So this has been.. how long? 10 months or so? I don't even know why this took me so long to complete, I just didn't know what to write to be honest. But finals is a great motivation to start writing and I promised I would do an epilogue and someone even requested it on my request story thingy (Which I still have to update, oops), so I hope you all enjoy the last chapter/epilogue to a story you hopefully remember xD Enjoy!
TMNT
"Don?" I hear Leo ask when he walks into the lab, I hum at the call, acknowledging him but not turning around yet, focused on the technology that was below me. "Have you noticed Mikey acting strangely?"
"What do you mean?" I ask, frowning and stopping my movement but not yet turning around to face him. Leo sighs, walking up to me and leaning against the table with his arms crossed and looking at me.
"He's not acting like himself, I thought he'd be jumping around the lair once he got back, or ramble about his adventures but…"
"He hasn't" I finish and Leo nods and I sigh. "He hasn't told me anything either these last 2 days, but I think something happened to him when he was gone, he had been gone for 44 days after all, there are new scars on his body as well.. maybe someone.."
"No Don" Leo immediately cuts me off. "And not just because I don't want to think about Mikey going through that… it's just.. he wasn't tortured Don, you can see it in his eyes, something else is bothering him."
"I don't know either Leo… I was so relieved when he was in the dojo with dad when we came back from patrol but.. he wasn't Mikey… and he has ignored us for two days now, changing the subject whenever we asked about what happened" I frown, feeling tears stubbornly burning in my eyes.
Leo lowers his arms, walking up to me with a saddened expression and placing a hand on my shoulder. He doesn't say anything however, but the thought behind the hand was enough for me, that we'd get through this together, as a family.
And the most important part was that Mikey was home with us again, safe.
TMNT
"I must admit Michelangelo, I am rather surprised to see you meditating again" Dad announces and I crack an eye open, grinning at him before closing my eye again. After a few seconds I sigh, knowing meditating wasn't going to be a success anymore now dad was in the same room.
I sigh again, opening my eyes and looking at him. "What was it like when I was gone?" I ask, looking at dad. He flinches slightly at the question but composes himself rather quickly, looking at me with a saddened expression.
"Heartbreaking" He confesses, walking over to me and sitting down in front of me. "The worst feeling of a father is losing a child, and I lost you without knowing your well-being or if you were safe" I look down in shame, but I knew this already, I knew that I put them through pain by staying with the others.
Did I?
Did I really, truly, believe that they'd miss me like I hoped?
"I'm sorry for staying away so long" I whisper and Dad softens again.
"My son, whether you are ready to tell me or not, I trust your judgement, and your choice of staying."
"You received the note didn't you?" I ask and he nods, turning his head towards the shrine. Next to his family picture, and a picture of us amongst other things, was the note. I stood up slowly, popping my joints after sitting still for a while and walking over to it.
Dad didn't say anything as I grabbed the note, slowly unfolding it and reading it again. I smile, still remembering that day, the day I wrote that note. When Don was almost ready with building the portal so I could come home.
Hey guys, I know you're probably worried and all but I'm fine. I'll tell you everything once I get back, and I will, it will just take a little while. But I'm okay, and I found a place to stay so don't worry 'kay? I miss you guys, be back soon.
Love, Mikey.
I grin at the note. "How worried were you when you got this note?" At this question dad chuckles lightly.
"I was doubtful it this were truly yours I must admit" He says and I nod, turning around and folding the note again. "But the moment you had returned to me these doubts were gone" I frown slightly, looking at him.
"How come?"
"The way you wrote that note, it was not you my son. I was doubtful, and only your handwriting made me somehow believe that it was truly you. When you returned two days ago I immediately noticed you had changed" I stiffen at the mention, silently and slowly turning around and putting the note away.
After a few seconds I turn around again, watching dad but I don't say anything.
"Your aura has changed, you are calmer and yet more conflicted than ever, or more evidently conflicted" Again I flinch at the mention. My heart was beating loudly against my plastron at the confrontation.
"My son, you do not have to tell me if you are not ready" Da hastily added, walking up to me and wrapping his arms around. I melt in the hug, burying my face in his chest and willing the tears to stop threatening to spill.
