They stared at each other from across the dojo, with squinted eyes and slightly bared teeth. Donatello had his bo held out in front of him preparing to defend himself against the impending onslaught of his immediate older brother, Raphael.

"Put down the staff, Donnie, and no one gets hurt." Raph yelled. Donnie scowled.

"No way! The last time I dropped my weapon you just picked it up and beat me with it. I refuse to be tricked again!"

"Suit yourself." Raphael shrugged as he readied his sai in front of him. As Splinter called to start, the world around Donnie seemed to fade away, making him stiffen. Suddenly, a red and orange blur flew by his head. Before he could comprehend what had happened, he was curled up on the floor in pain. He lifted his head slightly to try and glimpse at his attacker, only to gasp in shock. There in front of him stood his brother, eyes blazing red and fire lacing his fingertips.

"Raph… what's going on?" Donnie whispered.

"He can't hear you." a voice rasped from behind him. Donnie whipped around in shock. The voice had come from a tall man dressed in a shadowy grey cloak. His hair circled his head in long white wisps, cascading in a wave down his back. His eyes were inhuman black orbs that seemed to bore their way straight into Donatello's soul.

"What have you done to him?" Donnie demanded. "This thing can't be my brother. Where is Raphael?"

"He works for me now, just as your brothers soon will." the stranger laughed. You have no idea how special you are, do you Donatello?"

"Special?" sputtered Donnie, his voice laced in sarcasm. "There are only a handful of mutants in the world. Of course we're special."

"But you top all of them!" The man declared. "After all, there are few who can resist my powers all on their own."

"Your powers? What exactly are you?"

The stranger paused at Donnie's question, but then simply smiled.

"I'm just like you, little one." he replied. "You may call me Kurotame." As Donatello was about to protest, Kurotame held up his hand to silence him.

"One last warning, little kappa*." he whispered. "If you wish to survive any of the challenges ahead, you must learn to control the strength you've been born with; to rule with an iron grip and a kinship that none of the other yokai can ever hope to match." Then, with a swish of his cloak, Kurotame vanished. Donnie was left alone with his brother, who still had that same crazed gleam in his eyes. Before Donnie could react, Raph charged at him again knocking him onto the ground. Blows came at him from all sides. He curled up into a small ball on the floor, hands protecting his face and trying to ease some of the pain.

Stop…

Even his own thoughts sounded shaky.

Just stop… Raphael… Please…

Donnie could feel a strange pressure building up deep within his chest, barely contained by his last bit of sanity.

I said…

"STOP!"

Raphael was blown away from him, limbs flying out to break his fall. Donnie could feel the surge of pent up anger flowing through his veins. He would not stand being defied! When Raph regained his footing, he ran over and bowed at Donatello's feet.

"Lord Nurarihyon**, I have found you at last!" he cried, his eyes still glowing their bright, mysterious red-gold. "Please accept me as part of your Hyakki Yako." The scene around Donnie began to swirl as he slipped back into oblivion. The last thing he saw before the world faded completely was the large, accomplished smile on Raphael's face.

~I\I~

"Donnie?"

"Come on bro, you're scaring me."

"Donatello, you have to wake up!"

Donnie's eye's snapped open as he registered the sound of Mikey's voice. The purple-banded turtle was lying with his back pressed to the floor. His brothers, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo, along with his Sensei and father, Master Splinter, were standing above him, faces marred with grief and worry.

"Guys, what happened?" he asked.

"You were sparing with Raphael when you passed out, my son." Splinter answered. "Have you been feeling ill?"

"No...I mean I don't know for sure. It all happened so fast." Splinter turned to the others.

"My sons, I fear your brother may be becoming sick. You should leave him alone so he can rest."

"Hai!"

Donnie turned with his brothers to leave the room, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Donatello, please stay." Splinter said. "I have need to speak with you alone." Donnie sat down on one of the dojo's tatami mats and waited. Once the other's had completely left the room, Splinter turned to face him.

"Tell me everything that just happened during practice."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Sensei." Donnie whispered nervously. Splinter smiled.

"Trust me, my son, I know more than you think." Donnie took a deep breath and began the tale of the demonized Raphael, the stranger, Kurotame, and the odd manifestation of a power that could very well have saved his life. Splinter had paled significantly by the time Donnie reached the end.

"What did you say he called you?"

"Raph called me 'Lord Nurarihyon'. Why? Is that important?" Donnie answered, sounding concerned.

"No. It is nothing. You must have been hallucinating. Go and lie down. I must meditate on this matter." Splinter warned, before retiring to his quarters. Donnie sighed, and left the dojo for his own room to get some much needed rest.

~I\I~

That night, Donatello dreamt of darkness and fear. He was surrounded on all sides by his brothers, who had their weapons held defensively out in front of them. Raphael's eyes were glowing bright red, and flickered with hints of gold. His sai were encased with a fire that flowed from him and up the cold metal of the weapons. It was then that the enemy began their assault. Monsters flew at them from all directions, baring sharp teeth and poisoned claws. Behind them, Donnie could see the tall figures that headed the enemy army, there hands held out as is conjuring a spell. Then, as if in a trance, Donnie felt himself do the same. His arms stretched out in front of him, while his hand made a familiar gesture that had been drilled into each of them since the beginning of Splinter's training.

Attack!

Leo struck first. His eyes were charged with hunger and excitement, glowing so light of a blue that they seemed almost white. His katana whizzed through the air before him. Every time one hit, the enemy would be frozen stiff until their body was shattered by the force of Leo's second blade.

Mikey fought on Donnie's other side, his nunchaku whirling frantically in defense. His opponents became shrouded in smoke as Mikey's eyes became a misty, dark grey. He flew straight into the middle of the mess, and when the fog cleared, all of mikey's enemies were strewn bruised and bloody on the floor.

Despite all of this, Donnie noticed the enemy's continued advances. The four brothers were pressed into a tighter and tighter circle until they were forced to stand back to back.

We can't keep this up for much longer. This is it. We're finished.

"Not quite." A voice called from beside him. There stood Kurotame, the stranger dressed in grey. He gave Donnie a hesitant smile.

"You are the one who can win this battle, little kappa. The others will fall without your guidance."

"But how can I help?" Donnie cried. "I'm useless. I can't do anything right. I... "

"You can lead a hyakki yako***." Kurotame interrupted. "You have a power that has been thought to be lost for centuries, and I know you are the only one with the will power and intelligence to master it." The grey-clad figure turned to face Donnie, his expression cold and his words clipped.

"And if you choose not to harness these abilities soon, all you have ever loved will most certainly be lost." Kurotame whipped around and vanished in a puff of smoke. Donnie watched in horror as his brothers did the same, until he was alone on the battlefield. He fell to his knees, and cried out in a voice filled with grief and agony.

"NO!"

Donatello sat straight up in his bed, his entire body drenched in a cold sweat. His hands gripped his sheets tightly. The soft purple fabric pooled around his fingers. Suddenly, the door came crashing open, and Donnie's brothers barreled into the room.

"Donnie, what's wrong? We heard you scream!" Leo yelled.

"It was just a bad dream." Donnie assured. "I don't know why I keep having these strange nightmare. They're starting to scare me."

"I'm sure you'll pull through, D. Nothing can keep you down for long!" chirped Mikey. Donnie smiled.

"Okay. With that settled, let's go and get something to eat. I'm starving." They all laughed, and walked to the kitchen, oblivious of the bright crimson gaze peering out at them from the darkness.

* - Japanese River Demon

** - A very important yokai, especially in the anime this story is based off of!

*** - A band of 100 demons.