Okay, so I was EXTREMELY mortified and disappointed by the time I've finished watching the season finale. Really, Nick? Sigh…
So I poured my emotions into this fic immediately afterwards…
The raindrops pounded against the skylights of the abandoned warehouse. Thunder roared and lightning flashed.
Leonardo knelt in front of an altar that he had recently built on the very same spot his baby brother was murdered. He had stripped himself of his belt, wrapping tape, and elbow and knee pads, and his swords lay beside him on the floor. A photograph of the late Michelangelo and his beloved Ice Cream Kitty leaned against a lit candle. Next to it was a porcelain bowl, a bottle of permanent ink, and a single paintbrush. A large, slightly cracked mirror stood in front of him.
It was time to begin the ceremony. He took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.
"On this night, the Turtle known as Hamato Leonardo dies."
He untied his blue mask and took it off his face. He held it over the candle until the flame reached the edge. He quickly put the burning mask into the bowl, watching the flames slowly consume it.
"And he is reborn as the Serpent."
He took the paintbrush and dipped it into the ink bottle. He delicately started to paint on his plastron, looking into the mirror as he worked.
"What do each of you wish to be when you grow up?" Splinter asked the nine year old Turtles, who sat in a big circle with pieces of paper and colored pencils in their hands. "Write down your answer and share it with us."
"This is stupid," Raph grumbled but wrote down his answer anyway.
Donnie thought carefully before he wrote on his paper, his tongue sticking out from the corner of his mouth.
Leo already knew the answer and was to write it down with his blue pencil, when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.
"Leo?" Mikey looked at him with big puppy dug eyes and held out his orange pencil. "Can we switch pencils? Pleeeasse?"
Leo sighed exasperatedly and handed Mikey the pencil. "Fine."
"Thanks, bro!" Mikey gladly took the blue pencil and scribbled on his paper, giggling loudly.
"Are you boys finished?" Splinter knelt on the floor and folded his hands. The Turtles all nodded. "Very well. Raphael will start."
"Ah, geez," Raph said under his breath before standing up. "I want to grow up to be like my favorite comic book hero: the Nightwatcher. I think he's a pretty cool guy. Beats bad guys up. And he's also dark and mysterious. So yeah, I want to be like the Nightwatcher. The End."
"I see," Splinter rubbed his chin and nodded his head. "Thank you, Raphael. You may take a seat now."
He smiled as he stared at his reflection, feeling quite pleased with how the black snake turned out. He traced it with his fingers once the ink had dried. He then pulled out his black ninja mask and put it on.
"And I swear, in memory of my little brother, Hamato Michelangelo..."
He slipped on his black sleeves and wrapped black tape over his legs.
"Donatello, you are next."
Donnie stood up and cleared his throat. "I've always admired Albert Einstein. He's regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time. But a lot of people made fun of him because of the size of his head during his youth. He had also failed in school several times. But he didn't let that discourage him! He inspires me to keep thinking and building, regardless of what everyone else might think or say about me. And I want to grow up to be just like him!"
"Nerd," Raph said in between coughs. Splinter whipped his tail hard onto the floor, startling the hotheaded Turtle and causing him to jump. His Sensei looked at him disapprovingly and shook his head. The rat then turned to Donnie and smiled gently at him.
"Thank you for sharing that with us, Donatello."
"...I will protect this city and cleanse it of all criminals and scumbags. I will hunt them down like prey and show absolutely no mercy. I will strike swiftly like a serpent."
He put his belt and swords back on. He walked closer to the mirror and lightly touched the glass with his fingertips. He stared into his own midnight blue eyes.
"And I will never stop. That is a promise."
"Leonardo, share with us what you have written."
Leo beamed at his Sensei and stood up. In a loud, proud voice, he read his answer to everyone in the room. "The person I've always admired the most is my father and Sensei, Hamato Yoshi. He's a very wise Master ninja, and he's taught us everything we know about the martial arts. He has never once given up on us and always encourages us to do our best. I want to grow up to be a great Master ninja like him someday." He looked over at Splinter, who smiled brightly at him and his brown eyes were wet with unshed tears.
