Author's note: I finally got it typed up on my computer! It's been on paper for some time now. Sorry it took so long, but like before, I was grounded for some time and then I had so much to type up, I got bored. It's a fun story so I expect to get it all caught up shortly. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles & company.
The turtle's lair was always filled with sound, whether it is the innocent sounds of playful banter or the more serious sounds of an angry brother or two. Crashing, banging, the sound of breaking furniture, and sometimes even the occasional explosion or two are also among the norm in a home of four teenage brothers with different, and sometimes conflicting, personalities. The day this story began was just the same. The center stage set around two brothers in a seemingly endless feud with one goal in mind; a feud that could soon turn physical if left unchecked.
"Mikey!" Raph shouted at his youngest brother in slowly increasing rage as he struggled to reach for the object Mikey held just out of his reach, "Give me the damn remote!"
"Not gonna happen, bro!" Mikey said, grunting as he felt Raph's weight on his plastron as his older brother crawled over him. "The Sci-Fi channel's havin' a back-to-back, twelve-hour special of all the good stuff. Can't miss it."
"Yeah ya can," Raph countered, "Yer missin' it now. Now hand it over!" Raph pressed a hand down on Mikey's head to get more height and Mikey winced as he felt Raph's finger press close to his eye.
"Can't!" Mikey said, "Ack! Can't breath! Raphie, you're too heavy! Ge'off!"
"Hand ova da remote and I won't hafta!" Raph said. He managed to grab onto Mikey's flailing arm and, squishing Mike in the couch cushions below him, started the slow process of trying to bend it closer. Mikey, realizing how close Raph was to winning the battle for the remote, tried using his other arm to push Raph away. Raph counted by elbowing his younger brother in his jaw on pure instinct. Mikey drew back, abruptly, and dropped the remote where it fell to the floor with a clatter and the already flickering television switched again to a news-broadcast. Raph instantly snatched up the remote and turned to change the channel when a sight stopped him. Instead of changing the channel, he raised the volume until the female reporter's voice could be heard loud and clear.
"…As of today, the police have refused to comment on the situation other then informing New York City residents to please remain indoors. If you must leave your home for any reason, do so with a friend or relative and don't ever travel alone. This perpetrator doesn't seem to care if anyone sees him. He has been caught on a security camera to the shop I'm standing in front of." The reporter paused as the screen changed to a rather fuzzy picture of what was obviously the inside of a small grocery store. A young woman, who had to only be in her early twenties, was just taking something off a shelf when a black figure jumped down beside her, blocking the view of the camera. After a few minutes, the figure dragged the un-struggling woman out of view. The screen was replaced with the reporter still standing in front of the store as she continued speaking, "That's the last anyone saw of Tanya Robinson. The perp seems to gain his victims trust before-" She instantly broke off then as a dark figure – possibly the same from the previous video – filled the screen. Blood splattered the screen as the camera was obviously dropped to the ground. The caped figure walked into view of the screen, dragging the woman with him, before the view was blocked with the fall of the cameraman. The man was obviously dead with the way his head was lying on the ground and blood was freely pouring out of his punctured neck.
Raph quickly turned away; both to get rid of the image burned in his mind and to see of his brother had seen it as well. He met eyes with his youngest brother who was breathing heavily from where he stood behind the couch with Donny and Leo on either side of him. Mikey had obviously run to get them when he first noticed what he was seeing. None of them expected to see a murder in progress like this. Mikey's eyes reflected the horror Raph felt but wouldn't show. Who would kill someone like that on live television? Leo seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he said, "Only someone who believes he is invincible would ever risk getting caught like that." At that statement, Mikey instantly broke eye contact with Raph and looked away from them. Leo continued in a hollow voice, "This is something that has to be taken care of."
"We can't let someone like this walk unchecked in my city." Raph said, firmly, as he looked back at the television screen that had long since gone black. "Not with that superiority complex of his."
"Our city, Raph," Leo corrected, lightly, "We'll take care of this together; all four of us."
"Right," Raph said, almost automatically, without looking at him.
"Make that a possible three…" Donny said, abruptly, as he directed his older brothers' attention in Mikey's direction – or where he used to be.
