ONE WEEK EARLIER

"78, 79, 80…"

Sweat dripped down Raphael's arms as he continued his repetitions, Leonardo stood by as a spotter, hands ready should the unthinkable occur. "So, what ya think… about that letter Master Splinter got?"

"You mean the invitation?" The leader gave a small smile at Raph's question, "I'm looking forward to it. It'll be nice to visit with the Daimyo in the nexus. Plus, I'm hoping to get some good sparring in on the training grounds."

Raphael rolled his eyes, heaving the metal weight up so to settle it in the cradle, then pulled himself up, "Seriously, bro?" He teased, "Ya want ta train? Need I remind ya that this trip falls on the same week ya were supposed ta take a vacation from bein' leader? Trainin' isn't exactly what I'd call restful."

"Aw, come on," Leo laughed, throwing a towel over his brother's head, "when else would I get the chance? I promise, I won't spend all my time there, but I still want to go."

"Leo," Raphael growled, yanking the towel off his head to pin a playful glare on his leader, "I'm not lettin' ya train while we're there, end of story. Now, ya want ta go explorin', take a hike through the woods, heck, even play a game of ninja hide and seek, I'm down. But…" the hothead stood so to poke Leonardo on the chest, "no trainin'."

The blue ninja groaned in false aggravation, "Jeez," he huffed, "when did you become so bossy? I thought that was my job?"

Raphael guffawed, wrapping an arm around Leo's neck to give his leader a noogie, "I'm only bossy when I have ta be,"

Leonardo grinned, shoving his brother away so the duo could walk into the living room "How about a compromise? I won't train, but I can enjoy a spar with my brothers?"

Raph paused, his own enjoyment of a good bout with his siblings making him dare a glance at his leader; the turtle choked when he saw Leo doing a rare impression of Mikey's puppy dog eyes, "Pretty please?" The blue ninja hunched his shoulders and pouted endearingly, "Pl-eeeaase?"

The red turtle struggled to hold out, determined to maintain his stubborn condition against training….but shell, Leo's eyes were getting bigger, and sparklier and Raphael didn't think he could, "Oh for shell's sake!" The hothead finally exploded, pushing his leader's face away where he didn't have to look at it anymore, "I'm gonna kill Mikey fer teachin' ya how ta do that!"

Leo's voice was muffled against the calloused palm of his younger brother, "Ith that a yeth?"

"Fine, whatevah," Raphael chuckled, pushing a little harder so his leader would dislodge from his hand.

The blue turtle grinned, pumping his fists in victory. "Awesome! Anyway, I might as well check on Don and Mikey. I'm not on vacation yet, and heaven knows we need to have a team meeting before we leave with father. Meet us in the living room in five minutes, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, Fearless, I got it,"

The hot head waved off his brother, his heavy footsteps thumping towards his room. The blue ninja shook his head, the smile never leaving his face. He couldn't pretend he wasn't pleased with how much things had changed since the cave adventure. He and Raphael's sibling relationship was better than ever, and their team moved like a well oiled machine. True, the experience very nearly killed them more than once, him especially, but the rewards were well worth the effort. Walking into the living room, Leo cast his gaze about for his younger brothers.

Mikey sat in his usual spot on the couch, wireless headphones attached securely to his head, and eyes glued to the screen as he skillfully maneuvered his character. A beat up overnight bag sat beside him, stuffed no doubt with comic books and his hand held video games. Donatello stood behind him, forearms leaned on the head rest, occasionally throwing in commentary that Mikey either didn't hear or just plain ignored. His go bag was slung around his neck and chest, with his tech back hanging on the other side. After a few moments, Leo gave a satisfied nod when Raphael stomped over to his siblings, how own bag slung over a shoulder. All was set, and the leader felt warmth at the excitement buzzing in the air.

This would technically count as their odd family's first real vacation. Sure, they'd taken trips to the farm house, and even visited friends in other dimensions for short stays. But those were more like outings, this was a real vacation like normal families topside got. Though with one key difference. Instead of a hotel or resort, they would be staying in the luxurious home of the daimyo, honored guests in a palace full of staff waiting on their every whim. Not that Leo would describe it quite like that to Michelangelo, the guy was too likely to take advantage of that fact. However, even Leo couldn't say he wasn't looking forward to some serious R&R, preferably in the hot springs. The leader closed his eyes with a quiet hum of pleasure at that thought. Soon they would be relaxing in the nexus, able to run around the town without worrying about who saw, and having valuable family time. Everything would be perfect.

But first they had to get there, and that meant a team meeting.

