ABOVE IS IMAGE THAT INSPIRED SILENT SWORDSMAN UNIFORM - Credit to @ithiliam
I do not own TMNT

April groans as her head sways back and forth, and she grits out, "Don, I'm losing him. I can't see anything. And my head... Gah, my head! It hurts...!"

The human girl flinches violently as she hears one final stream of warbled words fading into the distance. "You're underwater...deep, deep underwater. You're drowning. Do you want to come back up? Then take a deep breath and... redux."

Leonardo comes shouting back to life, thrashing violently as he springs up from his spot on the couch.  Raphael immediately leaps towards him, moving to situate his hands over his shoulders. The red cladded turtle's hands barely grazed the skin of his shoulder blades and he suddenly found himself air-born as his older brother seized his arms and sent him flying over the couch with an anguished scream. The blue cladded turtle blinks rapidly as his wide eyes survey his younger brother who was rubbing his head as he comes up on shaky legs from his crumpled position on the ground. Then his blue hues flicker over to the human girl and his purple cladded brother, and he sniffs lightly his jaw clenching tightly and he gulps thickly as his throat bobs.

Wordlessly, Leonardo hastily makes his way out of the room and makes a beeline for the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him and locking it. After a second, he slowly sinks to the floor and he pulls his hands around his knees, hugging them so close that they dig into his chest. He hears someone's breathing outside the doorway. His mind flashes back to when he and his little brothers were small, delicate little things, a far cry from the pictures of strength and skill they were in the present. He remembers laying awake just to watch all of his little brothers' breath as they lay sleeping on their pile of dirty, sodden rags that served as their shared bed. Now with every intake he hears outside the door, he feels the invisible noose around his neck grow tighter and the door, the room, the sewers beyond are all the further away. He burrows his face into his knees, shaking like a leaf in the wind and he feels warm beads of water cascade down the sides of his face and dribbles down in between his fingers. He doesn't make a sound as his eyes water painfully spilling forth like a leaky faucet and his breath doesn't even hitch.

"You're drowning...drowning...drowning."

There's a knock on the door. "Leo? Leo," Donatello's voice is quiet, fretful, "You're really starting to freak me out. Please just come out, okay? Whatever it is we can talk about it. We can fix it."

Leonardo tries to say something, anything, but he can't. He parts his lips and his voice chokes off in his throat and he feels as if his air is cut off. The words of his brother made no difference at all. The mutant turtle was beyond all reason, beyond all-natural methods of calming. The blue cladded turtle wheezes painfully, clawing at his throat and his crying gradually rises in volume. He drops his head, feeling it loll weakly as his three-fingered hand slaps over his mouth and he moans into it as his eyes blink frantically trying to clear the watery blur from his vision.

"Oh my god, Leo, come on! Talk to me," The purple cladded turtle's voice is no longer quiet nor calm, it is loud and panicking, "Are you hurt?"

"Don," The blue cladded turtle finally manages to choke out, watery, "I'm fine. I just..."

"Don't even try and lie to me, Leo," Donatello hisses, his palm smacking on the door, "I'm serious, Leo. Open this door or I swear, I will go get the others."

Leonardo just can't. He can't face his brother, knowing what he'll have to tell him and he can't breathe. He can't breathe. He's underwater. Deep, deep... He gasps out wetly, dragging his fingers down the steep inclines of his throat, and waits for the door to give in, waits for his brothers' collective angry voices to be mere inches away. To be shaken like a ragdoll when they ask him for an explanation he cannot possibly give. Donatello doesn't kick the door down, and when it opens there's not a gathering of the rest of his siblings and their human friends. The door opens, and his little brother is holding up a small hairpin with a sheepish look on his face. He crouches down on his knees in front of his older brother, quietly pushing the door closed behind them.

"I'm not seeing any injuries," Donatello realizes aloud, "So if you're not hurt..."

Leonardo stubbornly shakes his head and stays quiet, turning his head upwards towards the ceiling in a pathetic attempt to hide his watery eyes. Residual tears trace the underside of his eyes and slowly begin their descent down his flushed cheeks as he audibly gulps.

"So," The purple cladded turtle inquires, crossing his legs and leaning forward to bore holes into his brother's upturned head, "Now you're going to give me the silent treatment? You know, you're usually my favorite brother to be around because you don't pull the same childish antics as Raph and Mike."

"J-just go, Don. Please...please..."

"Leo. Come on, tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing. I swear," The blue cladded turtle sniffles childishly and sucks in a shaky breath. He grits his teeth and tries once more to futility stop his tears.

"You don't cry for nothing," Donatello declares boldly, his gaze narrowing at the statement, "I know you, Leo. You didn't even shed a tear when Raph pulled your arm out of its socket during a sparring match! Hell, you barely blinked! When you cry, it's bad. It's really bad."

Leonardo stubbornly wipes his face on his arm, and chokes out, "Seriously. I'm fine. I'm just being a baby."

"Come on. I'm out of guesses," Donatello says as his hand runs over his face, "Something's wrong, something's really wrong and I don't...I can't fix it if you won't tell me what it is."

"Don't you see? There is no fixing this, Don!"

"How do you know that," The purple cladded turtle barks back, his voice thick.

