Disclaimer: See other chapters. Ha.
Hello! Just thought that you guys need a warning:
Warning: Umm...I think that this will be a sad chapter...or maybe a bit out of character one for Leo, but you guys will understand why later.
Yay!!! I decided to update!!!!!!!!
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Raph rushed at the shredder with everything he had. But the Shredder's Elite Guard jumped in front of him, and drew their weapons. Raph growled and raised his sai.
But there was a whoosh behind him and Leo jumped out in front of him, with his Katanas put away, but his arms outstretched as if to stop him.
Raph screeched to a halt and jumped backwards, away from them. He couldn't hurt Leo, no matter how angry he felt. He gritted his teeth.
The Shredder laughed. He walked past his Elite Guards and stopped right behind Leo. He put one hand onto Leo's shoulder, holding him in place, while using his other hand with the claws on it, which he placed onto the small turtle's neck (above the collar).
Raph made a threatening move, but the Shredder just drew his claws back gently, scratching Leo's neck. It began to bleed.
Leo didn't do anything, only stare at them. The Shredder laughed. "What is it, turtle? Too scared that you'll harm you're brother?"
Raph gritted his teeth. "I ain't scared of nothing!!!"
The Shredder raised his head. "Really? And yet you refuse to harm me when your brother is shielding me." He paused before chuckling again. "And yet often you wish that your brother would 'leave you alone'. Or that he would just 'disappear'."
Raph paled.
The Shredder looked evilly at him. "Oh, yes. My spies are everywhere." He whispered.
Raph gripped his Sai tighter. Mikey suddenly spoke up. "But we all wish that sometimes. I know it's bad and all, but it's human. It's human to be angry and say things you don't mean."
The Shredder smirked. "Is it?" He whispered before sighing. "Did you know that your brother resisted me? Even as a child, helpless and alone, he fought."
The claws on Leo's neck dug deeper.
"But...is it against me he fought? Or against a belief that you placed in him?"
Donny frowned. "What are you saying?"
Splinter bit his lip. He didn't like where this was going. 'open your ears, but not your mind' he reminded himself.
The Shredder chuckled, his eyes had a wicked glint in them. "You say that anger is a human reaction. You do it freely, but does your brother?"
Mikey cocked his head. "Whatdya mean? Leo gets angry with us all the time!"
The Shredder smirked. "Really? Or is the anger not his own?"
Raph shook his head. His head was spinning. "Wha? Of course his anger's his own! We sneak off, we do dangerous things, stupid things. He always gets angry because of our actions!"
That was when it hit them. Their actions.
Leo was never angry at them. He was angry at their actions. Leo never really said that he was angry at them. He always said how stupid action they had done.
While they always said how angry they were of him. Not of his actions. But of him.
The Shredder nodded as he realized that they knew what he meant. "So is he really the blame for carrying out his anger? You say anger is human. But then what is your brother? Is he a traitor for finally carrying out his anger? Or is he understandable for it?"
Donny shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Maybe the Shredder was right. Maybe he was controlling Leo, but the anger was really Leo's...
Splinter felt his fur bristle in anger. He had let this go too far. "Enough." He hissed, pointing at the Shredder. "This has gone far enough. Enough lies. You are no true warrior. You twist the minds of your enemies, pick on those smaller and more innocent than you, turn them against his brothers, and all the while create rifts between them. You reside in trickery and deceit to get what you want. You are no warrior!"
The Shredder laughed. "Are you sure, Rat? Or are you blind?"
"I am not the one blind! I see past your trickery! I see what you wish! You are not only controlling a child, but also using him to destroy your enemies! You are blind to believe that I shall allow that to happen!"
The Shredder's eyes flashed angrily. "But you have allowed it to happen."
Splinter's eyes flashed as well. "No. I have merely been observing the situation. And now I know what I must do."
All the while, the three turtles were silently listening, and feeling that their confusion was slowly fading. After all, once you think about it, Leo had been angry at what they did, but he would never keep a grudge. Just like them. They couldn't keep a grudge on Leo or each other. They were brothers. And brothers stick to the end...no matter what.
The Shredder's eyes flashed dangerously as he realized his plan wasn't working. "Have it your way." He whispered before lifting his hand away from Leo's neck. "Let's see how you deal with this. Foot Elite! Attack!!!!"
The Elite immediately jumped at the turtles and Splinter. Leo looked up at the Shredder.
"Finish them." The Shredder hissed venomously. Leo nodded and drew his swords before jumping at them.
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"Great!" Raph said, as he twirled his one Sai. "Now what?"
