leo's face as he continued. "So many terrapins were killed by warriors in dark outfits. I didn't know who they were. All around me villagers were screaming and being killed. I could see across the stream another village was being burned and heard loud cries coming from the north. I held onto Mikey, pressing him to my plastron trying to find a way out. Then Saki jumped out in front of me and picked me up, Mikey cried loudly as Saki got us away from everything that was happening." Leo wiped his face with the sleeve of his tunic "At first I thought he saved our lives but as time went by, I came to realize he was evil and dark, trying to destroy not just the terrapins but just about every mutant species in the Hamato kingdom." Leo took a deep breath to calm himself as memories flooded him of that night and the many others that had been haunting his dreams for fourteen years. "He believes only humans should be able to live freely while all mutants should be enslaved and controlled." Leo hung his head and broke down."Or put to death." Leo shook his head. "I took Mikey and ran away from his lair over a month ago." Leo cried. "And I've been trying to stay hidden til I could find a way to get Mikey to the Daimyo's Mountain. But I needed money and figured selling myself was the only way."
Splinter took Leo's hand in his. "If your brother is the Savior." Splinter gave Leo's hand a comforting squeeze. "Then your are the Guardian."
Leo nodded and wiped his face again. He looked from Raph to Splinter. "Yes, and I must do everything I can to protect my brother from the evil that Saki is…and was." Leo took a deep breath. "It wasn't until I turned sixteen that I began to realize who Saki really was. A descendant of the original Shredder who destroyed the nation of turtles and split them into the four clans we know today." Splinter and Raph stared at Leo intently . "East, West, North and South. Saki's ancestor pit four brothers against each other and through their anger, he managed to divide us all." Leo looked at them with tired red rimmed eyes. "But now my brother is going to make us whole again. He has that power and I need to get him to the Daimyo so he can bring that power to light."
Splinter nodded and continued to stroke his long beard as he listened to Leo's tale while Raph looked between the two of them in confusion. "But if he knew who Michelangelo was, why did he not destroy him right away?" Raph asked.
Leo lowered his eyes. "He wanted Mikey sacrificed on the night he turns fourteen." Leo looked again from Raph to Splinter. Both had a horrified look on their faces. "In two nights, the moon will be full and a bright red light will shine down lighting up the whole kingdom. It will be on that night Mikey turns fourteen and his powers will be seen by all." Leo shook his head. "Saki wanted to sacrifice him on that night, at the top of Mount Fuji where the four brothers fought and denounced their family ties. It will be there, at that time and through Mikey's death that Saki will show to all mutants everywhere that we are nothing, and that we need to bow to him." Leo's clenched his jaw in anger. "That is why I did what I did….that is why we cannot stay Sensei." Leo looked at Splinter. "I have to get my brother to the Daimyo before his fourteenth birthday!" Leo looked from one to the other, his eyes pleading for them to understand.
"One who tries to destroy the light that brings hope to all is truly an evil soul." Splinter stroked his long beard and nodded in contemplation.
Raph had been listening intently to Leo's story. Now, his eyes narrowed as one thought crossed his mind. "Are you saying my parents, my friends, my village…was destroyed because of YOUR BROTHER!" He suddenly screamed out." I lost everything because that bastard Saki wanted to find your brother and he destroyed everything we care about just to get to him?!" He stood up and began pacing angrily. "Why the hell didn't your parents just get rid…"
"Raphael!" Splinter stood up and walked over to him. "That will do."
"But Sensei!" Raph gave his father a look of disbelief. "It's because of them that our village and everything we loved was destroyed."
"We also lost people we loved and cared about Raphael!" Leo stood up and looked at him. "And where as you were taken in by someone who cared for you and gave you a good life, my brother and I were raised by a man who separated us and locked me a small room, forced me to do things and made me take up a sword in hopes that I would become as evil as he was!" Leo was shaking hard now and no longer attempted to keep his tears at bay. "You may have lost everything, but so did we."
"It is alright Leonardo." Splinter placed a soothing paw on Leo's shoulder."You and your brother are safe now and we will help you reach the Daymo's lair." He sat back down and motioned for them to also sit. "We have always been loyal to the royal family and would never help Saki." He then looked Leo up and down. "But you must stop doing what you are doing, more for your sake then for anything else."
Leo sniffed and nodded. He then bowed his head. "Thank you Sensei."
"I just can't believe that all this time you thought we were in league with that son-of-….."Raph looked at Splinter. "It's just not right Sensei." Raph continued. "His brother is the reason our clans were destroyed and now you want to help them?"
"And my brother will be the reason our clans will be brought back together and all mutants will be able to live in peace." Leo insisted.
"And how many more of us must die because of him?!" Raph shouted back.
"It's not his fault." Leo and Raph were again standing up and leaning over the table, their eyes locked in heated anger.
"Sure it is!" Raph countered. "He's the reason our lives were turned upside down and every turtle in this land is now shunned and looked down upon." He looked Leo up and down.
"No."
The soft voice coming from outside the kitchen door had the three of them turning around to see Michelangelo and Donatello standing in the hallway and looking at them in shock and disbelief.
"Leo." Mikey looked at Leo with hurt and tear filled eyes. "Say it isn't so." Leo looked at Mikey in horror as he realized his brother had heard what Raph had just said. "Tell me I'm not the reason that…that everyone….and that you" Mikey turned away from them and began to sob hard.
"Oh Mikey." Leo ran to him and threw his arms around his brother's shoulders. He looked back at Splinter and, after a nod from the tall brown rat, took his brother into the dojo. Splinter got up and was about to follow them when he turned back to his oldest son.
"Raphael." He spoke sternly to him while Donnie looked at them both. "What you said was uncalled for." He told him.
"But Sensie…I.."
Splinter held up a paw. "There is an evil in this land." He turned to leave the kitchen and toward the dojo. "It is like a disease that must be stopped before it spreads and destroys the light that will save us all."
Donnie watched with confusion as Splinter left the room. He turned to Raph with daggers in his eyes. "How long were you…?" Raph motioned to the door.
"Long enough to hear most of what you said." Donnie told him walking further into the room. "We heard you and Leo shouting." He sat at Leo's now abandoned seat. "Wanna tell me what that was all about?" He crossed his arms and gave Raph a hard stare. "From the beginning." Raph looked down at the floor and, nodding, took his seat.
