A/N: Well, it's here. I can't believe I'm finally publishing this story. I can't wait to see what y'all think of it and I hope you guys stick with me throughout it. All I can say is that it's going to be a long and bumpy ride. Also, I recommend reading 'Of Nightmares and Promises' if you haven't done so already. The events in that oneshot will be mentioned in upcoming chapters so go check it out. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT.


New York City, a place known for thriving off of chaos and madness. A city known to be full of much turmoil and devastation. For those who are fortunate enough, the city that never sleeps has been a saving grace. Providing opportunities and dreams that make it all the more easy to sleep at night. Yet, most of the vast population know how little it takes for everything to slip away. They know how each new day is a blessing if given the chance to even survive. They know that their nightmares have the chance to become a reality.

That's how Osamu perceived it. The lone soldier stood on top of an abandoned building, overlooking the surrounding city. The sun had just gone down, darkening the sky, revealing the barely visible starry night. The lights of the city began their awakening, illuminating various buildings and establishments. Cars drove by in great haste, some rushing home from work, some rushing from home to work. As simple as it seemed, Osamu saw right passed the cryptic fa?ade. It was all a fake sense of safety that the citizens fooled themselves into thinking was secure.

The cold air of the night brushed the man's dark bangs away from his deep brown eyes that held little emotion. Osamu looked over the city once again, smirking, before turning his back and walking towards the opposite end of the decaying structure. It so happened that the building he was on was once meant to be a place for someone's attempt at a business but according to the form at the leading doors, the owner had gone bankrupt and so another dream was crushed.

Osamu perched himself at the edge, peering over the assortment of buildings, some were still in use, while others were barely standing. Taking a meditative breath, Osamu thought back to the events that led him here.

Bushi Osamu was born in Japan, twenty three years ago, into a nice family. He was an only child and had great parents. His father was a wise warrior and his mother was an intelligent scholar. They greatly encouraged Osamu to strive for the better things in life and pursue his passion. It wasn't a traditional method of parenting but Osamu didn't care. Growing up, Osamu found fascination with ninjutsu and the way of the ninja. His father taught him skills he had previously learned and had gotten Osamu a collection of scrolls that held great knowledge in the art. He soon became gifted with the style and acquired great skills with the katana. After countless months of practice, Osamu finalized his decision and joined a nearby clan.

His village was small, yes, but not too far away lived an assortment of ninja clans, each with their own path to honor. Each with their own warriors. Osamu saw the bravery and strength that each clan brought to the many villages in the surrounding areas. All of which fought for peace and justice. Osamu's mother was unsure of her son's decision but in the end, like his father, supported his choice. With much consideration, Osamu decided on which clan.

The Foot Clan.

From his child years to his young teen years, Osamu heard great tales about the clan. He heard of their climatic tale when they defeated the Hamato Clan. He had believed liars and deceivers that the clan stood for honor and all things righteous. His na?ve nature and wanting to be a part of the clan clouded his judgement. He failed to notice the truth behind their Leader.

He realized his mistake when it was already too late. Once he joined, he soon saw that the clan's leader, Orouku Saki was nothing but a man of evil and great sin. His tales of glory and sacrifice were nothing but lies that hid his disastrousness. The man's goals for the clan were shameful yet, no one else had thought otherwise.

Osamu tried leaving immediately after he saw the truth but once he did, his family was threatened. Orouku Saki didn't take kindly to treason and had to quarrel with hurting the innocent. The realization hit. There was no way out of it. Osamu, only twelve at the time of his joining, feared that he would be spending the rest of life stuck with the unforgiving Foot Clan.

For ten years, Osamu followed Saki's lead. For ten years, he watched hundreds of families and villages being destroyed. Ten excruciatingly long years.

One night, a year after his joining, was especially hard when he had to face his own village's destruction.

His family, the only loved ones he had. The ones he promised he would protect no matter what, perished with no mercy. Everything else he cherished was burned to a crisp. He lost everything that night.

Having heard many times that the punishment for leaving the clan was a price far worse than death and having nothing left, Osamu stayed with the clan. It was all that he could do. One the same night Osamu made the promise to himself and to his family that no matter how long it took he would start his own clan. A clan that stood for honor. A clan that took in the lost souls of the innocent. A clan that would be the product of rebirth and salvation. For the next ten years, Osamu spent sleepless nights, planning, organizing, doing whatever he could to prepare.

