Chapter eight: Round Two
A tiny source of light searched Leo's ocean blue eyes. He grunted and flinched at the light when it came too close. Blinking a couple of times the light fled, and he lifted his hands to rub his eyes.
"Well they seem tired, but you seem to be doing fine." Donnie told him.
"Maybe you're just still recovering from the stress of the experimentation." April guessed.
"Yeah, maybe." Leo thought. At that moment, though, an intense pressure ensued upon him, and he saw visions of himself in an all-out attack against the masked stranger! Leo shot upright out of it, breathing in gasps as though he'd just woken up from a bad dream.
"Leo!" April placed her hands on his arm, as if to stabilize him. The ninja turtle laid back and sighed; closing his eyes to wait for the spinning to stop.
"This will take time to heal." Splinter observed, stroking his thin beard inquisitively.
"A lot of time from the look of it." Donnie concurred. Leo's pupils suddenly flickered in and out, as he grabbed his head with a groan. Donnie shifted forward to place a hand on his arm.
"What's going on, Donnie?" Casey wondered openly.
"He must still be experiencing the effects of the experiments." The brainy turtle in purple hypothesized. "Maybe taking a sample of your blood'll shed some light on what's really going on." He took out a needle and syringe and took the sample he wanted.
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Leo lay in the main living area, on the benches of the lowered seating area; a pillow under his head and his hands draped over himself as he lay there. Though he looked to be asleep, he still fidgeted very subtly from time to time; almost like muscle tremors of some kind. April stood peering around the storm doors of Donnie's lab watching him. Then turned and headed back in to join the rest of the team at the counter, where Donnie was finishing up his analysis.
"Ok, one last thing..." Donnie narrated, as he dropped a couple drops from the sample onto a little gauze pad. The purple solution, turned green upon hitting the circular white pad, much to their surprise. Donatello, seeming unphased by this, slid the sample under his microscope to take a look.
"This like nothing I've ever seen before." The intelligent turtle breathed.
"What is it Donnie?" April asked, drawing ever so slightly closer.
"Leo was been infected with some kind of neurotoxin that alters his mental status, and masks his personality and memory." Donnie explained simply.
"So... what does that mean?" Raph groaned in exasperation.
"Yeah, dude." Mikey put in sassily. "You had us at infected."
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Leo fidgeted some more; groaning like he was experiencing a bad dream, he put his hands to his head. The fidgeting turned to shaking, as his eyes opened with a gasping breath; appearing completely white.
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"Basically he's been poisoned into thinking we're his enemy." Donnie returned. "The poison isn't lethal and won't kill him; but it fools his brain into thinking we're a threat. Essentially he's been turned into some kind of mindless assassin." A bang halted their conversation and they looked toward the door. Leo was standing there with one blade drawn, the arm that held it leaning against the storm door; his head lowered.
"Leo?" Donnie addressed his brother with surprise and a hint of suspicion. Leo looked up quickly and scowled at him, with his solid white eyes, leaving the door in a dead sprint towards him. Everyone scattered at Donnie blocked a couple blows from his brother in blue and landed one of his own sending him tumbling back a bit.
"That the heck is going on?!?!" Raph cried, coming out of back hand spring.
"I think it's happening again!" Donnie concluded.
"Dude! Snap out of it, man!" Casey cried, readying his hockey stick to attack.
"He's not gonna hear you. The toxin has him completely seduced." Donatello told him, as April and Splinter evaded Leo's attacks. "We have immobilize him til he calms down again."
"Great idea, D!" Mikey called happily, then thought for a second. "How do we do that?"
"Use your kasurigama chain, Mikey!" Donnie replied, pointing to his brother's weapon.
"Oh right!" The silly turtle in orange realized. Extending the chain out, he lunged forward toward Leo; tossing it in his direction. Unfortunately for him, though, Leo adjusted and caught the chain with his blades; pulling Mikey forward and launching him right passed him, his blades extended to his left. Leo then straightened up, turn his head to the left and took off out the door.
"Quick! We've gotta go after him!" Donnie cried, waving them over to the garage door.
"Where's he going?!" Raph cried.
"Who knows where." April put in. "That's why we've gotta catch him before he hurts someone,.. or himself."
"Then let us hurry!!" Splinter decided.
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The doors slid aside, and the slim figure in a black cape entered; accompanied by two foot ninja.
"Shini, how are feeling?" Karai asked from her throne, thrilled to see her friend enter.
