Work Text:
Chapter 1, Six against four. Piece of cake… right?
Space was really boring. Like really, really boring.
Outside of tracking the Triceratons and looking for the three pieces of the black hole generator, they spent most of their time travelling from planet to planet, stopping to get more supplies, restock on the spaceships’ gas, or to snag the black hole pieces before the triceratons got their nasty, overly large hands on them.
Leo spent most of his time in the ship’s holodeck, where any place could be imagined and simulated. Most of the time, the holodeck simulated their lair and Master Splinter for Leo. Raph spent his time goofing off with Casey, and Donnie spent all of his time with Fugitoid or April, either helping navigate or figuring out their next plan of action.
And Mikey… well, Mikey was bored. So, so bored.
Even bothering the others was getting boring, and every time he wanted to use the holodeck to simulate a skate park or the best skating areas in the sewers, Leo was in there talking to hologram Master Splinter.
Now, he stood in the ship’s main deck, staring out at the vast sea of stars and meteors surrounding them, waiting impatiently for them to arrive at their next pit stop: the Orasian Planet, home to a wide array of different mutants, most of them living in poverty under King Tasia’s rule. It was a planet much like what the dump looks like on Earth, with dark skies and a landscape ful of rubble and trash.
Mikey was surprised at himself for remembering all the details of the planet. Usually, when Donnie and Fugitoid explained what a new planet was going to be, Mikey just spaced out or left to go make some Pizza.
Man, I must be REALLY bored if I actually paid attention to Donnie’s planet geography rant earlier… Mikey thought to himself, twiddling his fingers and jumping up and down on his toes.
“Ughhhhh.” he whined, “D, are we there yet?”
From one of the four control seats Donnie groaned. “Mikey, this is the fifth time you’ve asked me that, and for the fifth time, no! We’ll be there in another 15 dobashes.”
“In English please?” Mikey pushed.
Another sigh from Donnie, “About thirty minutes.”
“Thirty minutes!!” Mikey cried, “What am I supposed to do for thirty minutes! Just stand here?”
Donnie’s sighs were relentless, “I don’t know Mikey. I’m sure you’ll figure something out. Just please go bother someone else.”
Mikey frowned. How rude! The longer they were all stuck on the ship together, the more the others seemed to get annoyed with him. Well whatever, maybe he’d go see what Leo was up to in the holodeck.
Making his way over, Mikey entered, and immediately his frustration turned into concern at what he saw.
The holodeck was simulating Master Splinter’s dojo again, and Leo was kneeling down on his knees on Splinter’s meditation mat, but holo-Splinter was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, Leo kneeled there alone, with his hands clenched into fists and his head hung low. Mikey couldn’t see his big bro’s face, but he didn’t need to to see that Leo was sad.
Without another thought of his previous boredom, Mikey made his way over to Leo and knelt beside him, putting his left hand on Leo’s right shoulder, causing the older turtle to look up with a startle.
“Mikey, wha?” Leo asked, there was a frown on his face and his eyes were red.
Mikey’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest.
His big bro had been crying.
“Hey Leo.” He said. Pulling his brother into a hug, cause for once he didn’t know what to say.
Leo stiffened for a moment but then relaxed in his hold, letting out a soft sigh as he hugged Mikey back.
Mikey missed Master Splinter too. He missed him more than anything. He understood Leo’s pain without even having to ask what was wrong. And they were running out of time too. They’d found a piece of the generator, only for it to get stolen by the Triceratons, and they only had 3 and a half more months until the Triceratons end Earth. They were running out of time and more than anything, they wished Master Splinter was there to give them advice, and to steady their hearts.
But he wasn’t… and it hurt.
A few tears leaked out of Mikey’s eyes as he snuggled into Leo’s arms, and somewhere inside his mind Mikey wondered just how on Earth they’d gotten here…
“Oh little brother,” Leo said, leaning out of their hug to wipe away Mikey’s tears with one of his three fingers, “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
Leo must have noticed Mikey crying when he felt wetness on his shoulders.
“You didn’t.” Mikey smiled a watery smile, “I just miss him too Leo.”
Now Leo’s face held a watery smile, and he squeezed Mikey’s arms in his, suddenly looking more determined.
“We’ll get him back Mikey. We’ll get them all back. April’s Dad, Karai, Casey’s family. Everyone. We’ll get them back .”
They locked eyes and Mikey could feel Leo’s determination. Almost as if it was penetrating his heart.
An awkward cough from the doorway startled the both of them this time, and they looked over to see Casey standing awkwardly at the door, rubbing the back of his neck and looking cumbersome.