"He'll come," Raph said with an almost regretful edge, "Just let'im get over what he jus' saw and he'll be back to 'is bouncin'-off-da-walls self."
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Raphael proved to only be half-right in his assumption. By the time they were ready to leave, Mikey silently walked after them – a ghost of his former self. The image of the dead cameraman was burned in his mind and he just couldn't shake it. Yeah, he's seen his fair share of carnage just like his brothers had, but seeing it like that when he wasn't expecting it… He could tell himself it was just a scene from one of his more gruesome horror flicks – an elaborate scheme in gory detail played out across the screen – but he knew he would only be lying to himself; lying never solved any problems. He could feel Raph's eyes boring into him so he looked up and gave his brother a false half-smile before refocusing his gaze on the ground below his feet.
Raph hoped Mikey would be back to normal by now, but it was obvious his brother was still recovering from the unexpected deadly broadcast. He almost wished he hadn't turned up the volume or maybe just changed the channel like he had originally planned. Then his brother wouldn't be struggling with that pure horror still reflected in his usually sparkling blue eyes. He'd never thought he'd be wishing Mikey would say something.
Leo paid more attention to where they were headed then the quiet shadow of a brother he preferred to not think about. He wished Mikey hadn't seen what that – thing – did. He wished he had the sense to cover Mikey's eyes – anything – so his youngest brother didn't have to see it, but it had shocked him too. When he did feel the need to look back, he met eyes with Donny instead.
Donny sighed as he kept pace with his eldest brother. Periodically, he looked back at Mikey, but each time he did, he would see that haunted look Mikey had before he had slipped away from his brothers and into his room. He knew Leo was worried too so when they met eyes, Donny gave him a sad smile. His way of informing Leo of what he had observed so far. Leo smiled back just as his shell cell vibrated in his belt. With an abrupt stop, Leo whipped out his cell and took the call.
"Leo?" April's voice called, frantically, "Someone's in my apartment! I think it's that guy they were talking about on the news! He said… he said he wanted me to go some place with him. And his voice! Leo, ya gotta get over here now! Ahh!"
"April, calm down," Leo said just as he started running again in the direction of her apartment. "Are you hurt?" Leo felt Donny's worried eyes on him and waved it off as he listened to April's pleas.
"No, not yet," She said, trying to stay as calm as possible as the sound of maniacal laughter could be heard, "This guy…he's too fast…too strong…he can't be human! It's like something out of a movie! And…and… Oh god! Please hurry!"
"I can see your place from here, April," Leo said, "We'll be there in a moment."
"Hurry!" She said just before the phone went dead. Leo stared at the cell in his hand for a minute before tucking it back into his belt. "That thing is with April," Leo finally explained, "Tell Raph and Mikey."
"What are you going to do?" Donny asked, knowingly. By know they had reached April's apartment.
"I'll go in first, scope things out. You'll go not too long after. Just get April out of there. That's your first priority." Leo ordered.
"Just be careful that you don't get your shell bashed in." Donny said; arms folded across his plastron.
"That's Raph's job." Leo said with a smile, "See ya on the other side." With that, Leo disappeared down the fire escape. Donny stared after him for a second before watching Raph and Mikey approaching at their more leisure pace. How many bad things can happen in one night?
&&&&&&&&&&&
Obviously, a lot... Leo stared in fascination at the black-cloaked figure. It didn't take long before the figure looked directly at Leo so sharply, there was no time for thought. The figure lowered its cloak to reveal a dark-haired man who looked to be in his early twenties. His eyes almost glowed turquoise. They instantly paralyzed Leo as the figure turned to look at him.
"No!" April yelled, causing Leo to abruptly turn away and look at her. "Don't look into his eyes!"
"Thanks for the tip," Leo said as he closed his eyes and shook himself lightly, "A little late, but alright."
"You've come to join the party, Leonardo?" The figure asked.
"How do you know my name?" Leo asked, keeping his gaze averted this time.
"In another world, I used to know you the way you are now." He said, "I was going to invite April to dinner tonight, but I can't pass up on showing you off to my brethren back home. It might give us something fun to do."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Leo walked over to April as he said this. His fingers twitched with the need to grab his katanas, but he waited.
