Turtlefreak121: Took me long enough? Well, I'm trying to adjust my schedule to where these long waits don't happen anymore... ... Yeah right. I don't think anyone will ever get a break in the great wide world of fanfiction. I know I won't... ... And if I do...well... At least I'll be in a better mood. Alrighty, this chapter and the next! Think you can handle it? ...I can't handle it - I think I'm ready to fall over dead right now, actually...

Thanks for the Reviews, everyone

The Dark Half

Chapter Nineteen

By Turtlefreak121

Disclaimer: I do not own the teenage mutant ninja turtles, the book "The Dark Half", or the Monster Within episode. Forgive me, but I don't. Sorry.

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The Evil Inside of Me

How could he have not been keeping a closer eye on him? How in the world could he have let something as important as Aku slip from his memory? Leonardo knew it was because he was so caught up with fighting Yin - but that didn't make the situation any better.

Using Yin's time of arrogance, Leonardo quickly advanced upon his double and with a powerful swoop of his sword was able to rid him of one katana. This didn't make Yin look too happy, however. Using his other katana, Yin fiercely struck back.

Ducking under the blow, Leonardo was able to pull his leg around enough to pull the turtle's feet out from under him and send him crashing into the watery floor. As soon as he saw his double hit the water, Leonardo jumped up and squared himself with the darker side. He knew he had to give Raph enough time to release the rest of their family - he just wished that his brother wouldn't take his time.

"You know whose fault this is, don't you, Leonardo?" Yin asked as a grin curved on his lips. "You know who is at fault for all of this, correct?"

Leo's eyes remained the narrowed slits glaring at his double as the dark turtle got up and got into stance - Leo's stance. The eldest turtle then took a deep breath and mirrored the move.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Yin..." Leo stated finally.

Yin looked at him angrily and clenched his hands around his katana's handle.

At this Leonardo could only smile. "Sorry to disappoint you..."

"You've only disappointed yourself..." Yin stated with a devilish grin before advancing on Leonardo.

Seeing his sudden move, Leo blocked Yin's attack with his left katana and then kicked his chest with his right foot. Yin flew to the floor again, but he had been expecting it and quickly pulled the same move as Leonardo had done on him earlier and knocked the turtle to the floor.

Quickly jumping up, Yin held his katana over his head to prepare for a downward strike before releasing all his energy in the attack. But the katana hit the cold cement floor as water splashed up from its strike.

Leo got up from his roll and then spun for momentum as he swung his katana at the dark turtle. Yin ducked under this, but before he could pull Leo's feet out again, Leonardo had caught on and quickly leaped over the turtle and began to strike again, but Yin blocked the attack.

Forcing Leonardo's sword away from him, Yin got up and charged at the turtle. Leonardo saw this and pulled out two shuriken from the pouches in his belt and skillfully threw them at his dark half. Yin dodged them by jumping in the and tucking himself into a ball almost to get just enough height to where the shuriken flew under him in just enough time to let him land perfectly.

Smirking as he glared up at Leonardo, Yin hissed, "I know all your stuff, Hero..."

Leo's eyes narrowed more. "Not to disappoint you, Yin...but you're not exactly surprising me much on this end either..."

Yin shrugged at the statement. "Yes...but I am stronger--"

"Just dumber..." Leo hissed back. "Now what did you mean that 'Aku's up'?"

Yin grinned madly. "Wouldn't you like to know..."

Leo suddenly attacked. "Yes! I would!"

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Swiftly cutting through the mass of tentacles that entrapped his friend - and the last of the four that was still 'caught' - Raphael then caught April as the air once more filled with the alien screams and the stub-like tentacle began squirming around as if looking for the rest of itself.

Quickly guiding April from this mess, Raph then checked to make sure everyone was here. Mike and Don were out of breath from being squeezed as their tentacles fought back. Splinter was standing between his sons and breathing hard as well - Raph was surprised he had not suffered from a heart attack yet! Even through his fur the elderly rat seemed pale. It never ceased to amaze Raph how collected and powerful his master could look even in the most heart wrenching of occasions.

All that was left was Leonardo.