“Uhhh, sorry dudes,” He said, “But the others wanted me to come tell you we’ve arrived at Orasian.”
Oh thank the mighty pizza god!
Mikey sprung up happily, following Casey out of the room with an energy renewed Leo.
“We’ll only need to stop for a few hours,” Fugitoid was telling the others when Leo, Casey and Mikey entered the main deck. “Just enough time to refuel the gas tank and for you all to restock on some supplies. The air here is breathable so you won’t need your air tanks, and I implore you to remain cautious at all times, it’s a harsh planet. So stick together and only stop at the stores I’ve marked on Donnie’s holopad, nowhere else.”
The group nodded, and Mikey could hardly stop shaking with excitement as the ship’s doors opened.
The planet was just as awful as Donnie had said it was going to be. The air stunk of garbage and little shanty houses lined rubble filled streets. The sun was hidden behind yellow and orange clouds and there was a constant dust filled breeze.
And yet… Mikey could ask for nothing more.
There were no walls surrounding them, no beeping control panels or silent concentrated faces. Only the open air and a constant hum of sad looking aliens walking, slithering, or flying around with frowns on their faces.
It was miserable, but it was far from boring.
“Let’s go dudes! I wonder if there’s space pizza out here… OOF!” Mikey said as he was yanked backward by his masks’ tails roughly.
“Slow your roll, shell for brains.” Raph growled. “We’re only going to a few space parts stores, remember?”
Ugh.
“But Rappppphhhhhh.” Mikey whined, looking at a sad frail looking alien working at a food stand nearby.
“No Mikey,” Leo said sternly, “Raph’s right.”
WOW, did Leo just say Raph was right?!
“We need to go in, and get out. Fugitoid said this place is dangerous.” He finished.
Donnie nodded, “Right. So first we need to go here.” He pointed at the map on his holopad he’d made, “The Ships and Things. The ship’s engine is getting old and Professor Honeycutt said he needs a few tools for him and I to be able to upgrade it.”
They made their way to the store, everyone but Mikey looking stiff and uncomfortable at their surroundings. Every alien they passed would step out of their way silently whenever they got close, as if they were going to attack them at any second.
Additionally, every alien walked with their heads down, much like how Leo had looked in the holodeck earlier. All looking defeated, sad… lost.
Mikey felt his heart hurt for them, wishing he could make them smile like he did for his bros. But he skipped along nevertheless, too thrilled to be stretching his legs to let anything bring him down too much.
They entered the large Ships and Things and marveled at its size. The place was probably bigger than their lair at home, and there were multiple levels to it.
Donnie sighed again…
Mikey was really wishing his genius big bro didn’t always have to sound so stressed
“Oh man… this is going to take us forever.” He moaned.
They started aimlessly walking down the aisles, not failing to notice how empty the place was of other customers. For such a big store, you’d think there’d be more customers.
After half an hour with no luck, everyone was getting frustrated.
“That’s it!” Raph yelled, “I can’t take this anymore! We need to split up or we’ll never find the dumb tools.”
Casey nodded in agreement but the others looked sceptical.
“I don’t know Raph,” April said, “The Professor was pretty clear in his instructions…”
“I’m down for it!” Casey smiled toothily, “I’ll go with April!” He looped his arm through hers, much to the girl’s chagrin. Donnie glared at him, but before he could protest, Casey was dragging April up the stairs to the store’s next level.
“Okkk then.” Leo said, whilst rubbing his forehead wearily, “I guess we’re splitting up. While those two are upstairs we can continue down here. I don’t want to split up more than we already have,” He looked up at the others, “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Me too.” Donnie agreed, “This whole planet gives me the creeps.”
He still looked sad from Casey pulling April away a few minutes ago.
“ All of space gives me the creeps.” Raph shuddered, and Mikey laughed, poking him in the side. Raph retorted by slapping the back of his head, ready to give chase if he needed to.
“Knock it off you two.” Leo stopped them before they could get started in their normal antics, “Let’s just go find the tools.”
Mikey’s shoulders slumped, but he nodded, and soon they were back to their fruitless search for the space tool doodads.
Another fifteen minutes passed and the brothers were just about ready to give up when they heard it.
“Noooooo. Please! Leave me alone. I didn’t mean any harm! Please! Don’t take me to the arena!” A voice cried from around the corner, and the brothers locked eyes, nodding, wordlessly deciding to go into ninja stealth mode, and slinking into the shadows to see what was happening.
None of them could ignore such an obvious cry for help.