During his decade of planning, he scavenged the many broken villages around the Foot headquarters, looking for lost souls that needed something more. He gained loyalty, friends, and strength ever so slowly. In the weeks that followed all he needed was a way to get out of the clan. Once that was done, he could continue building his clan and eventually take down the Foot. Osamu deeply studied his mother's teachings knowing her methods would help him figure out some sort of solution. It took months but an idea finally came to him. It was foolproof and would no doubt get past Saki.

Unfortunately, fate was often an unfriendly stranger to Osamu. The night he was going to set his plan into motion, Saki had gathered a group of ninjas that consisted of Osamu and about thirty others. They would all be flown to the United States and brought into New York City, New York. Saki told them that the Hamato Clan was on the rise after all these years.

Osamu had remembered of the so-called Hamato Clan. According to history it was said to be a peaceful and honorable clan but according to Orouku Saki, the clan was weak and filled with nothing but backstabbing traitors. Osamu heard from other soldiers that Saki was raised by the clan and had fallen in love with a woman that held affections for Saki's brother, Hamato Yoshi. The two men had gotten into a fight that killed the woman and the Hamato Clan was overpowered by the Foot.

That wasn't all.

The woman and Yoshi had conceived a child that Saki had stolen from that gruesome night. Osamu had rarely seen Saki's adoptive daughter. Karai, as Saki named her, was kept away for the most part. Apparently, she has no idea who her true father was but it seemed Sami was never going to reveal that truth to her. Still, at that time Osamu knew she was barely sixteen years old but was said to be as deceiving and deadly as Saki himself.

So despite Osamu's internal protests, he was flown to New York City to investigate any evidence that the Hamato Clan still existed. He was hoping it was going to be a quick trip, they found the evidence, destroyed the clan, went back to Japan, and maybe stopped for sushi. Easy, quick, and simple. He never expected that he would spend his late teen years in the city.

He never expected that the Hamato Clan was a bunch of mutant turtles.

The first encounter Osamu had with the ninja teens is one he'll never forget. They looked alien, talked like normal human beings, and were skilled ninjas. It was the most unusual event that happened in his small lifetime. It didn't take long for Osamu to fully understand that New York City was built upon chaos that went far deeper than anyone imagined. He found that there were alien robots from a different dimension, there were far more mutants than the turtles, and the pizza was as good as the city claimed.

He swore, his life often felt like some comedic cartoon.

Osamu paid no attention to the growing plot. All he cared about was securing his clan and overthrowing the Foot. These teenage turtle ninja mutants meant nothing to him. He ignored them and grew to hate their place in his life. After a few months, more soldiers were brought in along with some very respected ninja warriors. Some were even mutated with the same weird stuff that caused the mutation of the turtles. Seriously, it was irritating. Osamu saw that he wouldn't be going to Japan anytime soon, he had to figure out a plan in the city.

He didn't plan on the alien robots taking over the city, the people of the city becoming mutated creatures, Saki's daughter becoming a mutant, Saki himself becoming a mutant, and so much more.

There wasn't a day that went by where Osamu didn't face some sort of evil being that was only seen in comics and manga. Any plans of escape seemed futile and hopeless. He and the other remaining human members of the clan were closely monitored and that was that. On a particular boring evening, Osamu decided to waste his energy by studying the turtles.

Only, it wasn't time wasted. . .

What Osamu found greatly intrigued him. First, there was the oldest, Leonardo. He was the leader of the four brothers, wielding twin katanas. His strategies were smart and his leadership was honorable. Far better than Saki's in Osamu's opinion. It was clear why Saki focused his attention on the blue banded turtle, thinking that getting rid of the Leader was the solution to the destruction.

Simple minded thinking wasn't unusual for Saki.

Next, there was the second oldest, Raphael. Wielding twin sais, the red banded turtle was known to be the fiercest and strongest. Osamu recalled the turtle's temper in battles, it was crazy and a little intimidating, yet, it was the turtle's weakness. Raphael and Leonardo were known for battling it out and having long lasting arguments.

'Pathetic.' He thought, moving on to the next file.