"Alright team," the blue ninja commanded in his best leader voice, "we need to have a quick meeting, and go over a few ground rules before we enjoy the daimyo's hospitality."

"Seriously, bro?" Mikey whined, pulling his headphones down so to hear his leader better, "We have to go over a list of no-no's as if we're a bunch of kids?"

"They're not for us, they're for you, Mikey," Donatello snickered.

The youngest pouted at Don's dig, and Leo allowed himself a small chuckle before continuing, "They're for everyone," he stated, giving a teasing look at the genius who merely grinned, "no unnecessary or unreasonable demands. The daimyo may be the ruler of the nexus, but we will not take advantage of him in a way that could embarrass father."

"So be on our best behavior," Raphael summed up, leaning his muscular bulk against a pillar, "come on, Leo. I'm with Mikey, we're not kids, we know how ta behave."

Leonardo slowly turned to face the red ninja, one eyebrow ridge raised in silent skepticism. Raphael attempted to stare him down, but ultimately coughed into his fist in defeat, "Alright, so we could use a refresher course."

The leader nodded in satisfaction, he hadn't dropped the reigns as leader yet, and he wasn't about to let his brothers think they could get away with poor behavior. "Remember what we were taught, especially when we are at dinner with the daimyo." Leo cautioned, "When in the presence of the daimyo use formal etiquette only, I know he's seen us goofing off before, but we're staying in his home so let's put our best foot forward."

The brothers nodded, giving silent consent to the blue turtle's expectations. Leo smiled, happy for their cooperation.

"As you know, this vacation coincides with my personal vacation," Leonardo continued, "I've already spoken to father and he agreed that all major decision making lies with him. Since we're going out of town, however, I'll still be on light leadership duties; calling the shots if we go exploring and whatnot, but for the most part we're all going to enjoy a break as a team and simply be Splinter's sons."

His brothers grinned happily at the announcement, an unspoken pride at how far Leo had come in allowing himself the opportunity to rest hanging in the air. It had been slow going at first, as it took over two months before Leo actually felt comfortable with having weekends to himself. Even now the blue turtle struggled with anxiety when relaxing, battling guilt for taking care of himself instead of training or studying. However, their father had fully embraced the new schedule and was very supportive of their team decision. So, Splinter made sure those spells of negative emotion did not last long.

Family game and movie nights were a regular event again, and Splinter honored their weekends. Allowing Leo all the time he needed to rest and recover. To tell the truth, the old rat was relieved. He was happy to see the more youthful side of his eldest son again. In the past Leonardo had been so concerned with leadership that he would lock himself away in his room to pore over maps and war strategy books. While it was commendable, Splinter did not want his children to grow up too quickly, least of all Leo who had already sacrificed so much.

Now, though, Leonardo could be seen on the weekends reading on the couch in the living room. Or spending time in his room listening to music on his mp3 player. Leo would even sit and play video games with Mikey, that is if he wasn't in the garage joking around with Raph or helping Donny with a new invention. Leonardo also enjoyed calligraphy sessions with his father, the peaceful atmosphere accompanying the smell of ink and the soft sounds of brushes on paper soothing the turtle. The most pleasant change, however, was the blue turtle's foray into artistic expression.

His room was now littered with stunning sketches of landscapes and people, each impeccably detailed. It was no longer a strange sight to find the leader dabbling in paints or fingertips smudged in charcoal. Colored pencils could be found strewn across his desk, or even in odd places around the lair. Leo had also taken to carrying a camera, snapping pictures of sights or scenes he wanted to capture in paint or charcoal. He was shy about showing his work, claiming he was still very amateur, however, the family enjoyed peeking through his sketchbook whenever they had the chance. Leo would blush as they exclaimed over the pictures, but his eyes would glow with pride and joy at his new hobby.

Leonardo's proclivity for art wasn't the only surprise, much to everyone's shock, the blue ninja had also taught himself to play violin. When Leo had learned how to play the instrument, much less read music, was anyone's guess. All they knew was a little over a month ago Mikey had stumbled on their leader sneaking out of the lair; the orange turtle had followed, curious as to where Leo was going, and found out the secret of the violin. He had wasted no time letting everyone know about his discovery.

The small family was overjoyed at the development, and keeping it a secret that they knew from the young leader, they were planning on a few surprises of their own in support. His current instrument was a battered and worn wooden thing, likely fished from the dump. Donny and April were scouring the web for a quality violin within their budget. The plan was to give it to Leo on his chosen birthday. Everyone, even Raphael, was eager to see the blue ninja unwrap his gift.

