Turtlefreak121: (wipes off sweat) Whoo... I was up all night - doing what, you ask? Well, ladies and gents, that is exactly what I would like to know! (sigh) If I'm thinking correctly, I was starring at the ceiling trying to recollect the questions on last night's Jeopardy (shudder) I need a hobby - but that is not important right now! So, now must begin my never ending pursuit to see if I can be a horror author... BWAHAHA! (lightning clashes in the window behind me)

Thanks to: coldsunshin, Longing for Leo, Flaremimi, Lunar-ninja, RAPHAELFAN02, Tewi, TheIncredibleDancingBetty, Pi90katana, and TMNTfaithfulfan4ever

The Dark Half

Chapter Six

By Turtlefreak121

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT. Thank you.

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Trust Broken

He was going to die. He honestly thought nothing more true in those quickly passing minutes of muscles contracting and his body ran through the now seemingly regular spasms and heart pounding 'explosions' that would rip through one of his legs and leave his muscle internally burning with lactic acids despite the fact that Leonardo had properly trained himself to resist tiredness and fatigue in such a manner.

By the look that Mikey had given him, he must have said something crazy and out of his usual frame of mind. Of course, he could not translate this look because he was too busy inwardly telling this voice to leave him alone - not that it was working.

PERHAPS, I SHALL KILL YOUR FATHER FIRST - BUT IS IT GOING TO BE YOUR FATHER, LEONARDO? I CHANGE, YOU KNOW. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW IF IT'S ME OR NOT...

Leo could see Mikey visibly shaking - he didn't mean to scare him. What was he joking? He didn't mean for any of this to happen - he didn't even know what was happening to him! But even if it got to him, he would have never meant it to go as far as harm his family - just as it was. That pained him more than the screaming of that stupid voice in his head.

"L-Leo...what are you talking about?" Mikey asked with his eyes widening. "Of-of course it was Master Splinter! I-I know his voice! Who-who could it have been?"

Mikey, it was him...probably... Leo tried to say, but his 'enemies' would have nothing of it.

WAS IT?

Shut up! SHUT UP! Leo screamed in his head. Mikey's right - it was Master Splinter!'

THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAID, OL' BOY!

Having second thoughts, Leo closed his eyes tightly. What was wrong with him? How was it that this 'voice' had so much say in his opinion? How come it had such power over his emotions and over his physical pain?

PHYSICAL PAIN DOESN'T HURT, CHAP! IT'S THE MIND THAT CREATES IT!

Now it was reading his thoughts! What was he? Some rag doll for everyone to cut open and see through? He might as well - because his arm suddenly moved on its own - it arched up and dug its nails into the side of the concrete.

He was able to force his head to look and watch as his other arm repeated before pushing him to a standing position. He blinked as his legs both pushed his torso up again - this time to a standing position. It was the oddest thing in the world - he had never felt so...strange! It was like having strings attached to each of his joints, but this time he could see everything clearly - it wasn't a fog like it had been when he attacked his brothers.

Michelangelo's eyes widened as his brother's head hung over and the rest of his body began to move in such an irregular pattern - it was like watching a completely different person - it was not at all as graceful or beautifully done as Leonardo was commented on doing.

"Leo...what are you doing?" Mikey asked in horror.

"Finishing what I begun..." Leo snapped before suddenly lashing out and kicking Mikey in the stomach and sending him flying from his sitting position on the concrete into the wall with a nasty thud.

"LEO!" Mikey cried out before his brother kicked him hard in the side and causing him to cry out before rolling over on his stomach and gasping for air.

The blue masked turtle then leaped upon Mikey's shell and pulled back the orange-clad turtle's head and firmly grasping each side of his head. He then leaned forward to whisper to Mikey.

Raph shook his head and began to steady his leg before planting his foot firmly on the ground. He looked up and gasped as he saw Leo - looking ready to snap Mikey's neck like a toothpick! He picked up his Sai and hoped he could get to Leo before he had to use force to save his youngest brother.

A sound of stirred water came from the curb in the tunnel and Raph looked over to the side with surprise mixed into his emotions.

