A/N: - IMPORTANT! Ok, the shout-outs are at the beginning of this chapter because I know that by the time you reach the end, I want the full impact of what happens to be recognised. One thing I will ask is that you do not stop reading this story because of what happens – remember what happened last time, and also that nothing is one hundred percent certain until it is proven with evidence. Therefore there will be no Author's Note at the end either – yes, you party now, but you won't be by the end, trust me…
Lioness-Goddess: - Oh Shell, LG, I am SO sorry for this – I really didn't know how to do this but the story just came out. And like I said in the author's note above, nothing is ever certain. Thank you as always for your reviews and I hope you do not kill me for this…
Spootycup: - Lol, your reviews always make me smile! Raph will do more grovelling…but not to one of his brothers!
BlueRaven: - A death? Moi? Never…evil grin
Leo O'Neal: - Advice – do NOT stop reading, whatever happens…things are not always what they seem…but some things may be…and I am with you on Leo being THE BEST!
Chibi Rose Angel: - Was this one of the possibilities? I'd be interested to know…thanks for the review and what does KUDOS mean?
Madvy: - Thank you so much for reviewing – it's always nice to get the occasional new reviewer – you will soon see just how…bad…the brothers are! And Leo does rock!
"This is it, guys – good luck!" Leo grinned at his brothers and at the human brothers. He then glanced back at Splinter and inclined his head at him, "Sensei, we do this for you and we do it for Master Yoshi,"
"My sons, I will not lie to you – this is going to be possibly the most dangerous fight of your lives – and you must be prepared for the worst." Splinter addressed his sons for the final time before the fight would begin, "I am so proud of all of you."
"Well, look what we have here," Marcie had reached the top, a little out of breath but with a large number of fighters behind her, "rather a ragged bunch, aren't we? I have to say that I wasn't expecting you to evade me for so long, but I can assure you that you will not live through this fight,"
"Try us – that's what the Shredder said to us every time we went into battle and now he's rotting in the bottom of the river!" Leo snarled at her.
"You will go first!" Marcie snapped, throwing a shruiken in Leo's direction. He deflected it with his katana and both sides ran in for close combat. The sound of metal on metal rang out clear as a bell, carried out over the city by the strong wind. The rain drowned out their ragged breathing as they fought, both sides equally matched in ability. Neither side would win on skill so it was down to numbers, tactics or downright cheating.
"Raph, look out!" Donnie yelled above the sounds of the battle as tens of ninja stars were thrown in all directions with Raph directly in the line of fire. Said turtle threw himself to the floor as there were too many to deflect with his Sais.
"Thanks for the warning, bro," Raph laughed nervously as he leapt to his feet again and continued his battle with Marcie's father.
"You will pay for the distress you've caused my daughter!" The man snarled.
"Not before she pays for the distress she's caused my family," Raph retorted viciously as he took another swipe at the father of the woman he despised so deeply.
"We'll see about that," muttered Marcie's father as he slashed at Raph once more with his blade, drawing a thin line of crimson blood from the upper-arm of the enraged turtle in red.
Meanwhile, only ten feet away, Leonardo was still in his heated battle with Marcie. They were fighting with incredible skill and precision, neither one causing any damage to the physical body but instead battering the spirit and the strengths of their minds.
"You have met your match, turtle – tonight you meet your doom."
"You sound so much like the Shredder that I'm beginning to wonder if you are two different people or the same person in different guises!" Leo panted as he dodged another of Marcie's swift attacks.
"That is a compliment, young one. It is a shame that I am being forced to kill mere children, but it cannot be helped." She threw a well aimed left uppercut at Leo and knocked him backwards. She raised her sword to bring it down on the defenceless turtle's skull when a mint green blur came at her from the side, sending her sprawling. Pounding her fists on the ground, she looked up to see the turtle whom she had intended to kill first when she first captured all four of them; Michelangelo was offering a hand to his brother and both turtles, once on their feet, exchanged brief words and seemed to make eye contact with the one known as Donatello. Raphael was still far too engaged in a battle with Marcie's own father so Donatello tapped Reginald on the shoulder and he nodded to the turtles, smiling, before also advancing on Marcie, "you wouldn't kill me, surely – I have five young children – Kirsty, Owen, Peter, Alice and Benny – they would become orphans." Marcie pleaded, making it as convincing as possible.
"Then they would be sent to an orphanage where they would receive care from those fit to be considered as parent-figures," Reginald spat harshly.
"How dare you imply that I don't know how to raise my own children!"