"I want to tell you dad" I mumble and dad tightens his arms slightly. "I need to figure something out first okay? I promise I'm okay"
"Of course Michelangelo" Dad says sincerely, pulling out of the hug. "Can you tell me one thing however?" I look at him with a strange expression but I nod hesitantly.
"Did you decide for yourself to stay? Did no one force you and were you safe?" I smile at the memory and I chuckle slightly.
"It was my decision dad.. besides the guys were ready to sent me back, especially…" I stop myself, dread filling me and taking a step backwards.
"Whom are you speaking of?" Dad frowns but I shake my head.
"Shouldn't've said that.. no one" I mumble but dad wouldn't budge. "Dad please, it's not like that. They were good guys.. just a bit damaged emotionally, they never… " Again I stop myself, they never hurt me I had wanted to say but that would be a lie, a terrible lie that dad would've seen.
They did hurt me, emotionally and physically.
Don by bruising my wrist and dragging me through the sewers, Leo by almost killing me and slicing my neck, Michelangelo by attacking me, bruising my ribs, wrecking my ankle and slicing my hand. At the thought I cradle my hand, running along the faint line that used to be the wound.
Now a light green scar, barely noticeable.
"They hurt you?" Dad narrows his eyes at me, glaring, but I knew that the glare wasn't for me. And yet, ironically enough it was, the glare was for Michelangelo, and his brothers, my brothers.. This is too confusing.
"They did but they didn't mean it!" I exclaim, holding up my arms.
"My sons.." He says slowly. "Something is bothering you, I can both sense and see this.. I just want to assure myself that you were not hurt by humans" I stiffen at the thought, clearly remembering the stories dad had told us.
"They weren't human" I mumble and Dad relaxes slightly, still rigid however. "One of them attacked me because he thought I was hurting his family… he roughed me up a bit but not much" I admit.
"On your eleventh day?" I blink at the question, overwhelmed by the sudden confession.
"How did you know?" I ask, the eleventh day I was in that other dimension I asked Michelangelo to fight me, and he roughed me up, yes, but how did dad know?
"I sensed you that day, you were in pain" He admits, worry all too evident in his eyes. I fidget slightly, unsure what to answer exactly.
"Yea.. I kinda challenged him that day" I mumble, opting to go for the truth instead.. or at least, part of the truth.
Dad frowns at the statement but takes a deep breath instead. "I will judge you have done what is right for now, However I want you to know that you can come to speak to me any time you need it"
I nod, smiling brightly at him and stepping forwards, hugging him again. "I will tell soon, promise" I whisper, loud enough for him to hear it.
TMNT
The silence was almost unbearable, and it was only for the fact that these last 46 days we haven't patrolled with Mikey.. that we got used to the silence. We just weren't used to the silence when Mikey was on patrol as well. I looked over at him, seeing him with narrowed, white, eyes and staring below him.
He was still, not fidgeting and not saying anything… what we always wanted him to be.
I feel someone touch my arm and I look up, looking at Don. "He's quiet" He whispers, so Mikey wouldn't hear it, he was too far away after all, Raph and Mikey both on the other side of the street.
"I know, I don't like it" I whisper, glancing at the other side worriedly. I wince slightly as I catch Raph's eyes, green ones meeting mine, but Mikey stays focused on the street below him. A few cars passed and he watched them like a hawk, muscled rigid and ready to bolt any second.
"No time to think about that now" Raph hisses in my ear piece all of a sudden, pointing at the van from the other side of the roof.
"Get ready to jump guys" I order, crouching down and grabbing my grappling hook. Mikey however doesn't move, already ready the whole time to move. "Now" And with that signal we jump down, using the building and the grappling hooks to swing us on top of the van.
"Turtles!" Rahzar growls, jerking the steering wheel to the side. I grit my teeth at the sudden movement, jamming my sword into the van to avoid flying off the van. Raph had punched his sai through the van as well, holding onto both the sai and Don, and Mikey was.. crawling towards the wheel.
Rahzar growled, jerking the wheel again and Mikey let out a yell, losing his grip on the van. I quickly reach out my arm, catching his and forcing him onto the van again.
"Thanks" He breathes and I frown slightly, his arm was bigger than I remembered… he buffed up in the 44 days he was away. Immediately he narrows his eyes again, gritting his teeth and holding onto the van as it came to a sudden stop. I looked around, So Don was right to assume they were going to the docks.
