A/N: Sorry about that. I was planning on updating last week... or the week before, I can't remember. Anyways, it's here now, so, please enjoy and review! :3
Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT.
A clang echoed throughout the dark and crumbling lair. Destruction and age had taken hold on the old abode. Broken bits of bricks and what were once pieces of pillars lay scattered in mounds about the seemingly empty clearing. A ray of artificial light crept from between the cracks of a door.
Donatello, looking tired in his lab coat, peeked his head through the door, spilling light onto the remains of the lair. A worried expression was etched upon his features as yet another clang broke the near silence. He turned as a green hand gently tapped his shoulder. He met the gaze of his red-masked brother.
"I'm sure Tenjin has it handled." He comforted Don in that thick Brooklyn-accent of his. Don frowned. "I know, but if that heart-" He began. Raphael smacked the back of the genius' head lightly. "Don't worry about it Don, ain't no use in it. He ain't gonna stop even if ya' tied him t'an anchor. At least he ain't runnin' off t'the surface bro'."
Don sighed. "I suppose you're right, Raph."
"Damn right I am."
"Yo, bros, can I have some more ice cream?"
Raph's face fell into a scowl. "At least Leo ain't annoyin' us with 'favors'." He grumbled. Don merely chuckled and retreated back into the room, letting the door close with a soft click. The clanging sound continued.
~.~.~.~.~.~
"You are an even better fighter in your own body, Master." Tenjin could not help but compliment as he was forced to dodge another sword stroke. Leo furrowed his eyeridges and stepped back, lowering his katanas. "Don't call me that, Tenjin. My name is Leo or Leonardo, but I am not your master." Leo sighed, wiping a thin layer of sweat from his forehead. Tenjin shrugged. "Sorry, it has become a habit of mine... Leonardo-san. It is one not easily broken." The ninja offered. Leo still appeared peeved about something but he shook his head and nodded to Tenjin.
"Let's continue this." He said, raising his katanas once more. Tenjin nodded and took a stance, wielding a katana in his left hand and a wakizashi* in his right hand. Leo went into motion, sprinting with a slash aimed for Tenjin's chest. Tenjin smacked it aside with his wakizashi and drove the pommel of his katana into Leo's solar plexus.
The blue-masked turtle twisted aside, effectively dodging the blow. Leo continued his twist, ending up behind Tenjin, and sweep kicked the ninja's feet out from under him. Tenjin fell on his back and rolled with the motion, keeping his weapons tucked close to his body. He rose into a crouch, waiting for the next move.
Leo, still standing, motioned for Tenjin to come at him. The ninja grinned under his mask and complied happily. Tenjin sprung, becoming a whirlwind of slashing blades. Leo began weaving in a dance to avoid the sword strikes. His eyes darted to the red symbol patched onto Tenjin's chest. He seemed to freeze up and leapt back, dropping his katanas. Leo was pale, as if he had seen a ghost.
Tenjin blinked. "Leonar-" He began.
"I need to rest." Leo cut in quickly before sprinting off, fleeing the lair and racing through the sewers. Tenjin stood there for a few seconds, frozen in shock.
~.~.~.~.~.~
Leo sat at the end of a dark dead end tunnel. His shell was against the mossy wall and he sat limp there with his eyes glazed; staring into the inky blackness of the tunnel. He remained silent and motionless. Had anyone been watching, they would have thought he was a mossy rock. His thoughts, however, were another matter.
Flashes of distant memories played in his mind's eye. His face was blank and he cringed slightly like a tormented animal.
Blood upon steel and a red symbol akin to flesh.
Tears welled and he closed his eyes. "Please stop..." He whispered, dropping his head into his hands. He felt a rough patch of skin on his cheek and couldn't suppress a shiver as he thought of the cause of the scar.
He wrapped his arms around himself, quaking now. Another memory flashed and he cringed. "My... body... used." He choked out. "Filthy... unwanted..." He gasped in breaths.
He pressed the palms of his hands to his closed eyes before clenching his skull in both hands. "Get out of my head. Get out of my head. Get out-get out-get out!" He screamed. His scream echoed throughout the tunnels.