The blue cladded turtle mutely shakes his head, before spitting out," Because it's me. Don't you see it? I'm the... the t-thing that's broken here."

Donatello's sharp intake of breath makes the latter flinch. "Don't say stuff like that. Just don't. You're not broken. You're not..." He trails off, and he looks like he might start crying too as he gasps out in a wet voice," You are not broken, Leo. Whatever made you think that... Look at me. Look at me."

The blue cladded turtle glances into his younger brother's eyes, and his lips part ever so slightly.

"We're brothers, Leo. And I want you to know, I have always had faith in you. In the best of times, and even in the worst of times...you've always been there to lead us," The purple cladded turtle's voice was unsure and strained, making the latter's heart shudder," For once let us lead - Just let us lead you. For once you don't have to face this alone. You've always tried to protect and hide us, but who protects you? All I'm asking is that you rely on us...that you trust us the way we trust you."

"Don..."

"Please, just please, tell me what you saw. Tell me what's wrong. Trust me, Leo. Please," Donatello begs.

"So you must choose here and now, if you wish to simply forget everything you've stumbled upon about yourself over these past few weeks, or if you want to keep going down this path, and eventually find the door."

Leonardo grunts softly as he shakily goes to his feet, gently batting away his younger brother's reaching hands and his expression is desolate, his blue hues cold and unfeeling in their sockets. "This incident has likely delayed our patrol. With crime on the streets only getting worse and the Kraang getting bolder we can't afford to slack off," He says, at last, wiping his fingers under his eyes as he brushed away the residual wetness of his tears. His voice almost sounds robotic as he goes on to add, "Tell the others that we're hitting the surface in ten."

The purple cladded turtle stands stock still, recoiling for a second as if his older brother had struck him. Then he slowly nods in acknowledgment, his mouth set in a hardline. Under his breath, he says, "I see," Then after a tense moment he goes on to say in a louder voice, every word sounding distant, "Uh, yeah...yeah I'll, uh, spread the word."

"Good." Then the blue cladded turtle is walking away, feeling the weight of his brother's eyes on the back of his shell.

———

Leonardo raises a three-fingered hand into the air, signaling his brothers to cease their movements and fall silent. "Hold up, ninjas," His blue hues quickly flicker around the seemingly empty rooftop and he proclaims," I have a feeling we're not alone here."

Gasping, Michelangelo whispers in return," You're right, Leo. We have a potential spy!" He slides across the rooftop towards a fidgety squirrel situated on a ledge, narrowing his eyes at the furry rodent. The squirrel chitters, cocking its head at the turtle then tosses its nut into the air and skitters away.

"Shh," Donatello hisses, going tense," I thought I heard -"

"Foot! Attack," A voice cries from above.

Leonardo's eyes dart heavenward and narrow at the sight of Karai, and he huffs in annoyance, puffing out his cheeks. She sends him a wink, her painted lips twisting into a smirk as she sends him a little wave, wiggling her fingers at him. His hands twitch over the handles of his katana blades, waiting for the inevitable assault and the kunoichi front flips from her perch on the rooftop, expertly swinging her tanto blade as she lands crouched with it drawn at her side. The blue cladded turtle turns his head to see his red cladded brother standing at his side with his sais drawn, his lips curled into a silent snarl. He gives him a curt nod and draws his twin katana, the soft hiss of the metal blades leaving the confines of their sheathes echoing across the rooftop.

"Let's take her down once and for all," Raphael proclaims, spinning his sais barely blocking a blow from the female ninja as she abruptly charges. As he dodges, a footbot chitters loudly jumping towards him with its curved blade drawn, blocking him from assisting his older brother in the fight.

Leonardo ducks the slicing arc of the tanto blade and whips his body around, raising one katana blade to tear at her armored chest and the other to block another sloppy slice at his neck. They both dance chaotically across the rooftop, leading their fight far away from the resounding cries and traded blows of his brothers and their respective foes. The blue cladded turtle crosses his blades, scissoring them where her head had been a mere second before. Her eyes widen as a strangled gasp escapes her, then she snaps her jaw back shut, gritting her teeth as she stoops down underneath the crossing swords, watching as a good chunk of the long hair strands that cup her face floats down onto the concrete rooftop. He then stabs his swords into the ground keeping his hands tightly curled around the hilts as he hoists himself into the air and spins around, slamming his feet into the young woman's unprotected middle and sending her flying through the air. With a cry that sounded more surprised than pained, she falls onto her back, skidding across the rooftop as her hands clutching at her middle. Then she shakily lifts her head and she slowly goes to her feet, swaying ever so slightly, before abruptly straightening and pulling her tanto in front of herself with both of her hands tightly gripping the hilt. Then she dives forward and swipes the hilt of her tanto blade upwards, striking the mutant turtle on the underside of his chin and sending him fumbling backward.

