15: Leo

ME OR HIM

I surge forward with those vampires. I feel so alive! Blood, its everywhere! I want to grab the first person I see but a scream reminds me that I'm after Raph, not a victim.

That thing that Amun calls a shapeshifter is standing next to Raph dragging him away from the vampires. Casey says this thing looks like me. But all I see is a monster. A black hole, glowing red eyed monster.

"RAPH!" I scream. My brother looks back at me and his eyes bulge.

"LEO!" I ignore Raph as I lunge at the shapeshifter. It pulls out a silver knife, ready to defend itself. But my swing kick to its…face? I think it's the face, sends it down. I kick it as it rolls away.

Behind me, Raph is screaming," Leo, stop, you're ruining everything!"

"You think you know him," I yell, kicking the shapeshifter back down, then punching it, "But you don't. You don't know what you are saying."

But Raph doesn't listen," Stop it, Leo! You don't get it! You don't know what this means to me."

I slam the guy into the ground one more time then turn around and grab Raph by the arm, dragging him away from this bloody field, ignoring the hits on my arm, "Come on! We're going home!"

"Leo, you're not listening to me!"

CRACK!

I stumble sideways as Raph lands a stunning punch to my head. My head is spinning all over again. I shake my head to clear it. I taste blood on my tongue and spit it out. I can see in my perhperial vision Raph running back to that shapeshifter who is back on his feet.

"Leondo! Leondo!" Raph is howling," We need to get out of here. He's trying to take me back. Don't leave! I want to stay here with you!"

What did this guy do to my brother!? He's ruined him, tricked him! I have to get him back!

I hear that Leondo answer in a growly voice that must only sound that way to me. "I know. I know he's your brother, my…friend. I knew he, they, would come."

"Leo, get up," I hear Casey yell.

I agree with Casey, but all I can say is," He punched me." I feel my cheek and wince when I feel the cut on my cheek.

"AND!" Casey howls.

But all I say is," My brother hit me."

"Leo!" Raph call back to me," Call them off, Leo!"

A voice whispers in my head, who I think is the Shapeshifter, "You should. Don't want me to ask Raphael to run off to hang himself, do you?"

I ignore the voice and look around the field. Aro is gone, retreated back to the Nightmare King. Some dogs and soldiers are still fighting, but most are sucked dry. My gaze eventually lands on Raph. As he talks, I stand never letting my gaze off of him.

"Leo, I don't want to go. I want to be here. I'm happy here. Why can't you see that?! Everyone was driving me crazy at home!"

"We were loving you, Raph," I reply, "Were we, was I, not enough?"

"No, it was," Raph objects," But… I need time."

"That's an excuse," I hiss," I miss you, Raph. The way you used to be. But you just don't care about anything or anyone. Not us, not me-"

"I DO CARE!"

"THEN COME BACK! PROVE THAT I'M TRULY WORTH SOMETHING!"

That catches Raph off guard. He looks at me almost as if he's going to prove it to me. But then Leondo whispers something in his ear and he changes his mind.

"That's not fair," He hisses," I deserve to be happy, too!"

I want to scream I don't even know what happiness is, but, instead I say, "What about Mikey, Donnie? They care-"

"It's not that simple. I'm sorry, Leo."

But he isn't sorry. He wants to stay here. He doesn't care about any of us. And I don't want to believe any of that.

So I don't.

I sprint forward, grab Raph's arm and bite him. Raph screams while I force myself to let him go and shove him to Leondo. If my plan works, my venom will show Raph who this Leondo really is. Leondo must think the same thing. The minute I turn Raph to face the shapeshifter, he screams, "NO!" But, now, I'm in control. My brother will see this nightmare for who he really is.

"No," Raph whimpers, his eyes growing wide," No. It's a lie. No."

Raph falls to his knees, holding the place where I bit. He continues to whimper as I pass him, closing in on the shapeshifter. He buffs up, but I can see that it's afraid.

"You messed with my family," I whisper dangerously," Now you deal with me."

The shapeshifter screams as I jump onto it, and stick my new fangs into it.

Shell, its blood. It tastes so…evil. Impossible evil. As I suck its life away, the shifter seems to dissolve in my hands. As if he never existed at all.

As I finish him off, I hear a scream behind me. I turn right as that old witch starts running at me, threatening to tear my heart out.

"SEN!"

The witch turns at what must be the sound of her name just in time to see Amun run, hit and send her flying into a group of newborn vampires, still eager to eat. She makes no sound as they devour her whole.

"Thank you, Amun," I say.

"No," Sadie says, coming and standing next to Amun, "Thank you, Leonardo."

Amun slaps a fist to his chest then says," We are your loyal soldiers, General Hamato." Amun and Sadie drop to a knee. The other vampires of the clan see the action and do the same thing, saying, "General Hamato."

All I do is save my brother and I get named a general. What next?

"Leo," Casey says from behind me," We…we should be going."

I bow to the vampires, then walk to my brother. I haul him up by one arm, then follow Casey out of the field.

"Think you can carry both of us?" Casey asks, staring at my tear-stained ototo.

"I know I can," I say, feeling strong, almost as if I can do anything. I am triumphant tonight, no matter how dead I feel inside.

"Okay," Casey says, "Then back to Three Crossing and then on ward to home."

No one's P.O.V.

"Their…DEAD!"

Aro flinches from his father's scream. Back in the black pool is Alec, grooming himself and chuckling at Aro's failure.

Aro swallows and says, "Leonardo's made as ally out of Amun's vampire clan. Our forces couldn't take them. Leonardo won."

The King howls in anger, slapping his red-haired son, leaving a hand mark. Aro lets it happen.

"I can't rely on ANYONE!" The King continues, "NOT EVEN MY SON! And you, Alec!"

The Shimera stops laughing when he hears his name," Yes, sire."

"I want you to go and find Hamato Raphael and Leonardo. Make sure that boy is shattered! I will not tolerate a march on my castle from the Suide Empire, the vampire clans or any other thing Leonardo manages to get on his side! Aro will stay here and I will teach him a few things I should have taught him ages ago."

"Yes, Sire," Alec replies.

When he doesn't leave immediately, the King screams," Now, Alec! GO NOW!"

"Yes, you're highness! Very sorry, you're highness!"

With that, Alec dives into his pool, swimming to find the Hamato brothers, Aro's screams urging him on as he went and never to be forgotten.