Immediately foot bots encircled us, including Rahzar and Fish Face.
"Oh I see the little one has returned" Fish Face snickers, watching Mikey.
"Act smug while you still can Fish Face" Mikey glares and I wince slightly again, he just wasn't acting like Mikey. Fish Face in return glared, readying his knife.
"Foot Bots, attack!" Rahzar snarled, setting the foot bots in motion. I narrowed my eyes, drawing my swords and rushing into the battle. There were numerous foot bots but admittedly they weren't as much of a threat as they were in the beginning, it was just the sheer number that made it difficult.
I wince as claws scrape my arm.
Oh and Rahzar and Fish Face joining the fight.
"You're sloppy" Rahzar snickered, swiping his claws at me again but I block them with my sword, delivering a kick but he got right back to his feet again. He roared, snickering as another foot bot attacked me, distracted he threw himself at me again, delivering a harsh kick to my plastron.
I let out a breath, landing on my shell with a loud thud. Rahzar snickers, standing mere centimetres away from me and ready to strike.
"Oh no you don't you ugly dog!" Mikey cried out, delivering a kick to Rahzar's face, twisting his nun chuck mid air after delivering the kick and the weapon connecting with his stomach. I blink, I had no idea Mikey could do that.
I shake my head, immediately getting up and charging back to Mikey again but he shakes his head.
"I got this Leo, go help Don!" He cries, blocking another attack from Rahzar and wrapping his chain around the paw, flipping over the mutant. I glance backwards, slicing two heads off before they could attack. Don and Raph were fighting a few metres away, battling both Fish Face and the foot bots.
Before I could make my mind up whether to leave Mikey however, a cry resonated from my youngest brother. Specks of blood flew through the air and Mikey stumbled backwards, holding his arm with alarmingly wide eyes.
Rahzar snickers, blood dripping from his claws. "Your fighting skills are worse than before" Rahzar snickers to all four of us, not just Mikey in particular, and yet especially Mikey in particular. And instead of verbally replying, Mikey drops his arm to the side, letting the blood flow without trying to stop it.
Then without warning he jumped at Rahzar again with a cry, and I ran after him. Mikey moved with speed I didn't know he possessed, he was the fastest out of us but never the fastest whilst attacking, and right now he seemed to be so much faster, did he just fight like this as well?
Rahzar didn't seemed very fazed, a dead giveaway that Mikey had fought like this.
"Leo!" Don screamed but I grit my teeth, landing a hit on Rahzar before he kicked Mikey away. The latter didn't even groan in pain, flipping backwards and trying to land on his hands but his injured arm gave way and he rolled onto his side, still gracefully flipping onto his feet again.
I groan as a punch connects to my beak, and I blindly lash out with my sword, causing Rahzar to jump backwards.
"Kōtai" Don screamed at the two of us, and I look backwards, seeing Don and Raph already ready to throw a smoke bomb to retreat, case in Don's hands. I narrow my eyes, throwing a tanto and running over to Mikey who was ready to attack again.
"Kōtai" I whisper with a glare and he looks at me, almost scowling at the command to retreat but he dug into his belt, throwing the smoke bomb onto the ground and within seconds we were onto the building, running away from the docks.
TMNT
"What happened out there! We had 'em!" Raph growled, wincing in pain as Don pulled another stitch through the cut on his thigh. He growled, putting the ice pack against his head again. I sigh, ignoring my own throbbing beak and focusing on the wound on Mikey's arm, carefully stitching it.
"We got the case didn't we?" Mikey mumbles, popping the joints in one hand. I glance at Don, who looked right back at me, and I hoped he understood what I was trying to say.
"Mikey's right, besides we haven't worked together as a team for over 6 weeks, we were bound to be a bit rusty" Don shrugs, closing the last stitch and wrapping Raph's thigh with a bandage. "Come on, dad asked me to fill him in when we got back, and he probably knows you're injured so you're coming with" Don said, grabbing Raph's wrist.
"It's barely a scratch brainiac" Raph glares at Don, but reluctantly allowed Don to carry part of his weight by throwing an arm over Don's shoulder.
I sigh, hoping it wouldn't be too obvious that Don was going to fill in dad about what happened. It wasn't uncommon for either of them to do so, but still.. it was mostly me who talked to dad about the mission like this.