As Leonardo takes several wobbly steps back, dazed, he blindly slashes with one sword, using the other as a shield to block any potential attacks as he blinks rapidly. There's an angry hiss of pain as he feels the tip of his blade catch flesh and he dives forward, sending his padded knee into her stomach. She leaned into the blow rather than allowing herself to be sent flying, and grabs him by his shoulder blades, digging her nails into the leaf-green flesh as they both topple down. His katana blades fumble out of his grip and clatter across the rooftop. The blue cladded turtle wrenches the fingers of one hand through her hair, and he uses his other hand to pin down her wrist as he attempts to force her to release her tanto blade. Fingers tightly gripping her hair, he slams the back of her head against the concrete making her clench her jaw tightly to muffle to moan of pain, but her fingers twitch and he seizes the opportunity, digging his fingers into her wrist. He lifts her head and smacks it against the ground again, and her fingers loosen around the hilt of the blade and he quickly grabs the blade and tosses it across the rooftop. Both unarmed, the mutant turtle situates both of his hands over her wrists keeping her pinned down as he pants harshly, his eyes blown wide as stares down at the young woman. When she smirks and runs her tongue over her painted lips teasingly, the mutant turtle flushes darkly, quickly scrambling off of the young woman and takes a seat on the rough ground leaning back on his elbows.

"I don't think they can see us now -" Leonardo's head snaps to the side as her fist slams onto the left side of his face. His fingers fumble against the wrappings around his wrist as he takes a step back, trying to regain his balance. His fingers curl around one of the small shuriken secured tightly under the layers of cloth, and he feints stumbling forward, before lunging for her and pressing the sharp edge of the blade against her throat threateningly.

The blue cladded turtle grits out in exasperation, giving the tiniest roll of his eyes, "Don't do that again."

"What? Oh, come on, Leo! It's a hell of a lot more fun than saying 'hello', now isn't it?" Karai smiled as though she were genuinely happy to see him, despite his blade pressed firmly against her pale, almost luminous in the moonlight throat, "I thought you weren't boring... Not like the rest of them."

Leonardo's fingers barely grazed the flesh there and he could feel it pucker at his cold touch, small bumps rising against the pads of his fingers. He roughly shoves her away, raising his arm in front of himself and he hurriedly shoved the shuriken back underneath the raveled bandages around his wrist. The blue cladded turtle coughed lightly, feeling fluid rise in his mouth and he winces as he spits out a mouthful of blood-tinged with salvia off to his side. He flinches as he tests his jaw, resting his hand against it as he experimentally moves it.

"Whatever," Leonardo utters, at last, his gaze flickering to the rooftops ahead, "We should be good to talk for a few minutes. But if they start coming this way, I'll pretend to be down for the count so that you have a chance to get away."

Karai chuckles deeply, sitting up and resting her folded arms on her knees. "That was quite the show we put on. But I don't think you were playing nice," She purrs pleasantly as she displays her arm, showing a thick tear in the right black sleeve and the deep gash where his sword had torn into the pale flesh. Blood gushed from the tear in her arm and splashed onto the concrete, but without another word, she tears off the remainder of her sleeve and begins to ravel it around her wound, "No more of that stupid goody-two-shoes act, huh?"

"You punched me."

"Because you cut me, freak," The kunoichi retorts bitingly, displaying the makeshift bandage poorly raveled around her slender, yet firm and muscular arm. She brings her arm back down to her side, her dark brown eyes roll as she goes on with a huffing sigh," So, anything new?"

"I'm still getting tailed by Kraang on every single patrol I go on. Ever since they first failed to capture me they've been shadowing me but every time I finally lay eyes on them, they bolt. I think they're waiting for an opportunity," Leonardo reports as he allows his hand to fall away from his jaw," Or maybe they're waiting for orders. I, uh, don't know."

"That's because we've both been sitting idle, twiddling with our swords for too long. We keep waiting for them to make a move and make no effort to see just what it is that they're doing when we aren't being chased by them," The young woman barks out accusingly, throwing a hand into the air in aggravation.

The mutant turtle replies in a stiff voice, his face motionless in a forced mask of calmness," So you want to what? Try and turn the tables on them by spying on them," His fingers rest on the slight elevation of his snout," Look, I've got constant eyes on me, so it's kind of hard for me to do any sneaking that's not already scheduled, okay? And I think my brothers would notice if I went missing on patrol for more than a few minutes," He shrugs, dropping his arm to his side and continues in a low voice, "It seems my family cares when it's only inconvenient for me. At least that's how it feels nowadays."

"What the hell kind of a teenager are you? Has sneaking out while everyone else is counting sheep never even crossed your annoyingly noble and self-righteous little scaled head?"

The blue cladded turtle presses his lips together and lets out a long-suffering sigh as he points out, "I can't risk that. If I'm caught doing anything other than attempting to put you in an early grave, my brothers will know that I'm up to something and I'll have no choice but to tell them the truth."

"Will you stop working up a sweat over it. I've got it handled. See that dumpster over there," Karai inquires is him, pointing her finger downwards towards an alleyway.

Leonardo jerks his head to the side, his stare falling on the indicated dumpster in question, and asks her, "Why?"

"I told you to trust me," Karai purrs pleasantly, "It's a surprise -"

"Like that's reassuring - "

"A good one - a very good one - that will solve all of our problems," The kunoichi proclaims boldly, then she concedes with a side tilt of her head, "Well, most of them... Okay, one."

The blue cladded turtle crosses his arms over his chest as he questions in a doubtful tone," How?"