All in all, there'd been a lot of positive changes. Leo turned to gaze into the eyes of each sibling, his heart light and shoulders free of the heavy burdens they used to carry. This vacation was going to be awesome. "So, any questions?"

The siblings shook their heads happily, agreeing to their leader's conditions, and eager to finally leave for their destination. "Don't think I didn't hear you, Raphie," Mikey grinned from where he sat, flicking through the menu to save his game, "you said you'd play ninja hide-and-seek."

The red turtle rolled his eyes with a playful huff he knew would annoy the youngest, "Yeah, so?"

"SO!" Michelangelo exclaimed, powering his console down and shoving the controller into its charging dock, "We're totally playing it as soon as Dad lets us loose! Remember the forest there? It's perfect!"

"Sounds good to me," Leo smirked, "Raph also agreed to let me spar you guys in the training grounds."

"Le GASP!" Donny said theatrically, hands clutching imaginary pearls, "Raphael? Our personal bodyguard? Is letting you train…on VACATION?!"

"It's not training," the leader sniffed haughtily, "it's technically rough housing with my brothers. We don't have to use weapons, or we could, but either way if I'm not sparring against the warriors there, it's not training."

"Are you saying it's not training because we're too easy to beat?" Donatello snickered, fully intent on instigating an argument, or at least fluster his oldest brother, "Because that's what it sounds like."

"What…no!"

Raphael hummed low in his throat, giving Leo a fake bloodthirsty grin, "Big words, bro, ya think ya can back 'em up?"

"I never said-!"

"Especially with the Battle Nexus Grand Champion sitting here!" Mikey squawked indignantly, "Does my victory mean nothing to you, dude?"

"Oh, come on, guys!" Leonardo pouted, "You can't possibly think I meant it that way!"

The brothers tried to stay serious, but Donny broke first, unable to handle their leader's newfound ability to guilt them just by pouting. Mikey had serious competition in this area, as the blue turtle was adorable when he wanted to be, and had unfortunately also recently discovered how to weaponize it. "Oh, fine," the genius snickered, walking over to pat Leo on the head, "we'll stop. We know you only want to spend time with us, and I admit a good spar in the open does sound fun."

Leonardo smiled happily, nodding with enthusiasm, "Exactly! Think of all the moves we could try there that we can't do down here? We could even do team ups!"

"Oh, aniki," Don shook his head fondly, "we can't keep you away from training no matter what we try, huh?"

Leo rolled his eyes, "Its not training if I'm having fun."

"Ninja nerd," Raphael snickered.

The blue leader stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at his brothers, reveling in their giggles at his childish behavior. The firm sound of a throat being cleared grabbed the teen boy's attention, each turning to find their father struggling to contain his own chuckles at their behavior. Master Splinter stood to the side, his own packed bag on the floor and his hands grasping the gold and wood walking stick. A watery portal glowed in front of him, obviously having been opened while the team meeting was being held.

"Are you boys ready to go?" Splinter asked, amusement making his whiskers tremble slightly as he regarded his children with a semi solemn gaze, "Or shall I enjoy this vacation on my own?"

"Coming!"

….

"Welcome old friend!"

Splinter and his sons gave respectful bows as the Daimyo appeared, his large frame towering over them as he held both arms out in greeting. "It has been too long!"

"Indeed it has, Daimyo," Splinter replied, head still bowed before straightening up, "We were most pleased to receive your generous invitation."

"Think nothing of it," the man laughed, "this is pittance compared to what you and your sons have given to me. Speaking of which…"

The Daimyo turned, and softly beckoned to a small boy who had been peeking around the corner. The child scrambled to his father's side, bright red curls framing a cherubic face as little fingers gripped the fabric of his father's robe tightly. "You remember my son?"

Once again the group of mutants gave bows of respect in greeting, "Of course we do," Splinter affirmed, his face adorned by a happy smile, "I hope he is doing well?"

The Daimyo swooped down to scoop the child up into his arms, "He's doing extraordinarily well."

"That is good to hear, old friend." Splinter nodded.

"Shall we go in?" The Daimyo offered, sweeping his arm to gesture towards his opulent palace. "I'll instruct the maids to bring your baggage to your chambers. Then we can have a light meal to tide us over till dinner."

"Aw, yeah! Food!" Mikey cheered, but his exultation broke off in a yelp as he was slapped by Raphael.

"Keep yer trap shut," the red ninja hissed.

A quiet growl of reprimand made the brothers freeze, "I expect you to be on your best behavior," Splinter stated firmly, eyes serious, "we are guests, so behave as I have taught you and not as hooligans."

