A/N: Yay, another chapter. I pre-wrote this because I knew I wouldn't have enough time this week to work on it. I'm busy with our military ball preparations, y'know? Plus, I'm currently addicted to Skyrim. It's so awesome! Also, Darker Than Black (an anime series I've been into for awhile) has taken a bit of my Fanfic time. Sorry, I promise that I'll be updating on my normal regular basis.
P.S. There's quite a bit of cussing in this first bit, so you were forewarned!
Disclaimer: I own not the TMNT. I bet you saw what I did there with that statement.
Leo emerged from the bathroom. He tightened the mask over the red marks on his features. A fist struck his face and Leo stumbled back, his arms striking the doorjamb as he fell on his shell with a thud. He stared up at his red masked brother's face. Raphael looked furious. No. Furious was an understatement. Leo stared in shock, he had not expected the strike and he didn't know why Raph had struck him either.
"You fucking liar! You lying piece o'shit!" Raphael snarled as he drove a fist into Leo's abdomen. Suddenly the searing pain came back, racing through his veins and exploding at the point of contact from Raph's fist. Leo gasped out his breath but Raph was suddenly working his fists fast and striking his older brother as hard and as fast as he could.
"I fucking trusted you!"
Raphael moved up to Leo's face, driving a left hook into his brother's jaw.
"You fucking psychopath!"
Leo found himself paralyzed by pain. He didn't know how it was possible. He had been through so much more pain as a child. Why was this so much more painful?
"How many did you kill? How many people did ya fucking kill?!"
Leo brought his arms up in front of his face, Raph didn't seem to care. He punched Leo's forearms, blinded by his rage.
"Fucking talk you fucking piece of shit!"
Leo remained silent, he would let Raph work himself out before he even tried talking.
"You fucking asshole! You fucking killed innocent humans! Are ya gonna try t'kill us too?!"
Leo stiffened at that. Kill innocents? Innocents? The need rose up, angry-furious! He had not killed any innocents! They deserved to die! Kill them? Kill his brothers? Kill the very people he sought to protect? Kill the people he loved? Kill them?! Kill them?!
The chain snapped. The need was loose. The monster was loose.
Leo's vision was laced with red. His eyes took on a furious glint. The need wanted-no-it demanded payment!
Leo's legs snapped out, knocking Raph back with a kick to the snout. Leo rose to his feet in a swift motion and sent a swift hook at his brother, testing the defenses and trying to slip in. Raph blocked the punch and Leo saw his opening. Leo aimed a crescent kick for Raph's throat only for his leg to be caught in a crushing grip. Leo twisted free, breaking off the contact. He darted forward again. His punches were deflected and he snarled angrily. He would need to use something else to get past his brother's guard. Leo ducked under a swift right cross. Time slowed just for a moment and a moment was all that Leonardo needed with Raphael' s exposed abdomen. Leo broke into a swift series of elbow strikes to Raph's stomach, causing the younger turtle to grunt with each strike. Leo sidestepped beside Raphael and released a powerful chopping strike to his brother's right side. The red masked terrapin clutched his stomach as he quickly turned around to face Leo. The younger turtle didn't know what had hit him. Leo had moved too fast. Too different.
Leo moved again, sprinting. He leapt at Raphael like a spear. Raph moved his hands in front of his body to block any kick that would come. A kick did not come. Leo's knee broke through Raphael's flimsy defense, snapping his brother's wrists. His knee impacted with Raph's sternum with a series of cracking sounds that had likely been the younger turtle' s rib cage. Raph's eyes went wide and blood streamed from the corners of his mouth. He stood stock still. His brain was in shock from the blow he had just taken.
Leo dropped into a crouch and sweep kicked Raphael. He shoved the red masked turtle onto his shell and wrapped his hands around his younger brother's throat. He squeezed, feeling the pleasurable sensation that arose from life slipping away. Raph struggled under his weight, but his injuries prevented him from doing much. The strike to his sternum had incapacitated him. It hurt to breathe, but that wouldn't matter much when Leo was strangling the life out of him. Blood filled Raph's mouth with a coppery taste. Raph's vision blurred and was spotted with black dots. Leo watched his brother writhe and his mouth open and close soundlessly.
Raph felt his strength wane. He was going to die. Leo was going to kill him.
Crack!
A piece of wood had struck Leo's face. The blue masked turtle was thrown back and landed on his shell with a thud.
Air. Precious air filled Raphael' s lungs and pain followed soon after. He stared at his purple masked brother who stood over him protectively while facing a stunned Leo. Donatello gripped his bo staff tightly and glared his eldest brother down. Leo shook his head and blinked several times.
