He stood on the rooftop in the night, his eyes wandering the city below. He was young, still in training but already he had been marked with the burden of leading, because he was the most suited to do so. It wasn't a task he particularly enjoyed, but he wasn't offered the choice of it.

His eyes found the mark of tonight and narrowed, already bringing the warrior to the surface that lay hidden beneath the calm exterior. Patience, patience was the key here. It was patience that had kept him alive, kept him one step ahead of the strikes that had already been aimed at him numerous times over his fifteen years. It was that same patience that he now called upon as he followed the man below, followed him as still as death.

He had been connected with a series of robberies and break ins resulting in the theft of much needed supplies and equipment, and the turtle came out tonight to stop it. He easily kept pace with the man, shadowing him in the shadows of the quiet rooftops. He remain undetected, no matter how often the individual below looked around to make sure he wasn't being followed. The night shadow slipped quietly on.

He was led to an abandoned warehouse, not an uncommon thing in this city, and he easily gained access through the busted skylight to the building, now, where did he go?

It was the sound of voices that led him where he needed to go as they echoed up in the seemingly empty building and he quickly made his way over the rafters and found the source. Found them easily. Again his eyes narrowed as he looked down at the large group of men below him. From the looks of the plans spread out over multiple tables in this corner of the building, they were planning another raid, and he could not allow that. Katanas came to his hands as he carefully picked his way down to the floor level.

He took a deep breath, trying to cleanse himself of the doubting thoughts that entered his young mind, his eyes firmly fixed on the task before him. It had to be done. Then he dropped down amongst them.

Of course they tried to run from him, even now he had a fierce reputation that made his opponents quake in fear just at the sound of his name, knew that he struck fear into the hearts of those who he came across. And he used that fear now to his advantages as they fled from him. He let his inner animal gain control, the one part of him he could not control. It had followed him since he had been a child, always waiting, always lurking in the shadows of his mind, bursting forth to the forefront every so often. Over time it came more and more often, and harder to control, but he reluctantly let it in because it gave him an extra edge. He despised it, but he needed it, if he wanted to live. In this world that was so hostile to him, he had to rely on it's help. But fighting it back grew ever harder.

The sharp katanas began their work, slicing through flesh with ease at the skilled hands of this ninja as he hunted them down, one by one. None would escape him tonight, none would plan another raid against the Master. None would live. None will thwart the quest for power. With each thrust of the swords, one less resistance fighter was among the living, and a piece of him died with every falling body. But he had no choice.

His blade had felled the last standing man and as he fell, another individual who had been hiding came rushing out. The blade came down as the form came rushing towards the body that had just fallen, but stopped before it could cut the tender skin as he stared in disbelief. A child, a girl of no more than eight was crying bitterly over the now dead man before him. Her golden blonde locks soaked up the blood as her bright blue eyes wept for the man, and man she was calling desperately to, urging him to get up. Calling to her father.

It was those calls that helped him push back the shadow in his mind, locking the monster back into it's dark hole. He could not, would not, slay this child. His heart was breaking enough watching her as she cried over the man he just killed. He couldn't face those eyes, now robbed of their innocence and he quickly turned and fled. Running from the small child whose eyes he couldn't face and the guilt they shot through him.

.

.

Leonardo took hours longer than needed to make it back. Hours he spent trying to justify the actions he seemed to be forced to take more and more often now. Actions that his very being fought against, but was unable to do anything about.

He landed easily on the roof of the building that he called home, fearlessly walking along the humans here, they wouldn't dare interfere with him. He brushed past the roof guards who were quietly watching him, judging him. It was no secret here whom he served and whom he now had to report too.

"You're a fool." Came out of the shadows to his right as he walked into the dim corridor. "You were told to take us with you." Donatello said as he stepped closer, then fell into step beside his older brother.

"I didn't need you." Was the reply. "And I saw no reason to bring you out to deal with it." He closed his eyes briefly, the only outward sign that he wasn't as calm as he appeared. No, he didn't want to drag them into these things if he could help it, even if it meant going against the masters wishes.

Donatello however looked at his brother with a slight sneer. "Sentimental idiot. I don't understand why he chose you to lead us."

Again the katana wielder fought back emotions. There had been a time when his brothers and him shared a close bond, but now...now it was eroding away. Since they began their servitude to this human, he had been forced to quietly watch as they had changed. Growing more distant, ruthless, violent. He had watched as who they were was stripped away, but he still protected them. Took on these missions to spare them the feeling of spilling blood. Their light cheerful eyes had grown darker with each deed he couldn't keep them from, their joy of life slowly being consumed by hatred for everyone beneath them. They were changing and he couldn't stop it. Even as he was beginning to realize he couldn't stop his own shadows from wanting to turn him into the same uncaring monster. He inwardly shuddered at how hard it was to reign it back in tonight, and almost wept at the reason why he was able too.

