If I Were Yours

The Story of My Life

Leonardo's POV

I sat in a trance, eyes closed and fists relaxed on my knees. Quiet surrounded me, the faint whisper of cars sputtering by losing my attention.

I'd been at this for a while now, the whole 'shutting your mind down phase', but always seemed to be brought back to the same thoughts. The same thoughts that kept me from reaching the state of such happiness. The same memories that kept replaying, over and over and over... like a broken record.

I drift in and out of my own mind, body tranquil, but mind ablaze... I drift until I finally give in...

It was and still is my full-on responsibility to take care of all three of them. All three of my younger brothers including myself.

Of course, back then, the load was pretty heavy..., especially for a 4-year-old turtle. And I must admit, it was even more difficult to carry out with as much pride as I could muster. A really hard job in general, one that I had to accept whether I liked it or not.

This job was to be carried out by the last wishes of my parents, and there was nothing I could say against that. Nothing at all. Not for a kid that would listen to anything, or do anything that he was told. Loyally...

My parents had wished for me to go and find my supposed grandfather, Hamato Yoshi who lived in New York City. They said I'd be safe. They said we'd be safe... and they were right.

I can't quite remember where we used to live... the rainforest, maybe. Perhaps a small desolate island, probably not. They had told me where he lived and that's all that mattered. They had told me what to say to him when we arrived, they had told me to listen to every word he said with care, and to not upset. They had told me not to fret.

I had nodded, listening to them with my utter attention like any good kid would. I took everything they said into my small brain with great care and precision, placing it into the back of my mind. Making sure to remember everything.

They had spoken quickly, almost too quickly for me to understand; but I still remembered the day we arrived. A rainy, cold day, the air smelling of gases and pollution. A tiring day, where I'd been as quiet as a mouse, too shocked to say anything more to anyone. 

I still remember my parents' words. So clear, as if right beside me.

They had smiled sadly, picking me up, the last one, and placing me onto an empty train car. I sat next to my 2 and a half, 3, and 3 and a half old brothers. It was scary... knowing deep down that I'd never see them again.

As we sat there, saying our adieus, the train finally released a high pitched whistle into the damp air as they smiled at me. They nodded, repeating what they had said a 3rd or 4th time over. Repeated it like I could understand anything from that whole thing when all I had were questions. So many questions.

I had whined, trying to reach out to them. I tried to tell them I wanted them to go with my brothers and me. I tried to tell them that we would all be safe with them around... that if they came everything would go back to the way it used to be.

I cried, but it was too late... I knew as they moved away. They backed further into the dark of the jungle, their eyes glowing with a calm passion, tears running deeply through their green skin. My father's like Mikey's, my mother's like Raph. So vivid...

I cried out as a tall, lean man stepped through the dark of the trees. He seemed almost confused as if something was missing. As if they'd forgotten something they owed.