The leading turtle's battle could be heard from where they were, and it didn't sound like a good one. But then again, how could either Yin or Leonardo win? They were in the same twisted mess. They were the same person.

"What can we do to help?" Mikey finally asked between gasps of precious air.

Raph looked over to Leonardo and Yin. Leo looked ticked - but Yin ticked Raph off, too so he perfectly understood why. He couldn't hear what - but they were talking about something.

Shut him up, Leo! Raph's mind wanted to scream. Shut him up and cut him out of our lives, Bro! C'mon! We're countin' on--

He stopped the thought and felt his heart plummet. They were counting on Leo to do something he had already had to have done at least a thousand and one times before. They were counting on Leo to defeat himself - for them. They weren't asking him to consider himself or his needs. It was all about them all the time.

Now Raph understood. It wasn't Yin that hated them.

It was Leo.

As much as Leo as a whole person loved and cared for them, Yin showed more than anything that he was angry at them and the world. They were always holding Leo back from doing as he wished. Don, Mikey, and himself were always needing and wanting something from Leo. His attention, his opinion, or even to feud for his position… The world was always keeping him in the shadows.

Did Leo even want to live in the shadows? As a ninja he preached it, but did Leo want something more than that? Had Leo ever wondered what it would have been like to not be a freak? To live with humans? To be accepted? To not have to worry about enemies than the regular grouchy tenant? Maybe... Maybe Leo wanted these things. He just never made them open.

You never asked... Raph growled inwardly.

Quickly, Raph shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts. What was the matter with him? What were these thoughts? Leo loved them! Who was putting this crap in his head?

Suddenly, Raph's stomach churned as there was a wailing, scratchy voice screaming in every corner of his mind.

TOGETHER WE SHALL RULE THE--

"NOOOOO!" Raph suddenly yelled. He couldn't stop it! It was screaming! This horrid, screaming voice was in every fiber of his being. There was a headache emerging that made him wish his head would split open and release the pain and most of all that voice!

Don and Mikey looked at Raph strangely and then to their master and April who looked as surprised and clueless about Raph's sudden cry as they did. It sounded like a deep cry of anguish, but they couldn't understand why or how.

Once Raph hit the ground on his knees, he placed his hands on his head and doubled over in complete pain. He yelled as his body tremor under this strange event's power.

Landing next to his son, Splinter grasped onto Raphael's shoulders and tried to pull him eye level with him, but it wasn't working, Raph's body was resisting him, though Splinter wasn't even sure Raph knew his father was there.

"My son, what has happened to you?" the elderly master asked in confusion as he felt Raph's forehead and tried to stop him from shaking.

"It-it's a voice!" Raph yelled as he tightly shut his eyes and dug his fingernails into his scalp. "Il's tike someting's thrying to kill me tis way!"

"Master Splinter, is Raph okay?" Don asked as he, Mikey, and April gathered around the red-clad turtle in concern.

Splinter looked up at his sons seriously. "Assist Leonardo - now!" he commanded before looking at April. "April, please help me move Raphael from this cold water..." he pleaded as he placed his second son's left arm around his neck.

April responded with placing the opposite arm around her neck and helping guide Raph towards the stairs out of the dojo area.

"He's mixing up his letters like Leo was earlier..." she thought out loud.

Frowning, Splinter held his breath. "Yes... I know..."

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Finally able to glance over to his brothers and seeing April and Splinter guiding Raphael away as he shook, Leonardo felt a growl escape his throat. He dared to look at Yin and snarled.

"What are you doing to him?" he demanded from the devilish double.

They locked blades for a moment and struggled for the upper hand. Yin just laughed and glared back at Leonardo. It was a cold, irritating laughter that made Leo want to hurl.

"Well, you were able to resist good ol' Aku's charm, Hero... But I really don't think your brother will..." Yin chuckled as he grinned with his fang-like teeth. "It seems that Aku's thinking ahead - he's a lot weaker in his mind than you. He'll give in easier..."

Leo gritted his teeth. "Then you don't really know my brother too well..." Leo snapped back.

Yin responded with merely another grin. "Oh...but I do... I know him as good as you and you know it's true!"

