Tales of Leonardo: Blind Sight issue 2

#2
As Leonardo tries to meditate, he observes how blindness really does enhance one's other senses, as he eavesdrops on his brothers talking about him amongst themselves. Their voices are not identified by name, but the first voice can be inferred to be Michelangelo.

Splinter interrupts Leo's meditation to tell him Casey has offered to bring Splinter to the farmhouse, and believes the change will be good for Leonardo, instructing him to be ready by tomorrow morning. Leo silently realizes that he can sense Splinter's aura&mdash;this has never happened before.

Upon arriving in Northampton, Casey offers to make Splinter some tea, but Splinter declines, instead taking Leonardo for a walk in the woods. The forest terrain presents a new challenge for the blind turtle as he struggles harder to avoid stepping on sharp objects as the rich diversity of the forest fills his other senses. Splinter guides his son to a rocky outcrop to rest and eat some provisions. They don't remain long, as Splinter insists they continue walking to exercise Leonardo's muscles. Splinter eventually stops and asks his son to hold his staff. Leo has barely done so when Splinter abruptly hits his son, sending the turtle down a blind slope and into a stream. When Leo regains his focus, Splinter is gone, but Leo can already guess what's going on&mdash;his father is now challenging Leonardo to find his way home using only his senses and the walking stick Splinter handed him.

And so, Leo starts making his way across the woods, through thickets, up and down slopes, using the stick to help detect unseen objects in front of him. He has only limited success, as he trips over a low log, chiding himself for not knowing it was there. Leo sits and contemplates his situation, wondering what happens if he doesn't find his way home, and again thinks of his purpose in life, now struggling to find even a reason to leave these woods. The overall sense of darkness is overwhelming to Leo.

Leo hears a snap nearby, and immediately picks up the walking stick asks who it is. A voice speaks back to him.

Leo silently lays down the walking stick, then bows respectfully to the voice. But the voice only laughs hysterically at him.

Leo picks up the walking stick and swings in the direction of the voice, soon realizing he has only struck a bush. But there is suddenly a rush of leaves blown in Leo's direction. Leo snaps the walking stick in two, wielding them as two improvised katana. Leo starts fighting what feels like a real opponent.

Leo feels a familiarity to this fight, sensing that the opponent he continues fighting is actually the blind ninja he fought on the city rooftop. Leo's surroundings also seem to change, as if he's back on the rooftop itself, and wielding his real pair of katana.

Leo senses his opponent seemingly transforming into a flock of pigeons. The birds fly to another spot and seem to coalesce into the blind ninja again. Leo swings his sword, chopping his opponent in two at the waist. But the opponent turns into thin air and blows away.

Leo awakens to find himself lying on the forest floor underneath a fallen tree, and quickly throws it aside&mdash;it was a dream. Or was it? Leo feels a nearby tree stump that feels like it has recently been sliced clean, as if by a katana blade. Leo hears Splinter speak his name. Leo asks his master what happened here. Splinter says he found Leonardo under a tree, and could not move the tree or free his son from it&mdash;this was the same fallen tree Leo just so easily threw aside. Splinter also observes that there seems to have been a fierce battle in this spot, but there is no opponent in sight. Leo believes he fought someone or something, but can't say for certain. Nevertheless, Leo wants to go home, and he and Splinter again start walking together.

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