Sorry for the long delay, school is slowly coming to an end and final assignments are taking up more time than normal. Also sorry for the shortness, but I'm going to try to write in Leo's POV, just to switch it up again. Depending on how it goes, you may see more in the future.
I woke up just before dawn, and climbed to the top of the trees to get a glimpse of one of the most stunning sights that exist in the world. The orange-pink light crept slowly over the misty green mountains and shone onto the land. I felt different this morning, more relaxed or something. Already it was warming up the air and surrounding foliage. So calming. I love it here.
My cloak is laying a few branches below me; I must have taken the soaking thing off when it stopped raining. I jump down several feet and pick it up. Four enveloped fall out of a make-shift pocket, but I grab them before they fall to the ground. The letters to my family, and they're drenched. My heart tightens at the thought, but not as much as I would think it should. The four pieces of paper are my only link to my family. But then again, their just four pieces of paper...
I take one, who it's addressed to I'm not sure; the address is all smudged. I try to carefully open it, but it tears in its current state. From the amount written, and the few words that are still legible, I can distinguish it as Raph's. The thing is, I am not sure he would even want to get this letter; he is just too upset with me to even want to communicate.
No. Of course he would want to get a letter back, otherwise he would not have written one. Then again, he didn't seem too enthused in his last message, Splinter was probably forcing him to write.
Master Splinter. Father. He would want a response, I'll have to re-write these the next time I'm home - cave, it's a cave. Not my home.
I watch as the ruined envelopes clumsily flutter down onto the forest floor, only to be swallowed up by the ferns bellow. My family...
I take a deep breath of the clean, sweet, air in resolve. Time to make another round. After wringing the cloak out as best as I can, I take off towards Astilla- the big city.
Getting there is easy now, but it still counts as a workout. I just need to practice some kata later this evening.
What I find is surprising, all of the townsfolk are out and crowded in a semi circle before the church. Oh god, what happened this time? When I get closer, it becomes apparent that there is no danger, and no problems whatsoever. There's a couple kids putting on a performance.
The sight hits me, and I can't help but experience the flash of images involving all of the orphans putting on their big show. All the orphans that are now dead.
Regardless, I manage to shake myself into the present again. There are three of them; one is holding a stick that resembles a gun, one little girl is in a pink dress, and another is covered by a dark, heavy cloth. The little gunman and hooded kid are talking, while the girl over-dramatically cowers behind the latter. I get closer to get a better look, and maybe catch a word or two.
When I am only ten yards away, I notice something that makes it all click. The kid takes off his hood and reveals a green face. He then proceeds to take out a pair of sticks and 'hits' the other 'man'. I can't believe it- it's me! They're doing a play about me! And the crowd applauds and laughs as the 'gunman' so realistically falls to the ground, and the girl kisses her saviour on the cheek. The children all promptly run to their parents in pure glee from their earned cheer. My hands twitched up to join in on the clapping, but I stop myself before I give away my position.
They like me. That's something that seems so foreign: humans appreciating and celebrating my deeds. It feels so good simply be acknowledged. I never got any kind of admiration back in New York, not even from my own family. My whole life though, I've been taught to shy away from such things- as is the way of the ninja.