Brotherhood
Chapter 20
Murder is Art
"Murder is art, with a sword, I'm Picasso
With a pistol, Da Vinci, I'm Van Gogh when I'm hostile
A walking Michelangelo, no other can stop me
Cause I'm strange with my approach like Salvador Dali" – VI Seconds, Murder is Art
What's up?! Happy New Years y'all. Sorry about the delay, but you know me. Inconsistent as shit. Also since I said this was gonna be written like a hip-hop anime. Expect a lyric from many different jazz and rap artists, at the beginning of each chapter from now on, cool? Anyway, this is the chapter I was hyping up. We finally get to see what's lurkin' behind that Hannya mask of Onryo. Enjoy!
Let's get it.
Leonardo took the box with him as he walked down the street and as he put it in his backpack. The cold Chicago night was something he was akin to. Training with the Tribunal made him accustomed to freezing temperatures, it was something he had been conditioned for his entire life. He could feel someone watching him. It wasn't an ordinary feeling of someone watching you either. An eerie sensation appeared, prickling the hairs on his neck.
He looked to see the guardian spirit on the rooftop, which was parallel to the alley he had stopped in. The turtle creature looked down at the brown skinned man, gazing into his eyes. He stood firm with determination in his white pupils. Leonardo's Native American roots led him to believe they were spirits sent to protect him.
They were something else entirely. Not malevolent by any means, yet far being passive or weak creatures.
Leonardo froze, his heart beating a mile a minute. The turtle spirit's feet made a silent landing against the ground like a ghost, their existence unnoticeable.
"What are you?" His voice didn't even sound like his own, like it was coming from someone else.
The turtle creature pointed to him with a calloused green finger. The three other turtle spirits appeared behind him. Flickers of voices and images burst through his head like a shotgun shell to the brain.
The gesture sent chills down the young man's spine.
What threw the young man for a loop, was when one of them began speaking.
"You will understand soon enough. We all will in due time." The tall one banded in purple spoke eloquently.
As quick as they arrived, they disappeared like a whisper in the wind.
It scared him, because he witness the beginning...and end of their existence.
Donatello looked at his desk after class. There was something clawing inside him and he just couldn't let it out.
One of his students, Johnny, walked into class to get something he forgot. He noticed the forlorn gaze in his beloved teacher's crimson eyes and couldn't help but say something.
"You ok, Donnie-sensei?" The brown boy's hazel eyes bored into his own.
"Trying."
"Truthfully?" The boy's aura led someone to believe that he was smarter than he seemed. Being one of Donatello's students caused one to be quite smarter than average.
"Failing."
"What's the deal? What do you grown-ups say, trouble in paradise?" The little boy's curious smirk caused Donnie to blanche.
"How would you even know—never mind that. I'm just very contemplative on some of the things I have done in my life. Especially what I regret doing in my life." The teacher's voice was muffled by his hands covering his face.
"You probably haven't showed Ms. O'Neil the real you yet, have you? Not telling someone you care about something is just as bad as lying. At least that's what my mom says." Johnny walked over to his desk and propped himself on the edge.
"I don't know if I should, it's not something good." Donnie looked into his student's eyes with a concerning gaze.
"What, you hide piece of yourself from others because you don't want them to see your true colors or something? Donnie-sensei, if it's really that bad…. you should just tell her. Be honest with her and yourself. Keeping it locked up inside is only gonna make it hurt more."
"Are you sure you weren't taught by anyone else prior to me?" A sad smile snuck onto his face.
"Nah, but that just means you're a good teacher." With those words, Johnny grabbed what he was looking for, and left.
I may be a good teacher.
But does that mean I am a good person?
Michelangelo was spraying another one of his inspirational quotes on the wall. It just so happened be near the school that Donnie worked at. He didn't have his many selection of colors because he still didn't have his bag, so he had to use purple. He had to use his other skateboard to get to his spot, which wasn't a necessarily a cruising board, but he had to make due.
A chill hop mix played from his headphones as the rattle of his paint can filled the night air.
