TMNT

Together

Resume - The turtles were on the edge and master Splinter had tried everything to restore the respect between them. He sensed that his family was about to break apart. Leaded by the fear of losing his sons, he asked for help from a special fellow...

Canon Characters - Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, Mikey, master Splinter

Warning!

Further chapters will contain: violence, mental and physical torture, use of disturbing words, hardcore diseases and mature content

The turtles are now 19 years old.

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Chapter One

Aurora

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For days long, every time the turtles gazed at the infinite horizon, snow was painfully sparkling. Sometimes, large pins covered the sunlight, creating cold deadly shadows. Silence was wickedly following the group, chilling even more the untenable atmosphere. When the wind was growing insupportable, they found refuge into small caves or into separated winter tents.

One night, while his children were asleep, Splinter admired an incredible aurora borealis. His tormented eyes were glaring with nostalgia at the enlightenment spectacle. The colors in the sky slowly swung. Blue, purple, orange and red mixed together into a peaceful and beautiful dance. And then, the colors drove away from each other, to lonely disappear, revealing the so distant stars.

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Mikey rapidly appeared from behind a hill, pulled by five strong and fluffy husky dogs. Raphael followed, strongly whistling to encourage his own pack to go faster. A bigger sleigh arose into the horizon. Leonardo was quietly conducting the nine animals while Donatello, frozen like an ice cube and covered by heavy blankets, shivered into the passengers place accompanied by master Splinter. The family was going so fast that even the savage deer could not follow their cadency. Mikey strongly sneezed. Carried by the chilly wind, the long snot string nimbly flew away before aggressively crashing onto the frozen face of Raphael. He closed his eyes in disbelief and his muscles quivered of anger.

''Ya're so dead, MIKE!'' he yelled, causing his dogs to jump in surprise.

This journey was an idea of master Splinter. He explained to his sons that a powerful martial art sensei owned a enormous dojo located in the north of the Canada, far away from the humans cities. Master Chikou was his name. He had accepted to train the brothers Hamato if they promised in return to help his team and himself to get rid of a powerful enemy afterward. They, of course, accepted the duty with anticipation and curiosity. Training with a sensei that their master was referring as one of the best mutant combatants he knew was very exciting.

The family finally arrived at a huge wooden fence. The doors opened and the sleighs came in. Two very old humans nicely took care of the dogs. They seemed very attached to the animals and knew all the names. Shaking of coldness, Raphael took a peek at the entrance of the dojo. A mutated child was looking at the intruders with attention. When the girl noticed the intrigued gaze of the scary red turtle, she hastily disappeared into the establishment. Raphael rose a brow, snorting with energy.

''We should move on. We are late.'' explained master Splinter like if the trip had not tired him at all.

The brothers looked at their father with envy; Splinter had fur and was a hot-blooded animal. If he was not very troubled by the coldness of this white hell, his sons were dying. They hardly managed to follow their master into the deep snow before finally reach the door. No knocking were needed. A very… very fat animal opened to the visitors, a large smile displayed on his furred face.

''Good to see you, master Splinter''

''Same for me, master Chikou''

Chikou was half man, half saint-Bernard dog. He wore a mere karate uniform. When the man turned his attention toward the turtles, the young adults managed to form a straight line; like well trained soldiers.

''What disciplined students you have there!'' he gladly said.

''Well…'' master Splinter took a peek at his sons. He knew they were not always much disciplined. ''I'm truly sorry for the delay of our arrival.''

''No offence taken. My dojo is quite far away and hard to find in this pins forest. It's a very cold afternoon, you should come in.''

Master Chikou leaded the way. Raphael noticed the presence of the little girl, shyly hidden behind the big master. She was glaring at him with a serious expression. She winced, showing her tongue. The red turtle frown and ensured that no one was looking at him. He responded with a monstrous expression. The child jumped and fled a second time. He then smiled like a madman before meeting with the discouraged eyes of Leonardo. His smile vanished and he heighten his shoulders in response. The two masters were talking about the long journey, leaving the turtles some time to relax.

''Warmth! My hands were totally frozen'' exclaimed Mikey trying to warm up his hands with his own breath.

''Could you restrain yourself from moaning like a child, please?'' hissed Donatello.

''It was a comment, not a lamentation.'' he retorted with a pouty face.

''How... how it is possible to kick the ass of someone with a huge tummy like his on the way?'' grumbled Raphael, looking at the fat mutant sensei with bad mood.

''Guys... I'd like you to show a minimum of respect toward this dojo... and its master'' completed Leonardo in a sigh.

''Of course fearless leader.'' sarcastically responded the hothead. ''I will... after ya gently explained to me how this fluffy fat doggy can kick someone's ass.''

