While the earlier chapters were POVs of characters of scenes from the 2003 series episodes 2 and 3 of "The Big Brawl" storyline, this one is a possible "missing scene" in episode 3 from Donnie's POV. He wanted to have his say and show what happened between him and his brother's new friend. :)

I don't make any money from this. Please don't sue and enjoy anyway :)

Okay, so this used to be chapter 3, and now, because I decided to go chronological order rather than a POV pattern, it's chapter 4. Chapter 3 is now Usagi's POV of events right before this.

Donnie wasn't sure what to think. This rabbit in traditional Japanese garb (from the feudal era of its history, he believed) spoke softly and politely. He'd found his brother's wound. Donnie couldn't see any sign of ill intent in him. Yet, he had been fighting his older brother, when said older brother had keeled over. Who knew, but he was in on it, trying to gain their trust by doing this for Leo now. How could he know? To tell the truth, between the Daimyo's son, who'd tried to "kill" Leonardo not so long ago, being here, this place being where his sensei was supposed to have been attacked by a bitter-ex-opponent, and Leo reporting being attacked in the Pavilion of Past Champions earlier, was it any wonder he was a little paranoid?

Then the Daimyo himself, the friend of his father and their most powerful ally in the Battle Nexus, was just carried by him unconscious. Leo had been abandoned by the doctor who hadn't even been able to tell them anything beyond that Leonardo had been poisoned! Donnie liked to consider himself a turtle of logic, but he was beginning to freak out. And where were Raph and Mikey? Why weren't "they" here to share the worry? Were they still in the contest, with all this going on? Did they even know about any of this? And where was Father? He had to be done talking to the Daimyo, because the latter was here now, so where was he? He was still here alone with Leo. No other family was nearby! What was he supposed to do?

"Your brother is an honorable warrior, Donatello san. Whatever happens, you should be honored to be his brother." A soft paw landed on Donnie's arm.

His head jerked up and spun around. "Wha ..?"

He met the gaze of this "Usagi" his brother's opponent suddenly turned his brother's new healer. The rabbit Samurai continued. "Your brother. I saw no sign of dishonorable tactics displayed by him, either during our bout in the competition or even while facing the assassins in the Pavilion of Past Champions. He is truly an honorable warrior and you should be proud of him."

Donnie looked away from the rabbit and back to his brother. "Oh. Yeah. I am." Donnie smiled to himself. "Leo's always been that way ... "honorable." I think he's worried he'd set a bad example for the rest of us if he wasn't."

Usagi's eyes widened. "There are more of you?"

Donnie nodded. "There are four of us, well five counting Father. There's Leo, Raph, Mikey and me. We're all brothers. Leo's the oldest. Our father made him our leader a long time ago, when Father's not around to lead us himself of course."

"Hmmmmm …" Usagi hummed to himself. He stared down at Donnie's unconscious brother. The spine in Donnie's shell quivered. He wanted to scoot between Usagi and his brother so he couldn't look at him directly anymore. The rabbit's next comment, or question, didn't help. "Your father is 'Splinter san' … Yoshi's pupil …"

Donnie sat up straighter. He stared at the young rabbit. "You knew Yoshi?"

"No …." The Samurai shook his head, "But when my master brought me here and lost a bout to your father, he told me he'd also lost to Yoshi the year your father's sensei competed." Usagi looked up at Donnie with a smile. "Your family is hard to beat, Don san."

Donnie smiled at him. "It's Donatello actually. Sometimes "Donnie." Father calls us by our whole names like you call Leonardo by his. Technically we are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, but we shorten our names when we talk to each other, my brothers and I, I mean."

"Ah." The rabbit sat up straighter himself, lifting his chin from his hand. "That would explain why you call 'Leonardo san' 'Leo.'"

"Yeaaaaahhh …" Donnie turned narrowed eyes upon the other warrior. "You never told me how you know Leo."

The Samurai raised and cocked his head. "My apologies. Our first meeting was but a short time ago. I was on my way to take part in the next phase of the Battle Nexus Tournament, when I heard the sounds of fighting before I expected to. The competition had not started yet, and the sounds were coming from the 'Pavilion of Past Champions' not the arena outside. So, I investigated. I saw your brother in a fighting stance watching the shadows. For a moment, I wondered if he was mad, but then warriors like shadows themselves completely covered in dark clothing and wielding many different kinds of weapons leapt out from hiding to attack him. I was furious to see so many attacking one without weapons of his own. Though, I did see your brother grab a spear off a wall to protect himself. It was obviously not his usual weapon."

"Master Splinter has us train with a lot of weapons, but spears …" Donnie scratched his head and shrugged. "Not so much. I think my staff is the longest weapons we've used. Anything longer gives you not much room to maneuver in the sewers."

Usagi was staring at him. Donnie shrugged, grinned, and said, "Please continue."

Usagi nodded. "As I kept myself out of sight while moving forward to intervene, I saw one of the assassins aim an arrow at Leonardo while he still fought off two others by himself. I was furious."

Donnie gave a sarcastic smile. "I can't imagine why."

Usagi shifted back on his heels his ears lifting, and eyes widening. Donnie looked at him in surprise. Then Usagi replied in a low voice. "My Daimyo … was killed by a barrage of arrows."

Donnie winced and drew away. "I … I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Usagi shrank before Donnie's eyes, bowing his head and bending his back where he knelt. "I thought ... I could protect him from all the dangers around us, during the battle, from all the blades of our enemies, but I failed to stop the arrows that day." Usagi raised his gaze enough to look at Leo. "Now I fail to protect my new friend from being poisoned."

Donnie reached out and laid a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Hey … we're, my whole family's glad you helped save him in the Pavilion of Past Champions. If nothing else, you gave us a little more … time."

Usagi bowed his head further, but nodded. "Thank you, Donatello san."

What do you think?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes