Early in the morning, Leo is fighting for his life. He was running from rooftop to rooftop to avoid the Foot Ninja and Foot Elite chasing him.

"There are times in your life when you draw on everything you have."

Leo stopped on a rooftop, tired of running from the fight. He drew his sword ready to fight the oncoming battle. Rain was coming down hard but Leo was only focused on one thing, the enemies in front of him.

"Times when you reach down into the deepest part of yourself."

The Foot Ninja surrounded Leo with their swords drawn and ready to kill the turtle in front of them.

"When you know you've got to give it your all."

Leo readied himself for the fight ahead.

"Because anything less... won't get the job done."

The Foot Ninja made room for Hun to walk through. He had a look of determination. Leo and Hun stared at each other in silence but at a battle stance."

"It's in times like these when you find out who you really are."

Leo took one hand off his sword and gestured for Hun to come here. He was ready for a fight, one he wasn't prepared to lose.

"That is... if you live long enough."

Hun growled in anger and charged at the blue ninja turtle. Leo jumped into the air, ready to kick Hun hard then return home to his family.

Early in the morning, before the sun rose. Leo's brothers and sister were still sleeping. Mikey was sleeping on the couch, Raph was sleeping on the floor, and Donna, who normally slept on the floor in April's room, was sleeping on the top of the couch after watching a horror movie late last night.

Donna's foot came in front of Mikey's face who sniffed the foot and slightly pushed the foot away. "Ugh, what died?" Mikey put his face deeper into the pillow to avoid the smelly foot.

Splinter was meditating on the couch chair but stopped once he heard a window open. "You're morning training, my son."

"Yes, sensei." Splinter got off of the chair and walked over to his oldest. "While the city's still quiet."

"Your discipline is commendable, Leonardo. Have a good run." Leo was about to leave through the window but stopped when Splinter said, "But I trust you are not thinking of going back to scout the lair alone."

Leo closed his eyes in frustration then calmed and turned back to his father/master. "Why would I do that? Just because the sewer tunnels are overrun with Foot Ninja so we're forced to hide here at April's like cowards."

Splinter looked at his oldest a bit shocked at how much his son revealed. He could tell that Leo was frustrated at how much they had lost. "You ask a question that is not a question." Splinter walked over to Leo and told him, "If we are to succeed against our foes we will need to act together as a team. Not as rash individuals."

"I understand, Master Splinter. I am curious though, with Shredder gone, what are the Foot Ninja up to?"

Splinter put a comforting hand on Leo's shoulder. "Patience, my son. I have a feeling we will find out all too soon." Splinter walked back to his chair to meditate leaving Leo to his thoughts.

Before Splinter could look at Leo again, he had already left through the window. 'Be careful, my son. For I fear something is about to happen.'

Leo run from rooftop to rooftop lost in his thoughts. 'We've been stuck at April's place for a month now with no chance of going home. Donna keeps reminding me of the safety measures she put up but is it enough?'

Another 30 minutes went by when some Foot Ninja spotted Leo jumping to another rooftop. Four Foot started to follow him with their swords drawn ready to fight the unsuspecting ninja turtle.

Leo continued to run with the Foot following him. One Foot decided to run faster and was ready to attack Leo but he could already sense them. Leoran was closer to a wall and before the Foot could attack him, Leo ducked down and the Foot Ninja tripped on Leo's shell hitting the wall.

Leo turned around to the remaining three ready to fight them off. 'This was not what I was expecting on my morning run.'

Leo took one katana out and was itching for a fight. He's been holding in a lot of frustration this past month. Leo turned around as he sensed more Foot Ninja behind him. 'Great, they brought friends. I can't handle all these guys surrounded like this.' Leo looked up and saw a wire above the Foot Ninja he had taken down. 'Perfect.'

Leo ran and used the fallen Foot Ninja as a spring to get closer to the wire so he could cut it then he swung like Tarzan to a more open rooftop. Leo started to run to get away but the Foot Ninja followed him.

At April's apartment, Splinter was still meditating while his children were still sleeping. Mikey rolled over onto his back and started smacking his lips. After his hand tickled his nose a bit, he hit himself on the face screaming which woke up Donna and Raph, Both grabbed their weapons ready to fight off the attack.

"What? What is it?" Raph asked.

Mikey laughed. "Oh, man. I slept on my hand and it got numb and it hit my face and I thought somebody slapped me. Don't ya hate that?"

Donna and Raph stared at their little brother and then at each other. Raph put his sais away as he said, "Words fail me."