The fists of Leonardo clenched, but the strong hateful sentiment toward the indecency of his brother did not appeared on his face. The old men turned toward the apprentices.

''I would like you to chose a room and get rid of these massive winter coats.'' simply mentioned Chikou. He knew the turtles were not whispering soft and gentle comments behind his back. A mutant was silently sweeping the floor, not too far away from the group. "Elliot will show you where the dorms are."

The interpleaded animal blenched at the sound of his name and meanly glared at his master. He sighed and let go of his broom. He lowered his head and started to walk toward the right direction, heavily dragging his feet on the cold wooden floor.

''What are you waiting for, my sons?'' asked Splinter, to woke them up.

Leo rapidly bowed to the masters and rushed to the man followed by his brothers and an indifferent Raphael. They vanished from the eyesight of the old men.

''They surely have some guts,'' claimed the bigger one.

''I apology for their manners... and I...'' Splinter looked ashamed and yet... sad.

''Do not worry, my friend. Their future sensei might not be the best combatant, but he is a genius when it comes to strongly bond fighters together.''

''Fighters might not exactly be what I wish for.''

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Only the sound of heavy steps were troubling the quiet corridor. Elliot was a mutated gray wolf. Twenty five years old... maybe? His shoulders were very large compared to the rest of his body. The silence started to annoy the red turtle.

''Tell me, Elliot.'' he asked with an acid tone of voice. ''What exactly are ya doing in this dojo? Ya're the janitor? The handyman who washes the sweaty towels after a hard training?''

''Raphael!'' grumbled Leonardo.

''What? It's forbidden to ask questions now?''

''You will suffer,'' simply said the wolf without even raising his eyes from the ground.

Raphael blocked the path of the man with bad mood. ''What did ya said!''

''Nicolo is not gonna accept your behavior. You will suffer.''

Donatello had noticed his sudden self-confidence. The rude insurance of the grey wolf did not seemed natural at all. This... Nicolo probably was a very respected and strong friend to give this much courage to a shy little pet like Elliot.

''Who's Nicolo?'' asked a very curious purple ninja.

Elliot did not responded, patiently waiting for Raphael to calm down and get out of his way.

''Hellooooooo? We are talking to yaaaa...'' the hothead aggressively grabbed the chin of the wolf to see his eyes. Sapphire eyes. ''If ya want to threaten us, at last, be sure to be able to defend yarself properly afterward, doggy boy!''

The wolf was looking in another direction, wordless. It teased Raphael who started to get worked up. Felling the anger growing into the body of his brother, Michelangelo pulled the poor wolf man from the wicked presence. He protectively stepped in front of the stranger and made sure to change the subject.

''Let's get rid of these heavy coats. Maybe a supper is already awaiting for us.''

''Yeah, of course.'' bitterly replied an annoyed Raphael. He aggressively pushed the youngest onto the grey wolf and pursued his way, head up. Before disappearing into a vacant room, weird sounds came from behind him. A ''Oh, shell!'' was heard before a choleric and unstoppable beast jumped to the throat of the red turtle. Leonardo rapidly took off his coat and grabbed his swords. Stuck between sharps fangs and the cold floor, Raphael tried to prevent his throat to be sliced.

''Do something!'' hardly shout the red turtle.

Don and Mike grabbed their weapons, ready to fight. The blue turtle approached the enraged monster, but was abruptly pushed backward by a heavy hindpaw.

''Elliot!'' exclaimed a tiny voice from the long corridor. ''Please, stop!''

The wolf seemed deaf. Slobber was sliding onto the bare neck of a panicked Raphael. Donatello was about to knock down the beast, but the little girl seized his combat staff.

''No! Don't hurt him! It's not his fault!''

Leonardo finally discarded his swords and jumped on the bloody thirst monster, followed by Mikey. Raphael tried to repulse the foe, but the claws were firmly anchored into the floor. The sharp fangs were tearing the skin of his fingers. Blood mixed with saliva was coloring his tensed visage. Helped by the three other bothers, Elliot finally was thrown meters away. Raph hastily got up, taking back a breath he could have never found out again. He let his coat fall on the ground and grabbed his sais with rage.

''Attacking me from behind, ya're so gonna pay for this!''

Raphael charged.

''Please don't!'' yelled the girl.

She stepped right in front of the green mutant. He made her fall on her butt, like if she was a simple doll of cloth. Devolved by the incident, Raphael did not perceived the wolf rushing toward him once again.

''Raph, watch out!''

