Hi! Novastargeek here, and welcome to my first fanfiction! This is an idea I've had rolling around in my head for a while, and I've decided to share it just to see what happens. This takes place in the 2012 series sometime towards the end of season 3. Hope you enjoy!
Oh, almost forgot the obligatory disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, that honor belongs to Nickelodeon.
Anyways, onto the story!
*LEO POV
The cool New York breeze playfully nipped at my blue mask-tails as I stood on the edge of one of the many run-down buildings that populated the old warehouse district. Despite the lullaby of angry horns and wailing sirens that echoed off the concrete jungle, it had been a quiet patrol.
"Mikey, I'm gonna beat the green off ya!" Raphael roared at a now squealing Michelangelo, who was currently sprinting to the nearest living shield. I turned a lazy eye to the growing hijinks behind me, half-continuing to pay attention to the alleyway below for non-existent activity.
The nearest living shield just so happened to be my genius younger brother Donatello. Who, based on the scowl that now adorned his features, was none too pleased to be stuck between the resident prankster and at the ticking time-bomb hothead.
"Donniiieeeee!" the youngest wailed. "You gotta protect me from the giant green hothead of doom and suffering! He's gonna kiiiilllll meeeeeeee!"
"You decided to stick a cockroach down his shell, what did you think was gonna happen?" the sarcastic tone held a touch sharpness to it. An evil grin crossed his face as he suddenly side stepped, much to the shock of one sky-blue-eyed turtle.
"Donnie, what are you-" whatever Mikey's next words were cut off as a red and green blur suddenly tackled him to the ground.
"Noooooooo, how could my bestest brother in all the world betray, ow, OW!" Mikey's questioning was cut short as his arm was brought back behind his shell, forced onto his carapace by a triumphant looking Raph.
He shot his best puppy eyes at his purple-masked brother, who, through no small feat, managed to ignore the pained baby brother looks part: "You lost all my sympathy the minute you threw that slime filled water balloon at me this morning."
"Leo?" came the small, hopeful plea from my younger brother.
I looked at him and shrugged, struggling to keep my features schooled in my classic "leader" look. He got himself into this mess, he was perfectly capable of getting himself out.
"No Leo not you-OW!"
If possible, Donnie's smile grew even bigger as he joined Raph in tormenting our baby brother. Said brother had begun to promise chores and his entire collection of comic books just to be spared from his "torture".
I smiled at the scene, happy that all the different gangs and organizations shell-bent on world domination seemed to be taking a break for the moment. I didn't even bother to try to quiet them down, Mikey and Raph especially needed an excuse to get rid of some of their pent up energy.
I turned my attention back to the sprawling warehouse district, prepared to call it an early night. Maybe pick up pizza, kick back, and watch a movie. Heaven knows we've earned it, between kicking the Krang out of New York, trying to save Karai, and that whole time traveling fiasco a few weeks ago.
I opened my mouth to call it a night when I saw a shadow out of the corner of my eye. It disappeared into the skylight of a warehouse kitty-corner to our current location.
I narrowed my eyes and sighed.
So much for a peaceful evening.
"Guys," I called. The speed at which my brothers went from carefree, bickering teens to full alert ninja was a sight to behold.
Having my brothers full attention I continued.
"I think I saw someone head into that warehouse, through the skylight. It's probably nothing, but just in case, we go inside, full ninja mode. Stay quiet, recon only."
"Finally, some action!" Raph grinned from ear-hole to ear-hole. I just rolled my eyes and began heading over to the warehouse roof, my brothers right on my heels. We slipped into the same skylight I saw the figure vanish into, entering the building.
I motioned for my brothers to fan out and search the building for the intruder. They disappeared into the shadows, a well oiled machine, barely a whisper telling of their presence.
I leapt from rotting-wood rafter to rotting-wood rafter, scanning the ground below for any sign of an intruder. Just as I was about to give the all clear, I heard a muffled voice that was gradually starting to grow into a crescendo. I headed towards the sound, rewarded when I saw a black-hooded figure starting to tear through one of the boxes, clearly looking for something. Sawdust went everywhere, and several small, dark objects were scattered carelessly all over the floor. I hopped over to a beam positioned over the box. I leaned forward, hoping to get a better view and hopefully a clue as to what he was looking for.