Donna put her bö staff away as she stayed on the couch smiling at her brother's antics. 'Oh, Mikey, annoying but funny all at the same time.'

Mikey, on the other hand, joined Raph to where he was walking by doing a backflip. since it was the bathroom, Mikey ran inside first. "First dibs on the bathroom!"

Mikey closed and locked the door causing Raph to wait.

Later on, Mikey started to make circle eggs and as he was making them, April woke up. In her robes, she yawned and walked into the living room where Donna was still on top of the couch, Raph was reading a book on the couch, and Master Splinter was still meditating.

"I really do have four turtles and a rat sleeping in my living room. I thought I was having a really bad dream."

"Technically, I sleep on the floor in your room, but I fell asleep in here last night," Donna reminded her.

April rolled her eyes playfully and then smelled the air. "Hey, what's burning?"

"Mikey's cooking," Raph told her as he turned a page in his book.

The toaster was emitting smoke just as the toast came out. As Mikey was making the eggs, one of the yokes popped so he decided to make scrambled eggs. "Hey, scrambled's okay with everybody, right?"

"Again?" Everyone said disappointed by the sound of it.

Mikey turned around and saw Donna walking up to the TV to turn it on and saw everyone except Leo."Hey guys, where's Leo?"

"He is engaged in his morning exercises," Splinter told him.

Donna walked to the window and noticed the cloud coverage and she could hear the thunder from a distance. "If he doesn't get back soon, he's gonna get soaked. That sky's looking angry." Donna saw the lightning strike in the sky. 'Please be okay, big brother. I fear that we are about to experience the oncoming storm.'

Leo gripped a rooftop panting hard. 'This is not the workout I was expecting.' Leo climbed the rest of the way, walked to the center of the roof, and got to his knees to take a breather. If the Foot Clan wanted to tire him out, it was working. he was starting to feel the exhaustion in his bones.

The Foot Clan wasn't done with him though. Even more were on the same rooftop waiting to attack him. They had their swords at the ready, they were determined to fight him. Leo stood up with his sword at the ready. He may be tired but he wasn't ready to back down. Leo backed up and saw the oncoming traffic below him. 'Careful Leo, you'll end up a turtle pancake.'

Leo took out his second katana and growled in anger at the Foot Ninja. 'I'm not backing down from these guys.' The two stared down at each other, and then the Foot ran at Leo, ready to finish him. Leo was ready for them though, he ran at them, jumping on two heads then he kicked to down to the ground. Leo slashed his katanas, kicked them, and slashed them again and one by one, each ninja fell down to the ground, knocked out by Leo.

Leo turned to the fallen Foot then he sensed more from a distance. He saw more jump onto a rooftop. He stared at them in anger. 'More? Where are they coming from?' Leo saw a light flashing above him. He looked up and saw the lightning flashing in the sky. Rain started to fall on his face. While refreshing, it could make him sick and provide a disadvantage to him and the Foot. He needed to get back without them following him.

Leo paled at the sight of more Foot Ninja appearing on the rooftops in front of him. While the majority had swords, some had bö staffs and scythes. 'I'm not going to back down!'

"Got it!" Raph caught a plate that Mikey threw and he set it on the table. "Next!" Mikey threw another one and Raph caught it again. At that moment, April walked in as Mikey was throwing the plates at Raph.

She stopped and paled at the thought of the plates breaking. "NO!" April shouted to get the two turtles to stop but they didn't hear her.

"One more! Up high!" Mikey threw another plate high in the air.

"Not the China!"

The plate crashed onto the ground and broke. "Oops."

April sighed and put his hand on her head. "Why should today be any different?"

"Kids," Splinter said without looking up from his newspaper.

Mikey shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sorry, April."

"Yeah, really, um... You got any glue?"

Donna walked over and pulled out a chair for April to sit on. "Don't sweat it. I realize it's tough for six uh... people to share a one-person apartment."

Donna put a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, "We'll be out of your way as soon as can."

Feeling bad, April said, "Don't get me wrong, I love you guys, I really do... it's just... my place is too small."

Splinter walked over and sat down at the table. "We will leave as soon as the Foot Ninja are gone from the tunnels surrounding our lair."

Mikey walked in with plates of scrambled eggs in his hands and arms with a plate of toast on his head, he also had a jar of jelly in his left hand. April noticed this and got a bad feeling in her stomach. "Can I help you with that very delicate China, Mikey?"

