It is the measure of what Darius Dunn really thinks of them, that despite the fact that they were genetically engineered to resemble four warrior creatures with names of the Renaissance Men, the clones themselves are never officially given any name.
He is simply "Fearless Leader" to his comrades, and they toss the name mockingly, as if he never deserves it. He supposes he should be grateful anyway, given the rest of the names they've given to one another are a variety of "idiot", "dimwit" and "moron". He personally calls himself "Dark Leo", because it hurts his pride to know that he hasn't really got an actual name and he is determine that he will give himself one, even if it is also a copy of the turtle he is cloned after.
Dark Leo is well aware of what he and his siblings are made for, even without Dunn hissing a reminder every other day. They are savages, built to kill and obey Dunn's commands without question. They all have one job – destroy the Turtles- and that was it. There simply is no time for touchy-feely stuff like expressing emotions (other than rage) or understanding each other (except more rage).
Trust? Forget it. Although they band together to fight a common enemy, the Dark Turtles never fully trust each other for anything else. Dark Leo is positive that if they are ordered to fight each other to the death, they would do so without hesitation. As it is, because of their vicious nature, every day becomes a routine of tearing at each other's throats for something or other. There is no such thing as sharing, and relaxing around each other is simply unheard of. If he so much as let his guard down, there is simply nothing stopping Dark Raph from swiping at him with his claws, or Dark Mike from shoving his double-bladed clubs into his face, or Dark Don from testing one of his ridiculous machines on him.
At first, Dark Leo does not mind. It is what made them so different from the original Turtles, and what make them stronger than they. Teamwork weakens their power – how can one win his fight if he is so busy looking after others? Compassion and brotherhood are naïve qualities and the reasons why the original Turtles are so easily tricked sometimes. And it is a turtle-eat-turtle world out there, if you don't look out for yourself, nobody will.
But then, but then, he had to cook up a plan that allowed him to stay with the Turtles in Cody Jones' apartments. He had to observe the way the original Turtles live, the way they treated each other. He thought that would be fine- he was just observing right? Taking notes of the Turtles' weaknesses to manipulate them later.
Only, it did not come out the way it is supposed to be. Instead of smirking gleefully at how he can read their flaws now like a book, he feels hollow and empty as he watches them interact.
When he sees Donatello happily putting his work aside so he could keep Leonardo company in his meditation, he thinks of Dark Don, who would not hesitate to inject a syringe of known poison into one of them just to see what it would do.
When he sees Michelangelo setting a plate of chocolate waffles and milk for Donatello and carrying it to him in his makeshift lab - knowing that it is his particular favourite and he had missed lunch – Dark Leo thinks of Dark Mike who hid his piece of chicken drumstick away from the rest of them, and how they had reacted when they found out.
When he hears Raphael wake up in the middle of the night, mumbling grumpily but complying with Michelangelo's pestering to help him beat the Helix-2 video game to "help me get some sleep!", he thinks of Dark Raph who would beat the stuffing out of any of them who dares to so much as nudge him by accident.
When he listens to Leonardo patiently reciting a Japanese poem for Raphael so that he understands it as part as Raphael's assignment from their Rat Master, he thinks of himself with his constant sneers and shouts to his comrades, and not once had he ever put out a word of encouragement for them.
The longer he watches them, the angrier Dark Leo feels. The way they take care of one another irks him. How they seem at ease in each other's company and never seem to need to watch their own backs, aggravates him. And the respect – even the Stupid One they call Michelangelo receives it, and it makes Dark Leo want to scream and break things with his fists.
Because, the longer he stays there, the longer he realizes that it's not the Turtles that infuriates him. It is himself and his team and the fact that they do not have what the Turtles seem to share naturally. The Dark Turtles are brothers only in name, but nothing else, and Dark Leo is not sure who is to blame.
Weeks of spending time in Cody Jones' apartment tells Dark Leo a story - that the Turtles are intimidating not only because of their skills, but more so because the level of trust they have on their brotherhood. They are strong because they defend, not their own selves, but each other.
When he returns to his own team, Leonardo's story of the Scorpion and The Frog is still ringing in his ears. It is all he thinks about during the ride back to Dunn, amid the snide remarks coming from Dark Don and the constant growls from Dark Raph, and even when Dark Mike tries to whack his knees with his club. While Sh'Okanabo may have created them with every intention of doing evil, but they do share common traits with the original Turtles, and perhaps- just perhaps- there's a chance that they can be like them. Or at least try.
Thus as he tears the steak into four pieces and tosses one to each of his brothers, he decides that the Dark Turtles may not be able to do the right thing, but they can start learning to do things right.
Author's Note: I love the Dark Turtles. It's a shame Fast Forward was only for one season. I think they would have make a great ally to the 2003 original Turtles if their storyline was expanded. Ah well, here's to wishful thinking!
Hope you enjoyed that!