A/N: Thank you for bearing with my slow updates. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Chapter 7: Compromise

"Please, please, please with pizza on top?"

"No, Mikey. Get outta my face."

Raphael glared at his orange-banded brother as he sank to his knees before the couch, clasping his hands together in supplication. "But you promised!" the younger brother pleaded, gazing fondly at the tattered comic in Raphael's hands.

"Does the word 'maybe' mean anything to you?" Raphael griped, shoving Michelangelo away with his foot.

Michelangelo let himself fall to the cold ground flaccidly as he summoned his best crocodile tears. "Harsh, dude...," he wined, his bottom lip trembling.

Raphael glowered. "Damn it, Mikey –" he stopped himself when a reminder of the person in the other room drifted through his mind. "Just... leave me alone," he finished lamely, kicking Michelangelo's carapace with finality, prompting a hopeless groan.

Just beyond the living room, Akira sat at the kitchen table with her hands folded tightly in her lap, her back rigid, and her eyes cold and unmoving as they stared at nothing in particular. Leonardo glanced at the girl from time to time, wary of her sour mood, as he prepared a makeshift meal of instant rice and canned chicken.

The day had progressed towards suppertime with a painfully sluggish pace. After an hour-long debate between Akira and Splinter over her unusual ultimatum, Donatello had politely interrupted to inform them of the time. Though Splinter had promised to reach some arrangement by the day's end, Akira had fallen silent and spent the next several hours pacing in the dojo. When Leonardo finally worked up the nerve to offer her a meal, the kunoichi readily accepted.

Leonardo peered over his shoulder to gauge Akira's state once again – she sat motionless at the battered kitchen table with her gaze set blankly on the wall. Her eyebrows were drawn together as if in deep thought, though her eyes betrayed no emotion. Now that Leonardo knew Akira's girlish features were not her own, he viewed her in a very different light. Even though she had struck a temporary truce with his family, she still posed a very dangerous threat – one that he had allowed into their home without a second thought.

After plucking the plastic bag of rice from the pot of boiling water, Leonardo teared the thin material and let the rice fall into a waiting bowl. The ensuing steam filled the kitchen with the familiar scent of cooked rice, a comforting scent. He'd no doubt inherited his fondness of rice from his father, who treated it as a delicacy whenever his sons managed to find some topside. Unfortunately, as Leonardo separated the steaming food into two bowls and placed a pair of chopsticks atop each, the sight and smell did little to quell his nerves.

Summoning bravery, Leonardo scooped up the two bowls of chicken and rice and made his way to the table. Akira's eyes darted to him as he approached, studying him with an air of calculation. The prying gaze caused him to swallow uneasily, but he managed to place the bowl in front of her nonetheless.

Akira nodded curtly to the turtle as she plucked the disposable chopsticks from their perch atop the bowl, breaking them apart with precision. "Itadakimasu," she murmured, holding the bowl with one hand and positioning her chopsticks with the other. She frowned at the mixture before her with skepticism, but brought it to her mouth soon enough, eating eagerly.

Leonardo watched her curiously as he fumbled with his own chopsticks. Accepting the truth about her real identity had been difficult but eventually possible; coming to terms with her strange demand had been even more challenging. It puzzled Leonardo to even imagine two souls occupying the same body, and even more shocking that Akira wished to exterminate the actual owner of the body, Lucia Wood. Though Leonardo had met Lucia only briefly, he immediately considered the idea akin to murder. Life at any level deserved protection – that was his first and last duty as a ninja.

These thoughts flopped around in Leonardo's mind as he pinched his first piece of chicken and stuck it in his mouth, chewing slowly. Before he had the good sense to keep quiet, the question slipped from his lips. "How old are you?"

Akira glanced up from her meal with piercing eyes, filled with challenge. "How old do you think I am?" she asked in return, mumbling around a mouthful of rice.

Leonardo couldn't help but smirk at her ill manners. "Well, you called Master Splinter 'sempi,' which means you must be a few years younger than him."

"Three," Akira said.

Leonardo mentally counted from the year of Splinter's birth, which was... "Oh," he said, his eyes falling to the table.

Akira smirked. "I am old, ne?"

