Turtlefreak121: I was going to update sooner, but - like you always say, Leo - family first! I never do that enough in my life. My priorities are always in a jumble. But not anymore. Family, then your little fiction authoress spreads her wings out to fly into plot bunny sanctuary. Leo: (shakes head and folds arms) No... TF121: Huh? What do ya mean 'no' - you always say family first! Leo: (narrows eyes) NOT when you're killing mine! TF121: (shrugs) Ya know what they say - ya can please some of the people most of the time and most people some of the time - but you cannot please all of the people all of the time! Leo: You absolutely butchered that saying... TF121: Ya mean just like I'm about to butcher Mikey? Leo: WHHAAATTT? TF121: (starts running from Leo) I was just kidding!

Thanks for all the reviews, guys!

The Dark Half

Chapter Twelve

By Turtlefreak121

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT. This idea and Aku...well not Aku, but giving Aku the name 'Aku' is my idea bows thank you!

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The Walking Dead

With a gulp at Max's words, Leo looked to see the slackened grip on his arm - this was it! Before Max could have enough time to think, Leo pulled his left arm over with all his might and pulled the tentacle holding it in front of his beak before - without hesitation - biting into it and causing an alien noise to escape from the squirming tentacle and from Max himself.

It worked! The tentacle released its hold and Leo lunged his weight to the floor and causing the still shocked tentacles to follow through with his momentum. They tried to stop, but it was already too late.

With his left arm outstretched just enough, Leonardo grabbed his katana which had been lying on the floor, waiting for him. He then was pulled back by the tentacles as if he had been resting on a stretched rubber band. But this was fine, now - he had his beloved weapon readied.

As Max held his gun at Leonardo and was steadying his shaking hand to shoot the terrapin, Leonardo twisted himself enough to cut through the tentacle holding his right arm out. This caused the turtle to be flipped over and be hung upside down by the two screeching tentacles holding hi feet.

Growling in anger, Leo used only one prepared sweep of his blade to cut through the two tentacles and send himself falling to the floor. He felt yellowish goo from the tentacles dropped to his shoulders as his shell hit the floor of the emptied apartment complex.

Scoffing at Leonardo's attempt to escape, Max took aim at the brave turtle and gave a small laugh as the blue-clad turtle rolled over to his knees and tried to push himself up. He was going to win this one - no walking, talking freak could stop him now!

"And here Aku had me thinkin' that yad be a nescience!" Max snapped at the turtle.

Leo looked up and saw the barrel of the gun - his eyes widened. Why couldn't things work out for the better for once?

DO NOT DARE, EARWINS!

Max froze in fright for a minute. He had been using Aku for months and this had been the first time that that voice had been so...so terrifying...so destructive to Max's consciousness. Never had he been scared of Aku before this...

I NEED HIM, MAX! HE IS MINE! NOT YOURS, MAGGOT!

Leo pushed himself up and looked at Max's frozen stated - he was confused. Why hadn't Max taken him right then and there? And why was he standing like a manikin in the display window?

Slowly, Maxwell Earwins lowered his gun and glared at the blue masked turtle who he would not dare harm now. A hatred developed - almost a jealousy that Aku chose to protect this ungrateful turtle over him who had willingly allowed himself to be overcome by Aku's overwhelming darkness. He was not afraid of the dark...

"Aku wants summtin' from ya obviously..." Max growled as the tentacles retracted and he glared forward at the turtle. He then pulled out a cigar from his coat pocket and popped it in his mouth before reaching into the opposite pocket for a lighter. "Unlucky fool..." he mumbled.

Leo glared at Max. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"There's only a few reasons on this earth that would make Aku want anyone to stay alive..." he stated as he lit the cigar and leaned against the hallway wall. "You poor fool..." he smirked.

Slowly, Leo attempted to back up from Max when suddenly, his head began whirling. Aku's screeching voice began overriding everything else that was going on in the ninja's head.

YOU ARE MINE, LEONARDO! YOU ARE MINE! MINE FOR ETERNITY!

All the colors of the things that surrounded him began to whirl together in a cyclone of colors as he began to feel like he was being flown around in a twister. He couldn't think or feel or even hear himself scream as he shut his eyes even tighter and tighter. His scowl slowly deepened more and more until he felt that his skin was being ripped from his bones.

YOU ARE MINE!