"Just meet me there in three hours. We'll still have at least a good five hours of darkness to cover us," She orders him, impatient," I hope you'll like the gift I've left for you there. You'll look good in it."

The mutant turtle rolls his eyes, not even bothering to start another inquiry that would likely be met with a snarky comment. He then stiffens and instinctively reaches an arm out towards her as he wonders aloud, "Wait, what is that?"

Shoving away his arm with a huff she questions gruffly, "What's what?"

At first, neither of them moves, their brains unable to make sense of the input from their ears and feet. The ground is moving and the noise is like extended thunder only worse because the vibrations are coming from below. The brick chimney that towers over their heads shudders and rumbles as the street lights flicker rapidly before going out altogether. Dust fills the air as the building rapidly shakes and the brick structure begins to collapse, small chunks of loosened brick raining down. Leonardo furrows his brows at the sight, before gasping loudly as his heart hammers rapidly in his chest. He dives forward, barely dodging the startled young woman's clenched fist and he snap kicks her in the chest, sending her flailing back away from the collapsing structure. And he cries out thunderously in a sick mixture of pain and terror as hundreds of bricks come collapsing on top of him as he attempts to outrun the crumbling chimney. One strikes him in the back of his head and he goes flailing forward, his breath blown from his lips as his eyes flutter shut and he collapses under the weight of the fallen structure, succumbing to the darkness as he wheezes weakly.

———

"The answer is right in front of you. The path to the door. But you must decide. It's the only way. You will understand in due time."

Leonardo stares into the flickering lights that sparkle in his blue hues, his pupils blown wide as he reaches his twitching fingers forward. His entire form is painted a pale pink from the bright array of color and light exploding from the two, arching twisted metal frame that formed a doorway before him. His lips part ever so slightly and his fingers breach the entryway of the door, and the light ripples around the digits, and sparks fly. He tried to breathe but the air just wouldn't go in as his ears rang painfully and images slowly flowed through his mind. A memory, he realized. A memory he never knew he had taken in, that he hadn't remembered until he'd ventured into the construct of the door in his mind.

"State your number and designation," A voice crackles in the darkness.

"Number: MT-1987," Another voice replies, devoid of any emotion, "Designation: Guardian."

"Do you know where you are," The voice, soft and feminine, inquires.

The other voice answers automatically," I'm in a dream."

"Before this, do you know what happened?"

"...I do not understand. Please restate the question."

There is a beat of silence, tense. "I asked if you remember what happened before you woke up here? Would it help if I called you... Leonardo? Or Leo -"

Something in the other voice cracks and their voice sounds wet as they utter," Those people, you told me to hurt them. I did and they screamed, said things, things I did not understand. And I killed them."

"How did that make you feel, Leo?"

"Bad. It hurts. Why does it hurt so bad?"

The woman tells the other voice," I can make that feeling go away. I can take it all away. Would you like that?"

The other voice does not answer. Ragged breathing is the only noise that can be heard in the dark expanse.

"Leo?"

"Leo?"

"Leo," A new voice cries in the distance, reverberating in time with the woman.

"Leo! Leonardo! Damn it! Keep digging," Raphael orders roughly, sweeping aside bricks with his arms as he breathes harshly.

"Leo," Michelangelo cries out as his eyes settle on the hunched form of his older brother.

Leonardo lifts his head and groans aloud, "Ugh, I think my shell got knocked loose," He runs a hand over his face, wiping away the thick layer of dirt and he winces as he grazes several new cuts and scrapes that are weeping thick rivulets of crimson, "What was that?"

"Some kind of localized quake," Donatello answers swiftly as he crouched beside him and offered a hand. The latter frowns at the hand and his eyes dart away from it as he goes to his feet, swaying and bumping against his red cladded brother,"...I wonder what caused it?"

"I'm guessing we'll find out," The blue cladded turtle buffs out as his red cladded brother takes his arm and swings it over his shoulder, hauling him upright.

———

"Scientists are calling them microquakes', but they shake so hard, this reporter's hair was badly messed up! No need for concern I'm being treated by my stylist," The reporter on the television announces.

Michelangelo scrunches up his face and exclaims in horror," Dude! His poor hair!"

Raphael rolls his eyes at his younger brother and says in a dubious voice," Earthquakes in Manhattan? Something is definitely up."

Donatello jogs into the room with his laptop and steps in front of the television, waving off his brothers with one hand as they object loudly. "I've been graphing the earthquake epicenters. They're happening in a pattern that's not at all random," He informs the group with a worried frown on his face, indicating the bright red dots on the screen.

"Is that awesome or awesome bad," The orange cladded turtle wonders as he scratches at his head.

"Awesome bad, Mikey," The purple cladded turtle answers firmly," I got weird energy readings under the epicenter. I think some kind of tech is causing quakes."

Narrowing his eyes, the red cladded turtle thinks out loud," Huh. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The orange cladded turtle stares blankly at his older brother and a small smile creeps upon his lips. Growling, the red cladded turtle smacks a hand against his younger brother's face and inquires,"
Mikey, who has that kind of technology?"

"...Two cats with a screwdriver," Michelangelo answers with his tongue poking out.