Growling, Leonardo narrowed his eyes. "STOP TELLING ME WHAT I KNOW AND DON'T KNOW!" he demanded as he swung his katana fiercely and actually cut into Yin's shoulder - surprising the both of them.

Grunting for a moment, Yin reached up to his shoulder and felt something sticky - sick feeling. He slowly removed his hand and looked at in surprise. His eyes widened as he saw the crimson liquid sticking to his fingers - reaching into every crevice of his skin.

Looking away from this to look at Leonardo, Yin could not have pulled off anymore of a surprised look.

"You can cut me?" Yin suddenly asked in a shaky voice.

Remembering who he was dealing with, Leonardo narrowed his eyes and returned into stance. "Aku happen to leave that detail out, Yin?" Leo snapped back.

Yin shook his head and returned to stance as well - ignoring the pain tingling in his shoulder. "I suppose I will live..." he grinned.

"With that one..." Leo hissed.

"Pessimistic, aren't we?" Yin growled.

"Truest thing you've said about the two of us all night, Yin - I'm surprised with you," Leo stated sarcastically.

"I have my moments..." Yin grumbled.

Just as the two were about to move towards each other yet again, there were two cries as suddenly a Bo staff came crashing down into Yin's arm and delivered a crushing sound that made even Michelangelo's stomach turn even as he attacked Yin with a strike of his nunchuck against Yin's back. As Yin went falling into the ground in a yell of pain, the two younger turtles almost felt successful.

Then, Leo felt his right arm suddenly explode into mountains of pain and his shell feel a stinging smack-almost as he dropped to his knees in a yelp.

Seeing this, the younger brothers quickly reached their oldest brother and tried to see what the matter with him was. Don looked down to Leo's right arm that he was cradling as his knees reached the floor. He knelt down and examined it some more - it was bent oddly. Something, or someone had broken it...

Slowly, the purple-clad looked over to Yin and felt his heart stop as he saw that he had broken Yin's left arm. Like shattering a mirror, hurting one hurt the other. Equal but opposite - Newton never knew just how right he actually was...

"What happened, Leo?" Mikey asked as he stood over his brothers in confusion.

Leo grimaced as he forced himself up - his left arm clutching his right arm desperately. With every movement there was a new intense pain in his arm. It was a bad break - he made a note to compliment Don on his skills later.

Yin copied the motion, though he was literally biting his tongue to keep from yelping. No doubt his hurt more - but Leo suffered the same. Just like when Yin tore up April's store.

Yin had the ability to hurt himself to hurt Leo, but if Leo hurt Yin or visa versa it didn't work out the same. There was a limit to their connection - yet, it was strong enough to go into affect if someone else attacked them.

"You hurt us, Mikey..." Leo finally answered as he controlled his breath. "You guys can't jump in and intervene. Things don't work out so simply..."

"Us?" Mikey questioned.

Don looked back and forth between Yin and Leo. "Like a mirror, Mikey. What's done to or by one side is done by the other."

"Then why the heck did you attack him?" Mikey demanded.

"He didn't know!" Leo cut Michelangelo off. "Guys this may sound hard...but you have got to let me fight him alone - for my sake!"

The brothers looked at each other before backing away from Leo and Yin. There was a sixth sense that screamed to every fiber of their bodies that this was wrong - dreadfully wrong. That they should be fighting with their brother. But they knew better.

And they didn't want to hurt Leo - that was for sure.

"So we'll fight one hand each?" Yin smirked as he reached down and picked up his katana.

"Considering I want to live through the night along with my family - yes..." Leo hissed as he did the same.

"How about we raise the stakes a little, Leonardo, Ol' Pal?" Yin grinned as they both managed to get in a stance-like pose.

"Oh, they're raised enough, Yin..." Leo grumbled.

"How about a bit more, though... I win - besides you dying - Raphael becomes Aku's next choice..."

"That's not going to happen," Leo snapped.

"And what would you want me to place on the table?" Yin continued.

"Aku leaving everyone alone. There's enough evil in the world without him," Leo growled.

Yin grinned. "That's not going to happen, either, my friend..."

"I'm not your friend!" Leo growled as he attacked Yin again.

The two blades sliced through the air again and again. The movements were not as showcase graceful as they had been prior the two fighters having their arms broken, but the show looked fine as it was.

