A/N: And here we are, the last chapter for this tale. Before anyone throws any rotten tomatoes at me, I want to remind you of the A/N from chapter 1, which I will repeat here. This story was a side adventure for the 2003 series, taking place immediately after "Samurai Tourist," and immediately before "The Ancient One."

Chapter 18-Rock Bottom

One week had passed since Leonardo returned from his Warrior's Walk. For everyone in the lair, it felt like nothing had changed. Leonardo rose at the first suggestion of dawn, and could be found already covered in a fine layer of sweat by the time his brothers and sensei assembled for their daily morning practice. After practice and a sullen breakfast, Leonardo would immediately return to the dojo for a private training session. Master Splinter would retreat to his room, seeking guidance through meditation. Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo began to spend more time together, unconsciously seeking both comfort and guidance from each other regarding their troubled eldest brother. This routine continued, uninterrupted, with no solution or end in sight.

It is Sunday, the one day of the week designated as a day of rest for the small family, which meant no training sessions for the day. But a day of rest, was no longer part of Leonardo's personal agenda. To the troubled young ninja, his list of failures was growing more and more with each passing day, yet his skills were not. Leonardo entered the dojo with only one objective on his mind, master something new.

Master Splinter's eyes opened, ending his meditation. Splinter frowned as he rose from his seated position on the floor. Ever since Leonardo's return, all of Master Splinter's attempts to get his eldest son to talk have failed. Already knowing where he would find Leonardo, the old rat walked towards the dojo area of the lair.

Splinter watched his eldest son with a heavy heart. Leonardo always found solace in his training. Yet tension and frustration was radiating off of the blue ninja, like the waves of steam from asphalt on a hot summer day. Splinter let out yet another sigh. It appeared that Leonardo's perceived failure during the Warrior's Walk, has driven the young ninja deeper into himself. It was going to be twice as hard to get Leonardo to open up to his family now.

Master Splinter wasn't sure sparing with live weapons, with an angry student, was the best course of action right now. But at this point, it was the only thing left that the concerned father could think of to do. Sometimes, a sparring session would get Leonardo to talk to his father.

Splinter stepped towards his troubled son. Immediately detecting the old rat's presence, Leonardo turned and bowed to his sensei. "Master Splinter."

Splinter returned the greeting and held out his hand. "Spar with me, my son."

Leonardo obediently retrieved one of his katana, and placed the handle into his master's waiting hand.

As master and student began to spar, the two ninja quickly settled into a familiar rhythm. Set-up, counter, repeat. Set-up, counter, repeat. It was the rhythm Leonardo and his brothers had always performed when sparring against sensei. Something that Leonardo had done, countless times in the past. It was a series of strikes and blocks that the troubled turtle had mastered a long time ago.

Except today, Leonardo didn't find comfort from the familiar routine. Instead, this old dance between master and student, began to grate on his already fraying nerves.

Clang!

Leonardo's voice carried throughout the lair, as he struck out with his sword. "I already told you I'm fine."

Master Splinter questioned his student's claim, as he brought his arm up in a block. "You are sure?"

Twang!

Leonardo felt his temper rising at Splinter's protest. "Nothing's the matter sensei. Why do you keep asking me that?"

Clank!

Michelangelo lounged on the couch, trying to focus on his newest comic book, Toxic Zombie Monkey. But despite his best attempts to read his comic, the sound of Leonardo's spar with Master Splinter, kept breaking Mikey's concentration.

Shaking his head, Mikey listened to Master Splinter try to get Leonardo to talk to his family.

"So much anger. The unopened bottle will burst when its eternal pressure becomes too much to bear."

Donatello stood at the head of the weight bench, ready to give Raph a spot on his latest rep of barbell chest presses. When the sound of Leonardo's spar with Master Splinter carried across the room, Raph stopped midway through his set. His concerned eyes met Donatello's own as they listened to their father try to reason with Leonardo.

"For months now you have been brooding, surly and stubborn."

Leonardo's voice was rough. The normally controlled ninja doing less and less to keep the anger and frustration out of his voice.

"Yeah. Right."

Splinter refused to give up. "You have not been yourself. You must release what festers within you. Your family will help you Leonardo. It is important that we be open with one another."

Leonardo disarmed the old rat and watched his beloved katana fall to the floor. His father's words grated on Leonardo's last nerve. The lid on his emotions flew off, going right out the man hole cover. And all of Leo's respect for the sensei and student relationship, went right along with it.

Leo's words were laced with anger, in a tone of voice that he never used before with his sensei.

"Open? Ok. This katana lesson stinks. I mastered this years ago."

"Years ago!"

Narrowing his eyes, Splinter retrieved Leonardo's fallen sword. The old rat was not one to give up easily. Once again armed, Splinter countered. "It is not the student's place to say when a lesson is learned. The student's place is to listen and learn."

Leonardo never talked so callously to Master Splinter before. Raphael, sure all the time. Michelangelo, occasionally. Even Donatello, every now and then. But Leonardo? The son who placed family and honor above everything else? Never.

To witness Leonardo doing so now, well that was all the proof that the three younger brothers needed. Leonardo had officially returned from the Warrior's Walk, even worse than before he left.

The three concerned turtles walked over to the edge of the dojo area. Leonardo's strikes were strong and swift, cutting as sharp as his words towards Master Splinter.

A sinking feeling settles in the pit of each younger brother, as they stood side by side and watched the spar.

Uncomfortable with the aggression behind Leonardo's strikes, Michelangelo stated the obvious to his brothers. "Something tells me the cork is about to pop on that unopened bottle."

Raphael crossed his arms in front of his plastron. "That hothead. I hate it when Leo reminds me of me."

Oblivious to their audience, student and teacher remained focused on their spar.

Leonardo lashed out with his strikes, his speed and strength increasing along with his temper. The blue masked ninja began a series of offensive moves, hitting hard and swift, quickly forgetting that he was only to be sparring with his sensei. Leo's words were as sharp as his blades.

Clang!

"I already mastered this lesson."

Twang!

"And yesterday's lesson."

Clank!

"And the lesson before that."

Leonardo's words were as perfectly timed as his moves. Each parry, block, and thrust from the blue masked ninja, left Leonardo's opponent open for one final action from the angry blue ninja.

Eager to end the fight, Leonardo seized the moment, and pressed forward for one final move with his katana, a cut.

"When are you going to teach me something that I don't already know!"

Slice!

A/N: And we all know what happened after that. If the end of this tale seems familiar, it's because it is the beginning of the 2003 episode "The Ancient One." I always wondered, what was the final straw that caused Leonardo to lash out and ultimately harm Master Splinter, during their spar at the beginning of that episode? This fic was my answer to that question, I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading and reviewing!