We're getting closer! Hope you all enjoy!


Ch. 13-Halfway Point

Donatello glared at the creased, foreign paper in his hand. The consistency was interesting, slightly thicker than standard writing paper. His mind, however, was more focused on its contents. This was the sixth letter he'd received from Raphael.

The first four had come in rather rapid succession, while the last two were delayed, Raph using the excuse of being much busier. The dreaded training period was now half over. Every day, the date of Raphael's return drew closer, and the more anxious Donatello became. Every letter filled him with apprehensive dread. He feared that any day, he could open an envelope containing the message that his brother wouldn't be coming back. Like Leonardo all over again.

And Raph's letters weren't helping to assuage his doubts. He clutched tighter to the one in his hands, crumpling it a little.

Ya know, Don, the city's always been such a big part of me. I used to think I couldn't survive anywhere else, but now, I have to say, I really am getting it up here. And it's really nice…to go out and bask in the sunshine. Reminds me of the farmhouse, but more remote, even fewer people around. There are no passersby or anything like that to worry about. I feel so…free.

He did know. He had felt the same freedom his brother spoke of during their time at the farmhouse. They still went out there, on occasion. Raphael always seemed to enjoy their visits even more than the rest of them. He spent hours wandering in the woods and basking on the back porch. And he always the most reluctant to leave. Deep down, Donnie had always suspected that Raph would spend months on the farm if it were possible. That's why he'd been so perturbed by Raph's letters of late. They were so light-hearted and content. It scared him.

Would Raph really want to come back?


Bodies fell to the ground with muted thuds. The cloaked figure standing above them tilted his head to one side and cracked his knuckles. He nudged one of the unconscious lowlifes with his foot to get a better look at the face. He snorted and drew back.

"I hate hired thugs."

Fingers tightly gripping the edge of his cloak, he made to leave, but was stopped by a gentle tug. He whirled around, his sai ominously protruding from the shadowy folds. His addressor barely flinched.

"You would not harm an old wanderer, good spirit." An elderly voice stated evenly in Japanese.

He returned his sai to his belt, keeping a decent amount of distance between himself and the human. "You're right, I would not."

"Were it in my power, spirit, I would reward you kindly, but I fear I have precious little to give."

"You don't need to—"

"You have saved my daughter's life tonight, great spirit."

Raph leaned forward, confused. "I-I don't understand."

The old man held out a bag of money. "This money will help pay for my sick daughter's operation. If it isn't done, my daughter will die. I'm sure that these thugs were sent to rob me."

The story, combined with the revelation of what this old man might have lost had he not been there, stirred Raphael's protective instincts. "Where are you taking the money?"

"It is not far, just a few more streets from here."

"Go." He said softly. The old man looked at him, wonderingly. Bowing his head, Raph reassured, "I will see you there safely before I depart."

Relief flooded the old man and he bowed gratefully. "Thank you, gracious spirit. How will I ever repay the service you have done me this night?"

"You do not need to. Supporting your daughter through her recovery will be enough."

Frowning, the old man mumbled. "That will not be enough to ease my conscience, spirit. Please," he brandished a short sword, "take this."

"I couldn't—"

"Please. This kodachi has been passed down my family for generations. I have no sons to pass it on to. I would like you to have it. I can see that yours are more learned hands than mine. Please, I insist. Take it as a token of my gratitude for saving both me and my daughter."

Raphael knew the difference between receiving a gift and being given a gift. And he knew the affect that it had on the giver. In the light of this most recent development, it would hurt the old man if he turned the offer down. He accepted it graciously and bowed. Seeing the smile on the old man's face made it all worth it.

The cloaked turtle followed the old man to the surgery and witnessed the payment of the money through the window. Moving around the building to another window, he watched as the father knelt at the bedside of a sick young woman, probably only four or five years older than himself. Suddenly he felt their eyes on him. He bowed one last time and vanished into the night.

He retraced his steps, intent on resuming his patrol. Imagine his surprise when he found the lowlife scum he'd just busted. All of them up and growling.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? I'm surprised you punks are still standing."

"You're going to be really sorry, cloth-head."

"Oh really?" Raph cracked his knuckles. "Well I hate to break it to you, but you really should've stayed unconscious, cause by the time I'm done with you, you're going to wish you were."

"Is that supposed to scare us, spirit?"

"No." He held up his sai. "This is." He lunged at them. They scattered. He took the first three out easily.