Fangs brushed the skin of the turtle before someone caught the enraged wolf by the tail. With force, the intruder grabbed the beast by the throat and obligated him to lay down on the floor in a submissive position. The wolf started to whine and urine stained the wood planks. The fur of Elliot came back to normal, his reddish eyes turned blue, and saliva stopped to pour. The savior, another mutated canine, straiten his spine with aggressiveness. He glared at the girl with bad mood. Her little body tensed and she fled away, her head down. His amber gaze met with the golden eyes of Raphael. Without any advertisement, he slapped the red turtle strait onto the cheek. The brothers went silent, surprised by this weird event.

''The life of this kid had been endangered because of you! What were you thinking?'' grunted the dog.

''What was I thinking? He's the one who jumped on me like a fucking werewolf.'' retorted Raphael, pointing at a sorrowful wolf.

''Elliot was in no shape to understand that the life of the girl was endangered. You either, as I can see.''

''I'm... very sorry...'' muttered the wolf, trembling like fragile wine cups shook by a distant train.

''Just go change your clothes.''

''Yes...''

''Master Chikou is waiting for you, reptiles.''

The mutated dog shook his head in disappointment and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

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Leonardo let his heavy winter coat fall on a chair. An old pinkish tapestry was covering the wavy walls. He silently sat on his creaking bed. He shivered to the contact of the cold sheets on his bare skin. The scene that happened a moment ago was twinkling into his minds. He was the leader... but his presence seemed so insignificant. His reaction to solve the problem was so slow! And it was like the others were not even asking for his opinion or even his help. But this situation was not a lone one. The same feeling was hunting him since his return from south America years ago. His eyes were looking nowhere and his muscles started to dangerously relax. He violently scourged his sorrowful minds and finally got up. The door grumbled. The dog from earlier was sweeping the urine with a mop. His ears aimed toward the lone turtle, but his attention stayed on his job. Leonardo took a deep breath and approach the man.

''I apologize for the behavior of my brother.'' he honestly said.

''Your brother owns a tongue. He can apologize for himself.'' rumbled the young dog. ''I still wait for yours.''

''Pardon me?'' incredulously asked the ninja.

The dog stopped sweeping the floor and lift his gaze toward the other one.

''Aren't you the leader? A leader have to manage his teammates.''

Silence responded to him. Their eyes were deeply connected.

''This incident should have been avoided by your action, that is what I meant.''

''I know what you meant!'' coldly replied the blue turtle.

The dog gently smiled. Leonardo suddenly felt stupid for raising his tone of voice.

''Your brothers already are with master Chikou. You should go.''

The leader, looked ashamed. He bowed to the young man and fled by the long corridor. Whoever that man was, he certainly was not a fool. His aggressive reaction of earlier was so very different from this soft speech, noticed Leonardo.

''I wonder why he swept the urine himself...'' murmured Leo.

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Supper was served. It was a pork stew embellished with carrots and baked potatoes. The brothers were not eating into the main dining room, forced to listen at atrociously boring old times stories of master Splinter and Chikou. Leonardo seemed like the only one to find those conversations interesting and was religiously listening to each of their words. Donatello, a notebook into his hands, was silently scribbling. The world around him seemed absent... erased. As to Raphael, he was trying to spy into the main dining room in order to find someone interesting to ''chat'' with.

''So?'' asked Mikey, trying to inlay into Raph occupation. ''What do you see?''

Raphael repelled his younger brother with a prompt gesture. He glared at him with annoyance, but decided to play the game. He sarcastically smiled before defer his attention into the crowded room.

''There is a lot of mutants, almost no humans.''

''Really? I want to see.''

''No.''

''But.''

''Oh shell...''

''What?''

''She's so sexy.''

''Let me see, please!''

''Chut! Master Splinter's gonna hear ya.''

Mikey lowered his tone of voice and tried to look by the lone tiny window with envy. Raphael made sure to stop him.

''I can't believe my eyes!'' the hothead teased him.

''What. What do you see?''

''The girl's standing on the table. She... she's stripping!''

''Please, I want to see!''

''Oh shell, she's gorgeous... so naughty! Ya're too young for that, dude.''

''Too young for what?'' incuriously asked Leonardo, unhappy to lose concentration because of strange whispers behind his back.

The two younger looked at each other and smiled.

''Nothing.'' they said systematically.

Leo rose a brow, but did not demanded more explanation. When he turned back, Mikey hurried to pick a look into the small window, pushing away the hothead. His smile instantly vanished. There was a cardboard onto the window, therefore, it was impossible to see a thing. Raphael started to laugh. He put a hand on his mouth, to camouflage the sound.

''Ha, ha. Very funny.'' ironically replied the orange turtle, before returning to his place.

After supper, the visit accompanied by master Chikou pursued. The turtles met with a lot of mutants on the way. They all looked very strong and disciplined. All four brothers seemed enthusiastic to encounter so much creatures similar to them.

''It is the time to meet with your future sensei.'' explained Chikou with an happy face.

