This is it. The last one.

I have goose bumps.

The epilogue..

Raph uses the punching bag, pummeling it. "Where's the shell head?" He asks. Leo rolls his eyes.

"He'll be here, just be patient."

"Yeah yeah, right."

"You've been late before and Mikey didn't pester us about it. And he was itching to use his nunchucks that day." The last Mutation day, Mikey was given his weapon, nunchucks.

"Whateva, Fearless."

Leo crosses his arms at the nickname, "Hot head."

"Guys, don't argue here-" Donnie tries.

"Teacher's pet." Leo's eyes widen. Raph instantly takes it back, "Sorry man. I didn't mean it honest. I just-"

"Raph, it's okay," Leo says. He smiles, assuring his brother that 'pet' and 'slave' don't bother him anymore. Just then, Mikey walk in.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to these dudes," he says. He pulls at his training gi. They all wear something like it. Mikey and Donnie have matching white gi's, only the edge of the shirts and a stripe down the legs are their certain color.

Raph had chosen an all red gi, the same shade as his mask. But his stripes are jet black. He refuses to wear the shirt, saying it interferes with his punches. Leo has the same as before, except the black fabric is cut by a solid blue stripe on each leg. He too doesn't have the top.

"We're all here, let's get our sim-g's and get to the dojo." They had the glasses color coded. They each pick theirs up and put them on. "Jarvis, activate dojo sim."

"As you wish, sir." The barn fades and they arrive at Master Bãcharu's dojo. They see him waiting.

"Master Bãcharu," the first three say, bowing. Mikey does a half wave, half bow.

"Hiya Master B'," he says.

"Konichiwa, Michelangelo-san," he says with a smile. The others right themselves and they get in a line to practice katas. Master Bãcharu corrects them at each. When they finish he assigns them to the daily training.

Mikey goes off to the patio to train with the master with his nunchucks, since he's only had them for two months. Donnie and Raph are supervised by Leo for sparring.

"Hope I won't break that bo a yers?" Raph asks as he twirls his sais, "/Again?/"

"No fair Raph," Donnie says.

"Sorry, you are one year lower than me. To the 'B' team with you." Donnie attacks first and loses to the usually hot headed brother.

"Yeah? Well, I'm not scared into my shell of cockroaches," Donnie retorts.

"Why I outta-!" Raph starts forward, but Leo stops him.

"How about a silent sparring time," he calmly suggests. Raph huffs and nods. Although Leo and Raph had grown to fight each other, he still respects his brother. "Again."

When they've gone through sparring five times, Raph winning four of them, then Leo allows them to themselves. Raph goes to the dummy and Donnie goes over bo staff katas until it is his turn with their sensei. Leo goes to the rock garden.

He sits on the rock he favors and sits in lotus position. Looking across the rocks, he can see both the patio, where Mikey is trying not to hit his head, and inside the dojo, where the other two are. He remembers when they tried to help him, Mikey and the fire truck, Donnie with his genius brain, and Raph to support him, to not bully him like he probably would have grown to do.

They all made it through. He had spared Splinter, but he knows that the rat is beaten. He didn't have to kill him. In sparing him, he showed he is stronger than Splinter thought.

Because the duel wasn't about freedom. It was to conquer his fear. And Leo knows that if he ever sees Splinter again, he won't be a shivering little turtle boy that had a chain on his ankle, but a kindred warrior, who knows honor, discipline, and true strength. Leo, is a ninja.

Leo is free. The turtles are at the Ranch. Splinter (since I couldn't kill him) lives with his mistake.

I hope you loved my story. Be sure to give credit to Crystal-Violeta for giving me inspiration for it.

And for the daily at-the-end-of-each-story promo..

Finished stories are:
~THIS ONE!
~Tsuma
~Thing About Pets
~April Fool's Day (for you Young Justice fans)

Current ones:
~Country Lass
~ Divided for Favor
~(wait for it.. wait for it..) SENTŌKI will get started this Tuesday! Finally!
~Leo (I can't say it is finished until I get it all up, but this one is done. In Google)

On Pause:
~One shots for both Clintasha and Bucky Stories (Haven't been working on them, but give 'em a good read for me.)
~Red Hood has a Heart (only mentioned because.)

Thank you for the support and reviews! And now.. to treat myself to a full day tomorrow of only two main stories to focus on.

And then.. SENTŌKI!