Splinter just calmly leaned onto his staff. "Raphael. Michaelangelo. I require a diversion."
Raph and Mikey nodded. "We're on it."
"Donatello, you and I will deal with Leonardo."
Don looked at Splinter. "How?"
Splinter looked at him. "Capture him, and get the collar off of him."
Don nodded.
Meanwhile, Raph and Mikey were busy with the Elite. They were driving them back, away from Don and Splinter. But not so far as to make it seem obvious to what they were doing.
Leo meanwhile, was being distracted by Splinter and Don. Whenever Leo tried to attack them, they would jump away, but then one would turn back and distract him, while the other tried to catch him.
Finally, after what seemed like the fifth time, Splinter finally caught Leo. He pushed the small turtle down onto the ground and held him in place while Don kneeled next to him.
"I'll have to cut the wires for it to come off. Could you hold him, Sensei?"
Splinter nodded. "Hurry my son."
Don nodded and quickly opened a small hatch on the collar. Inside, there were multiple wires. Don quickly took a small knife that he always carried around with him, and cut all the wires.
The collar shone red for a second, before the collar cracked and fell off, hitting the ground with a clang!
Leo stilled. His eyes closed.
Raph and Mikey jumped quickly next to them. "Is he okay?" Mikey asked worriedly, looking down at Leo.
Before Splinter or Don could answer, Leo's eyes fluttered open and he looked confusedly around.
Everyone sighed in relief as Leo smiled when he saw them. It wasn't an evil grin.
"Raphy!!!" Leo cried before launching himself at Raph and hugging his leg. Raph staggered back in surprise, before letting himself grin. "Hey, kiddo. I missed ya." Leo looked up at him and grinned happily.
Mikey frowned. "Hey! How come he's allowed to call ya 'Raphy' and I'm not???"
Raph growled at him. "Because this is special, idiot."
Mikey huffed. "But that's not fair!"
Don laughed in relief, while Splinter smiled.
Suddenly they heard clapping behind them. Everyone whirled around to look at the Shredder.
"So you managed to get your brother back. Congratulations. Too bad you must die now."
He growled, before snapping his finger.
Hun, the Elite, and about a hundred Foot soldiers appeared behind him.
Mikey gulped.
Leo hissed and launched himself at the Elite, completely forgetting that he was only a kid.
Raph quickly whirled and grabbed him. "Ooh no ya don't." He growled at Leo. "Ya been in enough trouble for one day."
Leo grinned sheepishly, looking up at Raph innocently. Raph, despite himself, had to grin.
Splinter twirled his staff. "Raphael, get Leonardo out of here."
Raph nodded, before putting Leo down onto the ground. Leo immediately sank down onto four feet. "Follow me and stay outta trouble." Raph growled as the Foot attacked.
Leo nodded before following Raph as he began to make his way through the Foot.
The Shredder frowned before jumping in front of Raph as he neared the door outside. "You are going nowhere."
Raph growled as he twirled both his Sais. He managed to steal one from a foot soldier. "Ha. I'd like to see ya try."
The Shredder smirked. He blocked both Sais with his claws, before punching Raph.
Raph yelped in surprise as he crashed into a wall. The Shredder smirked as he stopped in front of him and raised his claws, letting them descend.
Leo's eyes flashed. Ooh, no. He thought angrily, letting his emotions tap into his subconscious mind, You. Will. Not.
Leo jumped at the Shredder, clinging onto and biting at the arm with the claws. The Shredder's eyes flashed in anger. "Fool. You cannot harm me!" He hissed, before shaking the turtle off, so that he fell onto the ground hard. Then, the Shredder quickly slashed him across the face with his claws. Leo fell to the ground and slightly slid away. His face began to bleed heavily.
Raph's eyes narrowed and he saw red. He gripped both Sais so hard that he was slightly surprised that they did not break. He jumped up and while the Shredder was still distracted, Raph hit him.
"That was the stupidest thing you could do. No one, NO ONE, hurts my brothers!!!"
Raph growled as he raised his sais and ran at the Shredder. The Shredder blocked, but Raph forced him back again and again.
The others, meanwhile, cleared the way to the door. "Come on Raph!" Mikey yelled.
Raph jumped away from the Shredder, and looked to where Leo had fell. Splinter was there, holding Leo and heading towards the exit.
Raph nodded and ran after them.
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They had managed to get to the Utroms place without further hassle. There, the Utroms managed to heal Leo's wounds and administer the antidote without trouble.
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Stay in tune for the epilogue!
R&R ............