After Raphael, came the second youngest, Donatello. The theme of the Renaissance was enough to make Osamu's eyes roll. Anyway, Donatello was shown to be the quietest, and the weakest of the group when compared to his brothers physically. The purple banded turtle held skills with a bo staff, a powerful weapon in Osamu's opinion, yet the turtle's true strength came from his mind. His IQ was unknown, but it was obvious the turtle was truly gifted by the amount of inventions and technological advancements the turtles were seen using in battle.

Finally, the youngest. Michelangelo wore an orange bandana and held the nunchucks. Though he seemed weak, his speed, energy, and joke telling made him unpredictable. His strength was nothing to underestimate in battle. His annoyance made him particularly hard to deal with.

The four brothers, along with their two human allies, were resilient and seemed to be able to face any challenge head on. It was almost inspiring if Osamu didn't hold anger towards them. After all, it was because of their strength he wasn't home in Japan.

Reality was ironic though. For a couple years later it was the turtle's strength that ultimately defeated Saki. They lost Hamato Yoshi in the process but overall, the turtles won. Even when Saki's assassin Tigerclaw, and a hellish demon Cavaxas tried to resurrect him, the turtles were victorious.

And just like that, Karai disbanded the foot clan and I was suddenly free to go home. It seemed so unreal at first. After years of facing nothing but anguish from the Foot and causing never ending destruction, it was over. Osamu had no one to follow, no one to listen to for orders. He was his own man. Free to finally start his own clan.

Osamu wasted no time in buying a ticket and heading straight to Japan. He did so in joy and relief. A dream he had long thought dead was rising. He had no care for what happened to the soldiers or what was going to become of New York City after everything. He especially held no regard to what the turtles were going to do. The way he saw it, once everything was in place, he would return to the city and destroy what clans were in the city myself. Even if Karai reformed the Foot clan, it didn't change the fact that the clan robbed everything from the soldier and the countless torture and devastation it caused to the home of many innocent lives. The clan deserved to die in the flames it brought to his life.

As for the Hamato Clan, Osamu's hatred wasn't as deep or as extreme, but Osamu had spent many nights blaming and hating the clan for being the reason he was brought to the city. There was a burning passion to end their lives.

Besides, they would no doubt challenge his clan if he were to return to New York. His mind had already been made up when he arrived in Japan. Both clans had to go if he was going to succeed.

. . .but something was nagging at his mind.

Not surprising, it was the infuriating turtles. What was surprising though, was that it was only one. Osamu barely associated the turtles separately. He always grouped them together and that was that. Yet, ever since that night where he spent looking at them closer, there was something that continuously bothered him.

That something, or someone, was Donatello.

There was just something about the smart turtle that buzzed in Osamu's mind. The turtle was an enigma and Osamu wanted to know more. What was so special about this turtle that caused his mind distress? Osamu was forced to push away his thoughts as he met up with a close friend boy too long after his arrival.

Her name was Katsumi and while Osamu was away, she had worked tirelessly to bring together groups of people to join the clan. Katsumi trained nearly a hundred men and women while Osamu was with the Foot. As the two friends discussed their next course of action, Osamu still couldn't clear his head. That blasted turtle was still in his mind, consuming his ever thought.

The next couple of weeks were spent in training new recruits, planning, and building what Osamu officially dubbed the Bushi Clan. Signifying his parents and honoring their memory was one of his top priorities. By this point Osamu was in his early twenties and had slowly accomplished his goal. He had a pretty good amount of soldiers that improved their ninjutsu each day, becoming unbeatable. Osamu had trusted commanders that he knew were loyal. Like him, these soldiers wanted to be a part of a clan that stood for honor, not one that stood for hate.

The clan steadily grew but once again, Osamu found Donatello in his thoughts. One day, after completing a training session, Osamu walked off into the woods alone. He wanted to look for tranquility and answers. Why was Donatello in his mind? Why was it just that turtle and not the others? Osamu breathed and practiced meditation, thinking deeply. Donatello was the smartest. That's all the turtle was, right?

Images of the turtle's vehicles, specialized weapons, and any device they had was created from the smart turtle raced through his thoughts. These tools were all the product of junk and complex mechanics. They made the team adaptable. They made them strong in ways Saki never was. What took a team of mechanics, scientists, and engineers months of work, a teenager accomplished ten times more in the matter of weeks all on his own. Not to mention his extremely good skills at hacking. Osamu couldn't remember how many times he heard Saki's top scientist complain and curse at having to constantly recreate impenetrable computer systems that kept getting hacked by Donatello. It was truly astounding to think about just how much the turtle did for the team. Even if his ninja skills weren't on par with his brothers, they were still nothing to scoff at. This turtle was truly talented.

