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

• Questioning •

Inhale.

Visualize the entire universe in all its vast glory.

Exhale.

Imagine slowly traveling through the galaxies, planets and star systems zooming past.

Inhale.

A brilliant light, glowing at the very center of existence, beckoning with promises of peace and tranquility.

Exhale.

Beginning to slip into a place of total calm.

Inhale...

Foot ninjas pouring in from all directions, closing in around their victim.

Focus. Exhale.

Blue eyes, partially obscured by soaked blonde hair, as she helped him across the rooftops.

INHALE.

"Leonardo," Faline mumbled, "I'm not a threat to you. Or your family, for that matter."

Leo blew out the breath still trapped in his lungs as his eyelids slowly lifted. It was as if the image of the girl from three nights ago was constantly throwing him off track, staring at him with big, imploring eyes, wondering why he'd left without a trace. The turtle stretched out his legs in front of him, wiggling his six toes to restore feeling. He stood up, looking around the dojo he spent so much time in - the oak tree arching over the sparring mats, the monumental shelf of photographs and possessions from Master Splinter's life back in Japan, the scent of incense combined with the musk of sweat.

He faintly heard sounds escaping from outside the dojo: the muffled punches thrown at the practice dummy by Raphael, pots and pans clanking while Mikey prepared dinner, a feminine laugh joined with a nervous, nerdy chuckle that signaled Donatello and April were close by as well. A smile ghosted over Leo's lips, just knowing his family was content, enjoying the spare time they'd been granted between training and patrols. He reached for his katanas, propped against the Japanese screen near the doorway, sheathing his weapons in their holders on his shell while he made his way out into the living room, adjusting the bandages on his bicep idly.

"Leo!" April called, closing the lid of her laptop and shifting her attention from Donnie, "I thought you were gonna stay cooped up in that dojo forever!"

"Wouldn't surprise me if he did," Raph grunted, green-eyed gaze never wavering from the dummy.

Leo rolled his eyes, looking over at the turnstiles, thoughts already beginning to wander back to the girl he'd saved a few nights ago. Something about the way her blonde hair had always obscured her face, and the manner in which she seemed to bury herself within the folds of the baggy clothes she wore, trying to somehow conceal the fact that she was undoubtedly and jaw-droppingly...

No. C'mon Leo, you need to stay focused. Don't think about her.

...Speaking of focus...

"Hey!" Raph called out, snapping the blue clad turtle out of his thoughts, "Did you hear anything Don just said?"

"Uh... sorry," Leo recovered quickly, "Guess my brain still thinks it's in meditation mode. What'd you say, D?"

The genius shot him a dubious look, before reiterating, "I was just telling you I'm tracking Foot Clan activity, to find out the motives for the attack you stopped on Tuesday. So far though, I've got no leads."

The leader remained silent, mulling over the new information while he picked at the wrapping on his bicep.

"Who was it you saved, Fearless?"