Dream Walker

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Author's Note: I apologise in the delay of posting, lately lots of things to be done at work or home keeps me from writing, and then I have all kinds of new stories intruding which doesn't help matters. Just be patient and I promise the tale will be told. After all in a couple weeks I am going on vacation and that means I will have time to write.

This chapter is a bit slower as it is a transitional chapter, can't be avoided unfortunately I did try to work without it. Ramica

I have had dreams and I have had nightmares. I overcame my nightmares because of my dreams. Dr. Jonas Salk

Chapter Eleven: Mistakes

Leonardo:

I tired to relax in the soothing movements of the katas I was working on, but my mind was far from peace. I had made a mistake, what could be a very costly one and that irritated me to no end, for I knew the devastating consequences that could come from my mistake in hunting Akuma.

I took full responsibility for the decision and for what ever came due to Akuma's freedom topside during the later part of the day.

Some people might assume, that I like the character from the comic, felt myself to be perfect and so of course it was natural for me to berate myself for Akuma's escape but it wasn't so. I knew I wasn't perfect far from it in fact, being perfect meant you had no flaws, made no mistakes. I wished that it was true; I longed to enter a battle with the knowledge that my brothers and I would come out of it alive no matter the odds. It wasn't perfection that saved our shells in such situations, rather our skill and our training that made it seem that way.

Victory never came easy, I knew that, so because of that knowledge I practised and drilled, worked and studied ninjitsu and war tactics all in the hopes of maintaining my life or the lives of those I cared about.

I wasn't perfect and I didn't expect anyone else to be, I worked on achieving effortlessness in my moves, I would come home and analyze a battle I had just fought and try to determine where I might have struck harder or quicker. Any error, or mistake could prove deadly, and that more then anything else is why I was forever after Raphael when he did things that would end up endanger his life or ours in some way.

Still if there was one thing I learned about errors or mistakes was that no matter how bad they were, not counting the danger some of those errors might involve, you usually had time to correct them and things could work in your favour.

I wasn't so sure that would happen in this particular instance. In fact the words error or mistake didn't even suit the present situation.

For what had happened today was so much more then all of that, I had through my own incompetence, or grandiose plans, unleashed Akuma on an unsuspecting world topside and I could well imagine the panic or terror that was now part of the city due to my foolishness.

If Akuma killed or harmed anyone it would be our fault, but the blame would rest more firmly on my shoulder then on my brothers. The blame was mine to accept in spite of our Master urging us on and leading the way.

I knew I could have gone against it and swayed my brothers, it would not have been the first time we had gone against something Splinter had felt would be better.

Still I knew that the odds were pretty much fifty-fifty after all we could have left Akuma alone only for the demon to emerge topside anyways.

I whirled about my katanas flashing and catching the dim candlelight that flickered in the dojo.

I sensed Splinter enter the training area, but I didn't acknowledge him, I instead kept to my katas.

I could sense Splinter watching me with a keen and sharp eye, and then suddenly he dived in his own sword slashing towards me.

I moved to block and tried to disarm him with my other katana, Splinter back pedalled and side stepped, moving with startling speed, he ducked as I swung and then he counter struck with a swift blow.

His sword moved with the fluid movements of a flowing river, sharp and clean. I found myself being disarmed in an instant.

Splinter bowed slightly and remarked casually " Your mind and body are not in balance Leonardo, thus you can not achieve harmony or victory."

I went to retrieve my katanas before turning to face him, foregoing the ritual bow I snapped out " You talk about balance at a time like this, when Akuma is loose topside and we are the ones to blame."

Splinter's nose twitched and his tail thumped the mats ever so softly as the back hair on his neck bristled, he cocked his head to one side giving me a firm penetrating look with his dark eyes, as if challenging me.

I did my best to meet his glare and not drop my head in a submissive way. I might be his son, and his student, but as I often lead my brothers in battle I also felt that I was an equal so I often spoke to him and acted as such.

" Leonardo, you must let go of what has been and instead focus on what lies ahead." Splinter advised kindly.

" I know what lies ahead, more trouble for all of us, unless we can find a way of stopping Akuma. I have a feeling that Raph is right that it may only be achieved by getting Jennifer to aid us, but I have a feeling she won't be won over that easily." I protested quickly.

Splinter nodded his head slightly in understanding, " We do not know what damage Akuma has done topside the radio reports thus far have been somewhat" Splinter paused giving a small curl of his lips, " vague to say the least. The news will be on soon and then we will learn what we need to know. Akuma might not care to be out in the light anymore then we want him out there, if that is so then the beast either returned to the sewers or found a shadowy place to lay low." Splinter suggested, " However we won't know until we learn, my son. Once we have gained knowledge then we will have a better idea where we stand and what we might be able to do next."

