The Leader Gave Me Hope: The First Book of the Freeformers Series

• Worrying •

Leo didn't think he'd ever been so angry.

His hands never relaxed from the clenched position they'd cramped into long before his arrival at the lair. He had traversed the rooftops, pushing himself against the brisk evening wind that had bitten at his face and pricked his skin with cool air. 

He stepped over the threshold of his home silently, ignoring the imploring eyes of his brothers and walking right past the living room, up the steps into the dojo.

Leo slid the Japanese screen closed, letting out a small sigh and backing against the tree at the far end of the room. His carapace scraped gently against the bark as he slid down to his knees, forcing his fists to relax, flattening his palms against his thighs and forcing out another breath.

Faline's being abused.

Connor is hitting her.

That bastard!

I oughta show him how I deal with bullies like him.

Leonardo gritted his teeth, trying to organize the angry thoughts whirling through his mind. He inhaled through his nose, and blew out a breath through his pursed lips.

What could he do? He couldn't stand it. He wouldn't stand for it. There had to be some way he could help Fae.

"Leonardo?"

The turtle let out a faint cry of surprise, eyes snapping over to the old rat kneeling beside him, who Leo swore hadn't been there a moment before.

"Oh. Sensei," He bowed his head to Hamato Yoshi for a second, a small gesture of respect, "I didn't see you there."

An amused twinkle shimmered in Splinter's dark eyes. It disappeared as soon as it had come. "What is it that troubles you, my son?"

Again, that niggling thought of secrecy. Leo's own eyes shifted back to the oriental rug, attempting to talk some sense into himself. This was is own father, his master, the one man he had to, and should trust with anything.

Once again, Leo was unable to force himself to explain the happenings of these past few days, these past few hours. Though he couldn't keep his worries bottled up. Without much of his own will, his lips parted and words began to spill out.

"Sensei... hypothetically, if you were to meet someone who you couldn't help - who you had to watch suffer, and you couldn't do anything to rescue them from their situation... or if that someone didn't even want your help, just wanted you to... stand by and watch, in a way, while they kept getting hurt... what would you do?"

The rodent peered at his son stoically, his face never letting any hint of exact thought or emotion escape.

"Leonardo, you are positive this situation is hypothetical?"

And again, the turtle found himself in the midst of another lie.

"Definitely, Master Splinter."

The rat's gaze held a look of knowing, while he stroked his goatee and searched for the right words to properly convey his wise advice.

"Then this person must be feeling responsible for the situation they find themselves trapped in. They view asking for help as a sign of weakness. This, however, doesn't always mean they seek solitude. They do not wish to for help, though, at times, it is desperately needed."

"So how would I help her - them?" Leo eagerly questioned.

Splinter decided to ignore his student's mistake of words. "If you cannot defend this person - protect them from the situation they refuse to remove themselves from - the only honorable decision would be to stand by them. Offer them a shoulder to cry on, lend a listening ear, be a friend when, perhaps, no one else will be. And of course, never lose the hope that they will see the error in their choice, and seek help in their own time."

The rat paused. "The only other option, I suppose, would be to accept their stubbornness, and... move on. However, I do not see you choosing the dishonorable path."

Leonardo was silent. He mulled over his sensei's words, and those words' meaning. When he finally spoke again, his voice was softer.

"You're right, Master Splinter. To walk away from someone in need would be dishonorable. But is there any way you might be able to fight back? To stop it, before something really terrible happened?"

"The first lesson I taught you and your brothers, Leonardo," Splinter answered carefully, "Was the first rule of being a ninja: to do no harm. Violence must only be used as a last resort. And unless this person was in mortal danger, the wisest choice would be to hold back from drawing your weapon."

"But Sensei, this danger, if this person is causing the other person's pain, they're evil! And we're sworn to protect innocent people from evil."

"Evil?" Master Splinter raised a brow, "So, you have determined that this person invoking harm is a villain? Well then, how do you know this villain is acting of his own will? Or that his judgement isn't extremely clouded by some force you are unaware of? Are you completely sure, Leonardo, that this 'villain' isn't in as much pain as his victim? You, of all people, should understand the faults in assumptions, my son."

The rat's words called forth a sudden memory, a momentary flashback in Leo's mind, of a girl with choppy, jet black hair, rebellious ichor eyes, and wild makeup. The turtle blinked hard to rid the image from his mind.

Splinter turned away from his son, his eyes far off, distant, filled with nostalgia.

"I know true evil," He continued, "I know of men who kill to fulfill their own selfish vendettas. Men who, though not mentally unstable, have been driven insane with thoughts of revenge and blood thirst. Our own family has been plagued by the likes of such a man."

Another image darted through Leo's brain, this time of a man with merciless eyes, with scarred flesh hidden beneath unrelenting armor. Again, the turtle banished the Shredder from his thoughts.

"That is true evil," Hamato Yoshi glanced at his son once more, "So, I ask you again, Leonardo. What proof do you have that this 'villain' is acting out of revenge and blood thirst?"

Leo sighed, closing his eyes and letting his master's words resound in his head. Slowly, he rose to his feet.

"Thank you, Master Splinter," He bowed to the rat, straightening up and saying, "I know what to do now."

"And what is that, my son?"

"You know, be a friend. Crying shoulder, listening ear, all that."

"All that," Splinter mused with a relaxed smile, nodding his agreement.

Leo turned on his heel, sliding open the Japanese screen and looking back at his sensei.

"Chichi, arigatou gozaimashita."

"Dōitashimashite, watashi no musuko."

Translation:

- Father, thank you.

- You're welcome, my Sondheim