''Finally…'' said the red turtle, rubbing his hands together like a dangerous thief.

Donatello seemed baffled. ''I thought you were our future sensei, master Chikou.''

''Me? Ha, ha, ha! I'm too old to handle young and fiery young men like you.'' The big master stopped walking. ''I present you Brock.''

The turtles, eyes wide opened, stared with surprise at the huge muscle-man standing in front of them. His animal side represented a white bear.

''Oh, shell! What a piece of man! We could not have a better trainer than this big though guy!'' said Raphael with excitement.

''Well… I guess he looks pretty nice.'' stammered Mikey, already shaking in fear before this huge character.

Splinter shook his head, ashamed by the overreaction of his sons. ''He is the cook the house.''

Donatello sighed, relief.

The very muscular man grumbled. Then, he smiled. ''Nice to meet you, bro!''

Michelangelo forced himself to return the smile.

''A plate request for tomorrow dinner?'' demanded the white bear with enthusiasm.

Mikey slapped his hands together; his shyness was already gone. ''What about pizza?''

''Mikey!'' grounded the others.

''Pizza? Umm… sounds like a pretty good idea to me! I didn't eat that for years! You seem to be a real culinary genius, Mister Mikey!''

''Oh… well.'' a very pleased orange turtle muttered.

Master Chikou lightly laughed. He took a subtle peek at the clock on the wall. ''Let's go before your future sensei gets angry.''

They ran into a beautiful mutant woman. She asked something to her Master.

''What if she actually is our new master?'' shot Donatello, a pleased smile disfiguring his green face.

Raphael glared at her, head to feet. ''I would surely be tempted to disobey her orders to get grounded by those beautiful…''

He did not had the time to finish telling his fantasy thoughts; two pointy fingers violently blinded him.

''Arg! My eyes!''

''Have a nice chat with your future sensei, perverted boys.'' she warbled, balancing her elegant tail.

''Guys, could you stay serious only once?'' Leonardo growled, a hand covering his discomfort.

''Then we'll have to let Mikey out of this.'' spited Raphael, with a too serious voice.

''Hey! I did not even said a word…''

Chikou smiled at their young nature and then turned toward them. A double door was open, and we could hear a voice coming from the room. ''351, 352, 353...''

Mikey tried to look in, but his view was blocked by the big saint-Bernard dog.

''Master Splinter probably told you what the specialty of your future sensei was.''

''You are the one who knows better your apprentice. I thought it will have been for the best that my students hear his description from your mouth.''

''Ah, I'm pleased to see that you are still well lightened! Your teacher's specialty is team fighting. No wonder why I choose him for your special training.''

The turtles looked at each other with deception. Raphael took the lead.

''That again... We already know how to fight together, so why…''

Splinter took the speech from him.

''You know how to stay together, but you don't know how to use each other presence correctly. You don't work in team. Not anymore... You only use that word because you are four brothers fighting against the same enemy. Leo and I talked about that before asking the help of master Chikou. This weakness is a very oppressive problem.''

''Of course, you and Leo…'' mumbled the red turtle to himself.

''We all got the same problem here. It's not only your burden, Raph.'' said Leo, intending to support his brother.

''I never thought of being the problem of our lack of cooperation, fearless leader.''

''Enough!'' grounded master Splinter. ''My sons, you will accept this unique chance with honor and dignity. I taught you how to be civilized students. Don't fail me now!''

The turtles jumped at the mood swing of their father. They calmed down and stayed silent. Chikou offered a fake laugh. ''Let's go?''

They entered the room without a word. A young man, well shaped, but quite slim, was lifting his body with one hand by using a horizontal metal pole. He was all sweaty, but did not seemed tired. Without disturbing his rhythm, he glared at the visitors. To the look on their face, something bad had just happened. Raphael was the first to raise his head. His heart stopped beating. He took a peek at Leo who seemed to be as surprised as himself. It was the dog... the dog who stopped the discord between Raphael and the grey wolf.

''Well, I present you Nicolo,'' monotonously explained Chikou. He coughed and forced a smile. ''Your new, so fantastic, sensei; the master of the fighting deduction!'' he tried to change the heavy atmosphere for a lighter one. ''He may be only seventeen, but he really is a little genius.''

Leonardo tried to mask his deception... unlike Raphael, who let a sarcastic and mean laugh out of his mouth. This guy was only a kid. Donatello was harshly judging him, glaring at the young man head to feet. Elliot, the grey wolf, mentioned the name of Nicolo earlier. ''You will suffer'' he had said. What was that suppose to mean?

End of Chapter one

What's next?

:: The confrontation ::

Nicolo is not very much appreciated by the Hamato brothers... let's see why. Or, instead, how it will end.