A lullaby.

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With the Jennifer/Dark Ninja...(click the music)

💮

Dressed in her suit again, wears her mask over her mouth and her head is covered by her hoodie as she stares at the stars before humming a lullaby her old sensei Yoshi sang when she was little.

Leonardo's POV:

I was leaping across the rooftops, the sharp chill of the wind brushing against my face. I paused to catch my breath when a hauntingly beautiful voice drifted through the air, singing in Japanese. Curiosity got the better of me, and as I rounded a corner, I caught sight of the Dark Ninja perched on the edge of a building from last night.

It struck me that she was humming a Japanese tune, and I couldn't help but become entranced by the melody. I listened intently until she finished, and in an attempt to stay hidden, I slipped behind a nearby billboard. But even my stealthiness couldn't escape her keen senses; she quickly spotted me and leveled her katana at my neck once more.

Deja vu.

"What are you doing here, spying on me like that?!" the Dark Ninja demanded, her voice icy and sharp.

I raised my hands in a placating gesture. "I didn't mean to intrude," I stammered my heart racing. "Honestly, I was on my evening patrol, as always, and then I heard you singing. And I have to say, it was beautiful."

Dark Ninja's POV:

If it weren't for the hood obscuring my face, Leo might have noticed my blush.

He cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. "And one more thing," Leo continued, "the song sounded Japanese... Would you mind sharing it? Maybe... you could hum it again?"

My icy blue eyes widened in shock before turning away, not knowing how to react or feel about him complimenting me to someone who doesn't have emotion but, at the same time, it...it was nice. However, I questioned his motives with my katana still pointing at his neck, "Why?..."

I asked as calmly as possible with a hint of curiosity.

Leonardo's POV:

"Why?" she echoed, her voice cool but tinged with intrigue. The katana at my throat remained steady, yet her question hinted at a willingness to listen.

I swallowed hard, knowing a single misstep could end badly. "Because," I replied carefully, "it sounds like it comes from a soul rich with stories and perhaps a bit of pain. I can sense that."

Her expression shifted slightly as if my words had breached her carefully constructed armor. "Pain?" she challenged, tightening her grip on the sword: "You don't know anything about me." Sneering closely to my face, I pretended that I wasn't fazed by her and took a deep breath, resisting the urge to back away. 

"Fair point." I calmly spoke, "But I know that lonely people express their feelings in ways words often fail to capture. Sometimes, it's easier to share emotions through song." The Dark Ninja narrowed her eyes, assessing me. I became acutely aware of her presence—the tautness of her body and the gleam of the katana inches from me. 

I sensed a softness beneath her fearsome exterior, "What do you even want from me, Leo?" she asked, sheathing her katana and allowing my hands to drop slightly; we were both lowering our guards right now.

"Maybe I just want to understand you," I said. "You fight for something, don't you? Perhaps we can start by taking off your hoodie?"

"You expect me to reveal my identity so you can expose my secret to the world?" Dark Ninja replied, declining. "No, thank you."

I stepped back, feeling the lingering tension, "No, that's not what I meant," I quickly clarified: "I'm not here to expose or harm you. I just want to know the person behind the mask. We're not so different; we both have our battles."

She hesitated, her gaze piercing through the shadows of her hood, searching my face for deception. "Why do you care so much, Leonardo...? You're a hero in the shadows because of your mutation and I'm an anti-heroine in your world, we're different and you would probably see me as a REAL monster."

"Maybe I do," I admitted. "But I see beyond the surface. I see someone struggling, just like I am. You may have pushed people away, but that doesn't mean you're beyond redemption."

The Dark Ninja's expression softened slightly, and for a moment, I thought I saw vulnerability in her eyes. "Redemption?" she echoed, her voice barely a whisper. "You think I need saving?"

My heart raced at the shift in our conversation. "Not saving," I said softly. "Understanding. Everyone has a story; everyone has scars. Yours are just hidden beneath layers of darkness." My words hung in the air, mingling with the chill of the night as she seemed to wonder how I could see through her facade.

Dark Ninja felt her defenses wavering. "And what makes you think you can understand my pain? You've led a privileged life as a hero, fighting for justice. I exist in the shadows, Leo." She stared at me for a moment before removing her hoodie, revealing her pale skin, silver eyes, and jet-black hair in a pixie cut, with a bang covering her left eye. 

My heart began to pound through my ears and I instantly prayed that she didn't hear it right now because of how... beautiful she was; Yet, she left the mask over her mouth intact. Making it harder for me to control the blush rising on my cheeks.

"There. You happy?" Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I instantly nodded, "Y-Yeah." I stammer a bit but remain a bit nervous around her, she then eyed me from top to bottom before turning away and jumping to the same ledge she sat on earlier, "Then sit with me over that ledge," Dark Ninja points before sitting down, "And be glad that I didn't feel like killing anyone tonight." 

I silently obeyed and sat three inches from her on the ledge as we both stared at the night sky filled with stars. The cool breeze wrapped around us, a gentle reminder of the world outside our tense exchange. I glanced sideways at her, the moonlight casting silver highlights on her hair, making her look almost ghostly. "You know," I began, my voice barely above a whisper, "it's hard to believe someone like you exists in the shadows. You seem... alive."

Her chuckle was soft, almost sad, as she tilted her head back to gaze at the stars without saying another word, and I'll be honest, this was the first time I heard her laugh: "Are you...chuckling?" I carefully asked, feeling happy that I could make an Anti-hero laugh a bit; Unfortunately, it was cut short when the Dark Ninja stopped chuckling like it never happened, "Don't." 

"...ok." Then that's when I heard her hum again, only this time, she sounded more at ease. 

As she hummed, the melody floated into the night, weaving through the silence like a thread of silver. I felt an inexplicable urge to join her, to share in this moment of vulnerability, yet I remained still, caught between admiration and caution. "What are you humming?" I asked, curiosity piqued. She glanced sideways, her silver eyes glimmering in the moonlight. 

"Just something I made up," she replied, her tone lightening slightly. "It helps drown out the noise in my head." "I get that but..." I shifted closer and smiled gently, "But not always, it makes you feel mature and aware of things sometimes."

She turned her gaze to me and then back to the stars, her shoulders relaxing a bit. 

"You think you understand me, don't you?" she mused. 

I nodded, sensing the weight of her question. "We all have our demons. I may not like your 'No mercy' part when it comes to stopping bad guys but,"  I moved a little closer and placed a hand over her gloved one, "You can redeem yourself by showing mercy... You're not alone in this world."

Just by showing a sincere smile from me to her, Dark Ninja's silence stretched out, and I could feel the unspoken words hanging between us like a fragile thread. Finally, she pulled, turned away to stand up, and spoke, her shaky voice barely above a whisper, "I have to go now, Sayanora."

"Huh? But—!" At that moment, she jumped from rooftop to rooftop and blended herself into the shadows, 'She didn't even give me a chance to say or apologize.' "Sayanora...I guess." I sighed in defeat and headed back to the sewers. 

A/N: I kinda wanted to change a few things in the chapters so don't worry, more chapters will be updated soon.

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