"No," Leonardo corrected quickly, "it's just... unexpected."

After a beat of silence, Akira resumed her meticulous eating. Leonardo felt a bit awkward as he took another bite of rice. I shouldn't have asked, he thought, berating himself.

Moments later, Akira abruptly held out her empty bowl to Leonardo. "Seconds."

Leonardo examined the bowl with surprise, wondering how she'd finished so quickly. "Um... we don't have any more rice," he admitted, rising from his seat. "I think we have some leftover pizza, though."

"Pizza...," Akira repeated, frowning. She pinched the remnants of rice from her bowl with her chopsticks, nibbling on the small, white grains.

Pulling open the refrigerator, Leonardo scanned the sparse contents for the pizza box Michelangelo had placed there the previous night. "Haven't you had pizza before?" he prompted, glancing back at Akira momentarily.

"No, not personally," she responded, "but I know the taste."

The statement unleashed many questions in Leonardo's mind as he slid the cold, cardboard box onto the table and opened the lid. Thankfully, Michelangelo hadn't contaminated it with his unconventional ingredients yet – it was ordinary pepperoni. "Do you want it heated up?" he asked Akira.

She shook her head, reaching for the nearest piece quickly; half of it disappeared within five seconds.

Leonardo observed her Michelangelo-like eating with a pensive eye. "How do you know the taste if you've never tried it?" he questioned.

"Lucia has," Akira said simply, scrutinizing the crust before biting half of it.

Eyes narrowing, Leonardo asked hesitantly, "You... you share her memories?"

"More or less." Akira reached for a second piece of pizza, leaving her statement unexpanded.

Leonardo frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Akira's eyes flashed to his with slight irritation. "I don't wish to answer your questions, turtle." She continued munching on her pizza, a scowl on her face.

Leonardo sighed softly, turning his eyes away from her. "I'm only curious," he murmured.

An uncomfortable silence filled the kitchen, during which Akira finished her second and third pieces of pizza. Leonardo picked at his bowl of rice with dwindling interest – his curiosity had overpowered his appetite. Was Lucia aware of what Akira was doing this very moment? Could she see through her own eyes even when she couldn't control her own body? How close were the girl's memories and thoughts to Akira's? Did she know that Akira was planning to kill her? Leonardo wondered if he would ever find any answers – Akira certainly wouldn't share them.

Minutes later, Donatello's impromptu arrival was a welcome distraction for Leonardo's troubled thoughts. He smiled at his brother as he entered the kitchen, T-phone in hand. "Hey, Donnie."

"Leo," he greeted offhandedly, eyes glued to the small screen of his device. "April should be back with the groceries any minute," he continued, robotically taking his usual seat at the table.

Akira licked her fingers with meticulous care after she'd finished her fourth and final pizza slice. "The girl is brave to return here alone – she could be followed," she commented.

Donatello sprang to his feet in surprise, nearly dropping his phone as he stumbled away from Akira. His brown eyes scanned the girl from head to food, looking for any signs of aggression as he clutched the kitchen counter behind himself for support. A beat of silence passed while he regained his ability to breathe. "I... didn't notice you there," he said shakily.

Wiping her greasy hands on her jeans, Akira regarded Donatello with mild amusement in her hazel-green gaze. "What worries you? I've arranged a truce with your master, which also applies to you," she reminded him.

Swallowing thickly, Donatello relaxed minutely against the counter. He'd not spoken with Akira since their "encounter" earlier that day, since she'd spent the past several hours holed up in the dojo. Along with his other brothers, Donatello had been ecstatic when Splinter canceled their morning practice, thankful to avoid their potentially hostile guest. Leonardo had been the first and only one to actually reach out to the unpredictable kunoichi.

"I-I know." Donatello hesitated. "I just... Sorry," he blurted, his eyes falling to the ground.

Akira pursed her lips impatiently. "I don't blame you for distrusting a former enemy."

Donatello released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "That's good to hear," he said, chuckling nervously. "The 'former' part, that is," he added.

Akira simply nodded in return, letting silence descend once more. Donatello gave Leonardo a pointed glance, darting his eyes to the left to indicate something, but the turtle in blue only shrugged. Releasing a helpless sigh, Donatello turned toward the toaster and began aimlessly fiddling with the knobs, trying to distract himself.