Someone jumped out from behind him and wrapped him in a chokehold. Before he could slip out of it, the guy was on the ground, unconscious. A dark figure swept in, took out the three remain thugs, and slowly turned to face him.

"Look, whoever you think you are, I don't need help." Raph grumbled at the black-cloaked figure.

"And you expect me to sit back and let you have all the fun?" A familiar voice rumbled from beneath the black folds. Yanking the hood back, Master Adachi smiled at the bewildered look on his pupil's face.

"You-You-You were…and you aren't going to…"

"To what?"

"Lecture me. For vigilante-ing."

Adachi shook his head. "I see no reason to. I believe you are doing the right thing. Besides, it seems to be an effective outlet for your anger."

"So you're not going to scold me, or anything?"

"You are not a child, Raphael. Scolding would not be effective. If I disapproved of your presence here, I would have struck you by now." As though to punctuate the statement, an arm shot out and whacked the turtle on the head.

"Then what the shell was that for?!"

"That was for allowing them to best you! You are fifty times stronger than they will ever be, but you do not think before you act. You have a brain, use it."

"I'm not sure my brothers would agree with you on that."

"On the contrary, Donatello is very much aware of your intelligence, so is Michelangelo. Leonardo, like me, believes that you have the intelligence, you simply choose not to use it."

"I think that's a little uncalled for."

"Indeed? Then I would be willing to make you a bet, young one."

Raph's eyes narrowed. "What's in it for me?"

"Two days no morning training."

"Deal. What's the bet?"

Adachi smirked. "That will have to wait until tomorrow."


"Donnie!" Leo shouted, knocking firmly on the lab door, "Time for patrol!"

"Coming." Don's soft voice murmured from inside.

Michelangelo bounded out of the hall with his nunchucks tucked in his belt. He struck a dramatic pose, "Michelangelo is ready to kick some shell!"

Leo smiled and watched his younger brother fight off imaginary bad-guys with a few simple katas. The lab door creaked softly, making the leader turn to his purple-masked sibling. "Hey, Don. What's the latest?"

Don's raised an eye-ridge. "What do you mean?"

"You've been in the lab all day. New project?"

"No."

"Old project, then?"

Don shook his head. "No," He pushed past his older brother and headed for the door, "Let's get going."

Leo sighed and shook his head before trailing after Don.

Mikey put his nunchucks back in his belt and frowned worriedly after his older brothers.

"Donnie, I know you're worried about Raph. We all are." Leo began as they trudged single-file down the sewer tunnels.

"Let it alone, Leo."

Eyes narrowed, posture straightening, Leo caught Don's shoulder and halted him mid-stride.

"Not yet. We need to talk, Donnie."

"About what? There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes, there is. If you weren't working on something, why have you been locked away in the lab all day?" He demanded.

"That's not your business."

Grabbing Donnie tightly by the shoulders, Leo shoved him up against the wall. "I'm your older brother and I can make it my business."

Mikey came forward to pull Leo away, but his older brother threw up a hand to silence him.

"Why, Donnie?" Leo reiterated.

"Because I needed to think. Alone."

Leo's manner changed. His posture softened. "Donnie…you don't have to be alone. Mikey and I—"

"Save the lecture, Leo, I've heard it all before."

"What is it going to take to get you to believe it?"

"More than you've got."

Leo's beak wrinkled and he shouted. His fist crashed into the sewer wall to the right of Donnie's head.

Donatello jumped. He couldn't believe his eyes, but even as he watched, his eldest brother crumbled right in front of him.

Trembling, Leo lowered his hands. The wraps on his right hand grew a pale red. Even his voice shook as he spoke. "Well?" he shouted.

Don flinched at the sudden volume, unsure what his brother wanted from him.

Leo's eyes flashed.

Edging away, fearfully, Donnie's hands began to shake.

"What are you waiting for, Donatello?!" Leo shouted, throwing his hands up. "If you hate me so much, then hit me!"

The brainiac's eyes widened and he took another step back.

"Hit me, goddammit!"

Don shook his head and continued to back away.

Leo's head drooped. "I know you're mad at me. Just hit me! Please…"

Both younger siblings stared, in awe and horror. Leo sounded so broken, but his posture was so strong. Don approached him slowly. He closed his eyes and dropped his guard.

About a foot away, Don paused. He started to reach out, but then thought better of it and allowed his hand to fall. "Leo—I think I'd much rather do this." He whispered softly, enveloping his older brother in a tight hug.