"You know you can talk to me right?" I ask him as I pull another stitch through his arm, he doesn't visibly react at all even if all he had was some numbing spray.
He doesn't react to me, only shielding his face from me.
"You seemed really angry today, during the fight with Rahzar, especially after he hurt you" I continue, trying to catch his eyes. "Why?" I try to keep my voice down, willing him to tell me what was bothering him.
Another stitch, and Mikey didn't talk, didn't say anything. He was watching the wound I was slowly closing, not bothered by the blood at all and strangely calm about being injured. Mostly he would be making a fuss about probably dying from a minor injury, granted this wasn't minor, but it certainly wasn't fatal either.
"I knew it wasn't going to be easy" He whispers, looking into my eyes for the first time this night. "I just thought… it was going to be less difficult. But I c-can't Leo.. I just can't do this" He sobs slightly but refuses to let the tears appear, rubbing his eyes furiously.
"What do you mean Mikey?" I whisper softly and he opens his eyes again.
"I wasn't sent to another planet" He admits and I lean back slightly. "It was another earth, different people… " He stops for a second and I allow him to compose himself, knowing interrupting would only do bad right now.
"A … family took me in, cared for me but they were emotionally damaged from something that happened.. one guy especially" I frown slightly, was this the same family that hurt him? "He hated me because I understood him, I understood what he was feeling and why he was so upset, and why his family was upset with him" I wince slightly at the mention.
Family… family should never feel that way about each other, like Mikey was describing. He wasn't using the direct words but I knew what he was implying, the family hated whatever boy or man they were talking about, hating their own flesh and blood.
"And it made me realise something because.. something bad happened to his family because of him. His family blamed him for that, but they didn't understand him, why he did it. And the guy accepted the blame, but I wouldn't allow it.. the family didn't understand his reasons."
"How did you?" I whisper and I freeze as Mikey looks at me with tears streaming down his face.
"It wasn't just another earth Leo.. it was a parallel dimension. April was there.. Casey.. dad.." He stops, taking a shuddering breath and I can feel my blood run cold. "I understood because it was me, he was me" I shudder, wide eyes staring at my little brother. He couldn't… he couldn't really…
Could he?
"Little bro.." I whisper and he looks away. "Why are you telling me this now? I want to hug you but.." I stop myself and Mikey let's out a dry laugh, looking at his arm that I was still stitching up.
"You have the worst humour Leo" He whispers. "Cat's out of the bag now I guess, can you finish the stitching and I will finish the story, 'kay?" I keep looking for a few seconds, squeezing his hand softly.
"Only if you're ready" I insist and he nods, wiping the tears from his eyes. A little shook still I continue the stitching, willing myself to finish as quickly as possible.
"When I jumped into that portal all those weeks ago I landed in the sewers…" He starts.
He continues to tell me about meeting an alternative Don, him dragging him through the sewers to their lair where I, my alternative me, tried to kill him. He told me about the other Raph's eye, my blindness, Michelangelo's arm, Donnie's mental health. And he talked about the resemblance to Michelangelo.
The goofball of the family, the worst ninja in the family, the hyperactive one, never allowed to show true emotions like anger or sadness, and it eventually cost his family.. and Michelangelo was just like Mikey. We were oppressing him just as much as Michelangelo's family was.
"I had no idea Mikey" I whisper, placing a hand on top of his now bandaged arm. "You were trying to prove yourself tonight?" He shrugs.
"Not really I guess" He mumbles. "I.. I stayed with the guys for another month because over there I didn't have to be the goofball, they didn't expect me to y'know? So it was easy to mature, and train and not hold back.. but here.. I heard you talking.. I know you think it's weird that I'm not acting like myself, and I know that that's the reason today went to horrible"
"Mikey that's not-" I try to protest but Mikey shakes his head.
"Face it Leo, we've all been out of commission for a month or so, a stab wound, broken bones, we've all been there. And we never had so much trouble getting out there with all four of us again. You were thrown off-balance because I wasn't joking around" He shudders again.
"I'm not going to pretend I have a vital part in this equation because I don't.. we were not working as a team because I was different today. You've always had me joking, lighting the mood and me drawing attention to myself from both you and the villains, you've always had to look out for me and I knew you did, so I stayed in a spot you could easily see me.. now however.."