He decided to go with a set of wielding goggles hanging from a stick implanted into the ground. A small turtle shell and a flask filled a purple substance was next to it.
From his first impressions, he saw Donnie as a smart guy, so it would make sense that he would dabble in science and all that cool stuff.
But he had this feeling that Donnie, as nice of a dude that he was, had something lurking inside him.
Something dark.
He skated down the street, popping a kick-flip to a 5-0 onto a rail.
Donnie exited the school, and the first thing he saw was the piece of graffiti.
It triggered a vision of his, such as seeing a tall turtle flash by the piece of art.
April drove to Donnie's home, to surprise him with gift she got for him. It was a set of plastic chopsticks with his name engraved on them, she was sure he would love it. She ran her hand through her which sported a yellow flower that Donnie gave her. When she arrived, something was amiss.
His front door was wide open. A deep fear set itself inside April's stomach. A thousand different scenarios played around in her head.
Who broke into Donnie's house? What if he was hurt…or worse?
As fast as her feet in heels could carry her, she ran through the doorway. Her fears were worsened by the fact that there was blood everywhere. The dining room table was flipped, the chair and couch had stab punctures in them. Bloodied hand prints were littered throughout the room.
"No. No."
She ran her hands through her fiery locks in paranoia. The feeling of horror and pain sinking deep within her bones. She couldn't help but shake and tremble at the thought of her precious Donnie being hurt or killed.
"DONNIE!"
No response.
She jumped at the shriek of metal hitting flesh and bone. Screams of suffering came from the basement of her friend's home. Bile wanted to rise from her throat as she ran down towards the basement. Fresh blood was found splattered over the staircase; the fact that it was still dripping made skin crawl.
Darkness. The crescendo of Lux Aeterna cut through the air. The notes gave the room an eerie aura to the entire area. The soft violin gently floated through. Sounds of a struggle and combat filled the dark area. The whistle of a blade whipped through the air, and then grisly noise of that penetrating flesh, the bone cracking around it.
"No, no! Please, I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" A pleading voice screamed for he sounded helpless.
"I don't give third chances. This is the end." The digital voice spat out with venomous intent.
And then, a bright orange light filled the room, the shadows were illuminated by the bright flames coming from what looked like an incinerator. The horrid, gut wrenching, blood curdling cries of anguish exploded from the machine. The nauseous stench of burnt flesh filled the room.
As the flaming light encased the room, the shadow of the apparition that is Onryo appeared.
His glowing violet eyes scanned the room to find cerulean eyes gazing at him.
As the lights flickered on, Onryo appeared in front of her.
"What have you done with Donnie?! Why are you in his house?!"
"I'm tired of playing this game, Ms. O'Neil. I can't hide from myself anymore." Onryo ran his bloodied glove across her cheek, smearing the purity of it with his dark deed. Her fear was palpable; you could cut it with a sword. It was somehow still dangerously tangled with curiosity. She couldn't help herself, so she asked him a question.
"What game?! Where is Donnie?!"
"You don't get it, do you?! You want to know where Donnie is?!" His voice lost its digitization. It sounded muffled, but more human than robot.
"I'll tell you where he is, but my mask must be removed first." He closed the distance between them, their faces were almost touching.
"Why can't you just remove it?"
"Simple, I want you to do it, April."
Her hands slowly reached for the clasps of the mask. Her breathing sped up as her heart rate skyrocketed.
When the mask came off, and she finally saw the infamous ghost for who he really was. The mask clattered against the floor. Her blue orbs widened in shock and her body trembled. Her legs shaking as she gasped in disbelief.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, April." That calm voice came from someone she held close to her heart.
She slowly backed away, speechless. She couldn't believe who she was looking at. Her soft voice sounding broken and hopeless as she uttered the name.
"Donnie?"
OH SHIT! The homie Donnie is the infamous Onryo?! Who woulda thought, huh?! Bet that threw y'all for a loop. How did you like it? Let a brother know.
Peace!