"I got it, thanks." Mikey threw everything into the air and April covered his eyes, not ready for the horrors of her China being ruined. The plates started to come down and April heard an air-swishing sound. When she opened her eyes, the plates were on the table, each plate of eggs was in front of the four sitting at the table, the plate of toast was on the table, and the jam was in the center. Nothing was broken or out of place. Mikey laughed and a bit smugly said, "Ninja training."

Mikey grabbed another plate with eggs and sat down with it. He began to eat vigorously with the others watching in shock.

"Say what you like about Mikey. The guy knows how to scramble an egg." Raph began to eat his eggs like Mikey.

"So, one would think that table manners were a part of their training?"

"One would think," Splinter said, agreeing with April as he watched Raph and Mikey eat their eggs. Donna ate her eggs calmly while hungry and she has eaten like her brothers before but right now, she just wanted to eat breakfast.

"Shouldn't Leo have been back by now?" Mikey asked.

Donna swallowed her food and told him, "Hey, out of the four of us, Leo's the one turtle you never have to worry about."

If only Donna was wrong, at this point in time, Leo's life is on the line with the Foot Ninja fighting him.

Leo ran forward and attacked the oncoming Foot Ninja. He jumped over the first one and kicked him from behind. He kicked the next one down and blocked various attacks with his sword. Leo kicked away three Foot Ninja, knocking them down to the far corner of the roof. Leo spilt-kicked two Foot Ninja then he ran to kick another one, shoulder pushed another but got to him but Leo was faster. He got to one knee and kicked the Foot back.

Leo punched and kicked four more, piling them up to another corner of the roof. Leo went to an opposite corner and tried to relax. He was panting harder than he was earlier. 'I don't know how many more I can fight. With the others, it was easier but now fighting them alone is harder. Especially with how tired him getting.'

Leo put his swords away and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was about to run back to April's place but he looked up at the tall building and saw the same invisible ninjas from when Raph was kidnapped. 'Great, these guys.'

The invisible ninjas jumped down and Leo saw himself in their reflection. Leo took out his katanas ready for the next fight ahead of him. The invisible ninja activated their invisibility leaving Leo unsure where to attack. Leo slashed the air waiting for the oncoming attack.

Leo was kicked from behind, knocking him to his knees. Leo growled in anger and stood up, mere seconds later, he was kicked to another rooftop. He landed with a small splash from the puddles of rain.

Leo looked around, trying to find any trace of the invisible ninjas when suddenly, he was kicked again to a nearby wall. He released one of his katanas from the impact of the kick. 'Come on, Leonardo. You can do this.' Leo wiped the rain from his eyes, picked up his katana and once he was on his feet, he started to slash at the air.

Leo got hit two more times then he fell back down. He quickly got back up and spun his swords but was hit again by the invisible ninja. They picked him up and threw him over the roof. Before becoming a turtle pancake, Leo put one of his katanas away and gripped the roof's edge. He pulled himself up and with one sword gripped in his hands, he saw the splashing footsteps of the invisible Ninjas'

'Breath, Leonardo. Remember what Master Splinter taught you.' Taking a deep breath, Leo turned his mask around to cover his eyes. 'I don't need my sight to fight these enemies. I just need to focus.' Leo began to focus on the sounds around him. He heard the footsteps in the rain and once he sensed it kicked the air, revealing an invisible ninja.

Leo waited once more, the sounds of the rain were drowning out leaving only him and the invisible ninja. Twirling his katana into one hand, Leo waited then he slashed, Red sparks appeared the second invisible ninja's invisibility was destroyed. Leo kicked him knocking the ninja out.

Waiting in a battle-ready position, Leo waited as he heard footsteps approaching him. Leo jumped in the air, and slashed at the ninja. Sparks emerged from the ninja. Knowing his cover was blown, the ninja took his sword out ready to attack, but he wasn't expecting Leo to come at him, still blindfolded and kicked him. The ninja fell to the ground, knocked out. He put his sword back and turned his mask back. He looked down and bowed to his downed opponent.

Leo ran and jumped to another rooftop to start his journey home but his battle with the Foot was far from over, it had only just begun.

Donna and Raph decided to clean up from breakfast. Donna washed the dishes while Raph dried them. Mikey came from around the corner and asked, "You guys need any help?"

"Keep him away from the dishes!" April sounded as if she was annoyed and she knew that Mikey would destroy her dishes if he so much as touched them.