"Ugh. I need someone who has thought processes that involve something other than frickin' cats! Where the shell is Leo," Raphael groans aloud, throwing his hands into the air.

Donatello sighs as he tells him," I feel like we have to ask that way too much lately. At least I have an answer for once. He got pretty busted up when that chimney collapsed on him so he's taking the night off in his room."

"Anyone else miss when he was the only one we didn't have to worry about," Michelangelo scoffs out.

"I don't know how much longer I can dance around the whole damn thing. The dude's pepperoni has slipped right off his pizza," Raphael barks out with his eyes narrowed.

The purple cladded turtle concurs," Don't I know it. April is still really shaken up about what she saw in his head. But she won't talk to me about it."

"Somethin' is seriously buggin' him and I don't like not knowin' what it is. Shell, he's our brother! Why won't he just come out and tell us," The red cladded turtle demands angrily as he abruptly goes to his feet, kicking aside an empty pizza box," I am sick and tired of pretendin' that everything is okay when it obviously ain't! He needs help, whether he wants it or not... And he's gotta get it soon."

"I've tried. I have! He won't talk to me. I walked in on him after the whole botched hypnosis session crying like he'd just found out one of us had died -"

The orange cladded turtle squeaks out in surprise," Crying?!"

"Exactly! He doesn't cry. He just doesn't."

A vein throbs in Raphael's neck as he squints his eyes and grits out," I ain't doing it. I'm not gonna let him work through this on his own a damn second longer cause it obviously ain't workin'!"

"And just what do you propose we do," Donatello asks him in a soft voice, running a hand over the smooth surface of his head," He's already trying to push us away. I don't want to give him a reason to."

"I...I...! Hell, I..." Raphael's voice goes quiet, his yell fading off as he answers," I don't have a damn clue."

The purple cladded turtle reaches into his belt and pulls something from one of the many loops. He lays it across his palm, displaying it to his brothers as he states," I think this may give us an idea. He ran out on me not long after I tried to talk to him and he dropped this in his rush."

The flash drive glints in the light and the other two turtles eye it strangely.

———

Leonardo drops down from the ladder landing crouched down as his eyes shift up and down the alleyway. Rising upwards but still keeping his shoulders hunched down, he slowly creeps forward towards the dumpster. He stoops down and runs his hand down the back of the slimy, metal surface of the gigantic bin until his fingers graze cloth. His hand tangled around it and he yanks out an inky black duffel bag covered in streaks of dirt and multicolored stains of unknown origin. He clasps two fingers around the zipper and slowly slides it open, peeking inside the duffel. His hand rummages through the bag, and he pulls out one of the contents, holding it to the dim streetlight.

"Do you like it," A voice questions from above.

The blue cladded turtle glances up and asks, "What is it, Karai?"

The kunoichi slides down the ladder and drops down beside the mutant turtle, answering him with a smirk, "Your costume," She swiftly says as she lowers her finger and rolls her eyes at him," I'm getting to that. Tell me, Leo, are you familiar with the structure of the Foot Clan, or anything about its sister branch located in Japan?"

"I haven't exactly had any time to do any research considering every time I set a foot on the surface I get an arrow shot at my head or some new mutant of the week siced on me."

In Leonardo's grip is a black bodysuit that resembles the standard Foot ninja's uniform, except for two large crimson Foot Clan symbols stitched into the shoulder blades. He also finds a red utility belt made of a thick leather material that has two sheathed tanto blades on either side and a pair of twin katana blades with black and silver handles crossed and strapped on the back. The length of the belt that's supposed to pull across his chest is equipped with midnight black throwing stars with the same bloody red symbol painted in the middle. He also finds a thick and long red scarf that's wrapped around a silver gauntlet, and his finger runs down the length of it, curiously pressing a small button. He flinches as a two svelte blades eject from the middle, the onyx black metal glinting in the streetlight.

"My costume," Leonardo scoffs humorously," So tell me what's going to make the Shredder turn a blind eye to a new up-and-coming clan member that tends to hang around his teenage daughter?"

Karai holds up a hand and utters in a placating tone," That uniform belongs to a secret order within the Foot Clan. The  Sairento Kenshi - the Silent Swordsmen."

"What about them?"

"They're an elite order bound to the high-ranking members of the Foot Clan. Gloried bodyguards really. Each member takes a vow of silence, a vow usually held by removal of the tongue, before they can serve their respective masters so that they cannot spill any secrets. And their true names and faces remain hidden for as long as they live...which usually isn't long," She explains and crouches down and slams the duffel into the latter's arms, "If you are seen with me wearing this no questions will be asked, for it would require you to break the vow of silence or show your true face. My father is known for his lack of honor, but he does not allow for the breaking of any of the early codes of our clan."

Clutching the duffel to his chest, Leonardo demands, "And if I'm recognized?"

"You won't be. Now, get that on. We don't have much time until I'm called back," Karai orders, turning her back to him as she crosses her arms over her chest, "Be quick about it."