With the exception of the two swordsmen fighting there could have been a dime dropped and heard. All attention was either on Raphael or the fight at hand. Besides Leo and Yin no one dared to move.

"How does it feel to know your family is going to watch you be disgraceful to them?" Yin began taunting.

Leo's eyes narrowed but he refused to say anything in reply. He wasn't going to give Yin any other satisfaction. He continued to fight harder and harder without saying a word.

Seeing he wasn't getting a reply for that one, Yin continued his game. "It sucks having no one to support you, doesn't it? At least Aku was going to have faith in your talents!"

"Shut up - you don't know what you are talking about!" Leo roared as his katana swooped down and cut across Yin's calf and caused the darker turtle to yell out. "My family does support me!"

"How can you be one hundred percent sure, Leo?" Yin smirked as he stood up again. "You work and work and work and get no pay - bad job if you ask me!" the turtle reminded his origin.

Leo's eyes narrowed. "I didn't ask you..." he snapped back. He then was able to jump just enough to snap kick the double's head. Yin groaned as his lip busted and sent blood flowing in his mouth and over his chin.

Landing on the ground, Yin frowned. It was a reaction...but it wasn't the reaction he was going for... He would have to get up and try harder for the one he was going for.

And he did...

Shaking his head and chuckling as he got up, Yin grinned at Leo once more. "So...you're still not getting it!" Yin grinned. "You're still not understanding the offer I've been trying to give to you!"

Leo's face looked at him in anger before he shook his head and growled. "WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE 'TELLING' ME?" the blue-clad turtle demanded as he struck Yin across the cheek with his katana.

Yin grinned. Here Leo was giving the right reaction! He was beginning to wonder if this had been a mistake.

"It's your fault, Leo! Come on - think about it! Your mistakes, your heartache, your anger, your hatred is what has been giving me and good ol' Aku strength, my friend! Your brothers almost died if wasn't for my guidance and Miss O'Neil over there!" Yin continued. "You let me get this far!"

"I DID NOT!" Leo yelled back as he struck Yin again, only to find himself cutting Yin's already broken arm.

"Why didn't you stop me earlier, Leo?" Yin asked. "Why didn't you figure it out before? Before Max, before the shootings, before all this - before me - why didn't you figure out that Aku was behind your troubles? Why didn't you stop us when you could have?" he asked.

Leo shut his eyes and shook his head. "It didn't make sense! It doesn't make sense! Why would he choose me? What did I do?" Leo asked himself as he stopped attacking and looked down to his bloodied blade. It was his blood. That sinning blood that had done all this... That blood was now on his blade - his blade that needed to be cleaned.

After every battle, Leo cleaned his blades to wash them of the blood and impurities of their battle. There was always some small trace that the battles had happened, but only Leo could pen point them. And even though the scars were there...

"The battle is over..." Leo stated softly before looking to Yin who was looking confused. Leo growled and finished off the final blow to Yin - the katana's tip entered through Yin's abdomen and sunk through, Leo could feel the jar of reaching Yin's shell as he let out a yell. Leo's heart stopped for a second as he hoped more than anything that his had worked.

Yin threw his head back and laughed to Leonardo's surprise. Yin's eyes stopped their red glow and began to grow vacant and dilated. "So it seems, Leonardo..." he coughed as blood began to seep over his teeth and lips and mix with his other wounds' blood. "To defeat the ultimate...evil... Aku--"

"I had to beat myself..." Leo stated as he gritted his teeth. "I-It... It was never my fault..."

Laughing, Yin's body began easing down and becoming too much weight for Leo to handle. "Of course not, you fool..."

As Yin's body hit the floor, it faded from existence. Leo felt as through something had just left his body - some burden or guilt...something that had been eating him for so long without his realization.

He could hear Aku's pained screams as he disappeared from the lair as well and felt the water began to still for a second before everything started swirling around him and as everything felt warm for the first time in a long time as he felt his shell his the floor and his eyes slowly fade into darkness...

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Turtlefreak121: Last chapter coming up next. I'll update soon (hopefully) But I gotta find out something about my grandpa, so wish me luck. Later...

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