He froze and stared at Raphael. He dropped his gaze to his hands in horror. He had lost control. He had tried to kill Raphael. He had tried to kill his brother. Memories flashed before his eyes swiftly. He shrank back in horror, not wanting to believe what he had done. Leo rose to his feet and ran, ignoring Don' s shouts. Leo escaped from the lair and raced through the sewers. The pain was still there, it raced through his veins like flames. His right shoulder throbbed painfully. It felt as if it had thousands of flaming needles jabbed into it.
Leo stumbled and fell on his plastron in dirty water. He yanked his mask off and tossed it aside. He bit back a scream of pain as a ripping sensation tore through his right hand. Pain. Pain. Pain!
Leo uneasily rose to his feet. His teeth were chattering. He dropped his gaze to his hand and stared in horror. Claws. He had claws. Leo staggered back.
"No! No! No!" He cried. He gripped one of his three claws with his left hand and pulled. Blood sprayed wildly, splattering on his face and plastron as the claw tore free. He tossed the bloody memento away but dropped to his knees as yet another claw took the missing one's place. Leo breathed in quick ragged breaths. He stared at his hand. It couldn't be possible. It could be happening!
He heard voices and turned to spot several running shadows.
His family. He needed to get away from them. He needed to get away now. Leo rushed to his feet and sprinted again, leaving the mask where he had thrown it. He sprinted long and hard, ignoring the pain. He finally collapsed when he could run no more. He collapsed in a small pool of filthy water. He struggled to his hands and knees, wincing as his claws grated against the stone ground. Leo could feel the world spinning around him.
He shook his head and slowly rose to his feet. He froze and turned swiftly. A dark figure stood behind him, only the silhouette was visible. Leo stared. "Stay back. I can't promise your safety if you come any closer." He spoke.
The figure laughed coldly. "Where have I heard that before?"
Leo stiffened. That voice... it couldn't have been. The figure moved forward, becoming visible. Leo stared. It wasn't real. His mind want playing tricks on him.
The bipedal terrapin offered Leo a smirk. An ugly brown scar was visible on one side of the other turtle's head. Twin katanas were strapped to his carapace. Twin was a good word. There could have been no other explanation for the gray eyed turtle who stood there. He had a muscular tone to his body and the same emerald green skin tone as Leonardo.
"Hello, Naito." The other turtle greeted icily.
Leo-Naito slowly staggered to his feet. "Leo," he managed to say.
The other turtle laughed in ill humor. "Yes, that was the identity you tried to take from me. I am Leonardo. Not you. You're the crippled demon that used to haunt my dreams. Look at you. You're pathetic. You wouldn't deserve my name, let alone my identity."
Naito straightened, still clutching his throbbing shoulder. "How... How did you... I thought you were dead."
Leo folded his arms across his plastron. "I was. However, a human found me and revived me back. I almost didn't survive, brother. Unluckily for you, I did survive. I am stronger now. After you tried to kill me, I realized that I needed to train so that I could beat you when we met again. It seems that won't matter much seeing you now. You wouldn't stand a chance against me."
Naito shook his head. "I don't want to fight you again."
"Then I will take my vengeance in another form." Leo said. He strode forward, calmly, and his right fist struck Naito's snout. Naito took the blow, he felt broken. He would let his brother take whatever revenge he wanted. Naito didn't have much of a purpose now and he knew he deserved everything Leo would do to him. Naito fell on his shell and kept himself still. He watched his twin calmly.
Leo knelt down next to him and unsheathe a katana. The blade was long and sharp. He pressed the blade to Naito's throat. His gray eyes flared angrily.
Naito stared into those eyes and he saw something familiar. Naito smiled a small smile and closed his eyes,waiting for the blow that would finish it.
It never came. He opened his eyes and stared.
Leo's eyes were wide and confused.
"I can't. I've wanted this more than anything. Everything has led up to this and I can't do it. I can't kill you."
Naito remained silent.
"Why can't I do it? I've killed so many others. Why can't I kill you?!"
Leo released his grip on the katana and he turned away.
"Leo. I can do it for you." Naito said, his left hand wrapped around the katana hilt and he sat up to face his brother. Leo turned back to him with a shocked expression.
"You would take your own life for my sake?"
"Yes."
Leo was silent. He shook his head. "No. If you die, it has to be by my hand. I have to be the one to kill you." He said, yanking the katana from his brother's hand. He stood and faced his brother. His gaze narrowed. "You have to fight back. I can't kill you unless you fight back. So fight me!"
Naito shook his head. "I won't fight you."
Leo ground his teeth angrily. "What about the monster? Will the monster fight me?"
Naito's gaze snapped up angrily. "No! It will not fight you! I am in control here, not it!"
Leo smirked. "Really? What would make you fight me then? Hmm? Oh. I work for one of your worst enemies. I work for Agent Bishop. He revived me to health and trained me. I worked for him so that he would, in turn, help me track you down and kill you. I shot you up with a concoction of my own. I shot you with an anti-mutagen. It was meant to tear apart your genetic code and it's worked quite well so far."
