Letter's Home (Sequel to Grace's Path)

Letter 4: November 19th 2010

Dear my lovely wife Sophie,

I am so sorry for not writing to you in almost a year but a lot has happened since Christmas and I don’t know how to explain it to you.

We hadn’t long finished one of the intermediate levelled courses when Rosala told us to hide as she could hear voices floating up the mountain side. We hid in the trees and watched on as the villagers swarmed around the Masters, begging for help.

Of course the Masters agreed, what else could they do?

They told the villagers to hide in the underground mines, out of the way of the bloody battle that was to follow.

Quing-Ma told us to gear up. Raph was stoked to finally fight again but I knew something was off with the Masters. They had been keeping a more watchful eye on us lately, more so Donnie and Mikey and it was worrying me that today something would happen.

Something did happen.

Donnie saw a child under a collapsed building, still alive and none of us had anything to hide our forms but that didn’t stop Mikey who also noticed that trapped child. I don’t know if it was the father-to-be side of him or the fact that he always wanted to be a superhero but he risked revealing himself to the child to save it.

The battle was long and tiring. It felt like it lasted for weeks but only for a few hours. As I struck the last Ninja, I wiped my swords clean on the black clothing and went to search for my brothers and the Masters.

I found Raph on the other side of the village, when he got there, I don’t know but I was glad to have found one brother alive at the moment. We found the Masters surrounding something but we didn’t think much of it at the time.

I am so sorry, but I need to stop writing otherwise my tears will smudge the ink.

I love you and we’ll be home soon.

Leonardo

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Grace,

I can’t believe it’s been almost a year, how is the baby or babies doing? I know I’m going to miss the first word and first steps milestones but I need to be in Japan at the moment, it’s more important and I can’t express how sorry I am not being there.

I’m sure Leo has already mentioned the fight and how the village was almost destroyed. It was the Foot Clan and I had never seen so many Ninjas all in the one place. Donnie and Mikey tag teamed, helping each other out the way we were taught to while Leo and I fought by ourselves, which was stupid.

I should have teamed up with him. He should still be alive, not lying in another room, covered by a sheet.

That building fell onto him and I swear to god when I find out who ordered the fight against the helpless village, I will bust his head.

I just can’t believe he’s gone.

It doesn’t feel right without him here. When we get back home, it’ll be different waking up, seeing his kid without a father.

I’m sorry Grace, I can’t go on writing.

Raph

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I couldn’t save him. I knew the building would crush him if he tried to stop if from falling onto the child trapped already but he looked so alive while doing it.

He looked at me and I knew what was coming next. The child fled and he let the building fall on top of him, trapping himself underneath it. I instantly saw red and fought every Ninja standing in my way as I made my way to his side. Rosala, Sahara and Tahlya helped me lift the bits of rubble off him and Quing-Ma joined in to help but we didn’t reach him in time. His weapon was in splinters and just by looking at him, you could see he had broken both him arms and a leg.

He looked so small. I could see Raph and Leo in the distance watching but I couldn’t move. Knowing he was under there. It literally killed me. When Leo saw who it was, he froze and none of us knew what to do.

Quing-Ma finally said something and we picked him up, carrying him back to the house. We followed the Japanese girl and placed him on the bed in a room that smelt like cherry blossoms.

I love you. I’m sorry I can’t write anymore.

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Quing-Ma, Rosala, Sahara and Tahlya watched on as three of the four brothers knelt beside their fallen brother, his chest not rising before they simultaneously turned and walked out the door, adding their own letter to their Master, their father.

Master Splinter,

We were right and we don’t like to admit it. We saw a flash of orange and purple in the vision from almost a year ago but didn’t piece together what it meant until the death of one of your sons.

He died a hero, saving a child from being crushed under the building. We were unaware of the attack waiting for us in the village and one of our students, one of your sons, paid the price

We wish to keep your remaining sons here to mourn over their loss.

We are praying for your family in New York and his family too. We hope the child will be happy-go-lucky one, just like their father. He will be missed greatly.

He improved so much since he came here almost three years ago.

The brothers haven’t mentioned who has fallen and we don’t feel like it’s in our place to tell but Leonardo has requested we do so.

Michelangelo has fallen.

We are extremely sorry,

Quing-Ma, Rosala, Sahara, Tahlya