I heard a loud crack, and instead of solid wood my feet stood on nothing but air. My hands flailed, trying to find something solid to hold onto, but they only found air. Sawdust flew everywhere, and I felt the air whoosh out of my lungs. Black spots danced in my vision. A hissing sound vaguely registered in my now ringing ears. I hazily felt something prick my neck, but was currently focused on trying to force air back into my lungs to really pay any attention to it. Something hit my plastron with a dull thud.
I just laid there for a moment, greedily taking oxygen into my lungs and allowing my vision to clear and my ears to stop impersonating church bells.
My brothers were never going to let me live this down.
"Leo, you okay?" I heard Donnie ask. I could feel more than see his eyes scanning me critically for any obvious injuries.
I groaned in response as I sat up, shaking my head clear of the cobwebs. I absently brought a hand to scratch at an itch on my neck.
"Hey hey hey, don't scratch at it, you'll only make it worse," Donnie said as he pulled my hand away from the spot.
"Where are the others?" I asked as Donnie began to take care of the various cuts and scrapes that now littered my body.
"They went after the intruder," the purple mask turtle replied, grabbing a penlight. "Now hold still for a sec."
He shined the bright light in my eyes and I gave a small wince.
"Does your head hurt?"
"It's a little foggy but otherwise fine."
"You have a slight concussion, and I want to take a closer look at that bite when we get back to the lair."
"Bite?" my brow furrowed in confusion. "I was bit?"
"When you fell into the box, the intruder was startled and apparently his first reaction was to bite you in the neck. Luckily, your entrance caused him to drop this staff he was looking for."
He held up a three foot black-handled staff. Silver bat wings adorned the top of the staff, attached to a silver cage, the bars appearing to be fangs, sharp and wicked. But what drew my eyes was the deep, blood-red jewel that gleamed between the silver bars of its cage. It appeared to pulsate, slowly, a heart pumping blood to an invisible body. Deep red, intoxicating. A heartbeat. I needed it, inside me. A heartbeat. I needed-
"LEO!" Donnies shout tore me from my trance. "You OK? You zoned out for a minute there."
"Yeah, I'm fine," I shook my head, glancing at the staff and repressing a shutter as I pulled myself out of the box. "Let's find the others and go home."
I needed to get out of here. Put as much distance between myself and the staff as possible.
"No need to find us dudes, we're already here," Mikey wandered in, a fuming Raphael trailing behind him.
"He got away," Raph reported punching his fist into his palm.
"Well, at least he wasn't successful in his thieving endeavors," Donnie replied, holding up the staff.
I felt my breathing quicken, and my heart began pounding in my chest. I turned away, facing the direction of the window we came through, fighting the urge to bolt out of the room as fast as I could. I didn't want my brothers to think that their "fearless leader" was scared of a little stick. They'd never let me live it down.
"Woah, Dee, what is it?" Mikey asked, and I could imagine the wondrous "oh" shape he would be making with his mouth.
"Other than the fact that it's obviously a staff of some kind," he answered sarcastically, "I have no idea. There is a tag on it from the museum, so maybe if I look up the product number..."
He trailed off, and I was getting impatient. I need to get away. "Don, can't you do this back at the lair?"
"Keep your shell on fearless," Raph punched me on the arm. "It probably won't take that long anyway. 'Sides, if it was dangerous would you really want it just sitting in a warehouse for the next bad guy to waltz in and try to steal?"
I remained silent. I gave a slight nod of my head, knowing that he was right. That, that thing was dangerous. Dangerous beyond belief. I couldn't believe he didn't know that, not with the way every instinct was screaming at me to run. I crossed my arms and dug my fingers into them, trying to keep myself from having a full blown panic attack.
"You okay Fearless? You're starting to shake pretty bad," Raph suddenly asked, his voice full of concern. I hadn't even realized. A headache suddenly decided to make itself known and I winced. Everything hurt, and the world was starting to spin.
"Leo? LEO!" Raph yelled.
Everything went black.
TBC...