"Well, raising them in a world of violence and hatred is tough enough as it is, Marcie, so why did you make it harder for yourself by getting involved with Shredder and putting them at risk – it's heartless and wrong."
"I don't care – they're my kids and I will not be dictated to!" Marcie searched desperately for a way out of her situation – all four of her opponents were set to kill her and so she did the only thing that might have worked; she turned on the waterworks, "nobody knows what it's like! They've lost the closest thing they had to a father," she stammered, "and now they'll lose me as well. Oh, why is fate so cruel?"
"It's not working, Marcie," Leo rolled his eyes, though his voice wasn't as certain as it normally was when addressing an opponent. He moved forward slightly, katana at the ready, and stopped just before Marcie, who was now on her knees.
"Please, don't kill me – the vendetta is lifted," she thought back over what Shredder had said of the leader, "on my honour – I swear on my honour and on the lives of my children that I shall not come after you again…" she kept her face emotionless. Leo was torn as to what to do; this wasn't just anything she was swearing on – it was honour and life.
"Leo, what are you hesitating for?" Raph hissed to his brother, "kill her now and have done with it!"
"Raph, she swears on her honour and on the lives of her children – who would swear on such things unless it was an honest and meaningful promise…?" Leo trailed off, his katana still hovering uncertainly above Marcie's bowed head.
"She's a lying, deceitful swine who doesn't deserve to live – she would let her kids die and you know it."
"I suppose…" Leo bit his lip.
"How can you be sure?" Marcie began again, "why would I kill the most important things in life for the sake of destroying a few lizards?"
"Turtles," Mikey corrected hurriedly.
"Whatever, they're all the same to me." Marcie shrugged, "as I was saying, my children are the only thing keeping me in the realms of sanity and they are the thread of hope I'm clinging to as I struggle with depression! Please, don't take me away from them or them away from me! I swear on all I hold dear!"
"I…I…" Leo faltered, his hands shaking as he fought to keep his authority over the trembling Marcie. After a few moments' thought, he lowered his Katana,
"Prove it."
"What?" Marcie raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean prove it? How do I prove it?"
"By getting up and dropping all your weapons, holding your hands out and letting yourself be bound by the wrists."
"Very well," Marcie stood up slowly and dropped her weapons. She held her wrists out and Reginald handed Leo a strip of strong cloth to bind her wrists. But as he went to tie her up, he kicked his Katana out of his hands and punched him in the face, followed by a roundhouse kick which sent him sprawling. She jumped, blade raised, to kill him with a final strike. Mikey yelped and barrelled into her, knocking her sideways. He jumped to his feet and ran back over to Leo, helping him up.
"Thanks, Mikey – another mistake on my part." Leo smiled sheepishly.
"Nah, I enjoyed that – I felt like a comic book superhero!" Mikey beamed widely. Marcie's father suddenly roared and began throwing tens of Shruiken at every single one of his enemies. Leo scrambled around for his Katana and Mikey beat off the Ninja Stars with his Nunchuks. Donnie's Bo staff was pierced by at least five Shruiken and Raph had deflected many of the flying Ninja Stars with his Sais. He had been stood where Leo's Katana had landed and he jumped back in shock as his brother suddenly appeared beside him.
"You ok, bro?" he asked, almost laughing.
"Yeah, fine – just made another bad judgement, that's all."
"Yeah, so what else is new?" Raph joked, ignoring Leo's withering glare in his direction at that comment.
"Watch it, Raphy-boy," Leo hit his brother lightly round the head as they threw themselves to the ground to avoid the next round of the Shruiken, flying in all directions. One narrowly skimmed Raph's head as the two turtles crawled over to their brothers, Splinter, Casey and the human brothers to re-group for another attempt to kill Marcie.
"No more mercy," Ramakha growled to Leo, glaring at him accusingly, "we kill her this time…no more hesitation."
"Hey, lay off already," Donnie stepped in to defend his brother, "everyone makes mistakes sometimes."
"Whatever," Ramakha scowled, "let's go."
"Operation killing Marcie…" Mikey began.
"Followed by operation save our shells," Leo added wryly.
"You got it, bro," Raph laughed, thankful for the momentary release of tension. Each turtle launched themselves at Marcie and her forces one after the other, followed by the brothers, and began fighting them vigorously once more. But Marcie had just one more surprising move up her sleeves.
Letting out a fierce battle cry, she leapt into the air above the turtles' heads and flung a handful of powder at the ground, shielding her own eyes. Temporarily blinded by the powder and unable to breathe, the turtles and their human allies choked and spluttered as they lashed out at anything that moved in a desperate attempt to keep Marcie from slipping out of their grasp.
