THE WARRIOR'S CREED

By Robert L. Humphrey

(Iwo Jima Marine & Bujinkan 10th Dan)

"Wherever I go,

Everyone is a little bit safer because I am there.

Wherever I am,

Anyone in need has a friend.

Whenever I return home,

Everyone is happy because I am there

"It's a better life."

DISCLAIMER: I do not in any way claim ownership of the above creed other than the inspiration it gave me to write this story. Same goes for the TMNT's; I do not own them either. I do own Anna, though.

THE WARRIOR'S CREED

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CHAPTER 1 - WHEREVER I GO…
Everyone is a little bit safer because I am there.

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He waited. The summer night had beckoned him once again, as it had for the past week or so. Yet the evening wasn't what called out to him. Though the balmy air was cooler up where he sat, he was not there to bask in it. Leo then looked down over the side edge of the five-story building and saw her. She came like clockwork. The girl was using the shadows along the alley, keeping out of the lamplight and staying close to the building next to his as she walked. She carefully edged up to the corner of the brownstone, but then suddenly jerked back. Soon a couple walked by, hand in hand as they made their way up the street. The girl hesitated until they passed her by. Leo noticed she was dressed to suit the weather, a sleeveless green pullover shirt with denim shorts and simple flip-flops on her feet. The shorts weren't as skimpy as many of the young women wore, he noticed, but it would still attract the wrong kind of attention if she weren't careful. Once the couple was well up the walkway, the girl slipped around the corner and disappeared.

Landing deftly onto the rooftop of the neighboring building, the turtle in blue visualized the route that she was taking. He knew it well, knew where she was going, and it gnawed at him to find out why. He crept towards the end of the roofline and peered over. Not surprised, Leo observed the young woman slip into the building beneath him, her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. He hesitated. He had a choice. He could stay where he was and wait, then leave as he had been doing for the past several nights. On the other hand, he could intervene and do something that would make a difference. Still, he didn't know this girl, as she was a complete stranger to him. Consequently, he didn't have any obligation to do anything. Yet, he knew that whatever it was that she was doing would come back to haunt her years later. Many kids took wrong turns in the city of New York. He knew he couldn't save them all. However, this particular one bothered him the most. Of course, he had asked himself 'Why', but it was a question he didn't have an answer for and one that his own family had been asking of him for several days now.

Finally, he made up his mind. This night would not end up like all the others. This night a child would be salvaged and returned to her family. Maybe this night she would get a fresh start. Consequently, he had to act fast; time was of the essence.

Leo silently leaped off the lip of the building, breaking his fall as he fell by expertly grabbing the edges of the fire escape landings as he made his way down. Like a well-trained gymnast, his descent was quick yet not out of control. Soon, he was on the ground in no time flat. He slipped towards the front of the building, well hidden among its shadows. He knew this building well, knew that the worst of what society had to offer lived within these walls. Drug dealers, prostitutes, even a few wanna-be Foot soldiers. It puzzled him that she would find herself among such kind. However, it was also imperative that he take care. Although the girl was unaware of him, just associating himself with her and allowing any Foot to get wind of it would endanger her even more.

As he waited for her in the dark, he thought back to the first time he had seen her. It was a Wednesday evening and, on a rare moment of exploration, Leo had found himself at a local church. Though he hadn't gone inside but stayed on the roof of the building next door, the enthusiastic singing that seeped out from the opened windows drew him to it. It had been a typically warm summer evening, like tonight. Leo had listened to the voices as they sang their hearts out to the heavens. Although he practiced Bushido, he still enjoyed a good round of songs and it seemed that those within the house of worship agreed with him, based on their fervor. Afterwards, as the parishioners were filing out, one small family unit caught his attention. They were arguing and had stepped around the side of the church to conduct their debate. The group consisted of three individuals. It was obvious to Leo that two were adults while the third was a teenager, a girl of about sixteen. Upon closer inspection, he figured that the two adults were the girl's parents. For the moment, they didn't seem too happy with her.

Out of curiosity, Leo crept along the top of the neighboring building to get closer so he could hear what the ruckus was. Not one to usually pry, he found it odd that after such a rousing time of worship, such a confrontation would happen. As he came close enough to hear, all he caught was "…and you know that lifestyle will only get you into trouble, Anna. Stay away from there, please!" It was the father speaking.

"You don't understand, Dad. I have to do this, I have to. It's the only way!" the girl shouted back. "You and mom act like you don't care…but I do!"

Now the woman spoke, "That's not true, we do care and that's why we don't want you going there again!"

"You can't stop me, no one can! No matter what you do, I'm going and that's final!" the girl shot back, turning on her heels and running down the street.

Leo heard the father yell out for his daughter, taking off after her. However, the father – who was rather on the portly side – couldn't keep up with her, allowing 'Anna' to speed away as she easily outdistanced him.

Maybe it was her voice or the sound of desperation he heard in it, but her situation – whatever it was – intrigued him. However, it would be a few days later before Leo would catch sight of the girl again. He was doing his usual rounds with Raph when he noticed her going into the building that he was currently standing along side of.

"Say, Leo, you with us, bro?" Raph had asked him. He noticed his older brother lingering over the edge of the rooftop, watching the scenery below. They had just finished cruising the area when Leo had seen something; at least that's what he had told him.

