Hurt - Chapter 10

Rated: T

Vengeance

Chapter Summary: Leo takes revenge on those he believes are responsible.


Vengeance.

It's the most basic of instincts - to take retribution for yourself or for someone in your family against another one that has wronged you.

For Leonardo, there was simply no other way.

The blue-banded turtle was known for many things: a leader, eldest brother, son...or by Raphael's words - lame-o-nardo, daddy's boy, strict, space nerd, fun-sucker, brown-noser, and perpetual stick in the mud.

A bitter chuckle left his lips at the many colorful names his younger brother had called him throughout the years. It was one of Raphael's greatest joys in life to drive him crazy and burrow under his shell to make him itch. It used to really bother him, bringing him to the brink of insanity; the way his hotheaded brother would deliberately break orders, stay out after curfew, miss training, ditch patrol, and argue with him every single chance he got.

It wasn't always like that though. It only started after Splinter named Leo the Leader.

Before that time, they were the closest brothers could be; watching each other's backs, pushing each other to be stronger, run faster, have fun, make trouble but don't get caught...

An almost smile raised Leo's lips the first time he recalled Raphael talking him into sneaking out of the lair when they were kids. It was the first either of them had been outside the safety of the sewers; pushing open the heavy manhole cover with their barely defined four year old arms. The two turtle tots flew up the closest fire escape and just ran in circles on the huge rooftop (the world seemed so much bigger then...), enjoying the sensation of real wind across their face; the smell of clean air compared to the dank stench in the sewers, not to mention the glory of the night sky... Leo knew it was wrong and hated disobeying Splinter's orders but when he knew Raph was going to go up top regardless, Leo knew there was safety in numbers; and he couldn't let his hotheaded brother have all the fun...

It was the greatest nights in his young life; enjoying the world above for the first time; the sights, smells and sounds all-encompassing and incredible to absorb into his little four year old body. It was only better to experience it with his brother; he recalled patting his brother's carapace and promising never to tell Splinter what they did...and Leo had kept his word to this day...

It was soon after this that Splinter named him leader; gave him his katanas and blue mask.

A day that changed his and Raphael's relationship forever. At first, Raph didn't seem to care but over time, resentment grew and Leo began spending less and less time with his now red-masked brother in lieu of spending hour upon hour and day after day in the dojo under Splinter's watchful gaze and strict training. The relationship between him and Raph shifted again when they began patrolling; Raphael would purposely do things and go against orders whenever he felt Leo was in the wrong. Leo; being frustrated would constantly remind him that he was the leader and he said goes and the look that crossed his green-eyed brother's face still made a chill go through his shell... The look of betrayal was not one he ever seen his brother wear til that day...

He'd never felt farther away from his brother at that point...

Over the years, it began to change again; they'd grown closer as they matured but it never returned to the way it was; that was the biggest regret Leo felt at this point because now, not matter what he did, ...he couldn't change it. Raphael is dead and all that time he could have been spending in order to get as close as he used to be with his little brother again was brutally snatched from his hands.

The familiar sense of anger running through his veins at the face swiftly returned as he stared at the top of the building where Shredder's hideout was located. The rage inside of him as so incredibly great, he felt as if he could single-handedly take on the Shredder himself. It was a foolish thought he knew, but he'd never had a greater purpose than at this very moment.

Vengeance...Revenge on those who were responsible for taking away his brother way too soon far exceeded any of his own doubts and moral code.

With this thought, he struck.

Leonardo was numb, the only emotion that fueled him now was unquenchable rage. His years upon years of training was honed into his body as he swiftly landed in front of the hideout; the guards outside didn't stand a chance. The dozen footclan robots fell into a heap, their wires crackling with electricity as he stuck his katanas through their heads and necks in a series of furious and deadly motions. Once the last robot went completely silent, Leonardo was already on the roof, staring down through the glass and to his shock and dismay, no one was present. Their hideout unnaturally eerie and still this night; the "throne" where Shredder usually sat was empty, Fishface and Dogpound were nowhere in sight. A twisting in his gut furthered; his desire to seek vengeance still humming throughout his body as he glared daggers upon the seat which Shredder sat. Every logical thought in his body was halted when he suddenly cracked the glass with his elbow before jumping from the top into one of the pools of water.