"We have…to get…her…before she gets…away!" Leo's voice was raspy as he talked to who he hoped was one of his brothers.
"No kidding!" Mikey spluttered in reply, "but how do…we…manage that?"
"Haven't quite figured…that one out yet, Mikey," Leo bit his lip, still unable to see anything but glad that he had tracked down at least one of his brothers.
"Ok…but hurry – I don't know how much longer…I can stand this!"
"No fear, bro…I have just had a brainwave…"
"Don't you always?" Raph's rough voice coughed from a little way behind Leo.
"Wait a minute," Leo tried to open his eyes but the powder made them stream and burn so he kept them clamped shut, "isn't Donnie with you?"
"No…" Raph choked, "haven't seen him…"
"I think I felt someone near my foot…a minute ago…before I found Leo…" Mikey staggered away from his two eldest brothers and fell to the floor, crawling around and hoping to bump into something before he crawled right off the edge of the wall and fell into the forest below!
"Donatello!" Ramakha grabbed the turtle-in-purple's shell and whirled him round, "where are your brothers?"
"I was about…to ask you the same…question, Ramakha!" Donnie replied quickly.
"My brothers are nowhere in sight," Ramakha pushed something into Donnie's hands, "here, put this on. It will help you breathe easier and you will be able to see after a few minutes."
"Thanks," Donnie grinned as he donned the gas mask and goggles and felt the fresh, clean air flow into his body, instantly clearing his head and mind of everything else around him for a brief moment of relief and bliss.
"Not a problem. My brothers have them too – we carry them in case we are attacked. Your friend, Casey has one too as we gave him one earlier but we did not want Marcie to think us too prepared."
"Good thinking – now," Don blinked several times as his vision began to clear, "let's find my brothers."
"I heard something over there…" Ramakha pointed in the direction from which he'd heard voices but seconds before.
"Then that's where we head, isn't it?"
"Donnie? Dude, where the shell are you?" Mikey grumbled as he continued to crawl along the ground. His hand suddenly slipped and he yelped in surprise, realising he had almost fallen off the edge of the wall. Hearing something moving behind him in a sort of shuffle, he turned and rose up onto his knees, still unable to open his eyes but reaching out in front of him. Sure enough, someone was heading his way but he didn't see them until they tripped over him.
"What the---" the voice cursed.
"Dude? Hello?" Mikey's voice shook a little, now nervous of whom it was – if he wasn't very much mistaken, that voice had been female. And the only female present at this battle was Marcie as April, he hoped, was still inside the Foot HQ.
"Ah ha – found one of you green freaks at last!" Marcie's silky voice sniggered.
"Uh-oh," Mikey mumbled, "I'm in serious trouble now…"
"You got that right," a gruffer voice snarled; Marcie's father.
"You will not live past the next three minutes." Marcie continued.
"Uh…why not?" dared Michelangelo.
"Because I will kill you!" Marcie's father launched himself at Mikey but the turtle kicked him off and over to somewhere the other side of the battle area.
"Why you insolent little reptile…" Marcie's voice grew steadily louder and she threw herself at the surprised Michelangelo and the two began scuffling dangerously close to the edge.
Falling to the floor with a 'thud', Leo groaned as he tried to force off whoever had just flown through the air at him, bowling him over. As he got up and brushed himself off, he realised that the smoke was beginning to clear and he could just about make out blurry shapes and patches of colour.
"Hey, it's Marcie's Dad," Raph prodded the prone form on the floor.
"We'll take him captive," a voice greeted them, "and he shall be out hostage."
"Ramakha!" Leo exclaimed.
"And guess who?" another voice laughed.
"Donnie? Thank shell you're ok – I guess Mikey found you then, huh?"
"Mikey didn't find me…" Donnie trailed off.
"But he went looking for you – that means he's still off somewhere!" Leo gasped in a mixture of horror, disbelief and utter despair, "ok, we can almost see clearly now so let's fan out and find him. If we're lucky then we'll find Casey, Roshiri, Reginald and Ronald while we're at it."
"I hope so," Ramakha sighed, "I really hope so."
Marcie and Mikey were almost too tangled up to tell one apart from the other; every time one got the upper hand they would slip-up in some way or another and allow their opponent the chance to get back into the battle and take advantage.
"Let go of me!" Marcie shrieked as Mikey tugged at her hair.
"You let go of me first!" he retorted as she repeatedly pounded at his shell.