Meanwhile, Leonardo gave Akira the friendliest smile he could muster, which was returned with a vacuous stare.

To the brothers' great relief, April's voice drifted from the other room shortly after. "Can you help me with these bags, Raph?"

"Uh, sure," his gruff voice responded as Donatello virtually bounced out of the kitchen to help as well.

Leonardo watched Akira stand from the table and dart out of the room. Torn for a moment between staying and pursuing, he sighed softly to himself as Michelangelo zipped into the room to show him the spoils of April's shopping trip.

"That's great, Mikey," he mumbled, taking the load of groceries that Raphael shoved at him seconds later. His gaze was focused on the far side of the lair where he heard the distinct snap of a shoji screen being slammed shut.

~TMNT~TMNT~

"Checkmate."

Raphael's grin was wider than a pizza box as he announced his victory.

"Wh-What?" Leonardo gasped, glancing down at the chessboard in between them. The black king – his king – was surrounded by two white knights and a rook. He squinted as his eyes darted around the board, confirming Raphael's declaration for himself.

"Oooooh!" Michelangelo exclaimed from the blue beanie-bag where he'd been casually observing the game. "Raph beat Leo!" He giggled into the tattered comic that he clutched in his green fingers.

"Wow, Leo," April remarked from her seat nearby, glancing up from her laptop with curious eyes. Leo's strategic mind rarely lost a chess match to any of his brothers, much less to Raphael. "Distracted much?"

"I..." Leonardo's hand hovered over his lone bishop remorsefully, knowing that the one piece could have prevented his downfall with a simple move. "I guess so," he admitted.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Raphael leaned back in his seat, grinning smugly. "I won fair and square."

Leonardo shrugged and stood to his feet, meeting April's worried gaze with his own. "I've just got a lot on my mind – we all do."

April nodded in agreement. "I hope Master Splinter will finish soon... It's almost nine o'clock," she sighed, tilting her head to the side in wonder. "Does he usually take this long meditating on decisions?"

Michelangelo shouted "Yep!" while Leonardo shook his head, murmuring, "It varies."

Pursing her lips musingly, April said, "Well, this is an important one. A life is at stake."

"Two if it gets outta hand," Raphael added, balling his fists as he pictured Akira's initial hostility.

April frowned at the thought. "Let's not go there, Raph."

Leonardo cast his eyes toward the dojo for the twenty-third time in that hour alone, wondering if Akira would really push the issue that far. He knew that Splinter would never agree to destroying Lucia... in whatever way they could go about doing that. However, the chance of having any other options seemed slim at that moment. Sensei is smart, Leonardo thought determinately. He'll find a way.

"I'm going to talk to her," Leonardo stated, reaching for his katana to make sure he was armed. The cold metal of the weapons on his back greeted him with their familiar touch.

April winced as her eyes followed Leonardo across the room. "You sure that's a good idea?" she prodded hesitantly.

The ninja in blue nodded at her minutely as he left the living room. "Don't worry – I'll call if there's trouble."

Raphael and April exchanged glances, and the former shrugged impassively. "He can handle himself," he muttered, flicking Leonardo's king off the chessboard with a contented smirk.

For the first time in his life, Leonardo felt like a stranger as he opened the door to the dojo and peeked inside. The room had always been a public place for him and his brothers; a place where no secrets were kept, where there was only ninjutsu and training. Though his brothers' opinions would surely depart from his own, the dojo was Leonardo's favorite place in the lair. He felt comfortable and inspired there.

Most of the time, anyway.

Akira's abrupt movements told of the anger stirring within her as she fiercely wielded a ninjato. She sliced it through the air with tempered motions, lunging forward and strafing back as she released her frustrations. The metal sang with each of her fluid motions, cutting through the air with the blade's sharpened edge. Leonardo swallowed the sudden lump in his throat as her invisible enemy met an undesirable fate.

Knowing that his presence was already known, he stepped forward quietly. "Akira..."