"I-I...I can't. I know I agreed, but...but this goes against everything that I've been taught. Everything that I've fought for —"

The kunoichi presses her lips together and lets out an aggravated snarl as she snaps," Even I realize that this bigger than any vendetta our families have against one another. We've been dancing the same dance for months now," She says as his voice falls softer, taking a tentative step forward as she rests a gloved hand on his cheek, trailing her fingers of the jaw bone," Aren't you tired? Tired of always playing the part of the good guy because it's obviously gotten you nowhere in the bigger war here - the war with the Kraang. When they take you away from your family poking, probing, extracting your unyielding honor will be no more comforting than a night light. They'll just keep carving and carving you -"

"Stop it."

"Why," Karai demands with a tight-lipped smile," Am I starting to make sense? You're afraid - Push it down, hide it, but I can almost smell it on you. You may not be able to die, but your family and your friends are still just like to rest of us...vulnerable little bags of meat. Do you understand me? Put aside your damn heroics for once and think about the fate of the world rather than that of your consciousness."

Leonardo stays silent for a few moments as he bites at his lip and he hunches over as he, at last, confessed in a timid voice," I've been...remembering things lately. Small things, brief flashes really, but they're memories. I don't know how any of them happened or even exactly when," He gulps thickly, going on after a beat with his voice strained," They turned me into a damn nuclear warhead. A weapon."

"Who? Who, Leo?"

"Who else? The Kraang. They...they did this to me. They somehow got to me when I was young. And they experimented on me," The blue cladded turtle had meant it to sound simple, and also he'd meant to have spoken with ease, not lowly and skittish as he'd somehow made it turn out to sound like," I don't have any scars, no physical deformities, no sign that they ever did a damn thing to me. Nothing but a few meager memories and this curse that I'm saddled with. I...I want to know why they did this to me, why they took me from my family, turned me into a freak among freaks, then made me forget all of it."

The kunoichi hisses, running her hand down to rest on his chest," And we'll find out... together."

The blue cladded turtle frowns deeply as he splays his fingers over his eyes. His nostrils flare as he inhales noisily and he parts his lips to let out a shaky, softer exhale. His fingers fumble behind his head, trying to undo the knot that holds the blue cloth in place over his eyes. He stiffens when he feels smaller fingers dance over the smooth surface of the back of his head that undo the knot with ease. The cloth flutters in the wind and lands on the damp concrete beneath his feet. The same hands slap against his shoulders, forcing him to turn around to face her and she helps him undo his utility belt and the wrappings around his legs and arms. The mutant turtle feels bare, naked in front of the human girl and a faint blush graces his cheeks as he diverts his gaze away. The latter rolls her dark brown hues at him and reaches into the duffel, tossing him the black bodysuit.

Several minutes later Karai takes a step back to observe her work, cocking her head at him as she rests a finger on her chin. "Wow, I actually hate you slightly less now that I'm seeing you wearing my team flag," She concurs and pulls forward a small tin, observing aloud, "Just one final touch. Close your eyes."

Leonardo obeys and get feels a sticky, wet substance spread over his lids and a shiver runs down his spine. He asks, his voice muffled by the tight cloth mask around his face, "What is that?"

"Black paint. I could still see a little green around your eyes behind the mask," The kunoichi tells him and she goes on after a beat, "You're not gonna chicken out on me, are you, Leo?"

"...Let's just go, before I do," Leonardo utters, adjusting the thick, fur-lined gloves over his three-fingered hands, "What is it we're doing?"

"We're not actually going to be dealing with any of those pink alien wackos tonight that I know of. First, I need you to come with me," Karai tells him in a stiff voice, almost as if anticipating his reaction.

The blue cladded turtle's brows snapped together as he utters," To what - To...? Oh...Oh, no. That's not happening," He shakes his head and waves his arms back and forth in objection," Not in a million years! I'm not just casually waltzing into the Shredder's lair with you -"

The kunoichi barks out," Listen, Leo! If we want this whole alliance to work without anyone on our respective side to find out, we need to get a charade going, okay," She grits out," If I'm spotted hanging around with one of the turtles by one of my dad's goons it's a little bit suspicious! Yeah? But if I'm spotted with my new bodyguard... Do you see what I mean?"

"I agreed to play the part, but I didn't agree to do an opening night at the Shredder's lair!"

"If you follow my lead and keep your lips zipped, you'll be fine! But you have to be spotted with me in the lair a few times, or they'll get suspicious," Karai hisses back at him," Tonight my father returns from Japan and mark my words if you try and use this opportunity to do anything to further your clan's position in our war... I will make you wish death was a possibility for you. I will take your friends, your family, everything that you've ever loved...and burn them. I will burn them all, and leave you nothing but ashes."

———

"Remember, not a word. But the Silent Swordsmen are known not only for their lack of tongues and their eye-catching appearance but their deadliness in battle. You have to play the part," Karai whispers as she leads him down the dimly lit hallway of the abandoned church, stopping in front of two large wooden doors that lead into the main throne room,"...You have to leave your do-gooder attitude behind and become everything you've sworn off your entire life. Just do what I told you to do."

After a beat, Leonardo gives her a curt nod and whispers lowly in reply," I...I'm trusting you. Don't make me regret it, or you will."

The kunoichi scoffs, hissing in reply," Even your threats are weak," She lets out a shuddering breath and pushes open the doors," C'mon."