Leonardo's body hit the floor and his muscles began to go into spasms - his body couldn't take it. His blood raced through his veins as his heart quickened more and more almost to a bursting point. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he screamed in pain as his body continuously shut down itself. He couldn't take it!

Max snorted at the mess the turtle had gotten himself into and then walked over to the teenager before kicking him in the side and pushing his cigar to the other side of his mouth so he could blow some of hazardous smoke out of his lips.

"Well...I suppose I must place you out of your misery..." he grumbled before flipping his gun in his hands and then pointing the loaded weapon at Leonardo's jerking head.

Suddenly, a force overwhelmed Max and he found himself in pitch blackness - looking up at a large, red, glaring eye that was focused on him. It sent a wave of terror through the man and made him feel like he wanted to crouch in the shadows and hide from it. This was his superior - no more toying around now!

YOU WILL NOT HARM HIM, MAXWELL EARWINS! Aku demanded.

"Why not?" Max growled. "Getting him out of my way is just--"

WE'RE DONE PLAYING GAMES, MAXWELL... YOU'LL DO AS I SAY NOW! Aku hissed at him. NOTHING ELSE - DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOU INCOMPETENT FLEA-BAG? WHAT I SAY FROM THIS DAY FORTH!

Max felt himself thrown into reality once more and watched as Leonardo struggled against his failing body. He flinched at the strike of terror that Aku had sent through him.

"What are ya doin' ta him?" Max found himself asking.

DO AS I SAY AND NOT QUESTION ME, YOU FOOL OF A MAN!

Max stumbled back for a moment and blinked - he had never suspected the tables to turn so quickly. And he had never thought he would grow so fearful of Aku as he now was. But there was still part of the old Max in him...and he felt it as he gazed at Leonardo.

"What do you want me ta do?" Max asked helplessly.

BRING LEONARDO TO ME - I HAVE... PLANS FOR HIM...

Slowly, the villain made his way to his victim and began to kneel down to pick Leonardo up and carry him to the monstrous creature that had hold of them both. But a flicker of anger flew through his eyes.

As he crouched down on one knee, Max had built up enough strength to resist Aku's overwhelming power - if only for a second. His hatred for Leonardo getting in his way flashed before his eyes and he reached into the pocket that housed the revolver.

His crocodile-like smile weaved itself onto his face once more and he quickly pulled out the gun and aimed for the struggling terrapin's head. He laughed at the power he was feeling over life and death at the moment.

"Nothing personal, Hoss..." he chuckled evilly. "You just bugged me - and I don't like that..."

Just when his finger prepared to pull on the trigger, Max found himself hoisted into the air and flung against a wall. He yelled out in pain as he slowly slid down the wall.

As he shook his head in confusion, Max suddenly kicked in the chest and fell over, gasping for air. His eyes widened as he looked up at Leonardo - but how? He looked over and saw that the blue masked turtle he had fought was still flinching in nightmarish pain. He then looked back up at the exact copy. He was wearing a dark gray - nearly black - mask and his eyes were as evilly twisted as Aku's eye. They glowed a terrifying red.

"You're a useless barbarian, Maxwell Earwins - Aku shouldn't even have to dirty himself with the likes of you!" this Leonardo hissed. "He gave distinct orders to you and you were to do them!" A sinister look grew on the turtle's face. "But since you haven't you will be punished. It's not as if we needed you anymore... Your purpose has been served..."

Max's eyes widened. "What do--"

The turtle reached back and unsheathed a shinning katana - much like Leonardo's swords. He then lifted it high into the air. This execution was more than just that - it was a standing ovation for this turtle.

"I am going to enjoy this..." he laughed as he quickly flung the blade into Max's throat.

The man gasped for air and found himself gagging. His eyes widened and then rolled into the back of their sockets. Slowly, fountains of blood began to run under the blade and then began easing their ways over the metal weapon.

Satisfied, the turtle quickly pulled out his blade and then grabbed the fat man's messy brown hair and held his half-way severed head up to allow the blood to give a large gush and then a small gush before continuing with a large gush - his heart still beating and pumping within his chest for a few minutes. The turtle gave a wicked grin at the sight.

Now bored with this, the turtle tossed the caucus aside before turning to his enlightened counterpart who was now completely lost in his nightmares. He walked over to Leo and got down on one knee next to him.

