Splinter was in meditation when Don entered the dojo. He bowed, then made for the punching bag. Hopefully he could work all this anger out before practice began.
Splinter heard the thuds of someone hitting the punching bag. He knew one of his sons had entered and from the anger coming of the turtle in waves, he assumed it was Raphael.
He was surprised to find, however, Donatello. His quiet son was so focused that he didn't see his brothers enter or their looks of shock at seeing him like this. He himself had never seen Donatello quite this angry before. It was as though he couldn't get rid of the angry that had him in its grasp.
Normally, it only took him a little a while to calm down, but nothing he did worked. Sure he could push it back down after some concentration, but it only came back worse.
'I've got to do something' Don thought to himself 'before I hurt someone.'
Raph, Mike and Leo could only look at one another as Don continued to pummel the punching bag. Mike and Raph shared a guilty glance that didn't escape Leo.
But Leo filed it away for later. Right now he was thinking about what Mike had just said.
"He didn't know how to be a leader and a brother…" he paused to take a breath "And we never let him forget he was you."
Leo couldn't get that last sentence to stop replying in his head.
When Splinter called the practice to a start, Don stood slightly away from his brothers. Not a noticeable distance, but it was enough for Splinter to catch. After warm-ups and katas, he had them spar with one another. Pairing Raphael with Michelangelo and Leonardo with Donatello.
Splinter missed the angry glare Donatello hid by lowering his head. He had Michelangelo and Raphael begin, as Leonardo knelt next to him on one side and Donatello on the other.
Splinter knew that Donatello was not watching his brothers. He was concentrating on his breathing. He was slowly taking deep breaths and releasing them, almost as if he was…
Splinter called an end to the match as Raphael disarmed and pinned his brother to the floor.
Leonardo and Donatello took their positions in the center of the room. Bowing to one another they took their fighting stances.
When Leo made eye contact with Don, his breath caught. Don's eyes were different. Gone were the calm, understanding brown eyes. Instead cold, calculating black eyes stared back at him with a hard glint.
Leo swallowed slightly, he was nervous he realized. Hell, if he cared to admit it, he was down right scared. He was scared of Don.
He didn't have time to think anymore as Donatello attacked. Normally Don was a defensive fighter. That wasn't the case right now.
His blows were hard and directed. There wasn't a wasted motion. Every attack had another attack right behind it. It was all Leo could do to keep up his defense.
Never had Don attacked like this, not even in battle.
Don faked an attack high and then swept Leo's feet. Knocking him to the floor. He planted one foot on his brother's chest and placed the end of his bo on Leo's windpipe.
Splinter called the match.
"Dude" was the only thing heard as Don released Leo. He didn't offer Leo a hand to get up, instead bowed and returned to the sidelines for a drink.
Leo stood up slowly. Glancing at his brothers and Splinter.
They were all somewhat in shock. Don had just beaten Leo.
That hadn't happened since they were just learning weapons, and were working with bos. Don had beaten them all regular when they were younger when they worked with the bo, but it had been many years since Don had beaten Leo.
In fact he had never beaten Leo since Leo learned to weld the katanas.
Splinter called an end to the session and left the dojo. Don made to follow him out,
"Don" Leo called.
He stopped in the doorway, but didn't turn.
Raph and Mike decided to stay where they were for now.
"Talk to me. What's wrong" Leo asked.
Don's hand s clenched and unclenched as Leo spoke,
"You want to know what's wrong Leo" he spoke so softly the other three in the room almost didn't hear him.
"Yes."
"Why should I bother telling you. Or Raph. Or Mikey what's wrong. You never listen anyways."
"What do you mean Donnie."
"None of you have ever listened to thing I have ever said. You all stand there and act like you're listening, but you're not."
"Don…"
"You weren't listening earlier, so why should I bother repeating myself."
"Just tell me one more time, please."
Don shook his head and made to leave again. Leo tried one more time.
"I want to know where my calm, understanding brother went. I want to know where the Donatello that could talk to me about anything. Where's the Donatello that never got angry about the little things, the one who would never strike his brother in anger went. I want him back. Where did he go?";
"That Donatello is gone. He disappeared when you left. And if you want to know why he left, ask your two brothers over there."
With that Don left the dojo.
Leo watched him leave, before turning to Raph and Mike. Mikey was looking at the floor and Raph had already gotten up and was currently working the punching bag.
Knowing his brothers, he left them for now and went to speak to Master Splinter.
"Enter" Splinter called out.
Leo entered his master bedroom, bowing before kneeling in front of him.
"What troubles you my son."
"Master, I'm worried about Donatello. He's been so angry these last few weeks."
"I too have noticed that Donatello has become locked in this anger."
"What should be I should I do Sensei? Don wont talk to me, he basically ignores all of us. He has accused us of not listening when I asked what was wrong"
Splinter sat thinking for a moment.
"Have you spoken to Raphael or Michelangelo about this."
"I've tried Sensei, but much like Donatello they don't answer my questions, either."
"Perhaps the problem causing Donatello's anger lies with what he had said and in the questions your brothers wont answer."
"Master?"
"Leonardo, when you speak to your brothers about this issue, are you speaking to them as their brother or as their leader?"
Leo lowered his eye as he thought.
"My son, you have spent a long time apart from us your family and perhaps you need to learn how they have changed much like how they are learning about how you have changed."
"Yes Sensei." Bowing again Leonardo left his father's room. Only to here yelling coming from kitchen.
"What the hell is your problem Don?" Raph yelled at his younger brother.
He had come in here to talk to Don and apologize about things, but instead found himself fighting with him.
"What do you care Raphael"
Don was really mad. He only used full names when he was really mad.
"What do you mean what do I care? Of course I care, I'm your brother."
"That's funny coming from you, Nightwatcher."
"Now listen here you little…"
Don didn't let him finish,
"I wasn't the one running around the city playing vigilante every night, I wasn't the playing hero and endangering his life every night because he couldn't deal and I wasn't the one off traipsing through some god forsaken jungle."
Don said turning to Leo standing in the archway. He was speaking so softly now, that they realized Don wasn't just really angry. He was pissed.
"I was the one tried to keep his family together. I was the one who had to deal with every problem that came up. It was me that had to take care of Splinter when he was sick. It was me that never got any slack or help. I had to do everything. To try and keep everything together while the TWO OF YOU PLAYED HERO!"
"You, Splinter and Mikey expected me to step up and fill in for Leo while he was gone. But you wouldn't give me a chance. I'm not Leo. I'm Donatello. But none you could ever figure that out for some reason."
"And you waltz out of here, completely disappear. Never wrote, never send word that you're ok. Only to waltz right back in here, and act like nothing ever happened. Do have any idea what it did us not to hear from you. What it did to Mikey, thinking his big brother might never come back. To watch Splinter draw into himself and away from us. I had no one to turn to. No one to help me, offer me support." He got quiet as he said that last part; the anger disappeared from his eyes as he bowed his head.
"Just leave me alone guys."
With that Don ran to his room. His door shut quietly after him.
Leo turned back to Raph.
Much like himself, Raph was at a loss about what to do.
"Leave him alone guys" Mikey said crossing to them, "Don will talk when he wants to. Let's just go on patrol, give Don some time to cool off."
"Ok Mike." Leo said, before Raph could argue, he continued, "We'll talk to Don when we get back."