" Then what? Hunting Akuma again? It isn't going work we need to come up with another option, a trap, see if Don could possibly rig a sedative to knock out or kill Akuma because going up against it isn't working" I summarized sharply.

" True but there are other ways Leonardo and I see you are all ready thinking of the possibilities and this is good." Splinter agreed amiably.

I felt my anger and irritation wane as I realized he was listening and not choosing to argue the point, which is something Splinter would do from time to time just to see if I had considered all the possibilities available.

" Come Leonardo, knowing is always far better then allowing the what ifs to gain control" Splinter urged kindly.

I nodded and followed him out to the living room.

Donatello was setting up a smaller television set in the place of the one Akuma had damaged when he had broken into our home, " I know this isn't the greatest" Don apologized " But it is better then nothing and it works."

" We just have to keep Raph and Akuma away from it so it lasts" Mike laughed cheerfully he was sitting on a chair with his leg propped up.

" How is your leg holding you up Mike?" I asked kindly as I sat down beside him.

" It does quite well, and it doesn't pain me too much unless I plan to put like my full weight on it or run a marathon, my main concern is the disease." Mike replied.

" You mean tetanus or infection?" I wondered, though I knew Don was very careful about such things.

" You mean I could have given those things to Akuma, cool!" Mike chortled.

I gave him a punch on the arm and tugged on his bandanna tails " If you start foaming at the mouth, I'll make sure you get your rabies shot" I teased back.

Mike laughed merrily slapping his hand on his good leg "Aw that's a good one Leo. I'm going have to remember that."

I had the impression that Mike would find some way to pull off some sort of stunt or something connected to that so I nudged him with my elbow and muttered " If you play the joke on me you are dead."

Don shushed us as the report in question came on and he turned up the volume " Raph!" he yelled looking over his shoulder towards the kitchen.

Raph came in to watch he leaned on the back of the couch.

Our friend, April was doing the report, we had saved her life a few years back, and while we had become friends, we did our best not to spend too much time around her, the last thing we needed was to draw unwarranted attention either, her way or ours.

" The New York Police department is checking into reports of a large animal resembling either a bear or gorilla running loose in Central Park earlier today. A thorough search of the park revealed nothing. The Police also checked with the Central Park Zoo to insure no animal has escaped and the zoo staff and management assured us that all animals were accounted for." April paused, as she looked into the camera, arching an eyebrow she continued, "Meanwhile a few minor injuries resulted in people panicking as they evacuated from the park. A broken arm occurred during a horse and buggy ride, where the horse became spooked and bolted, it's driver gained control of it only after the horse had knocked a person over. The unknown animal has not been seen since. Police continue to search the Park to insure it is safe and not a case of an exotic pet that may have broken loose causing panic…"

I sighed it seemed things weren't as bad as we had expected; really it could have been far worse.

Don smiled, " I think we ought to visit April tonight and see if she knows a bit more then she was able to report."

" Good idea Don we'll pay her a visit tonight lets be there when she gets home" I decided.

….

Splinter stayed at home as we made our way to April's apartment, we arrived and tapped on her window waiting for her answer.

As we waited in the shadows of the building I had an uneasy feeling that something was wrong.

April came to the window and there was a panicked look in her eyes and it was easy to read her fear.

" April whatza matter?" Raph asked quickly as he held her in a hug upon entering.

" Someone has trashed my place," she whispered uneasily.

I looked in the living room and noticed sofa cushions torn, holes punched in the walls, pictures smashed, the television and stereo beaten into a mass of unrecognizable wires and bits.

The kitchen itself was untouched and since we had entered by her kitchen window we hadn't noticed anything.

I moved down to check her bedroom and found that it had been destroyed as well, bedding ripped and torn, mirrors broken, lamps ripped out of the wall, and a pile of refuse left in the center of the bed.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust and heard Don's shout from across the hall.

I hurried to see what he had found, the bathroom looked almost untouched except the mirror had been broken and in red blood on the wall were the words 'turdle dy'

It was a very simple message that needed no translation, Akuma wanted us dead, and he had found April's apartment and I didn't think it was by coincidence either. Even if it was I couldn't afford to make that mistake.

We had to get April out of New York for her own safety.

TBC

Lunar Ninja: Akuma might be stronger but that doesn't necessarily mean it is superior. A gratitude for your insight.

Pacphys: hopefully this chapter makes up for the delay. What can I say life has a way of intervening. Yes Akuma can learn that is partly what makes it so dangerous. A gratitude for your insight.

Goddess of Twilight: I know many people who do have some psychic skill or another so I wouldn't be surprised if there all ready is a support group of some kind out there. A gratitude for your insight.

Chibi Rose Angel: People figure Splinter is old and so they let him sit and twiddle his thumbs, my view is he taught the turtles and so is capable of getting in there and fighting just as well as they are, though with age he might be a bit slower then his sons. Besides I like letting Splinter be part of the action. A gratitude for your insight.