With his blood covered hand, the turtle grabbed hold of Leo's mask tails and pulled his head up. He then got his beak up close enough to the side of Leonardo's head for him to whisper before continuing his business.

"I know you can hear this, Leonardo..." the turtle whispered. "So I'll expect only one thing - use the key to a maze..."

Now that his personal message was across, the turtle dropped Leo's head. He then grabbed Leonardo and pulled him over his shoulder with great ease. Stopping only to grab Leo's weapons, the turtle started towards the stairs - towards home...

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Groaning, Leo rubbed his head as he turned himself upright and looked around. It looked like the lair - but something was...different... colder...

Remembering everything that had just happened, Leo jumped into a standing position and looked back and forth into the darkened corners of his home. He saw nothing - just as he had feared...

"Guys!" he yelled out before running towards the stairs to the top floor. "Mikey! Raph! Don!"

Once at the stairs he didn't even bother to climb them. Instead, he jumped to the second platform and then grabbed onto the bars of the third to flip himself over and onto the second floor.

Only the darkness loomed around to keep Leonardo company. His heart raced at this - his family was no where to be found...

"Raph--" before Leo could call out again; there came a terrible sounding crash in the kitchen and a familiar, agonizing yell. A yell from his brother, Raphael - Leo knew something was terribly wrong.

Jumping to the first floor, Leo ran straight to the kitchen where he saw - to his horror - the Shredder. And he was holding Raphael up against the refrigerator - his hands tightening around Raph's neck and cutting off his air supply.

The Shredder pressed his three inch blades close enough to Raphael's cheeks to glaze over them and cause crimson liquid to run down the red masked turtle's cheeks.

Laughing, Shredder revealed his enjoyment of Raph's pain. "It is about time I destroyed the last of your pathetic kind, Raphael! Now you'll know the true meaning of suffering!" he exclaimed as he pulled his hand back to strike.

Raph's eyes widened in terror - he couldn't believe this was going to be it!

"PUT HIM DOWN, SHREDDER!" Leo roared as he pulled out his katana.

Shredder and Raph both turned their heads and looked in complete awe and shock that Leonardo was standing before them.

"This is not to happen..." the villain gasped.

Tears ran down Raph's beak. "But... Leo? You're...you're... I-I killed you!"

Leo's eyes widened and he slowly backed away from his brother and nemesis. He couldn't believe what he just heard! Surely Raph was out of his mind - this couldn't be happening!

"What... What are you talking about, Raph?" he demanded.

The Shredder smirked. "Perhaps this is better to make Raphael's suffering worse..." he laughed before tossing the turtle into the kitchen cabinets and slowly walking towards Leo who backed up a little before holding his ground.

Raph looked at the sight in horror and grabbed the sides of his head. "No... NO! Not again!" he screamed as tears fell relentlessly down his beak. "I-I can't take it! Not watching him take Leo away from me after he walks from the dead!"

Clutching one of the Sai he had dropped earlier, Raph gritted his teeth and started at the Shredder. He wasn't going to sit back and watch as this monster took another one of his brothers from him!

"NO!" Raph yelled as the Shredder moved with a velocity Leo had never known before and dug his claws into the blue-clad turtle's right shoulder and causing him to yell out in pain.

Kicking Shredder in the face and causing him to fall back, Raph caught Leo as he fell forward and fell to his knees with his brother. "It's 'kay, Bro! I got ya... I got ya 'n I'll never let ya go again!" Raph cried into Leo's bleeding shoulder as he embraced his long lost brother.

"Raph... What's going on?" Leo asked as his head whirled around. "I... What were you talking about?" he demanded before pushing away from the hug and forcing his younger brother to look up at him. "You would never kill me! I know you better than that!"

"Yes... But I would!" a voice exactly like Raph's said from behind Leo.

Leonardo turned around and saw to his horror - Raphael glaring at him. He was dressed in the Shredder's armor and wore a menacing grin as he held up his bloody claw again.

"That was a good mask - I think your lil' kick scuffed it up, Leo," 'Raph' said with dull eyes before narrowing them and grinning evilly. "Looks like even in the afterlife you get on my nerves!"

Leo's eyes widened as his own brother raised his spiked hand and prepared to attack.

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Turtlefreak121: (smirks) Kills ya doesn't it?

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