"You weren't joking so none of the villains were distracted, and you were moving around so much that we couldn't keep tabs on you, and we got distracted as well, while the villains didn't" Mikey nods at my sentence. "Mikey.. you should've told us" But instead Mikey glares at me, slapping my hand away.
"I didn't want to tell you because of this! I wanted to change, slowly so you could get used to it! It just wasn't working and .. and I…" He stops himself, burying his face in his hands.
"You don't know what to do" I finish and he looks up, suddenly moving forwards and wrapping his arms around me.
"I don't know what to do Leo… you want me to be someone I'm not.. I don't want to be the goofball.. that's not me but you guys.. you're always so down when I'm not joking, or fighting with each other if you're not angry at me-" I cut him off by shoving his face into my shoulder, tightening my hold on him.
"I am so sorry little bro, so sorry we did this to you, we were wrong and we're gonna make this up to you, I promise" As a reply Mikey tightens his arms, shuddering and letting his tears fall soon after, wetting my shoulder.
TMNT
"How i-" I glare at Raph as he walks over to me as I walk into the living room, shushing him and gesturing to the sleeping turtle in my arms. Raph's expression changes immediately, taking a hesitant step forwards, focused on the dried tear tracks that were on his face.
"He's okay.. he told me everything" I admit and Raph looks at me with a confused expression. "He asked me to tell you, he didn't want to do that again so get Don and dad to the living room okay? I'm going to put Mikey in bed, he's exhausted"
"Sure thing" Raph mumbles, walking towards the dojo to do as I just instructed. I quickly placed Mikey in bed, pulling the blanket up to his chest and lingering for a few seconds.
"I promise we will make it up to you otouto" I whisper, reluctantly leaving him. I knew it was stupid, he wasn't critically injured, it was just a wound that needed stitches, he wasn't dying, he wasn't in extreme pain.. But he was emotionally damaged, emotionally hurt right now by the whole situation.
It was painful for me to retell the whole story to Raph, Don and dad, especially dad. Painful for me to explain what dad sensed on the eleventh day, the fight he engaged with his counterpart, Michelangelo. But especially how Mikey knew how Michelangelo felt, because he was still there.
"We're gonna have to change" Don speaks up after a long silence. "Maybe no patrol for a while.. we need to help Mikey right now"
"I do agree with Donatello, your brother is troubled and we have been neglecting him for far too long. We need to work on this as a family" Dad adds, watching me.
"But how dad?" I mumble, taking a shuddering breath. "We couldn't function out there.. we… why didn't I realise how unhappy he was? Why didn't I notice?"
"Leo ya can't blame yerself for this, he hid it too well" Raph whispers, equally as disturbed as the rest was. And yet, I didn't act upon it.
"We should've seen it Raph! He kept away from us for a month because he felt like he couldn't be himself here!" I cry, feeling tears stream down my face. "I heard him sneak out sometimes, he always avoided me, said he was going for a run.. He wasn't okay?! He needed some time away from us, to cry, to be angry, to be himself"
"We fucked up" Raph mumbles, staring at me with tears in his eyes. "But we know now, and we're gonna help that shell for brains"
TMNT
Splinter smiled fondly as he watched his sons spar with each other. It had been 8 months since his youngest son had returned home, and the family was still slowly piecing itself together but was almost completely finished. Only a few pieces were still in the wrong place.
"Looks like it's you and me again bro" Mikey grins, readying his weapon and standing in front of Leo. Raph and Don were sitting next to Splinter, having just lost from Mikey and Leo respectively.
"May the best ninja win" Leo retorted with a smirk as well and Mikey narrowed his eyes, the smile fully disappearing and crouching down.
"Hajime!" Splinter announced and Leo charged at his little brother, striking his katana. Mikey quickly rolled out of the way, using his hands to catapult himself onto his feet again. The silence that ensued the fight, especially the lack of jokes coming from Mikey, would've thrown them off-balance 8 months ago.
But now it was normal to them.
They both stayed silent, and Leo charged again, swinging his sword and dropping low to sweep his leg under Mikey's, but the latter quickly jumped away. Leo swung the other leg as well, connecting with Mikey's side and sending his little brother to the side, who used his shell to roll over the ground.