It hit Osamu like a tsunami. The sudden realization why this turtle never left his thoughts.

Donatello was responsible for the technological part of the clan. Though untraditional, it greatly helped the team in so many ways. If Osamu could get his hands on such talent, there would be absolutely no one that could over power his clan. He could easily defeat those who stood for violence and those who caused dishonor. The possibilities would be endless.

As Osamu kneeled in the woods that day, ideas of his clan's rise to power and the downfall of others raced through his mind. Each one more exciting than the last. Each one ending with him living his best life with no more torment. A plan started to form in Osamu's mind. One that he never thought he would come up with. If Donatello was on his side, not only would his clan grow stronger, but the Hamato Clan would surely fall.

Alas, Osamu knew that the bond of the turtles was as strong as they came. There was no doubt that Donatello would refuse any offers he sent for recruitment. There was a part of Osamu that really didn't want to force the turtle into the position he saw fit. No, Osamu would be damned if he became anything like Saki. Either a different approach was needed or the plan would have to be scrapped completely.

The following months, Osamu established a pretty big headquarters for his clan in Japan. It was a tall building that looked normal to the untrained eye. There were many floors that had a pretty good capacity. It was the perfect building and would offer great protection when needed. Though, Osamu couldn't shake the thought about Donatello's abilities.

Even has he sat on the abandoned building, thoughts of the passive turtle played through his mind on an endless loop.

Osamu's mind drifted back from the past as he focused on the present. He had just left Japan and was back in New York. Preparing to establish a second headquarters where he would begin his plan to take down the Foot and the Hamato Clan.

He gazed at the dark rooftops, his eyes wondering when he caught a glimpse of figures he didn't see for years.

The turtles.

The terrapins were only a few buildings away from where he sat. Osamu assumed that he had unknowingly chosen a location that was apparently a stomping ground for the mutants.

"And irony strikes again." He muttered.

He observed their antics, like his previous years when he acted as a scout. The two oldest were engaged in what appeared to be a steady growing argument, most likely about something trivial as always. The youngest was assuming the position of a referee as the turtles' human friends, Casey and April watched with amusement. However, Donatello was sitting on the sidelines, practically invisible. Memories came back to Osamu, memories of Donatello quiet as ever, sticking to the sidelines. Whenever his moment came to voice his opinion, often ignored or interrupted from his use of complex vocabulary. Osamu recalled moments during battles where the two oldest brothers put relentless pressure on the teen to solve any technical problems, even if Donatello was inexperienced, the brutal force of the brother's words held no sympathy.

Osamu shook his head in disbelief. Did the brother not even realize how much their younger brother did? Did they fail to notice the pressure and overly high expectations that were put on Donatello's shoulders? Also, how often does it occur? How often is Donatello isolating himself when not on the surface? All these questions with no answers made Osamu feel empathetic towards the ninja. All this time, Osamu had looked at the turtles with hatred, the exception of looking at Donatello with curiosity, but nonetheless, growing hatred. Yet, as he observed the turtle, there was nothing more that Osamu wanted to do than comfort the boy.

Could. . .could that be the solution to his desires?

'If I show him all that his brothers have not and so much more...could that be enough to convince him? Could I then persuade him?' Osamu thought.

Although his desire held some selfishness, Osamu's original thoughts of using him were masked by his want to truly help the teen. So much of the turtle's potential was being ignored and taken for granted with little to know appreciation it seemed. Why, if Osamu had a person with Donatello's capabilities, he would never let it go to waste or spend a day without the reminder of his deep gratitude.

But would it be enough? Would giving Donatello unconditional love and support be enough to drive him away from his family? No. Osamu wasn't a fool. Even if all he pointed out was true, he knew of Donatello's heart and loyalty was as big as Saki's hatred. It would take much more than that to sever the bond. Much much more.

"Osamu?" Katsumi appeared out of nowhere, keeping her voice to a whisper as she saw the turtles weren't that far.