"Come with me and you'll find out." He said as he held out his hand.
"I don't think so, ya creep!" Raph said as he entered the room through the still open window with Mikey and Donny following close behind. He twirled his sais menacingly.
"Ha!" The man laughed, "If you could touch me with those sais of yours, I'd be surprised. Nothing surprises me, Raphael." Raph froze momentarily before catching Leo's eyes.
"Just get April out of here." Leo told him.
"I've lost interest in her anyway," The man said in his silky, smooth voice, "You're my new game, Leonardo."
"I don't like da sound o' dat," Raph said as he pointed the saki of his sai at the young man.
"Me either," Leo agreed, finally unsheathing his katanas and positioning himself in front of April. The man laughed again before he disappeared.
"Where did he go?!" Raph yelled a moment before Leo was pushed from behind hard enough to knock him off balance and fall face-first into one of April's coffee tables causing it to splinter and break. Leo moved to get back up, but the man pressed his foot down on Leo's carapace to keep him on the ground. He picked up Leo's dropped katana and twirled it before pressing it lightly against the back of Leo's neck.
"Looks like I can still use these katanas well, huh?" The man said, "It's been years since I last practiced with them. I don't really need them anymore, you see."
"Let 'im go!" Raph yelled.
"I have forgotten how insubordinate you can be, Raphael," The man said before, in one quick motion, threw Leo's katana so it flew into the wall, quivering slightly, with a drop of blood dripping down from it. Raph winced and wiped the blood dripping down from the small cut on the side of his face. "I still have another if you still wish to test me." He said as Raph growled.
"Leave him alone." Leo said, his voice muffled slightly by the floor beneath him, "It's me you want, isn't it?"
"That is true," He said, smiling, "If I didn't want you alive, I'd crush you right now." Just to prove he could, he increased the pressure on Leo's back enough to cause him to gasp out before he continued, "Now I'll let you up if you promise not to move. Resistance will just bring you back onto the floor. Do you promise?"
While the man was looking down at Leo, Raph moved forward. Before he could get close, the man raised his hand towards Raph without turning around. Raph came to an abrupt stop before he was thrown back into Mikey and Don.
"Raph, you okay?" Donny asked as he helped Raph up.
"Yeah," He said as he rubbed the top of his head, "What da shell was dat?!"
"One of the many reasons why you shouldn't mess with me." The man said, "Leonardo?"
"What?" Leo grumbled.
"Do you promise not to resist me?"
"Doesn't look like I have much of a choice…" Leo said as he lifted himself a little off the ground. The man stepped back and allowed Leo to get to his feet. When Leo was finally standing, he turned to face the man and stepped back away from him quickly. The man smiled before waving his hand. A light-blue almost white lighted portal appeared next to them. The man replaced his hood.
"Now you'll come with me, Leonardo," He said as he held out his hand.
"No," Leo said as he glanced at his other katana that was lying next to the cloaked man. The man picked it up off the ground and traced a finger against the sharp edge of the blade.
"I remember how important this was to me," He said before holding it as if about to break it, "Pointless weapon now."
"No!" Leo said as he instinctively reached out for it. The man smiled before throwing it towards Leo's brothers and disappearing again to reappear behind Leo, one arm hooked around Leo's neck. Leo automatically grabbed at the man's arm. The man wasn't squeezing too tight, but it was enough to ensure Leo didn't struggle.
"You three may follow," The man said, looking towards Raph, Mikey, and Donny. "I am not going to hurt your brother. I'll release him in my world. Then the hunt will be on."
"Hunt?" Mikey asked with his eyes wide.
"Oh yes, Michelangelo," He said, grinning as he revealed two sharp fangs increasing in length until they were twice the size they once were. "The hunt." Mikey eyes widened dramatically.
"You're a vampire?" He asked.
"You can call it that," The man said before walking backwards into the portal, dragging Leo with him.
Author's end note: So there ya have it. The next chapter explains a little more and may include a lot of information if it includes one of the future scenes which I kinda doubt. Please Review! It will make me happy!