Leo charged again but this time Mikey quickly deflected the sword and wrapping his chucks around Leo's striking wrist, swinging him around and throwing him over his shoulder. Leo jerked his arm back, causing Mikey to let go of his chuck, and allowing the chain to unwrap itself.
But as he did so Mikey struck out again, grabbing Leo's other wrist and sending a kick to his plastron.
The kick forced a groan from Leo's lips and the pressure on his wrist caused Leo to drop his sword, the weapon quickly snatched from the ground by Mikey. As the orange masked turtle let go of Leo's wrist the latter kicked backwards, landing a few metres away from the youngest.
Effortless Mikey spun the sword around in his hand, almost taunting Leo to get his sword back, but his eyes were focused on his own nunchuck in Leo's hand. This time Mikey ran towards his older brother, jumping and striking his nunchuck but Leo ducked, causing Mikey to miss and roll over his arm and jump back on his feet again.
Immediately both brother charged, clashing weapons as Leo wrapped the nunchuck around his own weapon. Mikey gritted his teeth, kicking out his feet, causing Leo to stumble backwards and Mikey used that hesitation to continue the kick through his other foot, ripping the weapon from Leo's hands.
Without hesitation Leo struck again but Mikey dodged it quickly, seemingly without effort and too quick to see. His shell arched and Leo glanced at the spot where Mikey was right now. The only thing he saw was Mikey's grin as he struck again, hitting Mikey but he recovered quickly, dropping low and swiping Leo's feet from under him.
Mikey jumped onto Leo but the leader quickly rolled out of the way but wasn't prepared for the tanto Mikey grabbed from his belt, pinning Leo's wrist down with precision, only pinning down the wrist guard, just like Michelangelo had done to him all those months ago.
Without losing focus Mikey flipped onto his feet again, twirling the sword and pointing it at Leo's neck. The leader looks up with an almost pained expression before Mikey grins, taking the weapon away and ripping the tanto from the wrist guard.
"I won" Mikey beamed, helping his older brother up and Leo smiled.
"Well done Mikey" He said sincerely, his face beaming as well as he looked at his little brother with pride he didn't know he possessed.
"Well done indeed my sons" Splinter said as both brothers walked over to him, sitting down in front of him. "Training is over for today" He announces and the brothers nod, standing up.
"Dibs on the shower!" Mikey screamed with a laugh, bouncing off the ground.
"The hell" Raph growled, sprinting after his little brother to get to the shower. Leo and Don both looked at each other, smiling but shaking their head in disapproval.
"You would think they would act more mature" Don snickers and Leo beams at the statement, walking over to the living room as they waited for their turn in the shower.
"Who do you prefer?" Leo suddenly asks, looking at his younger brother. Don frowned at the question, sitting down on the couch with a confused look on his face until he realised what Leo was referring to… the old Mikey or the new one. He looked down slightly.
"I used to prefer the old one, Mikey used to be so happy and laughing all the time"
"But that was pretend half the time" Leo filled in and Don nods.
"It was, and it was some getting used to him not joking around every time but I .. I mean I love Mikey no matter what, but I think I prefer this one." He scratches his neck slightly. "Not only because he's truly happy right now but also because he's serious when he's fighting, he's taking training seriously and he even helps me from time to time"
At the comment Leo chuckles slightly.
"I still can't believe he hid it from us this long and this well" Leo announces, a weird sad expression on his face. "He always picked up on the kata's the fastest and somehow he never.. took advantage of that. He always acted dumb and yet he understood everything you talked about.. well almost everything." Don snickers at this but shakes his head.
"You know why Leo" He mumbles, looking at his older brother. "He joked to keep us happy, and pretended to be dumb or a bad ninja to keep us from being jealous, and don't even deny it Leo. We were both jealous when Mikey showed his talents, I saw that look when he defeated you a few months ago for the first time"
"I used to be jealous of him when we were little tots" Leo admits but Don shrugs, already knowing. "I guess that's why Mikey stopped acting upon his talents, he sensed I was jealous and wanted me happy, and we pushed him into the role of a clown"
Don shrugs again. "To be fair, he still is" Don grins and Leo nods, looking at the direction Raph and Mikey had run off to, a faint sound of wrestling heard.