"Yoshi will speak with me when he is done 'meditating on the matter.' Until then, we have nothing to discuss," Akira snapped viciously, twirling her short-sword with deft fingering. Pausing minutely, "I respect his wishes," she added in a softer tone.

Like every other time he'd heard it, Leonardo felt a strange knot in his stomach when Akira used his Sensei's old name. That part of Splinter's life was rather foreign to him, and Akira had been a part of it in some degree. Leonardo loved his adoptive father more than anything, but in the past twenty-four hours, he'd felt more distant than ever. He frowned.

"I guess you're right," Leonardo agreed, hesitating as he turned to leave.

Akira glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Turtle," she said, turning to point at him with the tip of her ninjato, "spar with me."

Leonardo's eyes widened and he stepped back, taken by surprise. "Spar? You mean... fight?" he managed to gasp.

Akira's eyes wrinkled with a devious smile. "Blood will not be shed; I only wish to test your abilities." She lowered her sword as Leonardo continued to delay. "We are at a truce, remember?"

Marginally skeptical, Leonardo reached for the hilts of his twin katanas, drawing them with deliberate slowness. He gripped the cloth-covered steel with uncertainty. "I-If this turns violent..."

"It will not," Akira assured in a clipped voice, even as she crouched for her first attack. "Besides, your brothers are a simple shout away."

This spoken truth did nothing to ease Leonardo's precariousness, but he postured himself for defense nonetheless. "Alright, I'll –"

His words fled from his mouth when a loud clash of steel resounded through the dojo; the force of it sent a wave of vibration through his arm. He blocked another equally-powerful blow from Akira's ninjato as the kunoichi attacked from the right and left, maneuvering in each direction with the speed of a cheetah. Retreating a step with each strike, Leonardo soon found himself dangerously close to the wall of ninjutsu weapons that Splinter kept just so.

Evading Akira's next lunge with a carefully-timed flip, Leonardo repositioned himself for defense as his attacker whirled around to face him. A fiery smile played on Akira's lips as she resumed her strikes, searching for a hole in his seemingly impermeable defense. After reaching yet another wall and repeating the same process, Akira decided to employ another method.

"Ah, yappari," she breathed between attacks, "too much a coward to fight offensively."

Distracted by the taunt, Leonardo lowered his left flank by an inch, allowing Akira to catch the edge of his plastron with the hilt of her sword. He staggered in surprise, lowering his defenses entirely, and instantly felt a powerful kick to his chest. His body flew to the ground with a harsh impact, his shell audibly grazing the tatami floor.

"Mo ikai." Akira bounced lithely on her toes, awaiting the next round with visible impatience. "Mo ikai!" she demanded.

Grateful that he hadn't finished his entire dinner, Leonardo rolled to his feet and brandished his katana aggressively. If she wants offense, he thought, gritting his teeth with growing irritation, I'll give her offense.

"Hah!" Leonardo used his superior height to his advantage as he sprung into his next attack, forcing Akira to block from above. She redirected his blow with a good deal of difficulty, and her trained stance suffered from the extra effort.

"Good," she praised, adjusting her pose to be guarded. Her face was stoic as she prepared for Leonardo's next movement.

The turtle thrust forward aggressively with his next strike; Akira strafed to the right to evade the attack, positioning herself on his less-dominant side. After feinting an attack to the right, the girl thrust her ninjato toward the left side of his face, clipping his cheek with the hilt once more. Recovering quickly, Leonardo blocked her kick with the blunt-side of his katana and shoved her off-balance. Akira rolled to the side to recover her footing, laughing as she did so.

"You're learning," she remarked, amused.

"Your form is easy to learn," he retorted, grinning with the sudden burst of energy that flowed through his veins.

"Don't assume you can predict everything, turtle," Akira threatened, sliding her legs apart and slanting her shoulders to attack.

"My name," the mutant said as he ducked and weaved gracefully between her attacks, "is Leonardo."

"Names are meaningless," she spat, crouching to slice at him from below.

Leonardo caught the slim ninjato between the blades of his katana and twisted to the side, effectively interrupting Akira's attack. "Is that right, Miyoko?" he challenged, using the name that Splinter had called her.