Standing at his full height and walking a slow, methodical walk behind Karai, Leonardo makes his way into the throne room. Foot Bots are lined up in neat rows on either side of the room, unusually silent and stiff without any known foes to face. Rahzar and Fishface stand off to the right side of the throne, both leaning forward to stare at the kunoichi and the stranger trailing behind her. The wolf mutant lets out a low growl, baring his teeth at the unexpected guest, while his fishy companion twists his webbed hand around his switchblade instinctively. On his knees on the left side of the throne is Baxter Stockman who gives him a pathetic stare, his lips trembling, before he nervously ducks his head. Leonardo moves almost robotically as he attempts to will his stiff limbs to move and he breathes coming out fast and frantic as his eyes meet those of the man seated high up on the throne - The Shredder.

The blue cladded turtle focused in on his eyes, which were staring right back into his, gleaming wickedly in the dull light. One was a deep, earthy brown - the color of the earth after torrential rains. But there was something else in them, something that burned. And it went beyond the twisted mass of flash his face had become after it had been kissed by fire on that fateful night so long ago. The eye that wasn't fogged over burned bright and hard like lightning setting fire to a tree on a stormy night. The unmoving gaze was accompanied by deliberate slow breathing, and his hands clenched over the handles of his throne.

"Daughter. We were just about to begin without you," The Shredder's voice booms across the expanse of the throne room," You are grievously late. I trust you will not be so again."

"Hai," Karai utters softly, giving a curt bow, before taking her place at his right side. Leonardo trails closely behind, before halting and giving a quick bow at the base of the throne.

Cocking his head ever so slightly the Shredder goes on after a beat, his voice low and accusatory," And it seems you have an uninvited guest."

"Forgive me, Father. The turtles and their sensei took advantage of your absence and attempted to take my life in ways that lacked honor, so I have tasked one of the Silent Swordsmen to stay at my side during my personal patrols," Karai explains swiftly with her head still bowed low.

The Shredder rumbles waving a hand in the mutant turtle's direction," What is this one know as? I do not believe I have encountered him before and I have visited the temple of their training in the Utsugi mountains many times."

"This is one is called Yokai." Leonardo takes that as his cue and bows graciously before the throne.

"Has he had his tongue removed yet? You cannot trust a man who can still speak secrets," The Shredder ponders aloud, eyes curiously assessing the length of the mutant on his knees before him.

'And somehow we're the freaks,' Leonardo thinks to himself as he gives an involuntary shudder.

"No, Father. I am his first master, so he has not yet undergone the Ōkina Chinmoku. And he is no man, but a boy," The kunoichi says in a firm voice raising her head to meet her father's eyes," But despite his young age he received high praise from the elders and is regarded as their best and brightest pupil. But I have already promised him that if he breaks his vow of silence that boy or not, I will personally rip out his tongue."

"Very well. We will speak more on this at another time," The Shredder growls his voice raw as his hands clenched at the arms of the throne and he straightens," I have returned, and I bring with me the most feared assassin in all of Asia."

All heads in the room turn at the sound of the twin doors creaking open and preceding thunderous footfalls. Leonardo's eyes widen as they take in the great hulking tiger mutant in a western outfit slowly, deliberately making his way towards the throne. He wears bandoliers full of replacement bullets and carries several weapons, among which include a giant sword strapped to his back, and two holstered firearms. A blue scarf covers his thick neck and underneath his skin-tight mask, the mutant turtle's brows furrow. The tiger mutant stops right off to the side of him, his symmetrical eyes that are shaped like round leaves widening almost imperceptibly as their eyes meet for a brief second. They were large and liquid gold with longitudinal pupils that spark at some angles in the low torchlight.

Leonardo grins at the tiger mutant holding his arms upward as he bounces up and down on his heels, chanting ecstatically," Takeshi-san! Oniisan!"

In the midst of his blue hues his pupil's dilate and sweat beads underneath the skin-tight bodysuit, making it feel is if it's tightening around him, suffocating him. His heart beats so fast that he wants to jump right out of his skin. His breathing became more rapid, more shallow and he felt a primal urge to flee. He feels just like a young turtle again, shaking, terrified as he stared transfixed at the mysterious tiger mutant.

Shredder's voice deep and gravely snapped him out of his thoughts. "Tiger Claw."

"This is your secret weapon, Father," Karai demands angrily, stomping forward as she inclines an arm towards the tiger mutant," Another mutant?"

Releasing a growl in response, Tiger Claw hisses in a deep, rumbling voice," This is the Foot Clan you promised me? I must say, Master Shredder, I am disappointed."

Leonardo's eyes dart to Karai's hand which is fixed over her tanto blade. It happens in seconds, the kunoichi pulls her blade out and holds it over her head, preparing to strike the tiger mutant. Tiger Claw unholsters his gun with a blink and you miss it speed and points it square into her face, powering it up with a low thrum. Leonardo's katana blade is already planted against the latter's thick, furry throat, and the tiger mutant emits a barely audible growl that rumbles against the blade, fogging the metal with his heated breath.

Fishface is the one to step in between the two with his webbed hands clasped together, and he utters in a sickly sweet voice," I honor you, great Tiger Claw. Can I offer you refreshments?"

"Milk," Tiger Claw replies briskly, slowly easing back his blaster," Skim."