"But he's himself now. His jokes aren't forced anymore, and he doesn't joke about his intelligence anymore. And he's deadly serious during patrol"
Don smiled as a crash is heard through the lair followed by a loud scream of Mikey, followed by a laugh and Mikey comes running into the living room again, Raph hot on his tail. Neither had showered yet as they were still sweaty from the training and tinted red from exhaustion.
"LEEOOO!" Mikey screamed and launched himself onto Leo. "Raph is after me!"
"Why you little!" Raph grinned, launching on top of Mikey as well.
"Wait gu-" Leo screamed but was too late as Raph crashed into both of them, sending him tumbling onto the ground. MIkey grinned down at Leo, the tails of his mask brushing in Leo's face. He had started to wear a slightly longer mask as well after a few months of being back, stating the longer mask looked cooler.
Before either brother could comment on the situation a sudden bright light appeared in the lair. All four snapped their heads to the source, too shocked to react, mouth agape as they watched a figure walk through the portal.
"Geez we aren't interrupting a brotherly moment I hope?" A rough voice called out and a huge grin appeared on Mikey's face.
"Raph!" He screamed, jumping up and sprinting over to the large turtle. "I missed you!" He exclaimed, jumping on top of the red masked turtle like a koala, who caught him with a loud 'oof'.
"A little excited huh mini Mouse?" Another voice called out and Mikey's grin spread as two more figures walked out of the portal.
"Always Don" Mikey smiled, jumping out of Raph's arms and wrapping his arms around the larger Donnie as well, before turning to Leo.
"Your aura is.. really bright" Leo mumbles as Mikey hugs him as well and I grin, a few tears appearing in his eyes.
"I'm happy" He whispers back, feeling tears now streamed down his cheeks. Mikey looked up, slightly confused as another figure walked through the portal.
"If you hug me I'm gone" Michelangelo frowned and Mikey grinned, walking up to him and holding up a fist, Michelangelo stared at the fist for a moment before bumping it with a grin tugging at his lips, a grin he tried to suppress.
"Uncle Mikey!" Another figure squealed and suddenly a set of arms wrapped around him and he immediately wrapped his around the figure to avoid dropping her.
"Shadow! Wow you've grown!" Mikey exclaims, brushing the fair hair out of her face but she latched onto his neck, burying her face in his neck. "Hey April" Mikey continues as April steps through the portal as well. The redhead walks over to Mikey, hugging him quickly as well but Shadow wouldn't let go.
"Mikey?" Another voice cut in and Mikey turns around, looking at his Leo, before looking back at Leonardo.
"Guys, these are.. the guys" Mikey grins. "Uhm full names for big turtles and nicknames for smaller?" Mikey asks and the turtles from the other universe shrugged, silently agreeing while Mikey's brothers were still shocked at the appearance of their counterparts.
"Leo, Leonardo. Raph, Raphael, Don, Donatello. April and Shadow" Mikey introduced them all, knowing fully that no introductions were needed. They knew by the colour of their masks who the others were. And Mikey had told both counterparts about the others already. So the 'smaller' turtles were prepared for the injuries.
Michelangelo's lost arm, Leonardo's blindness, Raphael's eye.
"The lair is smaller" Raphael says, looking around and Mikey grins at the comment.
"Told you" He grins. "Not that I'm complaining but why are you guys here?"
"We wanted to see you again Mikey" Shadow mumbles and Mikey lifts Shadow from his neck, setting her down.
"No particular reason, Don.. ergh Donatello finished another portal, a two way portal" Leonardo says with a shrug. "Is it okay if we stay for the day?" He asks and Mikey beams at the question.
"Of course you can!" He exclaims, looking back at his brothers. "Right guys?" For the first time Leo takes a step forwards, walking up to his youngest brother and standing next to him, as if he was protecting his little brother, challenging anyone that would attack him.
"You have cared for Mikey for 6 weeks, protected him, you are welcome" Leo spoke with a stern tone and Leonardo snickered slightly at the uptight tone of his counterpart but didn't say anything. Shadow was the one who broke the ice by tucking on Leo's hand.
"Are you Mikey's brother?" She asks, blue eyes bright with wonder. Leo looks up at Mikey with a hesitant look but he nodded.