Akira's recovery didn't come with her usual quickness as she straightened rigidly, holding her weapon loosely at her side. A frown tugged at the corner of her mouth as she watched Leonardo with a cautious stare; he dropped his guard and felt guilt rise in his chest.

"Sorry," he said tersely, almost reflexively, aiming his gaze at the floor. "I thought... well, I didn't mean –"

"That name ceased to hold meaning many years ago," Akira said, lifting her sword to gaze at the smooth metal surface. Lucia's unfamiliar eyes stared back at her in the reflection, and Akira scowled. "You would not understand."

Leonardo's eyes darted to hers when he heard the slight crack in her voice, and his guilt flared. Completely helpless toward such a reaction, he simply said what was on his mind. "You could go back, couldn't you? Back to Japan, to your brother?"

Akira's lips pressed together as her eyes returned to his, filled with an emotion akin to insult. Then, moments later, her expression softened; Leonardo could almost see the thought behind her eyes as she considered his suggestion. He barely suppressed a smile.

Her foot seemed to appear out of nowhere, and Leonardo's breath was knocked soundly from his lungs as it connected with his plastron. Tumbling to the ground once more and losing his weapons in the process, he grasped the dull ache in his chest with trembling fingers. He glared up at Akira with irritation. "What the –?"

"Stand, Leonardo," Splinter's voice commanded from across the room, sending a tremor of fear through Leonardo's spine. "Do not cower before your opponent."

The ninja jumped to his feet and bowed towards his master, ignoring the soreness beneath his shell. "Hai, Sensei," he said automatically.

Akira's patronizing laugh ate at Leonardo's composure. "I see you've trained the turtle well, Yoshi," she said, resting her blade on her shoulder. She watched Splinter grasp his walking stick with both hands and smile approvingly at his student.

"Leonardo is a fast learner and a diligent ninja, Miyoko." Splinter's dark eyes narrowed for a moment as he added, "Worthy of respect."

Akira's eyes shifted to Leonardo at Splinter's implication, and she released a noncommittal sigh. Lowering her arms to her sides, she bowed somewhat at the waist. "Arigatogozaimasu," she murmured.

Leonardo simply nodded in return, unsure of how to respond.

The ninjato found its original place on the wall as Akira gingerly set it within its mounted holster. She adjusted the weapon slightly, a respectful, admiring touch, and then turned to face Splinter. "Have you considered my terms, Senpai?" she asked, smoothing her wiry hair away from her face.

Splinter nodded and turned towards the large, aged bonsai tree on the opposite end of the dojo. "Yes, I have – deeply." After kneeling upon the layered rugs in front of the tree, he gestured for both Akira and Leonardo to sit as well.

Shooting a glare in Leonardo's direction when he attempted to sit beside her, Akira sat cross-legged before Splinter. Leonardo knelt to the side fairly awkwardly, anxious eyes on his Sensei. Though he trusted Splinter completely, he had no idea what sort of solution he would present to the situation.

"So?" Akira prompted impatiently, fists balled tightly on her knees.

Splinter inhaled deeply through his nose before he began. "A compromise is in order, Miyoko. I trust that you understand my desire to save the spirit of the girl, Lucia – not destroy it," he said, his expression grim as he waited for Akira's acknowledgment.

Her lips pursed thoughtfully before she replied, saying curtly, "I suppose."

Ears drawing back, Splinter frowned. "This is a serious matter of life and death, Miyoko. I cannot accept that destroying the girl's soul is the only resolution to your problem. Mercy must always be practiced before ruthlessness."

Akira opened her mouth to protest this statement, but quickly thought better of it. Instead, she nodded respectfully, surprising Leonardo substantially with her high regard for Splinter.

The rat continued. "Your spirit became one with the girl's body because you had lost your own. This suggests that a disciplined spirit may travel from one body to another under certain circumstances. If this is true, the process may be repeated."

"Under certain circumstances," Akira added, holding her chin skeptically. "I was not aware of much while my spirit drifted to this body. I... feared death," she recalled.

"Hmm," Splinter mused, stroking his thin beard. "Do you remember how injured you were when you awoke?" he asked.

Akira closed her eyes in recollection. "I awoke amid a car wreck and stumbled away in the confusion. My leg was swollen. My head ached for days afterward." She shivered as if reliving the pain.