Around the corner of the aisle they were in, 6 large burly looking gorilla aliens in black leather outfits with large stun guns, all stood around one frail looking tentacled alien holding out his many arms in pleading fashion.
“You were caught red handed trying to steal these crane pumps.” One of the gorillas snarled, “And so you must be punished accordingly. You know the rules our great King Tasia has in place. All must obey .”
The six gorillas tightened in further on the tentacled alien.
Six against one! So not cool! Mikey thought angrily.
“I-I-I, I’m sorry!” The alien cried sheepishly, “I meant no harm I swear it! I only needed the pump to fix my ship’s roof you see? It’s so cold here at night, so very cold… and with the roof broken and wind coming in, I fear my daughter’s death if it isn’t fixed. But… but I cannot afford such a thing as the crate pump sir. I was only going to borrow it, and then return it. I swear!” The poor creature was trembling and Mikey’s heart broke even more for the poor guy.
His poor daughter! Mikey thought.
Behind him Raph growled quietly, feeling the same way.
“LIAR!” Yelled one of the gorillas, his voice so loud and piercing that the turtles stiffened right along with the alien creature, as the gorilla opened his mouth to show unnaturally large and pointed teeth.
“You weren’t going to return it! You’re a lowly thief. A bug beneath our master Tasia’s feet. Boys, knock him out. You’re going to the arena!”
“N-no…. PLEASE!” The alien cried once more, and that’s all it took for Leo.
Jumping out from the shadows, Leo landed with his twin katanas out, standing protectively in front of the alien creature, his brothers following suit.
“Leave him alone!” Leo cried, “Didn’t you hear him? He said he’d return the pump. Let. Him. Be.”
The biggest Gorilla looked taken aback for only half a second, before he was snarling ugly sharp teeth once more.
“How dare you interrupt our arrest!” He all but screamed, “This is treason, reptile creature! You will share in the thief's fate.”
To Mikey’s left Raph whispered to the alien behind them under his breath, “RUN.”
Mikey barely had a chance to pull out his nunchucks when one of the gorillas was suddenly on him, letting out an outrageous roar.
Hey, six against four. Piece of cake… right?
“Booyakasha!” Mikey cried out, as the battle started in full force around him. Raph and Leo took on the biggest gorilla whilst Donnie took on a smaller one. The tentacled alien let out a shriek and started to run away on his many legs.
The gorilla facing Mikey brought down his stun gun, aiming for Mikey’s head, but he was too slow, and Mikey jumped out of his way easily.
“Oops, you missed, big guy.” He taunted the gorilla, “Gonna have to be a bit quicker than that to catch me!”
He started his usual form of fighting, easily flipping and avoiding attacks, taunting his enemy as if he were a silly playmate, not a ruthless jerk.
Over at the biggest gorilla, both Leo and Raph were having an easy time of things too, Raph landing a few punches to the man’s chest and Leo countering the stun gun with his katana, and Donnie was holding his own too.
Everything was going fine until the tentacle alien was caught, and let out a shriek so shrill that Mikey startled and slowed for a second.
Just one second, but that was all it took to turn the fight around.
With a shriek of his own, Mikey’s body was suddenly alight with white hot fire that had him stunned in a scream. The stun gun the gorilla hit him with sent an electrocution wave of pain through his veins, causing his limbs to flail about but feel stiff and tight at the same time.
Tears sprung to his eyes but didn’t fall as he collapsed to the ground in an undignified heap, muscles still spasming, and the breath knocked from his body with his screams.
“MIKEY!!” Raph yelled, distracted enough by his baby brother’s pain that he too was hit by a stun gun.
And like dominoes, they fell.
From the ground, Mikey tried to gasp in air as another shock was administered through the gun, and agony curled his every twitching muscle, his heart pulsating and beating hard against his ribs.
Near him, Leo was running to Donnie and Raph, careless to his own health and safety as it always was when his brother’s were hurt. Too busy to notice the gorilla advancing behind him.
“L-Le-eo.” Mikey croaked out, trying and failing to warn his biggest brother of the danger right behind him.
He was too quiet from the pain of the shocks, and too little, too late.
With a garbled scream Leo collapsed on the ground as he too was shocked into submission.
No... no no no no! Mikey thought, No this couldn’t be happening. No! Make the pain stop!
Another shock and Mikey could feel his consciousness starting to slip away.
The light of the store was starting to fade behind the black spots dancing in his vision, and the last thing Mikey saw before he was out, was April and Casey running down the stairs, mouths open in yells to them.
And Mikey saw no more.
To be continued...