The lightning, blinding and powerful engulfed Splinter consuming his life. Leonardo watched in horror, his mind searching for a explanation. His master was now dead. His brothers were dead too by his own hand. One moment he was having the exact same pointless argument with Raphael that he always had and the next minute he was striking him down. Why had he done it? Why had this green being killed his master?
Strike or Surrender? Fight or Flee?
He fled. Dashing through the sewers soundlessly, effortlessly and instantly from years of practice. When Leonardo finally found his exit, he saw that where he had been and where he was were two completely different things. What should have been the dirty, garbage covered city streets was mucky, moist swampland. This must be all related. Before Leonardo couldn’t walk his mind through this dilemma though, it all hit him at once. His brothers were gone. His master was gone. And now, his world was gone.
He ran, again.
The pace was the same, but the feet that met the swamp below were noisy and clumsy. There was nothing ninja about Leonardo right now. Nothing left of him. All he knew was running so running is what he did. He ran until he was forced to stop just at the edge of a decent to a valley below, darkness was everywhere. A sound startled him and in that moment the miles he had covered were forgotten. He sucked in the pants of exhaustion, his lungs screaming, but his mind focused. He knew that sound. He had heard that sound a hundred times before he had seen his master electrocuted.
The sound was that of a slashing lightsabre.
Leonardo enraged and shot down the decent to the valley floor below. He pierced through the dark growth throwing caution to the wind. All he knew was speed and that sound. Just as the growth grew thicker potentially hindering his pace, Leonardo’s hands embraced his katanas and blades licked the foliage before him eliminating any obstacle. When finally Leonardo reached a clearing, he saw his sound and the smallest of doubts that he had was diminished as the memory became not just sound, but also a vivid arcing blade of light. There was no hesitation this time. No second guessing. No fear. There was only Leonardo’s feet leaving the ground and flying towards the bearer of the light. Blood covered Leonardo’s face as his katanas found their mark.
The lightsabre fell softly to the wet grass below from it’s dead owner’s hand and Leonardo was victorious.
But as he looked upon his enemy, he did not see an emerald evil, but instead saw a man. Barely a man. This was not his enemy. This was his shame. What had he become? Leonardo’s emotions clouded his mind until eventually only one thought was able to find its way out of all that confusion. He still needed his vengeance. It wasn’t the ninja way, but the ninja way had died with his brothers and his master.
He would have his revenge.
He picked the lightsabre off the ground purposefully. Felt it’s weight in his hands. It lacked the balance of his katanas, but Leonardo required little practice to adjust to fighting with a weightless blade. There was no denying the raw power of this weapon. His katanas were sharp, but the blade of light offered not even the slightest resistance when carving an object.
This would be how he’d have his revenge.
And so the fearfully truly became the fearless. His mind had lost it’s ideals, but hardened in it’s mission. Leonardo turned and made his way back to the sewers. We’d like to believe that the journey was heroic that it was destiny that being the hand of vengeance was simple and quick, but the walk was long. The mission softened. The doubts crept in. Leo’s muscles aching from a day and nearly a night’s worth of sprinting, he found himself a suitable hiding place and went to sleep.
He dreamed of sitting beside Donatello on the work bench zoning out to his explanations of his newest gadget. He dreamed of sharing Pepperoni pizza with Michelangelo and seeing his brother eat so much that he could barely move. He dreamed of screaming at Raphael, fighting with Raphael and ultimately, laughing with Raphael. And he dream of his Master. Sitting beside Splinter for hours on end meditating and fighting the inner impatience to get up and goof around with the rest of his brothers.
That Sound.
Leo was awake and on his feet. The sound of light had returned and what was most shocking is that it came from where he had been. He made his way back fighting through the hazy sleeplessness that still threatened to close his eyes. He knew he should be more awake, more alert, but the combined physical and emotional exhaustion of the previous day’s events was proving a worthy adversary. He heard the sound and what sounded like a tornado of leaves following it. The sound of wind made the sound of light hard to identify for Leonardo. He knew it came from the valley where he’d been though. He slowly crept towards the edge of the decent, pushing away one final thick branch and then he saw the sound of wind and light. He saw the last person to see Splinter alive.
He saw Yoda.
Their eyes met and Yoda’s whirlwind of swordplay ended for he had seen this green man. He had seen him flee after he killed the rat. And in that moment, Yoda empathized with this man as he knew that he had taken his master from. A master without a student. A student without a master. Yoda was quickly awakened from his pity though as Leonardo sent one of his katana’s sailing through the air looking to end the fight before it even began. The sword was brushed aside from a far though with a quick flash of Yoda’s hand.
“A Master, you are not. A Master, you cannot hope to…”
Defeat on his lips, Yoda’s final word was left caught in his throat as his enemy leaped towards him. It wasn’t the flying assault though, but the blade of the assailant that caused Yoda to pause. A katana in one hand and a lightsabre in the other. It was Luke’s and Yoda knew this. Sparks flying, the lightsabres connected as Yoda effortlessly sidestepped the trailing swing of Leo’s katana. The second time their eyes met, lighsabres briefly locked, no sign of pity remained on Yoda’s face. Fingers clenched, Yoda thrust his arm forward sending Leo flying into a tree far, far away from their initial slashes. Leonardo half pushed up his body with his katana hand, covered in swampy mud, watching the miniature menace fly towards him and meeting Yoda’s flash with Luke’s lightsabre. Flipping backwards, Yoda extended his arms in a devastating lightning blast to end his enemy. Leonardo more out of instinct than understanding held the lightsabre in-front of himself and caught the lightning, saving his life.
“A Master, you cannot hope to defeat.”
Yoda said finishing his earlier sentence continuing the press his enemy with his electric assault.
“I must avenge my family for the evil that took their lives.”
Evil. The word hit harder than any blow could have struck Yoda. This was the dark side. The lightning evaporated into the air and Yoda backed away to let the noticeably shaken, Leonardo, to his feet. Grasping at the air, Yoda, brought Leo’s thrown katana to his hand. Both combatants now dual wielding like weapons, Leo attacked still driven to succeed in his mission. Lightsabre met lightsabre. Katana met katana. And so it continued as such for a time until a fortunate defense against Yoda’s katana attack sent the blade into the intertwined lightsabres of both fighters leaving only the sword’s hilt, effectively rendering it useless. Wasting no time Leonardo led with a quick katana slash that Yoda had no choice, but to meet with his lightsabre to dismantle the blade. Leo’s inevitable following slash with his lightsabre came in a deadly sideswipe at Yoda’s unarmed side meeting Yoda’s hand…
…and disappearing.
The small green hand surged with wild energy as Leonardo was left dumbfounded wielding a katana without a blade and a lightsabre without a light. Yoda released his grasp on the energy allowing it to merge with his lighsabre creating a brilliant vortex of blue and green magic. Frantically, Leonardo tossed the hilts of his former weapons at his opponent, but not even the smallest of actions was required of Yoda as he deflected both to the sides with a single thought. A spinning strike of sea foam green struck down Leonardo leaving Yoda pondering what potential within himself he had unlocked.