Leonardo lowers his blade and sheaths it with a metallic hiss. Karai copies him with a glower and whisper her tanto blade around her back, shoving it back into its sheath, then quips," Sensitive subject maybe... But shouldn't tigers have tails?"

"Don't mock me, child. It was a rival who sliced off my tail. One day I will find it and he will pay the price," The tiger mutant boldly claims as he snatches the small glass of milk from the offered tray and proceeds to lap it up with the long, pink tongue.

Karai rolls her eyes and says pointedly," If you can't keep your own tail -"

"Silence, Karai," The Shredder snarls, slamming a gloved fist on the sidearm of this throne, his thick, metal gauntlet clashing loudly against it," You will treat Tiger Claw with the utmost respect. He is my new second in command."

The kunoichi shrieks," What? I've earned that job, not some oversized cat that probably tries to catch a laser -"

"Enough! Tiger Claw," The Shredder barks out roughly, "You will confer with Karai and learn about our enemies in the Hamato Clan, and when the time comes...you will be the one to bring them before me, so that they may answer for their crimes against our clan. Karai, do not disobey him."

"Yes, Father."

The Shredder then turns his attention back to Tiger Claw and inquires of him," Tell me, Tiger Claw, have you visited the temples of the Silent Swordsmen in the mountains of Utsagi in recent years?"

"Hai, Master Shredder. I learned many of my skills with my broad sword because of their order's mastery of the blade."

"Have you ever heard of this young new recruit that was matched with my daughter - this Yokai?"

Tiger Claw answers after a second and gives the latter a nod," Hai. I sparred against him and nearly lost what remains of my tail. He shall serve the clan well," He politely tilts his head in the direction of the turtle mutant, "It is good to see you again, Yokai-san. Perhaps when I am more settled in you will allow me to risk another spar with you?"

Leonardo gives him a stiff nod, his heart beating like an out-of-time drum in his chest. His mouth is dry and his eyes are blown wide as he goes completely stiff. Tiger Claw turns on his heel and exits the room, and all Leonardo can do is stare stupidly at the doorway, even seconds after he is gone. Dismissed, one by one the other members of the Foot Clan begin to file out and the Shredder demands a private audience with his daughter so he is dismissed to wait in the hallway. He peaks his head to the right and left side of the long, winding halls, not seeing anyone, only to let out a startled squeak that is muffled against a suffocatingly large paw that cups his mouth.

Tiger Claw has him hoisted into the air with a paw that's tangled into his bodysuit, and he pins him up against the wall, keeping his ginormous paw tight around his jaw. "I am going to take away my paw. Not a sound, cub, or it will die in your throat."

Leonardo mutely nods and the paw slowly draws away, dropping back down to the tiger mutant's side. Tiger Claw leans his snout down to the turtle's lower neck and inhales deeply, then exhales noisily the hot air blasting against the mutant turtle's leaf green skin. The blue cladded turtle turns a hot shade of crimson in embarrassment, attempting to crane his neck away as he clears his throat.

"Do you know who I am? Who I really am," Tiger Claw inquires of the mutant turtle, his golden hues assessing him carefully, "Answer me, cub."

"I...I...I don't know. No, no, I do, but...I only saw your face and I heard your name, but how did you -" 

The tiger mutant cuts him off with a wounded-sounding growl, his long, pointed claws digging into the fabric bundled into his paw. "How can you not remember me?"

The blue cladded turtle tells him, his teeth grit tightly as he chokes out pointedly, "I don't remember a lot of things it seems."

"Interesting. They'd told me that they'd rewritten your memories, but I did not know that they had chosen to write me out completely."

"Who? The Kraang," Leonardo wonders aloud as his lips part, "If you know about them then you know about..."

Tiger Claw finishes in a quiet voice, his gaze darting away for a second, "You. I know everything about you..." His free paw grasps the top of the skintight mask that covers his face and he gently pulls it down so that it pools over the back of his neck, revealing the full length of the mutant turtle's dirty, sweat-ridden face, "Little cub. Leonardo."

"Little cub," Tiger Claw utters crouching down on one knee and opening his arms for the small mutant turtle that's dashing towards him. The tiny, young Leonardo jumps into his arms, raveling his arms tightly around the mutant tiger's thick, furry neck and pulling off his blue scarf.

The blue cladded turtle whispers softly, his blue hues softening, "I...I do know you. I can only see flashes, images, but...I know you," He looks fixedly into the other mutant's golden gaze,"...Takeshi, you won't hurt me. I can feel it inside of me and every cell of my body tells me that you would never, ever try to hurt me."

"No, I won't, little cub," The mutant tiger admits, gingerly lowering the latter back down until the bottoms of his feet kiss the ground, "Go, now. We will speak again when the time is right. For now, there are too many eager eyes and ears."

Leonardo quickly pulls the black mask back over his face, giving the latter a knowing up and down motion of his head. "I don't know how much longer I can stand being in the dark about who I am, about what I can do. You'll tell me?"

"I'll tell you what I can. I can promise no more."

The mutant turtle nods again, his voice thick as he questions," I'll see you again?"

"You will, little cub. You will, but it will not be as comrades the next time... I know this."