Leo's eyes snapped open, but soon closed and he clung to Donatello. Michelangelo let out a silent sigh of relief. Maybe this meant that these two would finally start trying to help each other deal with Raph's absence rather than estranging themselves.

As they pulled away Donnie smiled for the first time in a while. "Please don't do that again, Leo."

Leo raised an eye-ridge.

"I've never enjoyed using living beings as my punching bag, and my brothers even less so."

Leo grinned. "Raph never seemed to mind."

"You've made him the same offer, then?" Don asked, a little unnerved at the prospect.

The eldest didn't seem to notice his brothers' discomfort. "More than once. He usually accepts it. Though he prefers it when I'm punching back. I usually go easy on him so he can get it all out of his system."

Don gripped his older brother's shoulder tightly, "Leo…I—it's not that I'm upset with you about Raph. I just—"

"Need someone to blame."

"No, I—I just—"

The knowing look on Leo's face made Donnie sigh. Trying to convince the leader otherwise would prove futile, for he had hit upon the truth and he knew it.

Leo grinned. "I'm happy to be your punching bag, verbal or otherwise, Don. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll always be here. And the minute Raphael gets back I expect you to give him a lecture he won't soon forget."

That made Donnie smile. "Believe me big brother, he won't know what him."

Mikey beamed and bounced forward. "Careful, bros, you lecture him too much and he might explode!"

Playing along, Leo shook his head, "I don't know, Mikey. He has been training to control his anger, after all."

"Psh, even if he has, he'll still be the same old Raph. His temper isn't going to just go away."

"We'll see, Mikey. We'll see."

Donnie frowned a little. They slowly began to walk together down the tunnels. "You're training changed you, Leo."

"Did it?" He asked curiously, "How so?"

"Well, you've been calmer, more patient. In some ways, more withdrawn, but in others more outgoing towards us."

"And?"

"When you first returned, I think we all felt the difference very strongly, but after your…altercation…with Raphael, we got the real you back. You were still different, but at least you were—well, you, again. But what if—?" He lowered his head.

His brothers waited patiently.

"What if Raph just isn't Raph anymore?"

Leo frowned. He had to admit, the same thought had crossed his mind. "Then we'll knock some sense into him. Just like he knocked sense into me."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Don grumbled.

Leo sighed. "We'll do whatever it takes. Don't worry, Don. Raph'll be fine."

"I hope so."

"He will, bro!" Mikey said, throwing his arms around both of their shoulders. They smiled and nodded, allowing their little brother's mirth to comfort them.


Adachi and Raphael slipped through the shadowy alleys of the village, the young turtle allowing his master to lead the way. About three minutes passed before Raphael realized that they were taking the fastest route back to the mountain path. He stopped. Adachi noticed immediately and turned to face him.

"I was planning to do a couple more rounds."

"We have done enough for tonight."

Raph's eye-ridge shot up. "We?"

"Objections?"

The turtle thought it over for a few moments. He was still skeptical.

"I will keep you on your toes." Adachi smirked.

"Really? How's that?" Raph asked, looking up. He blinked. Adachi was gone. What the shell? His fingers flew to his temples as a gold image flashed through his brain. Adachi sneaking up on him from—behind! He whirled around and blocked the incoming blow with his forearm. A gold flash erupted from between them at the contact. Adachi continued to press, but Raphael refused to give way.

The red-masked turtle grit his teeth and tried to push back. A growl of frustration left his lips as he was slowly lost ground.

Adachi chuckled. "Your anger only wastes energy, little one. Let it go. Calm yourself and focus. It is all in your mind. Allow it to flow through your body, let it become your strength."

Raph closed his eyes and let his anger drain away. He calmly focused, allowing the energy to feed his focus and flow to his arms.

Though Adachi was increasingly applying power, Raphael was gradually shoving him backwards.

The gold light between their arms expanded into a disk-like shape. It grew and grew, slowly shoving Adachi back and becoming a glowing shield. Raphael took a deep inhale and opened his eyes. His mouth fell open in shock and his focus broke. The shield vanished and Adachi's power shoved him backwards with a golden flash.

Raphael landed unceremoniously on his backside.

Adachi chuckled. "I see we need to work on improving your focus."

Raph growled up at him, but Adachi just smiled indulgently down at him. "So shall I plan on joining you in your vigilante-ing?"