"I'm feeling much better." The witch girl smiled back. But that smile soon faded, as she dropped her gaze away from her. "I'm sorry I could not stop them from taking Leonardo. I should have known better than that."
"Not just your fault, Shini." Karai told her. "I made a huge mistake in bringing him here in the first place. At least, now, he's home and safe."
"Yes, but for how long?" Shinigami wondered openly. "Kai Shin must have a better plan than this." The two thought in silence for a few moments, pondering this question carefully. When something above her caught Shini's eye, and she looked up in shock; Karai turning to follow her gaze, also unable to hold back a gasping breath of surprise. All that could be seen was a silhouette of a figure they recognized instantly, and the eyes also gave him away as clear as day would have.
"Leo?" Karai asked. The turtle simply leapt down with a off-tone battle cry; slicing down on them, to which they had to split off to avoid the blow.
"He's doing it again." Karai warned, after rolling out of her somersault. Shinigami screeched to a halt in the opposite direction.
"But why is he attacking us?" She asked dodging a slice from the deranged turtle.
"He's probably supposed to." Karai reasoned. "Kai Shin may have wanted it that way as part of his petty revenge scheme." Karai withdrew in time to catch Leo's blades with her own, and go at it in battle with him. The hostility in his attacks stung her in the heart, as she fought to keep him from actually hurting her.
"Leonardo! Stop this!" Splinter's intense voice made Leo freeze where he was, then turn to look up at him. He and the rest of the team stood where he once did, the circular stained-glass window behind them. Leo's eyes narrowed and he sprinted towards them. The team ninja-leaping to scatter, as Splinter caught his attack. Leo ended up being sent back down again and recovered himself mid-air; landing on his feet. He sneered and began another approach. Splinter, now on the ground in front of the throne at the bottom of the steps, felt for his blade in anticipation. Leo ducked when Splinter swung, then turned his attention on his brothers. He lunged at Raph and performed a slicing combination that they'd seen many times before. Raph evaded easily, and stabbed at him like they were sparring. But the more they went back and forth he the more violent and ruthless Leo seemed to get.
"Dude! What's your problem?! Snap out of it!!" Raph cried, becoming frustrated. He managed to deliver a palm hand strike to the side of Leo's head; and the turtle in blue stumbled back in a disoriented groan, his hands holding his head and he dropped to his knees. "Oh no, Leo!!" Raph cried, softening up immediately. Not even thinking he rushed to his brothers side, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"*groan* Raph? -What happened?" Leo asked, looking up slowly. Raph sighed with relief, a wave of thankfulness washing over him.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"-I think so... other than this small headache." The leader in blue replied, a hand still to his head. Raph took his other arm and helped him up. Leo nearly fell backwards, but managed to steady himself as he stood up. He kept his hand on Raph's shoulder to help stabilize himself; when he realized who was standing there with them.
"Karai?" Leo noticed. Then looked up, realized where he was. "What are we doing here?" He asked in surprise. Suddenly a pressure on his head, slammed him and he saw glimpses of his vicious attack. He came out of it again with a shock that nearly knocked him over again; the thought of what he had done, yet didn't remember, took his breath away. "Wha-... What have I done?" He gasped, stepping back from them.
"My son, do not withdraw yourself from us." Splinter told him gently. "We are your family, and we want to help you. Please, come back to the Lair. Let us figure out what is going on, so we can fix it." The mutant turtle in blue stood there; hesitating.
"I can't keep doing this." He said finally, then dropped a smoke bomb and disappeared.
"Aww, man! Where's he going now?!" Casey complained, racing through the cloud and out the door.
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Everyone burst into the old lab below street level, their guard lowering as they began to slowly search the place. Raphael stepped in front of another glass box and peered into it.
"Leo?" He was shocked to see his brother inside the box, sitting against the wall with his arms draped over his knees; facing away from them. "What are you doing, come on out here." Raph told him, pressing his hands to the glass.
"No." Was all that came back.
"Let Donnie run some more tests on you." April coaxed. "Maybe we can figure out a way to reverse it."
"Don't you guys get it?!" Leo questioned intensely. He stood up to face them squarely. "I'm too dangerous for anyone to be around. No one even knows when I'm gonna-..." Leo grimaced mid-sentence, grabbing his head again. Reverting back to his enraged state he attacked the glass, as though to break through it. Raph removed his hands from the glass, as everyone withdrew a little from the attack; despite knowing that it wouldn't reach them.
Hey guys!! Another chapter! Can't wait to see what you guys think!! And I'll see you next week! Thx!!!
