Leo
I tucked my katanas behind my shell, turning to the Leo in the mirror. I saw what everyone else must see: a determined leader with a plan. A strong, fearless big brother who will always pull through. Yet under the glassy reflection that held my gaze, only I knew it was a façade.
The brave mask I put on for my brothers was becoming harder to wear. Truthfully, I worried about the upcoming hours. With Mikey's fate hanging in the balance, I wanted nothing to go wrong tonight. All I could do was have faith in my brothers and alternate self, but the same question continued to knock on the door of my brain: will that be enough this time?
I shook my head at the Leo in the mirror, tightening my mask tails until the bandana squeezed my head. It didn't bother me; I liked it like that. It was the only thing that felt secure at the moment.
I found my whole family sitting in the pit when I entered the common room. Raph was dawning his hand wrappings, punching the air to ensure they were to his liking. Donnie was strapping on his knee pads. Big Leo and Master Splinter were sitting together, talking quietly to each other. And Mikey… he was slumped in the bean bag, reading a worn horror comic I knew he'd read more than at least a thousand times, yet his eyes deciphered through the words and pictures intensely as if for the first time. He tuned out the world around him, his freckled cheeks puffed with hot air.
To say he was still mad about last night was an understatement; he'd hardly uttered a word to any of us all day. In a way, I couldn't blame him. I'd also be frustrated if I was forced to stay underground when everyone else didn't have to. But that was why we were risking our shells tonight: for him. When we dispose of the Heiwa no Buki, everything will return to normal. The thought alone was keeping me going. Imagining Mikey being free of this burden and acting his average, goofy self made a smile quirk on my face.
Everyone, excluding Mikey, looked at me when I stepped into the pit, stopping what they were doing. I swallowed thickly as I eyed each of them.
"Everyone remember the plan?" I asked. Despite their collected nods, I recited it anyway. "Raph distracts anyone guarding the throne room while Big Leo and myself sneak in through the sewers. Donnie will be watching cameras to ensure we don't run into anyone. This is a stealth mission only. No fighting unless necessary. When we retrieve the Heiwa no Buki, we rendezvous at the Shellraiser."
"We know the plan, Fearless. You've only repeated it a hundred times," Raph reminded me with an eye-roll.
"Just making sure. It's vital we get the Weapon of Peace unnoticed." My eyes drifted to my youngest brother in the bean bag. "And, Mikey…"
"I know, I know. Stay in the sewers," he said with an eye-roll of his own, his gaze unmoving from the comic book.
I smiled softly. "Actually, I was going to ask you to name our mission."
Mikey's blue eyes widened, turning to me with his mouth agape. My grin widened when he jumped up from his seat, giving the air a fist pump.
"That's what I'm talking about, son! This plan could use a touch of Mikey." He paused to place a finger on his chin, tongue tracing his lips in concentration. "Operation: Steal the Stick? No, wait! I got it. "Operation: Buki, then Boogie!" Mikey crossed his arms with a proud smile.
"I'm sorry. What?" Raph asked.
"I'll explain it to those who don't speak awesome." Mikey's smile turned smug as we heard Raphael's fists tighten. "As in, you grab the Buki—the weapon, then boogie out before you're caught!"
We only stared at him, each forcing a supportive smile except for Raph, who crossed his arms over his plastron.
"Interesting…" Donnie dragged the word out slowly, for once lacking in what to say.
"I think it's a cool name, Mikey." Big Leo draped a hand on the youngest's shoulder, getting a genuine smile out of him. Suddenly, the beam emanating from him withered like a candle flame, soon to be replaced with a frown. My future self mimicked him with concern.
"I wish I could come with you guys. I've never missed a mission before," Mikey said.
"We'll be back before you know it," Big Leo assured. He grinned at the youngest, and when Mikey stubbornly didn't return one, he trapped him in a headlock with a merciless nuggie. Mikey finally giggled and was released. "Pizza's on me when that time comes."
"You better be telling the truth, dude," Mikey chuckled.
Master Splinter rose with his cane, offering a gentle hand toward Mikey. "Come, Michelangelo. We'll meditate in the meantime."
Mikey pouted before turning to his brothers. Suddenly, he snagged Big Leo in an abrupt hug, shuffling over to Donnie and doing the same. Next came Raph, who didn't oppose despite his discomfort for affection. I caught a gentle smile replacing his usual scowl as he patted Mikey's shell.