Splinter leaned forward with intent. "On the verge of death, would you say?"

Shaking her head slowly, she said, "No. The damage was not severe. But Lucia..." Her eyes met Splinter's with a wondering gaze. "I believe she wished to die," she stated coldly.

Splinter's eyebrows fell. "Sou ka," he said softly, pausing thoughtfully. "This presents a difficult choice."

"If you want the girl to live, the choice is clear," Akira intoned sternly, carefully watching her Senpai. "There is only one way we could live in separate bodies once again, since mine has already been destroyed."

Leonardo stifled a gasp at her implication. What she's saying is... He swallowed thickly before interrupting with, "You want to kill someone and take their body?" To his own ears, the statement sounded as unbelievable as it was grotesque.

Akira whipped around to stare at him with menacing eyes. "Not necessarily. People die in New York every day," she said evenly, returning her gaze to Splinter.

Conflict raged in the master's eyes, framed by a furry scowl of deep thought. He hadn't considered this in his meditation. "This is a very upsetting idea, Miyoko," he murmured darkly.

At that, Akira stood fluidly to her feet and began pacing. Leonardo tracked her movements with unfocused, pensive eyes; each incessant step grated on his nerves, clouding his mind. A quiet growl rumbled in his chest as his frustration mounted. This isn't right – it can't be, he thought.

"Yoshi, I see no other options," Akira finally said, pinching the bridge of her nose when her steps stilled. "Your desire for the girl's safety is... inconvenient. She is no longer of any value; she meaningless."

"Yame!" Splinter boomed, anger seeping into his eyes as they blazed at Akira's defiant expression. "Life at any level is never meaningless. As a ninja, you must –"

"Do whatever is necessary," Akira interrupted defiantly.

Splinter paused to gather his patience, pressing a paw to his forehead, and then corrected, "Practice mercy over ruthlessness."

Akira's eyes rolled towards the ceiling and she crossed her arms in exasperation. "Then, Yoshi, consider the only other option. I need a body one way or another!" she nearly yelled.

A deep sigh rattled in Splinter's throat at her abrasive manner. So narrow-minded, he thought, gazing dispiritedly at the girl. Her eyes burned with impatience as she awaited his response. "What body would you choose...?" he asked with difficulty.

"Any," Akira said immediately. "Just so I am rid of Lucia." She said the name through gritted teeth, cheeks flushed with anger.

Leonardo felt his brow furrow with surprise. Any?

"Master Splinter! Master Splinter!"

All three heads snapped up at Michelangelo's shrill cry, which was followed by Raphael's annoyed growl of "MIKEY!"

The orange-banded turtle burst into the dojo seconds later, hugging something close to his chest. Stumbling into the room, he lost hold of his charge and the sleek, orange cat lept from his arms. The cat scampered away from him, clawing the ground with sharp nails, and released a feral hiss towards its captor.

Despite this display of rejection, Michelangelo bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet. "Can I keep her, Sensei? Please, please?"

Raphael followed soon after, several light scratches on his face accompanied by a sneer. "Mikey, I told you to keep that damn monster away from –"

Ignoring his older brother, Michelangelo focused solely on Splinter's contemplative expression, seemingly unaware of Akira's cold glare. "So, Sensei?" he prompted eagerly.

Splinter's eyes hovered on the perturbed feline for a long moment before he spoke. When he did so, he addressed Akira rather than his youngest son. "Any body, Miyoko?"

Michelangelo glanced between the two for several seconds while he evaluated the situation. Master Splinter sported a small smile on his face, and Akira stared back with an appalled expression, her eyes darting between the mutant rat and the stray cat. Her voice was strained as she stuttered, "Yoshi... y-you don't mean..."

With a sly grin on his face, Michelangelo planted his hands on his hips and intoned, "Okay, what did I miss?"

Translations:

Itadakimasu – A phrase spoken at the beginning of a meal

Ne – "Right?" (informal)

Ninjato – A short sword used by ninjas

Yappari – "As I thought"

Mo ikai – "One more time"

Arigatogozaimasu – "Thank you" (formal)