Naito stood slowly and faced Leo with a glare fixed upon his features. "You're a fool, but I won't fight you. I can accept the lot that I have been dealt, Leo."
Leo laughed in ill humor. "Fine then. I'll go after the others. I'll kill the rat first, and then I will kill our adoptive brothers. Slowly. I will make sure they remember the real Leonardo."
Naito shook angrily. "You wouldn't dare attack your family."
Leo smirked. "I would. It was my intention from the very beginning, brother. I was going to kill you and then the family that left me to die. I will get my revenge, Naito. I don't care what it takes."
Naito cursed under his breath and unsheathed a katana. "Dammit Leo, it doesn't have to be this way!"
Leo raised his own katana. "It does. Either you fight me, or I kill them."
Naito growled angrily. He didn't want to attack Leo a second time. He didn't want to kill his twin, but he didn't have much of a choice but to fight. Leo would go after his family if he didn't fight.
Naito struck at his brother in a slash. Their blades met with a clang. They leaned in, shoving all of their weight against each other. Naito gritted his teeth grimly while Leo smirked savagely. The blades began to squeal as they slid and scraped. Leo headbutted Naito and the older turtle stumbled back. Naito brought up his katana to block an overhead slash. Leo slashed savagely. Naito ducked and dodged. Leo was definitely good with a katana. However. Naito was a master of kennjutsu.
Naito ducked under another slash and stabbed his blade up, underneath and inside of Leo's guard. The scarred turtle back stepped, narrowly avoiding a blade that would have impaled his throat. Naito rose to his feet.
The brothers regarded each other calmly and circled.
Leo smirked and spoke. "You still do not want to fight, even after what I have said and done."
"I do not wish to kill you."
Leo nodded and whipped his katana lightly. "I understand that. Surprisingly. Do you know why, brother?"
Naito grimaced. "Enlighten me."
"I have the same need as you. The need to kill. But I can't kill a certain few. Either I pity the person, I care for them, or it would happen to be a special case like you. Certain requirements would have to be met."
Naito nodded. He understood his brother's point. Leo smiled and continued.
"No one would ever be able to accept us for what we are. Not our adoptive brothers. Not our adoptive father. Not even Agent Bishop."
"Why?" Naito asked.
"The world pushes us. It pushes us without mercy. When we push back, the world will point and cry that we are evil. And that brings up another question. Do you believe you are evil, brother?"
"No." Naito answered without hesitation. He clutched his throbbing shoulder and his gray gaze narrowed.
"Then what is it, brother? Are you good or bad?"
Naito shook his head. "I have wondered that my entire life. Am I a good person doing bad things? Or am I a bad person doing good things? Until now, I knew not the answer."
"Then what are you?"
"I am a serial killer."
Leo laughed at that, a true laugh. It was deep and resonant. It had a soft baritone sound to it. "A good answer, Naito. But, enough talk for now. I can see your strength waning. I would like to fight you while you are strong and able."
Naito nodded and readied himself, lifting his katana. They two took stances and studied each other silently. Leo rushed forward and Naito ran to meet him. Leo ducked under a slash and stabbed at Naito's abdomen. Naito sidestepped and kicked at Leo's face. Leo ducked to the side and swiped his katana at Naito's ankles. Naito slammed his katana in its path and a clang rang loudly in the tunnel. They fell into a type of rhythm. Naito would strike. Leo would evade. Leo would strike. Naito would evade.
Naito knew he could not afford to fight a long battle. He needed to end it swiftly. Leo stabbed at Naito's throat. Naito shifted his torso to the side and slammed his knee into Leo's solar plexus. Naito dropped into a crouch and kicked Leo's legs out from under him. Leo landed on his shell but rolled to his feet. He exhaled and his gray eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected a strike like that.
Naito flicked his katana and took a defensive stance. Leo raced at him, swing his katana at his face. Naito leaned back and his eye caught a flash of silver too late. He twisted to the side but something sharp slashed through his right side, just barely slicing through tightly knit muscle. Naito quickly made some distance between himself and his brother. He pressed his right hand to the wound. It was bleeding profusely.
"First blood." Leo stated flicking the blood from his second katana. Naito removed his hand from the wound. He adjusted the grip on his katana and released a deep breath before entering another stance.
"Last blood counts." He returned as he darted forward. Leo smirked as he ran to meet him.
Their blades met in a clash of sparks. Leo's two blades versus Naito's one katana. Naito could see the fault in his brother's fighting style now. Leo relied too much on his wits and strength, but it was still a deadly combination. Naito pushed forward, shoving his brother back. Naito suddenly shifted his weight up, forcing Leo's katanas up. Naito then dropped his katana and drove two fists into the base of Leo's throat, using his powerful legs as the force behind the blow. Leo had managed to move back in an attempt to escape the attack but Naito was too fast. Leo stumbled back, spitting blood and coughing. His shell thudded against a wall and he seemed dazed for a moment. Naito scooped up his katana and rushed forward.