"Sorry, father," Raphael and Michelangelo both intoned sheepishly.

Leo and Donatello sighed, silently face palming at their brother's antics, "I guess it was too much to hope for that we'd last at least a day before their true colors came out, huh?"

Donny chuckled at Leo's dry remark, "Well, at least we can say that we don't put up a façade? What you see is what you get."

"True enough," the leader murmured.

Their father and the Daimyo chatted amiably at the front of their group, leaving the turtles to gape at the plush surroundings. The palace had apparently been renovated, not surprising since the destruction caused by the final battle with ultimate Draco. However, the interior seemed softer, less medieval. It appeared the Daimyo was putting more effort into making the castle more homely, and not so much like the fortress it was built to be. Leonardo heartily approved, it was a new beginning for the Daimyo and especially his son. It was good that the home now reflected that.

"Come, a midday meal has already been laid out for us," the Daimyo opened a door leading into a room glowing in radiant sunshine.

Leo couldn't stifle the gasp of delight as he walked through the doors. The room was not overly large, but looked like at one time it's purpose was as a green house. High windows, newly remodeled for stained glass, glittered like precious stones in the cheery light. Flowers blossomed along hanging vines, all adorning the eaves of the ceiling and hanging down the walls. The floor was stone, but not cold, it was a warm terracotta tile set in a beautiful mosaic that was soothing to your feet as you walked.

A low table sat in the center, laden with sushi of all kinds, lettuce wraps, rice balls and so much more. Comfortable pillowed mats sat on the floor, and after their host and father were settled at the head of the table, Leo took his place next to Splinter. Raphael sat down next to his leader, his quiet support ready to act at any moment if Leonardo needed it. Don grabbed the spot nearest the Daimyo, the ruler's young son seated between them, with Mikey on the end.

As the Daimyo picked up his conversation with Splinter, Leonardo performed one more silent headcount. Father, Raph, Donny and Mikey with the Daimyo and two kids. Ok, all present and….wait….two kids?

Leo looked down to see the small head of a little girl who had wedged herself between himself and Raphael. She was the picture of what a Japanese child would look. Black hair and almond eyes the color of sea salt caramel. Fine porcelain skin was covered by a kimono made of rich embroidered white linen, with pale pink silk underneath, accenting the delicate blossoms sewn into the overcoat of her kimono. With a solemn gaze, the girl regarded Leo, assessing him.

"Hi there, little one," Leonardo smiled gently, "what's your name?"

"Okiku," was the timid reply.

"Ah, what a lovely young lady," Splinter exclaimed, a fond look on the fuzzy face, "I was not aware you had a daughter, Daimyo?"

"I do not, though, I guess in a way I do now," the Daimyo sighed, though not unkindly, "some days ago, shortly after I sent the letter of invitation, my men found her wandering the woods nearby the castle."

"What happened?" Donatello asked, eyes wide at the news.

The Daimyo could only sigh yet again, "Something quite grave, I'm afraid. When asked who she was she stated she was the daughter of Eikichi Suzuki, one of the finest doll makers in the nexus. I had never met the man personally, but I was aware of his work. His wife was a dear friend of my own wife, that is, before she passed. I was not aware they had a daughter, but I admit, I did not keep in regular correspondence after my beloved's death. Regardless, I sent my men to investigate, and if possible, inform Eikichi of his daughter's whereabouts."

"I'm guessing their investigation did not end well?" Leo asked, voice heavy with dread.

"You would be correct in your assumption, young warrior," the Daimyo nodded, "when we arrived, both Eikichi and his wife were found dead, their bodies mutilated beyond recognition. This young girl is the sole survivor."

"How did-?" Don began, but paused as he remembered just who was listening to their conversation, "never mind."

The Daimyo seemed to understand what Donatello was asking though, "We aren't sure, Okiku cannot say how her parents died. Whether from trauma or because she simply wasn't there. All I can say is that whoever did it was incredibly strong."

"That poor kid," Raphael murmured, shaking his head in empathy.

Poor kid indeed. Leonardo knew all too well the horrible feeling of returning home to find only destruction left behind. Thankfully, his family survived that assault, Okiku's unfortunately did not. Leo looked down at his lunch, mind whirling with thoughts about the girl, and most importantly, her parents murderer. If she survived, then there was a chance their culprit may chase her down to finish the job. It wasn't unheard of. Especially since it all happened pretty recently. They would need to stay on guard to keep the little girl safe.