"You disobeyed him again." Raphael said with a smirk on his face as they approached the room his Master was in, waiting for his report. He and Michelangelo were leaning on either side of the massive door. "Keep doing that and he might vacate the leader position."

"No, he won't." Leonardo replied as he stared down his brother. "He knows that none of you are suited for it." Mainly because he kept reminding his Master of the flaws, in order to keep them behind as much as possible. He took on this burden to try and save them, and still did. That was a task given him long ago by another. One who had tried to raise them and began their training. Until the fateful day came when he gave his life to keep what was now happening from happening. He had risked it all to save them, and couldn't. Now Leonardo held onto that promise he had made to his father, before he had been pulled away by his master's men and brought here. To serve the master who had killed his father.

As children they had been to scared to run, and didn't have anywhere to go really. And by the time they were old enough to be able to leave, it was already to late. They had changed to much. Now he was forced to remain with his brothers, because he wouldn't abandon them, not even now when they weren't the same brothers as he once knew.

He didn't say anything further to his brothers as he pulled the door open, and stepped into the room beyond. His eyes immediately found the large human as he sat in his large throne like chair on the other side of it. He calmly walked up towards the man he had sworn to serve, his face hiding the hate he actually felt for him.

"You went alone." Came the deep voice as he bowed.

"Yes, I did Master." He calmly replied as he stood straight again.

"I told you to take your brothers to make sure none escaped, yet you take on a large number of them by yourself." He stood up and walked closer, his eyes dangerous behind the mask he wore.

"They weren't hard for me to deal with alone. I was able to take care of it without them."

"All were slain?" His eyes narrowed.

"Yes. None survived." And he hated himself for it. And that self hate weakened the restraints in his mind, and the shadow tried to slip out, he struggled to keep that from happening.

"You lie to me, my student." Shredder suddenly snapped as he landed a backhand blow to Leonardo's face, sending him crashing to the floor. "There was a survivor."

"No!" The turtle tried to scramble back up from the floor, but was kicked back down. "None were able to flee! I swear it!"

"Do you?" He motioned to one of the ninjas standing by another door, and he opened it and spoke to someone inside, who came back out, dragging the little girl from earlier.

"No..." Leonardo whispered in horror as the girl was thrown at Shredder's feet. "She is but a child! She is no danger!"

"All who oppose me are a danger." Came the growling answer. "Since you wanted to take on this task alone, you will complete it. Kill her." His eyes watched intently as he took in the horrified features of the turtle.

"Master please...she is just a child." He begged.

"Kill her." He calmly said.

He drew his sword even as he tried to find some way out for this poor child, but found none. "I...I can't." He looked back at the man who was still watching him intently, for once in his life openly defying him. "And I won't."

"Very well." Quicker than Leonardo could react, he took his blades and stabbed the child in the stomach.

"NO!" The desperate, pain filled shout drowned out the agonized scream of the little girl as Leonardo's heart broke. The shadows hit the barrier harder as he watched her collapse to the floor in front of him, writhing in pain and now crying from it.

"If you won't do it because I demand it, then do it to end her suffering. She will die one way or another, you know as well as I do the injury will take time to kill her."

Leonardo was breathing heavily as emotions washed through him. Hate, anger, guilt, desperation all took their turn as he watched the girl on the floor, his mental instability taking away what little control he had of himself. The shadow was fighting to be let out, demanded it and he couldn't fight it anymore as he knelt down next to the child. He kept his sanity long enough to look into those blue eyes that held his, the sheer pain in them holding the monster back just long enough for him to send her a calm gaze. "I am sorry, little one. I never wanted this to happen, and I won't let you suffer anymore." He told her quietly, then swiftly brought a katana around, and dulled those blue eyes.

He wept as he watched her pain filled struggles stop. Not strong enough to come to terms with what he just did, the barrier was forced open and he was overwhelmed by the shadow, the monster that had always hidden inside of him. Now, it was hidden no more as his light brown eyes darkened as it swiftly took control. "Father, I failed." He whispered quietly into the room before who he was was swept away, now to be locked behind the barrier as his darker side became dominant.

Leonardo looked at his Master, and smiled an evil smile. "That was actually very entertaining. Shame I waited so long in doing it."

Shredder's pleased evil laughter drowned out the desperate cries in Leonardo's mind. Silenced the voice so desperately trying to be heard, trying to take back control. But the shadow would not let him. The shadow owned him now and would not let him go.