13: Leo

DEATH VS. LIFE

Bavanda is a beautiful village. The people are the nicest beings I've ever met. And the whole surrounding area is blue. Blue of every shade imaginable. The forest, the water, the buildings and the walkways all blue. An old palace sits to the north of the village. It was abandoned back when the Nightmare King took over. Now it's just a landmark of the past.

It's past three o'clock according to Old Jack. We're gonna have to leave soon. Felix, Kate and I split up a while back. No one has heard anything about an eighth figure that has entered this realm. But they are so generous that they're giving us a many can tins of water as we need. Bavandians are apparently really good friends with the suide "empire" as they call us. They were all very happy to see me but no one gave me answers as to why. They just smile and get me what I need.

"Leo," I look up from drawing imaginary sketches on the table. Kate is looking at me. Felix went to get our water, so we are alone. "Leo, I want to show you something."

I sit back," What?"

Kate stands and nods to the blue glass door. I stand and follow her. "Shouldn't we wait for Felix?" The gold bell rings as we leave the restaurant.

"He'll know where we are."

Kate always seems to know things. Maybe that's why I trust her so much.

Kate and I walk down a small path, leading the way out of Bavanda. People wave at us as we go. I smile and wave back but Kate just keeps walking.

The path soon dissolves into purplish blue dirt. Kate takes me down a small hill. At the bottom is a crystal blue pond. Kate kneels by it and stares at it.

"Leo," she says slowly," Do you know what a shattered soul is? What death force is?"

I shake my head. Kate isn't looking at me but she knows that I don't.

"Leo, I had a friend when I first got here. We had been in Abandon only a week. Then almighty Nightmare King came down from his thrown. He went through our town, insulting everybody. My friend's death force was so strong. When that evil man got to my friend, he insulted him once, and my ally turned into the living, breathing image of a broke mirror. And because he shattered in front of the Nightmare King, the king just pulled out his axe and turned my friend into nothing but glass shards. Nothing but pieces!"

I kneel next to Kate, because she's crying. "Kate, I'm sorry."

"Look at yourself, Leo."

"What?"

Kate points at the pond and yells, "LOOK!"

I bite my lip and slowly look down at the pond, wondering what Kate's story has to do with me.

At least, I wonder that till I see my reflection. I'm broken, just like glass in a car accident.

I'm shattered…but not really shattered. The pool shows what's truly inside me.

"H-how?"

"I saw it in your eyes," Kate sniffs," the eyes always give away our death force. And yours is just so strong. I don't want to see you shatter, Leo. I just can't."

I don't know what to say. Everybody sees something in me that I don't know about. And yet…is still somehow know how to hurt them, regardless of what they, or I, know.

"Guys."

I turn to see Felix behind me and Kate, staring at the water, at my broken reflection. He has about two dozen water can tins strapped to him.

"We should be going. It looks like the Nightmare King wants it to be an early sunset."

I shake the thought of shattered souls from my mind and ask," Can he really control that?"

Felix nods. "Frequently. And as soon as the sun's down, we drink. Let's fly."

I nod, help Kate to her feet, and then fly off.

As we fly back to Three Crossing, I can't get my reflection out of my mind. It's the real me, that shattered me is. I'm broken. I'm dying. And… I guess I feel happy around Felix and Kate. Happier than I have in a long time but…I still feel dead. I still wish to cut, to bleed, to kill myself. Maybe…that's' what they feel, too.

We're the first ones back. No surprise. My feet touch the ground and I wonder if Donnie's group has found our eighth person.

"Anybody coming, Felix," Kate calls up to our friend who is perched on the top of the Three Crossing sign.

"Uh…um…I think I see Michelangelo and April. I defiantly see Shredder. But I don't see anybody else."

I frown. "You don't see Donnie?"

"Nope. Sorry, Leo."

Funny. Donnie would never leave April's side. Or Mikey's, in fact, sense the Shredder is with us and all. Felix jumps down next to us and we wait for the rest of our group to arrive.

I smile as Mikey appears around a tree-filled bend a few minutes later," Leo," he yells, "we found our eighth person! And you won't believe who it is!"

I glance at Felix. My friend just shrugs a I don't know.

Next comes April, and then Shredder. He looks agitated. But, when doesn't he. Somehow, though, this time, his agitated look gives me a very nightmarish feeling.