Mikey's eyes widened at his 'brother's' words and he nearly allowed his jaw to drop to the ground at its venomous intentions. "Who are you?" Mikey asked.

'Leo' laughed at him. "Well...since you're going to die and your brother's too much of a baby to tell you - I'll throw you a bone," he said sinisterly. "My name's--"

Suddenly, a wooden stick came flying through the air and pummeled into the back of Leonardo's head. Leo's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slowly shut them before releasing his brother's neck and then falling harmlessly upon the concrete to his brother's side.

"Raphael, help Michelangelo - Donatello, help me with Leonardo," Splinter ordered sternly before reaching down and taking his oldest son's arm and lifting him up with his purple-clad son's help.

Raph bent down and grabbed Mikey's arm and lifted him up. "You alright, Bro?" he asked hoarsely - the side of his face had already become discolored from Leo elbowing him.

"Leo's possessed! He really is! I-I talked to the other guy!" Mikey yelled out in wide-eyed panic.

"Alright, Mikey - we're gonna keep a watch on Leo, so ya can just--"

"No!" Mikey yelled. "The other guy told me that he was forcing Leo to do this stuff!"

"Leo's skitso?"

"NO!" Mikey nearly screamed in frustration. "There's this dude and he was going to kill us because Leo and him are connected and he wants Leo to butt out!"

"Mikey, did he hit ya in da head?" Raph asked unsure of what his brother was telling him.

"Raph, he told me who he was going to kill next!" Mikey exclaimed.

"What?"

"He's gonna kill this dude in a mechanic warehouse!" Mikey continued.

"We're gonna make sure Leo doesn't get out tonight, 'kay, Mikey?" Raph asked.

Mikey suddenly felt like hitting his brother. Couldn't he stop thinking in the box for one second when it really mattered?

&&&&&&

Max shook his head. "Good job, Maxi," he wheezed to himself before grasping to the grungy corner of the dumpster he had concealed himself behind. "Addin' that bit 'bout his dad really shook the crap out of the lil' brother..." he said with a small laugh.

THAT WAS ME, MAX...

"Whatever, Aku..." he snapped before slowly trudging into the open spaces of New York City. It was late - cold, too. Good mixture for a night to make some noise - shots would echo through the Big Apple.

"And all of the Big Apple's maggots will get quite a little scare when this really big maggot is done..." he laughed.

AGAIN? YOU OVER EXHAUST ME, MAX! THAT'S NOT A SMART THING TO DO...

"Ah, get some shut eye, ya big squid. Sides, this is the last one t'night..." he snapped before walking towards the piers.

YOU ARE TRULY FULL OF IT, MAX.

"Thank you..." he laughed.

Looking up to the cold sky and the smoky-like clouds in its foreground, he laughed. "It's gonna be a biggin' t'night, Aku...sure'd hate having my family hate my guts on a bad night like this..."

THE OTHER HAS A STRONGER BOND WITH HIS FAMILY THEN YOU THINK, MAX...You MAY BE SURPRISED...

Tisking, Max took out a cigar from his coat pocket and began to light it. "Families are all the same - bickering, arguing, embarrassing feuds wrapped up in greeting cards and shipped off across the four corners of world - that's exactly what families are like. Always have been like that and always will be..."

THIS NINJA CLAN RESPECT AND LOVE EACH OTHER, MAX! THEY'VE TAKEN THE OTHER BACK INTO THEIR HOME TO TRY AND FIND WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM!

Taking a deep inhaling breath of the toxic fumes, Max laughed. "Then they'll kill 'im for bein' a 'disgrace' or summtin'..."

MAX--

"Please, Aku - I watch old James Bond movies. Don't try and tell me different..."

Ducking into the moving crowd of people coming from the subway, Max smirked - he was the perfect murder...and no one was going to get in his way.

Without Max becoming aware of it, a man in an overcoat and hat watched like a hawk from an alley as Max walked by. His head turned until Max disappeared into the crowd. He shook his head before tipping his head down and slowly walking towards a manhole.

"Idiot..." he growled. "Abusing Aku's powers... Fool..."

HE'LL PAY FOR IT LATER!

"I know this, Aku...you don't have to order me twice..."

