Hi everybody! It's me (check bio)! I finally got an account! This story is really good, I swear! Oh, this is going to be sooo much fun! I hope you like my story! Now for the disclaimer:

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (looks sad) Wow. These disclaimers are depressing.

Anyways, on with the story! (The beginning is in dream sequence. )

He was alone, alone in a place he couldn't even see. He couldn't remember anything ever being so dark. So dark that he thought he was blind.

Wait… He see himself… Barely. His Body was a shadow, as was his sanity. He had to pull at the tails of his bandana to remind himself of who he was. They were blue; he was Leonardo.

The turtle sat in the cold water, trying to block them out; but they got louder. Sometimes, he could swear the water was turning into blood, then back, but he didn't know. He couldn't see.

Just like he couldn't see them.

He covered his ears. "Why?" he whispered.

Yes, that was the question that played in his mind. Why were they screaming? They cried out in pain, like their limbs were being severed. Occasionally, they sounded more like they'd witnessed the death of a loved one. Why?

Leo knew they were there, just beyond him. And he knew that if it wasn't for this veil of darkness, he could see them, and know why.

The rest didn't matter. He knew what was happening. He knew when this was happening. He knew how it was coming about. Heck, sometimes Leo thought he knew where it was.

He even knew who was screaming.

Granted, the blue-clad turtle couldn't see them; didn't know what they looked like or their names… but he knew who they were.

There were seventy-two of them… no, seventy-four now. Twenty-eight male, forty-six female. The ninja could recognize them all just by the pitch of their voices.

Sometimes he felt like going to look for them… But he didn't know how close or far away they were. They could be five inches or five miles away for all he knew.

Despite all he knew, there was so much in this dark abyss he had yet to learn.

One of the girls shrieked and he drew his knees to his plastron. Why?

A new question arised. Why would anyone do this to them? Why would anyone be so cruel? Even though all these questions haunted him, there was one thing that ripped him apart. One thing about the screamers that disturbed him to his very core.

They were all children.

Leo woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. There were two sheets on him, but he was freezing.

Looking at the clock, he realized it was only 4:30 am. The turtle decided to give up on sleep for the night. These nightmares had been occurring several times every night for the past three weeks. This was the fourth one he'd had since 11 o'clock.

Leonardo groaned as he sat up. His joints were so stiff! He could barely move them without effort.

The stand that held his katanas was right near his bed. He removed one and held it in his right hand, allowing the blade to rest in his left. The reflection of the sword held his eyes.

Sighing, Leo met his own gaze. His namesake had thought that the eyes were the window to the soul. What was in his soul? He couldn't concentrate on that question without thinking back to the others he'd come up with in his dream. Not without echoing the screams.

He abruptly got up. Practicing some katas would help. As he grabbed and sheathed the other katana, he realized his muscles were sore, too. I gotta relax.

Leo made his way to the dojo quietly, lost in thought. He kept up the silence as he practiced flawlessly, out of repetition. After a few hours, he'd just about forgotten the night's events when he heard a scream erupt from Michaelangelo.

The blue-clad turtle went quickly out of the dojo to see Raph and Mikey fighting (A/N: So early, so likely). Immediately, he went over to the couch; Raphael on one side, Mikey on the other. Leo stepped in front of his hot-tempered brother.

"Raph! Don't. Touch him."

"I ain't gonna hurt him, I'm just gonna-"

"Back off!"

Leo's brothers stared at him in shock. On occasions, Leo could lose his temper, but never that quick. Raph was quickly losing his, and, if it weren't for the look he was getting from his older brother, he would be talking back by now. But, instead, he gave Leo a cold glare before storming off into the dojo.

"Are you alright, my son?" asked Splinter as he entered the room.

Leonardo didn't even look at him. "Yes, Sensei."

Mikey looked at him from behind his hiding spot. "You sure, bro? You don't look good."

"Yeah, Leo." added Donny. Leo hadn't noticed him to his left. "You're shaking. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Positive. We should probably start training now, right Sensei?"

"Yes, I believe so," the old rat master said, watching his eldest son closely.

Throughout the day, it became apparent that Leo's attention was somewhere else. In the spar rounds, to the pleasure of Raphael, he lost Raph… and Don… and Mikey. He didn't eat much and seemed to be getting more anxious towards the end of the day.

Finally, at ten that night, Mikey decided to try something. He flipped onto the couch, turning the TV on to a late night horror movie.

"Hey, dude!" he said enthusiastically, "Want to watch the tube with me?"

Leo turned slowly. He was beginning to loathe the nights. Maybe it'll get them off my mind…

The screen showed several people screaming at the sight of monsters. They sounded almost exactly like the ones in his dreams. Or maybe not.

"Uh, no, that's okay, Mikey. "I'm just gonna go to bed."

"Oh, okay." Mikey said softly. He'd tried.

Leo went upstairs slowly. Then it came. The screams tore through his brain, sending him into darkness. He barely had enough time to get in a corner, much less his bed.

This was going to be a bad night.