When Mikey came to me, there was a slight hesitation in his eyes, our past couple of arguments probably replaying in his head. Before he could awkwardly withdraw, I opened my arms with a smile and pulled him against me. Then our bodies crashed like waves on sand, tears stinging my eyes on impact. Mikey's head tucked under my chin, he tightly squeezed his eyes shut, gripping my shell like I would slip away from him forever.
"I love you, ani," he said quietly.
I hadn't heard that come out of his mouth since he was little, and I melted at the fact. The tears that stung my eyes threatened to slip down my face, but I looked at the pipes above, blinking them back with a sigh. It was then I remembered the occurrences he'd been there for me, made me smile in my darkest moments and had my back in battle. All those times we'd been at each other's throats didn't matter right now. We were brothers and would always be there for one another in the end.
So why was I feeling so guilty?
Shredder's blades flashed behind my pupils, and the cracking sound of a shell echoed in my thoughts.
I shut my eyes tightly, wishing I could open my mouth and free myself of this horrible truth, but all that escaped me was, "You too, otōto."
Mikey pushed away a little, his eye ridges furrowing. "Say it back, or I'm not letting you go."
"Okay, okay. I love you, too," I said through a watery chuckle.
Mikey beamed a satisfied smile and released me. After waving goodbye, he took Sensei's hand and was led to the dojo. I watched him until the sliding doors shut, wiping away a tear that escaped the floodgates.
The Shellraiser barrelled down the dark streets of New York, the engine roaring with the fierceness of a monster truck as I pressed down on the gas pedal. As the street lights danced across my face through the windshield, I noted the space behind me was usually full of brotherly banter, but with Mikey out of the picture tonight, all was quiet. He wasn't there to annoy Raph by trying to push the buttons of his weapons station or send Donnie on a tangent about how certain parts of the vehicle worked. It dawned on me how much he changed the energy in a room. No one said anything until we parked a block away from Shredder's lair, concealed in a shadowy alleyway.
"Here are your headsets, guys. Everyone, check in so I know we're connected," Donnie said, tossing each of us said device.
I placed the headphones over my ear slits. "Check."
"Check," came Raph's voice in my ear.
"And check," Big Leo said, flashing Don a thumbs up.
"Good. I've already hacked into their security system. Stockman is smart; you'd think he'd create a more indestructible firewall. I was in the system within a minute!" Donnie said, clicking away at his computer without missing a beat.
"I doubt Shredder's given him the time," Big Leo said before I could. Many times I had nearly said the same thing as him, and if I didn't remember he was my alternate self, I would have found it a little spooky.
"Operation: Buki, then Boogie has commenced," I announced.
Raph jerked open the doors and hopped out, turning to me with a determined gleam in his emerald eyes. "Let's just get this over with, already."
I followed him out of the vehicle, the crisp, early winter air blowing back our mask tails as we padded to a manhole cover and heaved it open. Big Leo started his descent down the ladder and slipped into the darkness. Before I could do the same, I looked up at my sai-wielding brother and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll signal you in about fifteen minutes. Be careful."
He gave me a curt nod in return, saying nothing. But he didn't have to when the look in his eyes did the talking for him. He was telling me to watch my back like he always did through those stern glares. It wasn't a lot, but I accepted it with a nod before I followed my future self down the hole.
We were shrouded in darkness once we reached the bottom, but my eyes had grown accustomed to these dim tunnels throughout the years. Together, Big Leo and I trudged through the passageway. Only the sound of our gear bouncing with the rhythm of our bodies echoed off the walls, carrying off softly down the tunnel.
It was eerie, almost spine-chilling. Mikey would be whispering right now how this scene reminded him of a horror comic he'd read, and I smiled slightly to myself.
After fifteen minutes of long, dead silence, I pushed the button on my headset and signaled Raph to move in on Shredder's lair. He gave me a brief response, and I was greeted by radio silence after that.
"We'll start with Stockman's lab and work our way up. The Heiwa no Buki has to be either there or in the throne room," Big Leo whispered.
I nodded and pushed the button on my headset again. "How are we looking, Donnie?"
"Stockman's in his lab. I wouldn't bother that area; I can't seem to find the Weapon of Peace on the cameras."
Down the tunnel, I saw the faintest light emitting from a grate. I knew from experience that the light was coming through the Shredder's dank dungeon. We made it.
I alerted Raph and Donnie before we ripped the grate open as quietly as possible, crawling out and sheltering behind a nearby pillar. We listened cautiously to our surroundings, and when we were confident that no one occupied the space, we darted from the shadows, straying far from the lit torches on the walls.
