12: Raph
LEONDO?
Cut after cut. Lie after lie. All of Leo's "perfectness" is a waste! He's not perfect! He's not even sane! He has a sick mind! He lied to me and I never saw it. He has the sickest mind in the world and I didn't see it!
WHAT THE SHELL IS THE MATTER WITH ME?!
"Raph? Raph, buddy, are you okay?"
I startle from my thoughts as Casey punches my shoulder. We're nearing War Haven. If a military General, who loved the military beyond belief, came to this town, he would never want to leave. I've never seen so many weapons, ammunition, black smith shops and targets in one place. And this is just the entrance to War Haven. It's a soldier's paradise. From the name, you would think it's a haven from war, obviously, but truly it's not.
"Yeah, Casey, I'm fine." I say trying to match my strides to Casey's long ones.
"This whole Leo cutting and being abused thing is getting to ya', huh." Casey says.
I glare at him," I don't know, Casey. Would you like to find out your sister has been lying to you for years about all this crap she's gone through?!"
Casey pales. I sigh and continue," Look, it's just…well…it makes me wonder if all those accidents Leo has had over the years has been him purposely hurting himself or Sensei hurting him. And Splinter was my father. I admired him. He was my hero. He-"
"Was."
"What?"
Casey looks at me, "You said was."
I frown," Yeah, was. Splinters not my father anymore. Not after all of this crap he's done."
Casey just looks at me with a sad face. We are silent as we walk through this town to the center. I fall victim to my thoughts once more. Maybe I should start being nice to Leo, forgive him. I should help him out, not putting him down deeper into his grave. But every time I look at him, I get this sick feeling and I want to scream at him till he understands what he's done. Problem being that Leo knows what he has down. And I don't think he regrets it.
"AMMUNITION! GET YOUR CHEAP AMMUNITION!" A street vender calls out. Others scream out cheap guns, swords and other variations of weapons. Casey and I glance around at the marketplace, looking for anyone who looks like they would know something.
Suddenly, I burst out," I wish Leo was here."
Casey looks over at me," What? You just said-"
"I know, Casey! But, Leo would know who to look for. He always knows what to do. He always has. He always will…"
Casey smiles. I glare at him, "What?"
"I knew you didn't hate him. I knew you still cared for him."
I punch Casey as hard as I can in the shoulder but his smile doesn't falter.
Of course I still love Leo! He's my brother! It's just….I just can't take watching him tear himself down like this. Maybe that's why I keep yelling at him, ignoring him, shoving him away. I just don't want him to be in pain.
"Hey, Raph, look! Sai's!" Casey points to my right and runs over to a market stand. I follow him, watching him as he picks up a quite long pair of iron black Sai's.
As I get closer, I see old women with stringy, thin, white hair, dressed in a brown dress behind the counter. She eyes me as I look over the variety of Sai's. "Casey, we need to stay on task."
"Raph, these things are awesome! Check them out!" Casey shoves the black Sai's into my hands. I put down on Sai, and observe the other.
"You like," the women asks, her voice squeaky. I shrug, dragging my finger along the side of the Sai.
"It's okay. Not my type, though."
Actually, I love these. But my other Sais was sent in from Japan by my Leonardo. He spent a lot of money that he found on these Sai's. I'd rather burn my home down then get rid of my Sai's.
As my finger reaches the tip of the Sai, the women hits my arm saying, "They're really cheap! You must have them."
My finger cuts across the tip as she hits me. Blood rolls down the blade as I jerk back. I drop the Sai, instantly rejecting it. "I don't' want it," I hiss, "Come on, Casey."
I drag Casey away from the booth, looking for a place where I can clean my finger. I consider just licking the blood off my finger, but reject it after I find a fountain at the end of the square. On it is a giant stature of a military man. He's dressed in armor and is face looks also look that guy name Aro. Only a bit older from the looks of it.
Casey and I sit on the fountain. Casey is staring at the busy market place while I wash my finger. "We should look at the weapons," Casey says, "and ask the seller what they know. I mean, whose gonnna reject talking to a Hamato. With these people, you're like the King of yes-men."
I don't answer. I look up at the sky, searching for something. I see either two birds or two Suides fly by above me. I picture Leo living here, settling down in a town of metal, in a separate world from our family.
I don't like it. Not one bit.
My eyes wander back down to the water. I gasp when I see Leo's reflection next to mine. I whip around expecting to see Felix and Kate not far behind him.
But there is nobody but him.
Casey and I just stare at this figure of Leo. No wings, a full smile and the most loving eyes I've seen in years.
"Leo?" I ask.
"I don't think that's Leo, Raph," Casey whispers.
This doppelganger confirms Casey's thought with a shake of his head. He says, "You know who I am, buddy. I'm Leondo."
Leondo. My imaginary Leo. The one I wish he was like.
"Leondo? But…how?"
I already know how. I dreamed of Leondo. And this is the dream world.
"You're… you're real." I choke.
"Of course I am." Leondo says, his smile growing wider. He steps toward me his hand held out. "I've got something to show you."
He's real! Leondo is real! My heart! It's bumping so fast! I can hear it in my ears! He wants to take me somewhere! Leondo wants…he …his eyes are really pretty.
I take a step forward but Casey's hand slaps down on my chest, stopping me. "Raph," he warns, worry in his voice," I don't like this guy. I don't trust him."
I don't look at him as I say," He's my dream brother. I can't say no."
With that, I push Casey's arm away and walk to and with Leondo away from Casey, out of War Haven, out of my old life.
"Raph! Raph! Raphael!"
Somebody keeps screaming my name but as I walk, the face it belongs to slowly fades into nothing.