Steel blue eyes opened under the liquid, eyes searching for the familiar form of the mutated fish/robot but it quickly became apparent that he wasn't there. Breaking the surface of the water, Leo swam to the edge of a platform and pulled himself up before running throughout the compound looking for anyone to confront; his body honed like a skilled assassin, he infiltrated every room. Running into and lying in wait, he quickly dismantled hundreds of robot soldiers, there was absolutely no satisfaction of fists and swords only hitting wiring and metal...he wanted the splattering of blood. The spraying of that warm substance upon his cool skin to add life to his chest again; vindication - perhaps if he got vengeance, he'd have closure and his brother's death wouldn't seem so...useless...

The thought of his brother dying in vain completely ripped something precious out of his chest. His hotheaded brother didn't deserve to go out so easily; so quickly... He silently recalled a conversation he had with an eleven year old Raphael... The red-banded turtle was lying on his chest in front of the television and Mikey, Donnie, and Splinter were off doing their only thing leaving the two brothers alone. They had just returned from patrol and it was the first time life was lost in the process, and Leonardo thought it fitting that Raphael would be the first to kill; even if it wasn't intentional. There was an armed robbery; shots fired, sirens erupted and three men ran. Two of them were quickly arrested but one got away.

Raphael followed.

A few blocks down, the man still had yet to tire, his body obviously fueled by drugs or another substance. Not wanting him to get away, Raphael flung a sai hoping just to hit the man in the leg to put a stop to him when the man suddenly fell on uneven cement, Raphael's sai missing it's initial target of the leg and instead, severing his spine. Raph stood shocked upon that rooftop for awhile when they found him. He was staring down at the lifeless body of the man who never got up again... Leo was the one to retrieve the weapon and the walk home was silent; Raphael collapsed in front of the television, hoping watching the bright colors and ridiculous ads would numb him to what just happened.

Leo was the only one in the room during that time. His only thoughts were knowing it would happen eventually, but Raph wasn't as prepared as the leader thought he would be.

It was also he first time he'd seen his little brother cry since he was three.

Raphael just buried his face in his hands and silently sobbed and as much as Leo wanted to put his arm around his brother, he knew he'd be pushed away and create an even bigger canyon between them. It was enough for Leo to know Raph was comfortable enough with him to allow such emotion to come forth.

They learned later on the man had killed two people robbing the warehouse and that dulled the pain a bit for Raphael but Leo was certain he never forgot about it. Later that night, his normally hotheaded brother had a heart-to-heart confession. He explained to his blue-banded brother that he didn't want to die like that; instead, he wanted to go out in a blaze of glory; taking down hundreds of enemies and dying honorably after he could fight the onslaught no more. "Kinda like that Gladiator movie" Raph said with a chuckle and Leo couldn't help but flinch for the thought of losing any of his family was not a thought he ever pondered for too long.

...never knowing that only five years later he would be living it...

Leonardo's steps were heavy as he ransacked Shredder's hideout. Banners ripped down, furniture destroyed, and any foot clan robots dismantled; yet, the hole he had inside him continued to grow. If anything, destroying the place wasn't helping anything only increasing the pain that he felt. Vandalizing wasn't vengeance, he needed blood; he needed to fight and if he died taking retribution for his beloved brother's death - so be it. Leo left the hideout from the front door, leaving the door wide open if anyone wanted to rob the place, Leo wouldn't even bat an eye and secretly rooting for them to take everything


Cold water splashed upon his face, a public water fountain in central park providing the water his body craved. While anger was fueling any needs for food, water was different entirely. After ransacking Shredder's hideout, he'd nearly collapsed upon a rooftop miles away and an incredible thirst outshining the anger that rested in his belly. As he focused on the small droplets running down his skin and off of his chin, he suddenly froze when he sensed a presence behind him...a very familiar one...