Mikey smiled with a victorious smile. "Yes. It worked." He laughed and went back to watching TV or doing whatever Mikey did.

"Is it just me or is he getting worse?"

Before Donna could answer, a large lightning flash came out of the corner of her eye. The oncoming storm was starting to become concerning, especially since Leo hadn't returned but she knew that her older brother would be okay. "Leo must be nuts to be out in this weather."

Donna handed Raph a dish who began to dry it with his towel. "Ah, you know Leo is training. Nothing stops him." Lighting continued to strike down in greater intervals.

Rain started to pour down hard, as lightning kept striking down. Leo could feel the exhaustion creeping into his bones. The rain helped slightly but not much. More Foot had cornered him each ready to deliver the final blow. They stopped when Hun arrived. He made them move so he could have a turn.

'Hun?! First all the Foot and now Hun! What are they trying to do?' Leo stepped back in fear, unsure of the battle in front of him. He focused and prepared himself to fight Hun. Hun cracked his knuckles ready to take Leo on. Before, he could barely handle the four turtles together, now there was just one in front of him. One already weakened from his previous fights.

They stared at each other as lightning and rain came down upon them. Leo, making the first move, gestured at Hun to come at him. Hun roared as he charged at Leo but he jumped over the raging Purple Dragon leader. He landed on the ground behind him as Hun turned to the turtle.

Leo gestured at him again but not wanting to get blindsided again, Hun grabbed the concrete bar near him, broke it off, and started to fight Leo with it. The two fought with their weapon for what seemed like hours to Leo but wanted to end it quickly, he jumped into the air to use an air attack but Hun managed to hit him into an air conditioner, destroying it completely.

Leo groaned in pain while Hun walked to him, ready to deliver the final blow. Leo wasn't backing down, he grabbed his sword and jumped behind Hun again. Hun charged at him but this time, Leo was ready. He moved to his right enough to dodge Hun's attack but where he could push him into the chimney, knocking the weapon out of Hun's hand but the damage to the chimney was enough to fall on Hun knocking him out. Leo turned to the other Foot who barely moved a muscle. "BOO!" The Foot Ninja walked backward and fell off the roof in fear of what Leo would do to them. With Hun defeated and the Foot Ninja gone, Leo continued his journey back home, not knowing something much darker was coming for him.

On April's TV, Raph and Donna were watching the football game. The duo was more talking about the various mascots in football rather than the game itself.

"Panthers, rams, bears, they even got dolphins, you think they have room for something a little more reptilian," Raph complained.

"I'm pretty sure there are some reptile mascots somewhere. The turtles, my friend, unfortunately, the lowly turtle has been saddled by society with the stereotype of being velocity challenged," Donna told him while still watching the game.

Raph turned to Donna confused. "Say what?"

Before Donna could explain herself, Mikey stepped in front of the TV while one of the players had the ball and was closing in on a touchdown. "May I have your attention please?" No one acknowledged Mikey. Not even April and Splinter who were looking at a map of the sewers. Mikey burped for at least 90 seconds which impressed Raph and Donna who applauded for him.

"Cool, gross, but cool."

"EW!" April said grossed out by the burp. She facepalmed herself and shook her head.

Splinter, feeling sympathetic, said, "This is what I live with all the time."

"Please, you're too kind."

After another few seconds of clapping, Donna stopped and asked, "I can't believe I clapped for that."

Tired of waiting around, Raph stood up. "That's it. I'm gonna look for Leo so we can get this show on the road. No offense, April, but we really need to get back to our Lair. I'm going stir crazy."

"You are going nowhere until your brother returns. Sit."

"Man, what a chip. We gotta sit around on our butts while Leo's out there having all the fun." Raph sat down on the couch arms crossed and bitter about the current situation.

Rain was still pouring down and it seemed to intensify to Leo as he ran from rooftop to rooftop. The Foot and Hun recovered from their attack from Leo and continued to chase him.

He stopped when he could jump to another rooftop and he was completely outnumbered. Normally, he could handle enemies at the mass like this, Splinter had taught him and his siblings how but with the chill from the rain and the previous fights, Leo was exhausted. His breaths were deep and fast, he could feel exhaustion in his bones, he knew that this was a fight he would struggle to win but he refused to give up.