"I am, has Mikey caused a lot of trouble?" Slowly a grin formed on Leo's face and he relaxes slightly as Shadow beams as well, giggling and tucking on Leo's hand again.
"Spare yourself the torture and pick her up bro" Mikey whispers in Leo's ear and Leo hesitates for a moment before crouching down and picking Shadow up. In the meantime Don and Raph had walked up to Mikey as well, glancing at their older and larger counterparts but Michelangelo was the first to move, walking up to Mikey.
Michelangelo grabbed Mikey's arm, jerking him to the side slightly and looking him in the eye.
"Are you messed up?" He asks with concern and Mikey beams.
"Just insane" He shrugs and Michelangelo rolled his eyes, hitting Mikey upside the head. "Wow what happened to you?" Mikey teased, and Michelangelo stared at his counterpart.
"I liked you better when you were serious" He deadpanned, glancing around the lair until his eyes focused on the Japanese walls.
"You love me either way" Mikey grins before noticing the look on Michelangelo's face. He looks at the older counterparts, noticing that they were looking at Michelangelo as well, and probably understanding the look as well. The younger ones didn't catch on, still baffled by the weird relation Mikey seemed to have with every counterpart and especially his own.
Slowly Mikey reached for Michelangelo's arm, the latter jerking his head towards his smaller counterpart, jerking his arm away from him and reaching for a weapon in a split second before he realised that it was just his counterpart. Mikey kept silent and just reached for Michelangelo's arm again.
The taller counterpart frowned but Mikey just tucked on the arm slightly, not saying anything.
Then, reluctantly, Michelangelo started walking with Mikey, allowing the younger counterpart to drag him away. April nodded to Mikey, silently telling him that she would handle the rest and Mikey was free to do whatever he was planning, because she knew Mikey wouldn't just do something.
The younger turtles were admittedly shocked as Mikey dragged Michelangelo over to the dojo, but neither complained, judging Mikey's judgement just as April did.
TMNT
"Dad?" I call out as I walk into the dojo. I look at the tree, seeing dad meditating under it. He carefully opens his eyes, settling on me before.. looking at the figure next to me.
"Michelangelo?" He asks confused and I grin sheepishly.
"We agreed to call us by our nicknames and the others by the full name" I explain. "This is Michelangelo, the one I told you about" I continue and a look of understanding spread on dad's face, and he slowly stood up.
"You're not Master Splinter" Michelangelo voices with a frown and I shake my head with an amused smile.
"I am not your Master Splinter" Dad confirms, walking up to the both of us until there was a small space between us. Dad almost matched Michelangelo's height and it seemed weird for them to be standing in front of each other.
"I am deeply sorry for what has happened" Dad says, the sincerity in his voice.. full of raw emotion for my counterpart, and his own. "You have kept son safe for the time he has been lost to us, helped him grow beyond our capabilities-"
"It seems ya've done a great job" Michelangelo interrupts, but there was no sarcasm in it, the comment was genuine.
"You sense aura's" Dad concluded and Michelangelo shrugs.
"Leo taught us, I picked it up after all the shit went down" After I caused Donnie to be captured and after I indirectly killed dad. I added silently in my head, knowing that was what Michelangelo was thinking, something along those lines.
"But you have set us on this path and for that I am eternally grateful" Michelangelo looks up at my dad at the sentence, tensing.
"Thanks dad" He whispers, suddenly stiffening and taking a step back at the title he had just given Master Splinter. My eyes widen as well, looking up at my own counterpart and seeing his eyes wide with fear and sadness, tears welling up.
"Son" Dad whispers after a few seconds, taking a step forwards but Michelangelo responded by taking another step backwards. "No matter what universe, you will always be my son" With that dad wrapped his arms around Michelangelo, bringing him closer.
And it wasn't long before Michelangelo was sobbing.
I smile sadly as the two embraced, father and son and yet, at the same time, it wasn't. But who really cared about technicalities when our families were already messed up? When we were mutant turtles and not normal to begin with.
I smiled sadly at Michelangelo's breakdown and I smiled sadly at the thought that it was Michelangelo's turn to heal after he had set me on the right path to find myself, before I needed healing in the first place.
And I was determined to let him stay as long as he needed, with or without his family.
As long as he needed to stay to heal.
As much as he, and his family, could be healed.