Before the person could blink, Leo had drawn his sword and the tip was dangerously close to their neck. As he looked into Karai's almond shaped brown eyes (so much like Sensei's) the attraction he no doubt felt for her once upon a time was completely diminished. All that remained was the rage at the fact that she was indeed aligned with the foot clan and Shredder, even called him father, and that meant she was just as guilty as him...


Karai was frozen in place; her body tense and rigid as she took in his stance. This was not the Leonardo she was accustomed to; the real Leonardo was the epitome of calm and fluid, his body honed with rigid discipline. This Leonardo's aura and stance were ones she witnessed in his red-banded brother; tight, full of rage, and completely reckless... Speaking of whom, the three-pronged weapon that brother carried was notched in Leonardo's belt; the reason as to why Leo had it was a question Karai wasn't ready to ask. Instead, her brown eyes flicked down to the sword, the air of it slashed across her neck and if he'd only been a centimeter closer, he would have easily sliced through her skin.

Something was wrong...

Karai lifted her gaze to meet his; the cerulean blue of his eyes that usually held the calmness of low-tide waves and the stillness of vast oceans was now a torrent of icy rivers; splashing this way and that, slamming into rocks and breaking down the earth. The torment held in his gaze made her chest feel funny; the normally calm, stoic Leonardo now seemed to be an entirely different person. As cold as she'd like to appear, there was always a soft spot for the blue-banded turtle but as he held his weapon to her neck, the first feeling of real fear began to rise in her stomach.

Karai had never feared Leonardo before...

Faking calm, Karai's voice was liquid silk as she began speaking, careful not to move a muscle in case he decided to strike. "Leonardo...what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" he countered, his voice like a razor.

"Well, for one, you destroyed my house. It may be Shredder's hideout, but I still live there you know." Karai whispered smoothly, using her peripheral vision to look for any escape route should the turtle make any further moves. "Secondly: You dismantled all our Footbots. Hmm; I told father those bots were a bad idea; clumsy, faulty and lousy swimmers but considering how many you took out tonight, at least it'll be much easier to cleanup than blood I suppose."

When Leo didn't respond to her goading, she continued, "...and thirdly: in all the time I've known you, you've never struck me as a vandalizing type... So, why change it up now, Leonardo?"

The calmness of her voice must have gotten to him, for his sword lowered barely an inch, but it was a start.

"...If you're not going to give me a decent fight, just get out of here...before I change my mind." he said and for just a fraction of second, she saw something in him break.

"Not until you tell me what is wrong."

"Heh," he laughed bitterly, "since when in the hell have you ever fucking cared!?"

The use of profanity was not one that ever stained Leonardo's lips; he was like a Choir Boy, always prim and proper; never allowing curses to fall from his mouth.

"Leo..." Karai whispered; the torment in his blue eyes causing her to feel something she never had before in her life...

"Get out of here...NOW!" he screamed and the sword was back again, the tip of touching her skin right above her larynx. A thin trail of blood began dripping down her neck yet she forced herself to remain calm; the pain not yet registering even though her heart was furiously hammering against her sternum. and that was the moment his eyes were cleared.

Within a millisecond, the sword was gone and sheathed. Leo looked horrified; his eyes wide, the pupils mere pinpricks as he stared at her and the blood on her neck. The long strand of crimson in sharp contrast to her almost white skin; it was as if he was experiencing a horrific flashback she knew nothing about.

"Leave." he demanded, his voice sharp and loud against the calm night sky.

"L-Leonardo."

"NOW!" he demanded in a bellowing roar and for the first time, she obeyed him, backing away to keep her eyes on him when he spoke again, "...and be sure to tell Shredder to get ready because I'm coming for him..."

A sudden flash had him disappearing in a fog of purple smoke and Karai hacked at the amount that filled her lungs. Her eyes darting around the vacant park to catch a glimpse of him - but he was gone. The young kinouchi didn't even notice her hand rising to touch her new wound; the pain sharp as she made contact with the cut. It was the first time she'd felt fear for her life and it was inflicted upon her by someone she thought would never hurt her.

"Leo...what happened to you...?" the words were a whisper that was lost on the wind.