"I suppose I could let you tag along."

Adachi grinned and helped the turtle to his feet, "That is very obliging of you." Day by day, the old ninja master felt the young turtle mutant growing closer and closer to him. Raphael reminded him so much of himself at that age. At the same time, he was growing more and more attached to the teenager. Raphael was quickly becoming like a son to him.

None of his past students, even…Takeshi had never been so close to him. He was worried. After what had happened with…he had shut himself off to all emotions of the outside world. Raphael had brought light with him. Even the mountain itself seemed to be feeding off of the young turtle's spiritual energy. The plants and the animals were more vivid and cheerful than they had been in years. There was no doubt in Adachi's mind. Raphael was the chosen one.

As they climbed the mountain path, Adachi glanced back at his young student. Raphael appeared to be glancing about at the trees. The sound of cicadas rang through the forests. Raphael distractedly gazing about bumped into a tree and a cicada flew off of it and landed on his hand. Adachi raised an eye-ridge. His young student had gone quite still, eyes wide as saucers.

Raphael stared at the horrifying creature that had landed on his arm. Disgust and fear sprung up from within him. It was staring at him. He didn't dare move. It was HUGE! HUGE! His face contorted into an expression of revulsion. He shook his arm violently.

"AH! Aah! Get it off, get it off, get it off! Eww! Eww! Eww! Eww! Eww!"

The bug hung on for a little while, but as Raphael's struggling grew more and more frantic, it finally flew off. Adachi stared in intrigue. His student watched the bug fly off and rushed to stand behind him, looking nervously around at the other trees. He'd never seen anyone so utterly terrified of a cicada in his life. They were truly harmless. Large, certainly, but harmless. In the summer months, the village children wandered around with nets trying to catch them. They were a symbol of summer.

"Raphael, are you afraid of bugs?" Adachi asked, walking further up the path, leaving his student behind.

"What, me, afraid? No, of course not." He almost ran into another tree, but caught himself and scurried after his Sensei.

"We shall also need to eliminate this fear of yours."

"What?" Raph looked extremely uncomfortable. "That won't be necessary."

"Any weakness you have, must be fortified! Himura will stop at nothing to—" Adachi cut himself off, realizing what he was saying. He hoped that Raphael would let it rest, but the red-masked ninja's persistence was already awakened.

"Himura?"

Adachi refused to look at his student. He lowered his head.

"He was your last student, wasn't he?"

"Yes." Adachi confessed. "Himura Takeshi. He was not worthy. I thought he was the chosen one, but I was wrong."

"Then you could be wrong about me, too?"

"No. I know you are the chosen one. I felt it. I know that you are. It was always you, Raphael. From the very beginning, I suspect that things were meant to be as they were."

"He'll stop at nothing to what?"

"Hm?" Adachi murmured, distractedly.

"You said he'd stop at nothing." Raph persisted.

With a deep sigh, he said softly, "He will stop at nothing to kill you."

Raph's eyes rose to meet his Sensei's. Grave understanding flickered between them.

"What I saw. What the stone showed me. My brothers…" His voice died.

But Adachi was able to perceive the nature of the question. "Yes. It is he you will have to defeat, if you wish your family to be safe."

"I don't understand." Raph murmured, "Why is he so difficult to defeat? If he doesn't have the power of the stone, then…"

"Takeshi was…unhinged by the discovery that he wasn't the chosen one. He could not abide it. He vanished into the mountain caves."

"The same one the stone came from?"

"Yes." Adachi sighed. They continued up the mountain and finally reached the stronghold. Once he had firmly closed the gate to the courtyard, he turned to address his student once more. "And there…he found a stone of his own. A dark stone, one that brings death and destruction."

"Let me guess, you've tried to defeat him, but your powers with the stone weren't strong enough. So you had to flee, take sanctuary here, and wait for the chosen one to come along."

"Yes."

"Jeez. Sounds like the plot of a bad kung-fu movie."

The old master hung his head. "Yes, but sadly, it is quite real."

"How do you know I'll be strong enough?" He asked, sounding quite young.

"You will have to be. For your brothers' sake."

Raph's jaw tightened, his back straightened, and his fists clenched.

Adachi stared. He'd never seen a face so young bearing such a world-worn expression. There was so much strength in this one being. So young, barely more than a child, but so determined to protect that which he held most dear.

"Then I will be. I swear it."


Well, how was it?