Leo tensed as yet another memory that did not belong to him played in his head. His vision went fuzzy, replaced with a first person view of a dark room.
The voices of his brothers were scattered about him. The lights came on and his brothers were waving him towards the kitchen where Mikey was cooking breakfast and Master Splint was sipping a cup of tea at the table. Both greeted him warmly.
His vision went fuzzy again.
He was now in Master Splinter's room, a syringe in hand. His father was sleeping peacefully on his bed as Leo silently approached. He could feel the corners of his mouth rise into a malicious grin as he stood over Master Splinter and stabbed the syringe into his father's flesh.
"No!" Leo cried, trying his best to think anything else to stop the memory but failing.
His father's eyes snapped open and met his. Splinter's mouth opened but only air escaped and his body shuddered before jerking wildly. His father's eyes remained focused on his until he went still. Master Splinter's eyes glazed over.
Leo felt for a pulse on the old rat and found none. A laugh tore through his throat, followed by a chorus of laughter.
Leo was now pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. He was quaking. "Father... I... I..." He choked out, tears streaming from his eyes. "No more!" He whispered. Leo turned and pressed his forehead against the wall. "I can't take it. I killed-no! I didn't! I didn't kill him! I couldn't have killed him!" Leo whispered again, becoming terribly confused by the memories.
"I won't let it take over me!" He cried, bringing his head back to slam it against the wall in hopes of losing his corrupted memories. He brought his head down on the brick wall with a heavy smack. His vision exploded with stars and he slumped over onto his side. Unconsciousness tugged at the edges of his mind and he let the darkness take him.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Tenjin knocked lightly on the lab door. He held Leo's katanas, wrapped in a bundle, under his left arm. The door opened, revealing a nonchalant Raphael. The red masked turtle's eyes darted down to the katanas in Tenjin's hand. "What happened? Where's Leo?" Raph growled.
Tenjin cocked his head quizzically. "He said he needed to rest and I figured he was here..." Tenjin trailed off. Raph's face became a mask of anger and frustration and a tinge of worry. Tenjin placed a hand on Raphael's shoulder.
"I will find Leonardo-san. Rest easy, Raphael-san, I will bring him back before you could say vanish." Tenjin said before sprinting off. Raph started after him but felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Don's warm smile. "Don't worry; I'm sure Tenjin has it handled." Don said. Raphael sighed. "Alright, I get it, Don."
The genius grinned and turned back. Raph stood there in the near silence for a moment. "Vanish." He whispered quietly.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Leo slowly opened his eyes in the inky black tunnel. He shook his head and sat up. He reached a hand up to the new bumpy bruise on his forehead and winced at the touch. He shivered, remembering how and why he had the bruise. He leaned against the wall and inhaled deeply before exhaling. He placed both his hands on the slimy but rough slabs of concrete underneath him. He hauled himself to his feet with a grunt of effort. Leo exhaled a wisp of warm air that seemed ashen in the darkness. His eyes, hidden under the blue mask, were filled with something akin to a dead stare.
His stare broke as he raised his hands to his eyes. Although it was too dark to see clearly, he could have sworn they were glistening with the crimson of his father's blood. Leo snapped his eyes shut and turned his gaze away as tears burned under his lids.
He dropped his head and took a tentative step forward, his arms hung down at his sides. He took another step and another. His legs moved without his cognition. He did not know how long or where he had been walking, but he found himself standing in a great open space. The sound of water rushing around him and the slight creaking of metal rang all around him and he opened his eyes. The metal beneath his feet was solid and held in place from chains secured to the ceiling. He lifted his gaze up from his feet and glanced about.
The 'open space' appeared to be a pumping station. His eyes turned to the sound of churning water. On the level below him, upon paved ground, there stood a small fountain. He gripped the rail of the cat-walk and vaulted over the side. He landed in a crouch, absorbing the shock in his ankles, and rose to stand before the fountain. It spouted water noisily, only for the water to drop into its deep dished figure, as if it demanded his attention.