Our padded, running footfalls fell undetected as we emerged from the dungeon and into the main hall. Thanks to Donnie, we expected six to eight foot bots standing guard before each pillar that led to the spooky throne room. All were conveniently placed within a few feet of each other.
I smirked as I pulled out the device I saw Donnie use at the pier last week, and sent it rolling down the hall until it stopped amid all the robots. Before they had time to react, I set off the EMP that sent their animatronic bodies jolting, sparkling like fireworks until they collapsed.
Big Leo and I shared a grin before darting to the throne room's doors. According to Donnie, Raph had emptied the large room with his distraction, baiting out all guards, such as Rahzar and Fish Face. I was still on alert, however. Tiger Claw and Oroku Saki were still unaccounted for. He reported that the massive room was seemingly empty. We trusted that, given we heard no noises or voices emanating from behind the doors.
With a hard tug, the doors whined open, and the dim light stretched across the walkway of the throne room, creeping up to said throne where we found a familiar-looking stick resting. It was impossible to believe that Shredder would leave the Heiwa no Buki out in the open. Something was wrong. But what were we to do?
Giving each other a look, Big Leo and I unsheeted our blades and crept forward. I took the lead as my older self trailed behind me, walking backward and keeping his eyes trained on the exit with the katanas ready to strike.
"This feels like a trap," he whispered.
"You'd be correct," came a deep, dreadful voice that sent a chill down my shell.
Just when we reached halfway across the room, arms outstretched from the shadows and slammed the doors closed. I only turned slightly over my shoulder to see more foot bots and Tiger Claw emerging from the blackness, standing at our exit. When I whipped my head around, a rope fell from the ceiling, and a body heavily descended from above.
Shredder's armor clashed as his feet touched down before me. His eyes, one brown and one foggy blue, locked on me hatefully before he plunged a bladed gauntlet down. I instinctively dodged and backed my shell against Big Leo's, my heart thrashing in my rib cage.
"Did you really think it would be that easy to steal from me?" Shredder asked, his eyes narrowing under his Kuro Kabuto. "I knew sooner or later, you turtles would be desperate enough to do something so foolish."
The foot bots crept closer to Big Leo's end, surrounding us with Shredder on my front. We said nothing as we backed into each other, scrutinizing our situation. I saw no way out that didn't require a fight, and I tried not to let that scare me. The rapid beating of my heart seemed to shake my chest. All I could do was clench my teeth and show no fear.
"No matter. You've gifted me the chance to kill not only one Leonardo but two."
With that, Shredder threw down another blade on me, sparking a chain reaction of foot-bot attacks in the room. I cried out, striking my katana against his glove and sending it back with force.
"Just remember you've got double the chances of failing now," I said.
Big Leo took out a few foot bots with a single swipe of his blade; I could tell by the sound of their bodies dropping to the floor behind me. When the mechanical ninjas were dealt with, Tiger Claw rushed at him with his machete brandished and ready to cut down. Big Leo sidestepped to the right and leaped into the air. He dropped his blades on the cat but was stopped by a swift kick in the gut.
As the two performed their deadly dance, I took on the Shredder by myself, and though I put on a brave face as I blocked each of his blows raining down on me, I was trembling inside. I'd feel more confident with all of my brothers present, but I couldn't think of the ifs of this situation. The next course of action was to swipe the Heiwa no Buki and escape with no casualties.
"Raph! The Leos are in trouble. Keep Rahzar and Fish Face away from the throne room!"
Donnie wasn't helping with the high-pitched panic in his tone directly in my ear, but I couldn't find a way to blame him. This could be deadly if Big Leo and I weren't careful.
"Someone's gotta help 'em!" Raph shouted.
"Leading more bad guys to them won't be helping at all."
As my brothers argued in my head, I jabbed a katana in Shredder's direction. He easily dodged with speed like the wind, twirling and driving his boot against my shell, which sent me breathless and flying. Before I had time to think or move, he was on top of me, throwing his sharp fist downward.
I winced and shut my eyes.
"Leo!" Donnie cried through my headset.
When my eyes fluttered open, my neck was in the midst of the two blades of his tekkō-kagi. Oroku Saki glared down at me, the eyes of a killer boring into my soul as I wondered why de didn't finish the deed.
"Wipe that look off your face, Leonardo. Your end won't be so swift," he growled. He retracted the blades of his left gauntlet before jolting my head with a furious punch. "Tell me where that pathetic junsuina mono is hiding, and perhaps I'll change my mind."