"Thank you, my son," he said softly. "I am honored that you feel that way about me."
Raph made a gagging sound and Donnie rolled his eyes. Mikey sat fidgeting, waiting impatiently for his turn.
Leo picked up the photo of Mikey and blew out the candle. He left the altar and mirror behind as he pushed the doors open and walked out into the rain...
"Hurry up, b***h!"
The store clerk whimpered as the gun was pressed closer to her cheek. The robber held her at gunpoint and demanded her to fill his plastic bag with all the money in the cash register.
"I-I-I'm going as fast I can!" she sobbed. "Please don't kill me."
"If you don't stop yer yapping, I will kill you," the robber said coldly.
His accomplice ran to him and tugged at his arm. "Man, let's go already! The cops will be here any minute!"
The robber jerked his arm away. "Just a minute, all right?!" He pointed his gun at her again. "I didn't tell you to stop!"
Finally, the cash register had been completely emptied and the criminals headed toward the exit. But then the robber stopped and faced the frightened clerk, his gun aiming at her head.
"No, please!" the clerk sobbed even louder and dropped to her knees. "Please!"
"Dude, what are you doing?!" the accomplice screamed at his pal. "We got the money! Let's bail!"
"She's seen our faces," the robber apathetically said. "Can't have a witness." His finger pulled the trigger...
Just then the lights went completely out.
"What the f...?" the robber started to say, before he gasped loudly along with the accomplice.
The clerk could not see anything, but she heard the sound of swords being drawn and the shocked cries of the robbers. They fired their guns at the mysterious intruder, and the clerk immediately covered her ears.
She then heard the sound of the swords striking flesh and the gurgling sounds of one of the robbers.
"Oh, my god! Dell! No-no-no-no! Please! AAAHHHHH-"
Complete silence followed.
Trembling, the clerk stood up and saw a figure holding two swords and staring at her with blank white eyes.
"Who...who are you?" she nervously asked her savior.
"I am the Serpent," he answered. The lights fickered back on and he had vanished.
She put her hands to her mouth in shock as she saw the dead bodies of the robbers, their blood soaking the carpet.
"There is a new hero in New York, and his name is the 'Serpent'. But is he really a hero? We've interviewed witness Katherine Smith, a clerk who works at the Cent Tree store located on Marshall Street. The mysterious viglinate rescured her from two men who robbed her at gunpoint. Both of them had been murdered by the Serpent. She apparently has mixed feelings about her savior."
"I mean, he saved my life," Katherine spoke into the microphone that Joan Grody held out to her, "but he...he practically slaughtered those guys. It gives me the chills thinking about it. But if it weren't for him...I-I don't know. I guess you can say that he's a hero, and I'm grateful to him."
Leo wiped the blood off his katana with a washcloth, watching the sun rise over the skyscrapers. He felt the morning air gently brush his face. It was cold. It had been cold since Mikey's funeral.
He shivered and closed his eyes.
"Michelangelo, it is your turn."
Mikey squealed in delight and leapt to his feet. Instead of reading his paper, he turned it around for everyone to see. There were no words. Only a drawing of one of the Turtles in blue pencil. "Ta-da! This is the person I want to be like when I grow up!"
Leo squinted his eyes. "Wait, is that...me?"
"Yep!" Mikey smiled even wider. "'Cause you're the bravest, kindest, most talented Turtle in the world! You're like a superhero! My superhero!"
Leo stared at Mikey in shock. Raph snorted and crossed his arms. Donnie scratched his head in confusion. Splinter smiled fondly at his youngest son.
"That was beautiful, Michelangelo. Leonardo, do you have something to say to your brother?"
Mikey turned to Leo and looked at him eagerly for a response. Leo smiled warmly at him and opened his mouth to speak...
"I'm not a hero, Mikey," Leo whispered to himself, repeating the words he had told his brother years ago. His eyes glistened with tears as the sun finally came fully into view. "But thank you."
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be crying my eyes out. You can thank those jerks at Nick for that...