He was no longer using ninjutsu, as it seemed that that was what Leo knew. He was mixing everything he knew. Every punch, every kick, every take down... they all flashed through his mind at that moment. Naito suddenly froze as pain shot up his spine. He dropped his katana and fell flat on his plastron, splashing in the shallow water. He mentally cursed. It could have ended there. He could have finished it.
Leo rubbed his throat and straightened. He approached his fallen brother and stood over him, staring. Naito grunted in pain and lifted his torso up with shaking arms. Leo knelt before his brother and lifted Naito's chin up so that their eyes met.
"That was good. Really good. I should be dead. You have my respect. However, I hold the blade now, and you did fight very well. I can kill you now. After I kill you, I will kill our family."
Naito growled at that and pulled away from Leo but his brother held him fast. "They deserve to die just as much as you, brother. They didn't know me well enough to see an impostor."
"Splinter did."
Leo frowned. "What?"
"He found out and I told him I had killed you. He attempted to kill me."
"Yet you are here before me."
"They needed Leonardo."
Leo laughed. "Me, huh, that's," he began.
"Not you. I figured it out now. You deserved to die that day. Harsh as it may sound, the law of retribution states that I had every right to kill you. You left me to die and I did the same. Our debt to each other is repaid. We both survived, and that is a testament to our strength, genetics, or whatever you want to call it. Either way, I don't owe you a damn thing. You threatened my family. I will not be idle as you do so." Naito stated, his eyes were fierce and unwavering. Leo found it unsettling.
Leo growled and slammed his brother's skull against the ground, emitting a grunt from Naito. "You have no strength to fight me, brother." He hissed through his teeth. There was a pause. "I do not need strength."
Leo fell back as a flash of silver flew at him. A shuriken glanced against his raised katana. He rose to his feet, as did Naito. The latter looked worse for wear. Naito looked ready to fall over. The anti-mutagen in his bloodstream was taking its toll on him. Every part of his body radiated pain. He would have very much liked for Leo to run him through then and there for an escape from the pain. Naito instead inhaled and exhaled deeply. He had to protect his family this one last time. Leo was a major threat. Raphael could have stood a chance against Leo, but he was in no shape to fight. Don and Mikey could maybe handle him, it was a big maybe. Leo seemed to be nearly equal to Naito in his fighting prowess. Even Master Splinter would have a hard time facing Leo.
So Naito stood ready, through the pain. He had one thing left to do. He had to kill his twin again, as much as it pained him, it had to be done. The only problem was that in his current state, he didn't stand a chance.
Naito scooped up his katana and rushed forward. He swung at Leo, who easily blocked the blow. They exchanged blows, each blocking and neither landing a hit.
There was a spray of blood as Leo's katana tore through the back of Naito's right forearm. Naito grunted at the hit and twisted aside to escape a slash that would have taken his right arm. In his twist, his back was turned to Leo for a moment.
A moment was enough.
Leo moved in and both of his katanas stabbed through Naito's shell and stuck out of his plastron like gory spikes. Naito gritted his teeth and screwed his eyes shut. His katana changed to the ground.
Leo smirked and twisted both blades. Naito grunted in pain.
"I'll kill our family after this. I just want to see the life fade from your eyes."
Naito turned his head slowly to glance at Leo's gray gaze. Naito's gray eyes were calm. Leo blanched and dropped his gaze to his plastron. A katana hilt jutted out of his midsection. Naito's clawed right hand was wrapped around the hilt. Leo shuddered and blood streamed from the corners of his mouth.
"You opened yourself on purpose. You meant for this happen." Leo managed.
"My family is my priority. I knew I was going to die. I wished I wouldn't have had to do this, Leo." Naito whispered, leaning into his brother as his life drained away. Leo leaned into his brother as well, his strength rapidly fading away.
"Naito... I... I don't want to die again." Leo whispered back, his coldness quickly disappeared.
"Hush, brother. Let the darkness take away the pain."
"I... I am afraid of it, Naito."
Naito released his grip on his katana. He reached back for his brother's hands and removed them from the katana hilts. Naito turned and wrapped his arms around his twin as they sank to the ground.
"Fear not the night, brother. Dawn is but a heartbeat away." He whispered as their heartbeats waned.
"I'm sorry for everything." Naito sighed.
Leo was silent for a moment. Naito stiffened. Was he already dead?
Then his younger brother stirred and wrapped his arms around Naito.
"I forgive you." Leo replied.
Naito closed his eyes with a smile and all went still.
A/N: Just when they were reunited, too. Cue the evil laughter, folks.