April hurries over to me. She grabs my hands and quickly whispers to me," Leo, I'm sorry. I'll help you, okay. I –"

"Saki! You haven't answered my question!"

My heart stops. April flinches form either that same voice, or from me gripping her hands as tight as I can. When Master Splinter comes around the bend, my eyes widen. I feel like I'm going to hyperventilate. Kate and Felix scream as my wings go flying out and slam into them both.

Splinter sees me and I feel like a kid again. A stupid, imperfect, unlovable kid. He stares at me as I shrink. That's when Mikey does something so stupid, I would slap him so hard and he'd never talk to me again.

"Master Splinter, please don't hurt him."

I bolt! My legs have never moved so fast before. The only reason I don't fly is because I don't remember how to! But Splinter is faster than me. I've only gone maybe a yard when his foot collides with my shell, sending me to the ground.

I try to stand but his fist nails me in the back of the head. He stands on my wings, pinning me to the ground. His punches become rapid as he starts screaming at me. Their getting harder and harder as I scream, my friends scream and he screams.

"I told you to stay quiet! I told you to never say a word! I warned you! And you defied me! Are you hurting yet?! You stupid boy! Just you wait, you piece of garbage! I'll-"

TWACK!

The punches stop. I turn, shaking so bad I can barely see. Shredder, The Shredder, is standing over me, as if protecting me. Splinter rises feet away, recovering from a hit that Shredder delivered. "I knew you were worse than me, Yoshi." Shredder hisses.

"Saki, you are not part of this," Splinter growls, "Back off."

"Why?" Shredder growls back, "so you can kill your eldest son just like you killed my elder brother."

"Nagi has no part in this!"

"HE'S PART OF IT ALL! I'm looking at it this way, Yoshi, through you're younger son's point of view. If you kill Leonardo, then one of your sons will turn out just. Like. Me. Because you rid them of Leonardo just like you rid me of my dear Nagi."

By now, my family and friends are pulling me out of the dirt, swarming me and trying to nurse my welts. I see a flash of purple in my perhipial vision. Donnie.

"WHAT THE SHELL IS GOING ON?!"

Everyone turns to look at Donnie. He looks pale and ready to throw up at any minute.

Mikey points at our father and says," We found our eighth person."

"Leo," Donnie mumbles numbly, looking at me sadly, "he hurt you, didn't he?"

"Donatello, what is going on is none of you concern," Splinter snaps.

"Don't talk to him like that," I hiss, surprised by my bravery.

Shredder back up till he's standing next to me, then, he puts a hand on my shoulder as If we're friends.

"If you don't find it sad, Yoshi, that I can treat your son as if he's my own, then I rest my case."

That is sad. I feel more protected by Shredder than my own father. Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

"Guys," Donnie says after a moment of silence," We've got to go. Leo is in a lot of danger."

"What?" I ask. Everyone looks to Donnie waiting for an explanation.

"The Nightmare King," he breathes," he's after you. He wants you, Raph, and anyone associated with you two dead. You two have been here before, that's why everyone knows us, knows you. You two started a rebellion and the people here want you to guide it though. But as long as you're a Suide, Leo, you are in danger of the Nightmare King shattering you."

My head starts spinning as I try to take this all in. "Wait, what?"

"Look, all you need to understand is that we need to get to our anchor and fast. Luckily, I know where it is. Now all we need is Casey and-"

"LEO!"

Donnie frowns and says," I meant Raph but Leo works, too."

"LEO!"

I turn to the path that leads to War Haven and see Casey running toward us, a look of fear on his face. He stops as soon as he's to our group.

"Casey, what is it?" I ask.

Casey is panting and breathing extremely hard. Finally he says," L-Leo, its R-Raph. S-Some guy came and took him. He looked like you."

A red light goes off in my brain at those words and I shout, "WHAT?"

"Yeah," Casey nods, "some guy who looked like you put him in a trance or something. He led Raph into the forest and must have left a barrier because I couldn't get in. All I could think of was getting to you. I know you can save Raph."

Anger is burning in me. Nobody touches my family! Especially, not my little brothers!

Before anyone can say a thing I growl, "Hold on, Casey. This maybe a bumpy ride."

A/N: I am so excited about this story! I've even considered prequels and sequels! Anyway, I feel like I haven't heard from my reader in such a long time. What happened to you guys? Did you go to the dream realm too? ;) Hope to hear from you soon and till the next chapter, The Next Authors Oath.