The Foot didn't approach him, instead, they made room for Hun to walk through and the invisible Foot Ninja. The ninja clans stared at each other waiting for one to attack the other. Leo roared into the sky and charged at the Foot Ninja. 'I refused to GIVE UP!' Leo took his swords out and started fighting the ninjas surrounding him, One by one, sometimes even two by two or more, the low-ranked Foot Ninja started to fall. Tired of the incompetent ninja in front of him, Hun charged at Leo but he planned for this ahead of time. Before Hun could attack Leo, he grabbed the antennae pole and smacked Hun in the face. He put his swords back and waited for Hun to stay down but he didn't.

Hun rubbed his face and then stood up. He was about to attack the turtle again but smiled when he saw someone behind the unsuspecting turtle and laughed evilly and back up as the Foot Ninjas bowed. Seeing that Leo was shocked, 'They're bowing, they wouldn't bow unless someone high ranked in the Foot Clan or the Shredder was here. But we killed the Shredder! I saw it, they saw it, my family saw it!'

Leo turned around and saw four ninjas each wielding a different weapon. Each looked even more intimidating than any Foot Ninja he had fought. Their arms and hands were wrapped in bandages, black clothing with no sleeves, and red boots, their faces were covered with red masks and they wore a hat.

Leo could feel their power from a distance. 'Who are these guys? They feel stronger than anyone I've ever fought. I can't think about that now, I have to fight them until I can beat these other guys." Leo took his swords out and screamed as he jumped to attack the new enemies in front of him but they disappeared in a cloud of smoke before he could do anything.

Leo looked around and in another cloud of smoke, the ninja reappeared on the ground by Hun and the other Foot Ninja. The ninjas moving in the blink of an eye fazed him a bit but he didn't let it shake him as he got into a battle-ready position. However, everyone, including Hun turned and bowed at someone. Leo saw the figure and his eyes focused on the dark figure but the lightning made it clear.

Oroku Saki was alive. The Shredder was back.

"No." Leo's blood ran colder than he ever felt. He knows that Splinter killed the Shredder weeks ago but now he's here.

In the blink of an eye, the four elite ninjas returned to the rooftop Leo was on and began to fight him. They were stronger and faster than anyone he ever fought. Each of his attacks missed while the attacks of the elite ninjas hit him. Leo fell to his knees and they waited. Waited to see if he was finished. 'So, Shredder wasn't to finish me, I know these guys would if they would. I won't quit!'

Leo jumped into the air and started to attack the elite ninjas. He blocked each attack as the rain started to get worse. Then all of a sudden, Leo became overwhelmed by the attacks. They knocked his swords out of his hands and he fell off the rooftop.

The clock showed that it was late and Leo should have returned hours ago. He missed breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"Hey, guys. I'm really starting to get worried. Leo should have checked in by now," Mikey said looking at his brother and sister worried about their older brother.

"This is a first but I'm thinking Mikey's right," Donna said as she grabbed her bö.

Splinter joined them with April following from behind. "Master Splinter?" Raph looked at their master for guidance and approval.

It was silent but Splinter sighed. He knew that he was only delaying it. His oldest son was missing and had been gone longer than he should have been. April put a comforting hand on the rat master who looked at his children and said a single word. "Go."

The three walked out ready to find their brother. "Jeez, what if happened to him?"

All of a sudden, Leo was screaming and he was thrown through the window of April's apartment.

"LEO!"

"Leo, what happened?!"

The concerned siblings ran to their brother and he was badly injured. Raph and Mikey knelt down to their brother but Donna stood at their side speechless and with tears in her eyes. Splinter joined them and Leo opened his eyes briefly and saw his younger siblings scared, confused, and angry. "Who did this to you?" Raph asked with a ringing going through Leo's ears. Leo struggled to get an answer out, every part of his body hurt. Angry, Raph grabbed his sais and was about to leave. "I'm gonna find out who did this."

"No, Raph." Leo's voice came out raspy and weak. Raph turned around and saw Leo reaching out to him. "Wait." Raph went to his side and with a hand on each other, Leo pulled Raph closer and said, "He's back. The Shredder." With a rasp, Leo passed out.

Everyone's eyes grew wide with shock. They looked out the window only to see another fight coming for them.

The elite ninja bowed to their knees and one of them held up Leo's swords to their master. He walked over to them, grabbed them, and without even flinching, broke his swords like a pencil. Lightning continued to strike down as he laughed evilly knowing that one of his enemies has been defeated.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Uh... sorry for the late update.

I have been very busy with school and my job. So, again, sorry. I can't promise faster updates, because I know there are other stories like this where they are already on like season 3 or 4. But I'll release the chapters when I'm able. Love Y'all! Thanks for reading!