He dropped his gaze to his 'bloodied hands', seemingly lost in his own world. He thrust his hands into the water and scrubbed them roughly with tears streaming from his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Father… Please forgive me…" He choked. "It wasn't me; I didn't do it… I don't think I did…" He rasped, confusion dragging his thoughts about.
"Leonardo-san?"
Leo didn't turn at the voice, he only scrubbed harder. The water began to cloud with his blood.
A shadowy form dropped down behind him silently. The shadow stood and placed a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Leonardo-san," Tenjin began. He froze in mid-sentence as he caught sight of the blood in the fountain's water. "Leonardo-san, stop!" He shouted in shock as he hooked his fingers onto his carapace and began yanking the turtle away from the fountain. Leo was dragged back and he stumbled wildly with blood dripping from the raw skin of his forearms.
Tenjin placed his hands on Leo's shoulders and stared into the turtle's eyes. He was met with nothing but a dead stare. Tenjin shook him fearfully. "Leonardo-san! Snap out of this!" He shouted in the blue-masked terrapin's face. Leo blinked a few times and sagged onto Tenjin. The ninja held his friend. "Leonardo-san, I do not know what is wrong, but you cannot afford to do this. Your family has need of you." Tenjin said. Leo took a step back and rubbed his eyes. "I know, Tenjin, but I-" He began before his gaze fell into another blank stare and his body began quaking. Tenjin shook him again and Leo panted as he regained his senses. He dropped to one knee and wiped at the sheen of sweat that had formed on his brow. Tenjin knelt down before him and watched worriedly.
"My worst nightmares keep playing in my head, Tenjin. When the Shredder was in this body, he murdered my father—and now the memory—the memory is driving me insane! I can hardly tell who I am and who killed my father! I am losing myself!" Leo gasped, clearly struggling with his explanation. Tenjin listened silently, taking in all the information. Leo's breathing remained ragged as he struggled with his mind.
Tenjin's hand struck Leo's cheek with a loud slapping sound. Leo's cheek reddened and he looked at Tenjin with a clearly surprised expression.
"Problem solved, Leonardo-san. I understand that this is extremely difficult for you; however, your family needs you right now as much as you need them. I know this is a lot to ask from you, but try to ignore this 'problem' until your family has recovered. Keep your mind occupied with things other than this 'memory' and when all is well, I promise we can attend to this issue. Now is simply not the time, Leonardo-san." Tenjin spoke calmly, gently placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.
Leo took a deep breath and nodded before looking Tenjin in the eyes. "Please do not let my brothers see me like this. Promise me that, Tenjin." Leo whispered, a pain stricken expression was etched upon his features. Tenjin nodded. "I swear it by my breath and my blood, Leonardo-san."
Leo relaxed visibly and, with Tenjin's help, he stood. Leonardo's eyes briefly closed as he inhaled and opened when he exhaled. He glanced down at his raw forearms. Tenjin held up a hand, indicating for Leonardo to remain still. Leo complied and Tenjin removed a small satchel from his belt. Tenjin released the pin holding it closed and the satchel unrolled, revealing the contents of the med-kit. Scissors, blades, and multiple forms of gauze were safely stuffed in the med-kit's many pockets. Tenjin began tending to the wounds on Leo's arms while the said turtle's eyes darted about the pumping station.
Tenjin released Leo's arms, now freshly bandaged, and packed the med-kit away. He removed the bundle carrying Leo's katanas from a sling strapped to his back and handed it to the blue-masked ninja. Leo took the bundle and unwrapped his katanas. He handed the cloth back to Tenjin, who packed it into his belt. Leo sheathed the blades upon his shell, not taking his eyes off the large expanse of the pumping station. Tenjin's face wrinkled in puzzlement under his mask and he followed Leonardo's gaze.
"This would be a good place to start a new home, no?" He asked, not at all being subtle. Leo glanced at him and nodded. "My thoughts exactly… Let's get the others."
Tenjin smirked under his mask. "What of my blood-kin?" He asked, referring to the other ninjas. Leo, already walking, simply turned his head. "I did say 'others', didn't I?"
Tenjin chuckled and followed. "I suppose you did, Leonardo-san."
A/N: Don't forget to review! It really does motivate me!