"I'm not stupid!" Marcie yelled back.
"Well, neither am I…no matter what Leo and Raph say!"
"MIKEY! GET AWAY FROM THERE!" a bellow erupted from about five yards away.
"What?" Mikey looked up, kicking Marcie off and realising he could now see again. Raph was stood a little way back pointing frantically behind Mikey. Looking round, the orange-clad turtle jumped up and backed off; he had been about ten centimetres from plummeting to a very premature death, "thanks, bro," he inhaled deeply, "nearly caused a calamity there – turtle pancakes, yuck!"
"Always the comedian," Raph smiled to himself, silently thankful that his little brother was unharmed, although he would never admit it to anyone, least of all Mikey.
"You thought you had beaten me?" Marcie reappeared, battered, dishevelled and almost beaten, approaching Mikey with a fiery glare in her eyes.
"Keep away from him – you knock him off and you'll both be killed!" Raph warned, eyes darting from Mikey to Marcie and back again more times than could have been natural, especially considering it was Raph.
"Silence, lizard!" Marcie flicked her wrist and a miniature Shruiken spun round in the air and lodged itself in Raph's upper arm. He cried out and looked down to his shoulder, not noticing that Marcie had taken her chance and thrown herself at Mikey, letting loose a last handful of powder as she went.
"RAPH? MIKEY?" Leo's panicked voice rose above the noise of Marcie's now chaotic troops, who were fast fleeing down the hillside. There was no answer from either of his brothers; Raph was knelt down, crawling over to the edge to try and see Mikey and said youngest turtle was nowhere in sight. The last glimpse Raph had caught of him, before the powder had obscured his vision, was of his brother and Marcie tumbling over the edge, still fighting…
The smoke cleared enough to see in five minutes as there had been less than last time and Raph heard someone, perhaps more than one person, moving nearby. Thinking it to be Marcie's father and troops, he lashed out and swept them off their feet and over the edge,
"Raph, you idiot!" a voice called from just over the edge, "what the shell do you think you're doing?" Scooting over a little and glancing over the edge, he saw Leo clinging to a rock that jutted out slightly and Donnie was clutching Leo's Foot.
"Sorry, thought you were Marcie's troops. Hey, Donnie, can you see Mikey?" Raph called down as he leant over to grab Leo's hand.
"No…why?"
"Raph, what happened to Mikey?" Leo asked worriedly, taking his brother's hand and then, once safely up, pulling Donnie up behind him.
"He went over with Marcie. She tackled him and they fell," Raph looked down over the edge once more.
"No…" Donnie trailed off, a lump in his throat; his youngest brother had gone over the edge with their enemy and could be dead.
"You're sure he went over?" Leo tried to remain calm, in spite of the incensed panic that was welling up and overpowering him from inside out.
"Positive," Raph's voice was barely a whisper. He looked into his older brother's face and saw Leo's eyes searching his own for any trace of what might be an extremely bad practical joke on Mikey's part. Leonardo's gaze intensified and Raph eventually had to look away as Leo realised that Raph had been telling the truth.
"Mikey's gone?"
"Gone, yes," a gruff voice laughed, pulling the Shruiken out of Raph's arm and causing the turtle to bite back a scream, "and he's taken my precious daughter with him – they have both fallen to their deaths!"
"No, they haven't," Leo's eyes almost seemed to glow with emotions that were far beyond his control, "you lie!"
"I speak the truth – as truth you saw in your beloved brother's eyes," Marcie's father scoffed at Raph, who was having his arm checked over by Donnie; Raph's face was stony and Donnie's movements were gentle but mechanical.
"YOU LIE!" Leo screeched, raising his Katana and bringing it down upon the man's head, a sickening crack echoing over the now silent courtyard outside the Foot Headquarters. Marcie's father froze and dropped to the cold ground, blood bubbling out of a crack in his head, his mouth moving but no sound coming out. Leo had also frozen, his face shocked and a man dying by his hand. But it was not the killing that had scared him – it was that he felt no guilt. No guilt for someone who had not attacked him. No guilt for a man that needn't have died. No guilt for another who had just lost a loved one. He felt nothing; nothing in the empty, black, bottomless void that opened inside his innermost soul. As the life of Marcie's father ebbed away, the death rattle escaping his body, Leo remained still, locking away what had just happened in a vault deep inside his heart.
"Leonardo?" Reginald's horrified voice queried, "Is Marcie dead?"
"She is dead." Leo stated in monotone, "but so is Mikey…"