DON'T FORGET YOU HAVE TO--

"Yes...father..."

He then slowly disappeared into the black abyss of the manhole.

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Shutting his eyes tightly before releasing the tightness, he could see the bright light escaping through the thin layer of skin that was his eyelids. Slowly, his eyes adjusted and he slowly opened them. His head began to throb and he reached back with his right hand to rub the back of it. There was a large pump knot right above his neck and he blinked a few times in confusion.

Attempting to reach back with both hands, he discovered that he could move his left hand more than a foot above the bed's mattress. Looking down, he saw that someone had taking two straps of leather - one wrapped around the wires of his bed pan and the other around his wrist.

Narrowing his eyes, he tried to figure out what had happened when he heard someone at the door. Turning he saw that his door had been closed.

Blinking, he looked down below the door and saw that the light flowing beneath the door was being disturbed in four different areas - four feet. He shook his head and tried his best to listen to what was going on.

"How's Mikey?" he heard Don ask.

"I swear - Leo must've knocked summtin' loose!" he heard Raph growl.

Leo felt his stomach sink - oh, how much he wanted to kill Max right at that instant.

"Still thinks Leo's possessed?" Don asked in concern.

"Sheesh! He won't shuddup about it!" Raph snorted.

Sighing, Leo lay back onto his bed and forced his eyes shut.

"Well..."

"What?" Raph asked cynically. "Don't tell me yar believing him!"

Leo blinked a few times.

"Well...something's wrong, and Leo definitely thinks there's someone else telling him what to do--"

"Sure! And there's someone telling me right now to say that yar crazy!"

"I'm just saying, Raph - Leo's been under so much stress lately and that kick...something is definitely wrong with him," Don answered. "So let's just play along with him and Mikey..."

"Great! Let's play along with the lunatic and the scared-to-death victim!" Raph snapped.

"Hey! Splinter believes Mikey, doesn't he?" Don growled.

"Whatever, Don! Whatever!" Raph growled before storming off.

Screwing his eyes shut, Leo tried to sink into his covers to no avail. "What's wrong with me?" he asked. Was Don right? Was he under stress and it's just getting out like this? Or...was he right?

He feared the answer.

&&&&&&

Mikey was surprised when a rap came on his bedroom door. He looked over to the door and saw Leo standing sheepishly at the door - rubbing the back of his neck.

At first he was a little shocked, but then he felt comforted by his brother's guilt ridden face and his now normal grace returned.

"Um...hey...Leo..."

Sighing, Leo looked his brother in the eyes. "Uh, Mikey...can I come in?" he asked softly.

Smiling Michelangelo nodded. "You're forgiven, Leo!" he laughed. "I know this dude is really--"

Leo shook his head. "Please don't...remind me..."

Sighing, Mikey nodded. Ya should've known better, Mikey, he thought.

"Hey...can I make it up to you?" Leo asked kindly.

"Uh...sure...how?" he asked with a scratch of his head.

Smirking, Leo turned around and headed out of the room. "C'mon - I'll show you..."

Shrugging, Mikey followed suit - he was still weary that his brother could become possessed again, but at least Leo was acting normally.

Upon reaching the outside of his room, Mikey discovered that Leo was gone. "Ugh...Leo?"

"Down here!" Leo called from downstairs.

Mikey looked over the side and blinked. "Whoa...that was quick - even for you, Bro!" he exclaimed.

Leo smirked again and turned on his heel.

Shadows again, Mikey thought with a shake of his head. His brother was sticking to them for some reason. Probably because he's not supposed to leave his room, he thought before following.

Once he caught up with his brother at the sewer door, Mikey scratched his head. "What's out there?" he asked in confusion.

Leo smiled. "You'll see..."

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Leo tossed in his bed and began to sweat.

"Mikey...no..."

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Turtlefreak121: (sigh) Ugh...note to self: it is not a good idea to write this story when you have a head ache. Oh, and anyone can review now! (sweat drop) Um...I didn't know about the anonymous reviews until a couple of days ago so...sorry...

Please Review - I'll try to make updates quicker! (P.S. - that was not intended as a bribe...)