"Ah, yeah, just making sure she's not – dangerous is all." Leo replied sheepishly.

"Dangerous? Her?" Raph sneered as he looked over to see what his brother was talking about. "Yeeaah, well, these days ya gotta be careful 'bout those young teen girls. Never know what they're up to, eh?" Raph teased him. "Come on, I hear something goin' down over on Seventh St."

At the time, Leo mentally filed the location away, not willing to share with Raph how he knew of the young woman or where he had first seen her. Knowing them the way he did, especially Mike and Raph, he knew they would torment him until a fight broke out. The fact that this girl, this Anna, had entered into a brownstone apartment where the residents were of questionable reputation alarmed him and he knew his family would share the same concerns. He wanted to investigate further before allowing the rest to join in. As it turned out, his clan was more concerned about Leo revealing his identity than teasing him about following a girl.

Now, after nearly a week of watching her nightly schedule, he knew the drill, knew how long she would be in there. It would only be a few minutes more and she would be on her way back home. Well, maybe not back home per se, but for her the hostel where she was currently residing was as good a home as she had for the moment. He didn't know the details but the second night he had seen her enter the building, Leo had followed her back to a run-down roadhouse where she was staying. Maybe her parents had kicked her out of their home after the argument or maybe she chose to go. Either way, Anna was far too young to be on her own, especially like this. The blue masked turtle was genuinely worried for her, despite his Master's insistence to let the child go. The rat was fearful that in his oldest son's eagerness to help, he would make things worse. Still, Leo couldn't help himself; he seemed compelled to protect her. He had to smile with the way he had just adopted Anna, not knowing anything about her yet concerned for the girl's welfare. Leo felt much like her unofficial protector or a guardian angel of sorts. That startled him. Is that what he was to her? Leo thought about it and wondered if it were true, that everyone had such a heavenly protector. His smile widened as he wondered what her God would think about that, Anna having a turtle for a guardian.

Now, he was determined to set right a path gone wrong. He thought he might even reveal himself to her after his talk, if only to scare her back onto the straight and narrow. It would be a last resort and the least he could do. With all the violence that he practiced keeping the city safe from evildoers and the like, keeping one child from such a life would be a thing of balance to his own. Again, despite Splinter and the rest of his family pleading with him to let it rest or risk exposure, Leo knew he had to do this. He knew it was the right action to take.

After a while, Leo heard Anna coming as she skipped down the front steps of the building. He could hear her cry as well, her sobs getting closer to him as she retraced her steps from earlier. As she turned into the alley, he swiftly crouched behind a pile of trash, safely concealed within its shadow. He noticed that her shoulders were shaking as she wept deeply. She walked quickly passed him, although unaware of his presence. Then, the girl began to run. It was obvious her tears were blinding her as she kept tripping over the ruble-strewn passageway. Crashing into a half-empty trashcan, she stumbled a little and nearly fell. Leo's breathing hitched as the girl almost met the pavement, his gasp masked by the sound of the can toppling over. Fortunately, she caught herself in time. After regaining her balance once again, Anna continued onward, crying as she ran.

Leo followed silently along, staying as far back as he could in the shadows without losing the girl, yet keeping pace with her at the same time. He wondered what it was that had brought Anna to tears. What had happened inside the building? Knowing the depravity of the human race as well as he did, his imagination took off for just a moment. It angered him the way some people would treat others. Theorizing what could have happened inside the apartment structure, Leo bristled with anger. He knew these streets well, especially this particular neighborhood, and so he feared for the girl's safety. If it wasn't by the Foot, then certainly the errant petty gangs were a volatile threat to one's life and limb. As he followed her now through the alley, the darkness of shadows nearly swallowing them both, he hoped she would make it back safely to the hostel where she was staying. He committed himself to following her, just to make certain of it. Maybe along the way he would confront her, to find out why she was associating with such a neighborhood as this.

However, no sooner had she turned a corner in the alley and disappeared around its bend when she suddenly stopped. There, standing before her, were six figures. They were all clothed in black with their heads concealed by equally dark hoods. Leo was still playing catch-up with her so the only fact that told him of the situation was her audible cry of surprise. Sensing danger, he quickened his pace.

He heard, rather than saw, the threat. Heightening his hearing, Leo listened as he carefully approached the turn. He was still in the first part of the alley, hidden by the buildings that boarded it and the shadows they created. It would give him an advantage of surprise.

"You were warned, Anna, and still you persist?" one voice exclaimed.

Leo became alarmed. Just by the vocal inflections, things were becoming quite serious.

"You have no - no right!" the girl declared angrily, hiccupping one last sob between her words.

"She should get out of there!" Leo thought worriedly.

"It's a free country, Sweets, and we can very well do what we want!" another hissed threateningly.

"I'll stop you…I…I will!" she shot back, her courage growing as she became more defiant.

Leo smiled at her bravado, but he knew she was also being quite stubborn. "What is she thinking?" he mused wryly, shaking his head.

"Not if you're dead!" growled out the first voice.

That was when Leo heard it, the metallic scrape of swords and knives as whoever it was prepared to attack her. As he thought about it, though, he realized who they were, now. This quickly became more than a simple matter of following the girl home; it became a rescue mission.