Note To Readers: This is it! Look out for Sonic Chaotic Overdrive next year. I'm not good with sequels so I might not come back to do a sequel for TMNT Unlimited, so I hope this ends well. Thanks again for reading and see you later!

Chapter 17: Passing the Torch

In the Turtle lair, Splinter meditated with his oldest son. He looked over at Leonardo, who frowned in his meditation. He growled as he travelled deep into his thoughts. "Something troubles you my son."

Leo broke out his meditation, and answered back to his master. " I could not lie to you, sensei. I… I think I have a dark side… When I fought Shredder…I enjoyed…taking his life… I thought he killed you… and Raph followed you… He deserved it right? I enjoy…punishing others…"

"I sensed this ever since you were a child my son," Splinter said. "You have a dark cloak over you my son. I first thought Raphael possessed this. He does not. Raph has a rage that is easily triggered. Whenever you fight someone you are angered with, this Dark Aura appears over you."

"I have to get rid of it, right?!" Leo jumped to his feet. " I can't sit around, killing anyone that does something wrong! What if I get into it with Raph again?! I'm just going to kill him!"

"Relax, my son," Splinter said. " This requires long meditation. Something you will not be able to master being here in this rage filled city…this is why I am sending you to Japan. I want you to go deep into the rainforests, and train yourself in the art of Bushido, the way of the samurai."

" I can't go to Japan. I have to protect my brothers. What if the Foot returns?" Leo said. " Plus, who will teach me? I can't go this alone… I'm a ninja…we fight together."

"This is why I want you to learn Bushido alone," Splinter said. " Back when I was in Japan, ninjas who possessed the Dark Aura would leave and meditate, deep in the trees and allow the souls of the samurai to help defeat the Dark Aura. Once they return, they are mastered in the way of the samurai and are far stronger than any ninja. This is what I need you to do."

Leo looked into his father's eyes, and realized there was no way to change his mind. Leo sighed and bowed his head. " As you wish, sensei…"

The Gym Room

Raph dribbled the basketball and made a shot as he heard his brother enter the chamber. " How's the wound?"

"It's alright," Leo said. " I can't feel it anymore." Leo ran over and stole the ball from Raph and made a quick layup. " I can still smash you in basketball, if your wondering."

"Haha," Raph laughed. " This ain't the ninja tests, pal. You already know I always whoop you in basketball. Don't even try it."

Leo smiled and passed the ball to Raph. " Fine. Check!" Raph caught the ball and began to dribble quickly. He ran to the hoop and went up for a shot, but Leo jumped up to smack it down. " Check that!"

"Idiot," Raph said. Leo turned around and saw the ball he smacked bounce high and land in the hoop. "Might need to check your ninja reflexes, because you just gave me a point." Leo grabbed the balls and in bounded the ball to Raph. Raph ran up again, but Leo swiped the ball from his brother's hand. Leo ran back to the line and shot a burner that made a loud swish into the basket. " Ah, Kobe!"

"Nope," Leo laughed. He caught the ball from Raph, and crossed him over in the same breath. He leaped into the air and dunked the ball into hoop. " King James!"

" Okay," Raph said as he passed the ball to Leo. Leo went up for a three pointer, but Raph snatched it out the air. Raph ran back and passed the ball through Leo's legs and went around him going up for a dunk and smashing it into the hoop. " Dwight Howard with the Superman!"

"Okay!" Leo said. Raph tried to passed the dunk between Leo's legs, but Leo palmed the ball, and turned around. Leo ran back to the line and dunked from the free throw line. " Michael Jordan. Top that!!! And I will give you the ball."

"Bad Idea," said Raph as he caught the ball from Leo. Raph took the ball and tossed it at the backboard. Leo turned around ducked from the ball. Raph gripped the ball, jumped off Leo's shell and flipped into a dunk, breaking the hoop. " Now guess who did that shot!" Leo smiled and shook hands with his brother. " Don't worry. There will be other games."

"Raph," Leo sighed. " I'm leaving to Japan…"

"What?"

"Master Splinter," Leo began to explain what Master Splinter said. " I'm going to need you to be the leader of the team while I'm gone."

"Team?" roared Raph. " There is no team without you! This won't workout right-"

"If Splinter wasn't sure about this, he would have never asked me to leave…"

" I… I'll try," the younger brother said. " Keep in touch?!"

"Believe it," Leo said smiling. Leo walked with Raph to the garage. " While I'm gone, I want you to keep up with my bike. Alright?"

"No prob," Raph snickered. " As long as you like red."

"Hey!" Leo smirked. " it's still my bike."

" Wait!" The two brothers turned around to find their youngest siblings running to them. " Take this with you Leo!" Mikey said, handing him a incredible Hulk comic book. "Since you're going through a "got to stop my bad side" thing, I thought I should give you this Hulk comic. It just fits your coming lifestyle."

"Say Cheese!" Don yelled as he hoped up behind his brothers. Mikey spun around with a quick grin as the flash surprised his older brothers. "Sorry, I thought you would say no if I asked…"

Leo stood over the sewer pipe full of water. "So I should swim to the middle of the sewer system and I should enter the right sewer vowel and the current should take me to the shore of the JFK, Right?

"Yup," Don said. "The Plane leaves in an hour. I estimate the swim plus the current will be at least 45 minutes."

"Great." Leo said. He picked up his metal bookbag Don built for him, and stepped into the water. "Well. I geuss this is see you later…"

"What do you want me to say to April," Raph asked.

"Ha," Leo laughed, despite the griping feeling in his gut. " She won't even realize I'm gone. Later." Leo dived into the water and swam into the large pipe that lead to the sewer water. Leo seemed to black out into his thoughts on his journey to Japan, constantly deep inside his thoughts. Don't fail me Raphael.