The blue ninja gave the small head a comforting pat, "Don't worry," he whispered, "you're safe here. We won't let anyone hurt you."

"No kidding," Michelangelo grinned, "Leo's the best ninja anywhere, and I'm the battle nexus champion! I'd say you're pretty safe!"

"Yeah," Raphael chuckled, "the only thing yer in danger of, is Mikey bein' an idiot like he always is!"

"Hey!" Mikey protested.

Leo shook his head as the inevitable bickering quickly ensued, his hand still patting Okiku on the head, "Don't worry about those two," he smiled, "I promise, my brothers and I are your friends. As long as we're here, we'll keep you safe."

The little girl looked up at the terrapin, as if trying to sense if he were lying, before slumping next to Leo. Wriggling under a muscle bound arm, Okiku made herself comfortable against her new protector. The table smiled warmly at the scene, and Leonardo released a small chuckle. Lunch returned to normal after that, with laughter and delicious food. All the while, Okiku snuggled close to Leonardo, while his hand continued to pat the girls head. A samurai and his charge, enjoying the afternoon among family and friends.

….

PRESENT

Leonardo sighed, his mind drifting away from the happy memory as he came back into consciousness. The joy at the phantom laughter filling his heart, melted like snow in a cold spring rain. A chill shot through his limbs, making the turtle shudder, and dread weighed as heavy as a chunk of concrete in his stomach. The blue turtle tried to move but quickly found his arms were fastened to his sides, more accurately they were strapped to the arms of a sturdy wooden chair. Scrunching his face, the swordsman realized he was missing mask, his face feeling naked and bare without its protection. Strangely, he was also missing his wrist and elbow guards, as well as his belt. The only part of his gear remaining being his knee pads. What had happened to him? The last thing he remembered, he was walking through the garden playing hide-and-seek with….

Navy blue eyes shot open and Leo remembered.

A rush of memory flooded the terrapin's brain, making Leonardo groan. The sound was muffled though, a gag of sorts keeping his mouth clamped shut. Silky soft ebony strands of what felt like hair served as his chains, both providing his silence and keeping him captive by tying his limbs securely to the piece of furniture. The ninja strained at his bonds, but his muscles were lax, rubbery and difficult to manipulate like freshly cooked noodles. The hair holding him down was tight, biting into the flesh of his arms, ensuring very little movement from its hostage.

Keen eyes scanned the immediate area, and Leo felt his heart quicken at what he saw.

A stone room, almost like a bunker, or maybe a cellar of some kind. Actually, the leader decided on the latter due to the dirt floor and the ruins of what used to be wooden shelves. No natural light came through, not that Leonardo knew if it was day or night, only a dim lantern hung overhead. While the light it shone was sparse, it couldn't hide the gruesome sight that sat in the chair next to the turtle.

Broad shoulders shaking with unrestrained horror, Leo squinted maskless eyes. Not two feet away was another chair, similarly bound in strangely reactive and almost sentient hair, and in it was clearly a corpse. A young woman. Wearing the uniform of the palace staff. She couldn't have been dead long, as she showed no signs of decomposition. Wide unseeing eyes stared right at Leonardo making the turtle gasp and buck against his restraints. The turtle threw his gaze around the room searching for a mode of escape.

The room was small, with just enough space for him and his cell mate. Leo shuddered, the cold of the cell melding with the horror around him making his blood feel like ice. Twisting his head around to the other side, the turtle noticed an IV stand of sorts, with a bag hanging up, pushing a clear liquid into his veins. That was probably why he could barely move. A table of strange and terrifying instruments lay not far beyond the apparatus with many syringes packed with mysterious liquids were scattered across the top. Scalpels and saws also glinted in the gloom, and Leonardo could plainly see they were flecked with blood.

The blue ninja wasn't even pretending to be calm and collected anymore. He was terrified out of his mind, the only coherent thought being one of escape.

Twisting his body, the young warrior writhed, pulling against the hair holding him and rocking the chair. An idea burst in the terrapin's brain, making him continue building momentum. His hope was to fall over with enough force to break the chair and cause some slack in his bonds. However, as Leo finally felt the chair give, he slammed his body onto the ground but felt no satisfying crack of wood. Instead the turtle lay on the floor breathing hard, eyes clenched shut as the hair reacted by tightening further. Opening his eyes, Leo blinked away the dirt that had blurred his vision. The hair tightened further, making the turtle groan in pain. Opening his eyes, Leonardo's heart skipped several beats as he found himself nose to nose with yet another corpse.

Panic overriding the warrior's senses…Leo screamed.