I worked up a mouth full of blood and spit before launching it in the Shredder's face. When he reacted, I drove him back with my legs, tearing his tekkō-kagi from the ground and freeing myself. I scrambled to my feet and gripped my sword's hilts before rushing at the armored man. I swiped down and sliced his bare arm, dropping down more attacks after that, but unluckily, I only got the one blow on him before he could react.
Both his tekkō-kagi locked with my katanas, forcing us into a deadlock with our weapons pressed tightly against the other. Suddenly, it was a test of strength, and I was losing.
"Where's the honor in selling out my little brother?" I asked through clenched teeth. I'd lost traction in my feet, sliding back as he pushed forth.
"Dead men have no honor," Saki snarled.
Behind me came a pained roar from Tiger Claw. I cheated a glance at him, seeing him gripping the paw that last held his machete. Blood oozed to the ground, and I knew Big Leo had disarmed him in a single clean swipe. He pursued his attacks, nonetheless, giving the one-eyed cat no time to breathe. Big Leo brought him down with a forceful kick, pointing the tip of his blade at his opponent's face. There was a merciless look in his white eyes, a look I suddenly didn't trust.
"Leo!" I called, internally finding it weird to shout my own name. My alternate self looked at me, his blue eyes coming back into view as if he had come out of a trance. "Remember why we're here!"
The Shredder pushed me back with all his strength. My shell again smacked the ground, knocking the wind out of me. Once more, he plunged his tekkō-kagi, but I knew his intention this time was to end me. But a familiar sword swooped in above my face, stopping Saki cold. Big Leo forced him back with an angry roar. He advanced on the armored ninja using miraculous speed, striking him so hard that even Saki was taken aback. The Shredder used his gauntlets to parry the steel blows, but he could only stop so many before Big Leo sliced at his other arm.
I watched, a blend of shock and horror plastered on my face as my future self angrily took on the Shredder and was actually winning. But something tore my eyes from the scene. A flash of purple descended from the ceiling at the end of the room. Donnie's head peered from behind the throne, grabbing the Heiwa no Buki at my nod. I signed to him to leave before he was spotted and cut my eye ridges down at the glimpse of protest on his face. After an intense stare-down, Donnie ascended through the rope he used to enter.
"Weapon secured. Everyone, safely get to the Shellraiser!"
This wasn't part of the plan, but I preferred it over dying.
"You ruined my family!"
I looked back to the fight before me, seeing my alternate self hardly breaking a sweat amid his fury. Even with Donnie's confirmation in his ears, he didn't seem to acknowledge that we had grabbed the Heiwa no Buki right under Shredder's nose. He continued using his katas and swiping at Saki at every opportunity.
I inched toward the doors, passing Tiger Claw, who fought the urge to pass out from the lack of blood in his hand. The chance to get away was right there, but I couldn't leave Big Leo.
"Fall back, Leo!" I cried.
My alternate self shot me a glimpse behind his shoulder. With an aggravated grunt, his hand slivered to his belt, where I saw him fish out an egg-looking smoke bomb. As Oroku Saki raised his gauntlet to strike, Big Leo threw down the egg. In seconds, he was shrouded in a cloud of purple smoke, a deadly gaze boring into the Shredder's before melting into the shadows.
Oroku Saki coughed hysterically under the purple cloud. The large, blue-banded turtle met his glare until the last second, soon to be replaced by his second in command when the smoke subsided. The Leonardos were gone. And when Saki pivoted, he realized that the Heiwa no Buki was as well.
A twisted smile formed beneath his Kuro Kabuto.
"The turtles grabbed it quicker than I anticipated." Tiger Claw's eyelid drooped, swaying as if drunk with a paw clenched tightly over the other in hopes of stopping the perfuse blood leakage.
"Indeed. Now patch yourself up and save your strength, Tiger Claw; you'll need it for later," Oroku Saki ordered, receiving a bow from his most trusted henchmen.
"I still find this risky," The tiger admitted.
"Risky or not, you will carry out my orders." At Tiger Claw's apologetic nod, Saki pivoted to the space the Weapon of Peace last rested, another evil grin pulling at his lips. "Before the turtles realize, they will have led us to their home. Then, not only will I have the location of my wretched brother, but the little junsuina mono as well."
Hey! I'm back from yet another trip. I kind of rushed to get this chapter out, so I hope it's still okay! Let me know your thoughts because I was feeling a little self-conscious writing this serious fight scene lol. Any respectful criticism is appreciated! Thank you so much for reading! I hope you have a wonderful day!