Katsumi was twenty one, her dark wavy hair tied into a ponytail made her look beautiful in the moonlight but her beauty was a perfect cover to hide her great ninja skills. She had grown alongside Osamu, knowing him from when they were kids. They're families were tightly woven together, at least before they're families were killed. Katsumi had managed to survive and with great effort built the base for the Bushi Clan.

"Katsumi, what're you doing here?"

"I came looking for you, although I didn't expect you here." She said, sitting beside her friend.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Katsumi spoke again.

"You've seemed off Osamu. Ever since we came to New York, you always look distracted."

"I'm sorry if I worried you, I've been thinking about the turtles. At least, one turtle in particular." He said as he pointed his finger towards Donatello.

"Any reason why?" Katsumi asked skeptically.

"Yes, I believe he is the key for our clan to rise to power. His intelligence is unmatched. He is skilled with all sorts of sciences and has the ability to create inventions out of junk and broken parts. With him, we would be unstoppable." Osamu bragged as he eyed Donatello. The turtle was looking over the fight that had broken out between his brother and apparently their friend Casey had joined in on the madness. Michelangelo and April were in a conversation, paying no attention to the fight or the purple banded brother. Osamu could see from the turtle's body language that something was amiss. He was droopy and looked unenergized despite the fact that he was barely doing anything.

"Osamu. . .please tell me that's not all. Using people is exactly what the the Shre-"

"I'm NOTHING like Saki." Osamu snapped, still keeping his voice at a whisper's volume. "Yes, I will admit that at first that's what I wanted, at least until I realized that there's more going on than meets the eye. This turtle, Donatello, is different from his brothers. He doesn't draw his strength physically but meantally. His mind is unlike anything else I've ever seen. Though, his brothers seem oblivious to the talent. From my experiences, they put him under intense pressure and even take his gifts from granted."

"That sounds awful." Katsumi commented, being weary of her friend's intentions. To her, Osamu did things out of good intentions. His methods, strange as they were, never led to the result of corruption. Katsumi really wanted to believe that this conversation was going in the right way, but she kept her guard up. If at any point Osamu strayed into territories that were unlike him, Katsumi would intervene. Ever since her friend came back from the Foot, there was a change to him, His personality was darker and his goals slowly grew further away than his original goals.

"Yes, and it definitely shows. Just look at him. There's something wrong mentally and I want to help. I want to show him the true abuse he's being subjected to and introduce him to a better life that I'll give him."

"Are you sure he'll want that? I mean, I get why he could be of good use, but they just lost their father and just succeeded in defeating their enemy. Maybe it's just him mourning. . ."

"I see your point, and yes I know of their father's passing. With that factor in mind, it makes it all the more clear why we should do this. I can tell he's not truly happy, and it seems his brothers don't notice. Donatello could just be clinging to a fake sense of happiness. As for their father, with his passing, who's to notice Donatello's distress? Who's to support him when his brother's overly use him? Don't you see Katsumi? I want to show him this fake happiness and hope that he's clinging to. I want to show him a better reality."

"I understand," Katsumi said, not as worried as she previously was, "but how are you going to show him?"

"It won't be pretty and I'm going to need you to trust me. If Donatello refuses the offer, I believe I will only get through to him with physical tactics."

"Are you suggesting torturing him?" Katsumi said with a sudden alarm.

"To simplify it, yes. But please understand it will only help the boy. There's a method to it. I promise. Now, please, organize a private jet for Japan. I believe that'll be the perfect spot to begin this plan. Please trust me on this Katsumi."

"Okay, I will trust you. Please be careful my friend." Katsumi bowed her head. She looked at the turtles one last time, hoping that her leader was right, before leaving the building and disappearing into the shadows.

Osamu looked at the turtles as well. The group seemed to be done for the night as they slowly made their descent to the sewers. Unaware of Osamu's presence. . .

'Donatello, forgive me for the pain I'm going to cause you. I promise child, it's for your own good. Whether you want to or not, it's for your own good.'

To be continued...


A/N: So, what do you all think about this new threat? I know OC's aren't a total favorite but I hope I alright for you guys! And don't worry, we'll see our bois very soon. Also, the cover art for this has been done by me, so give a look if you'd like.

Please tell me what you all think! I'm gonna do my very best to upload once a week so it would be awesome to hear some feedback!

Till next week. . .