Chapter Text
Everything ached. Scratch that everything screamed. His body, his mind even his surroundings seemed to be in a constant battle to keep him on the ground and they were winning. It was a lot even him, for Casey Jones, someone whose Wednesday just wouldn’t be complete without fighting an alien race, and Thursday wouldn’t be a Thursday without the ache from the night before, yet this was a whole new level of agony entirely. It didn't help that whatever he was lying on might as well be the ground (oh wait, it was), and as Leo would say ‘this wasn’t Kansas anymore.’ Leaving him stuck in someplace that could be anywhere, laying down, staring up at the orangey haze of sky before closing his eyes from the sheer noise of it all: taxis, footsteps, yelling, the screech of brakes, more yelling.
Shit, they were yelling at him.
Reluctantly, Casey opened his eyes to find that the ground he was lying on was not just ground but tarmac with the iconic alternating white, black, white, black pattern but a surprising lack of feet. Clutching his head to steady the spinning scene around him, he managed to make out the last of those who had been crossing reach the curb as the neon lights threatened to flicker from red to green, Casey let his instincts kick in, he scrambled to his feet making a last-ditch lunge for safety barely scraping the edge of the sidewalk as the abuse continued to be hurled at him from the drivers (which he had no issue in yelling back.)
He attempted to ground himself by leaning his forehead against a streetlight, the cool metal barely peaking through the many posters and stickers that covered it, wherever he was the journey to get here had turned his insides to soup, closing his eyes again attempting to hone in on his new surroundings, meditate like the many many failed attempts that Leo had tried to get both him and Raph to adopt in the spirit of healthy coping mechanisms (little miss self-sacrifice was one to speak) yet snippets of conversation wormed there way in as people continued to swarm the streets, jostling him back and forth Casey lifted his head up in surprise, not helping his nausea.
“Tourists these days,” an observer of his shenanigans muttered grumpily (he thought he had put on quite the show himself) the man was so short Casey wondered how people didn't trip up on him in these streets. "I know you don’t get out much but gheeez, what do you expect it is New York!” his companion, a curly-haired young girl answered before dragging him along diverging into some form of song about it being the greatest city- or something like that before she was interrupted by the shorter muttering about having to check on the boys- if they haven’t blown anything up yet.
This New York? Like hell it was, this made his New York look like a rural town in Texas compared to this 24-hour whatever this even was.
Still partially dazed, he let the mob of people push against him at all angels until he came to his senses, it was worse than a high school corridor packed like sardines as he shuffled away from the crowd of businessmen and tourists armed with their own assortments of cameras, briefcases and fanny packs managing to escape to a back alley, yet fluorescent lights still finding a way to shine illuminating enough so he could dodge the rubbish and sit down against a wall and attempt to breathe. It was too much down there he’d have to take a page out of the turtle's book and go incognito via the rooftops.
His eyes scanned the brick as he started to hike his leg to the drainpipe and begin to scale this new terrain finding nooks and crannies to stable him, by the time he got to the top his chest was heaving and clothes slightly damp- cardio was the last thing he needed today he thought to himself as he threw himself over the edge to stare up at the sky already a deep indigo blue although the people below had no intention of going home, streets no less claustrophobic than before and any hope of subtle investigation gone.
With this realisation Casey forced himself to sit up, sickness mostly subsiding and pain temporarily dampened by adrenaline, as he did so he heard voices.
Channelling his inner stealth mode, he army crawled to the building's ledge, lifting his head just enough to see the neighboring rooftop where two, things? Stood the one facing toward him had a neon orange footprint against the fleshy pink skin- either way, it was not a look- unless the look he was going for was undercooked chicken.
Could it be? Suspicious-looking Ninjas with a fetish for certain extremities- it had to be. This was some version of the foot clan! The resemblance was uncanny… and If they had a foot, then that meant they had turtles, he would just had to wait.
Fuck waiting, he was Casey Jones and these guys looked like they were nothing he couldn’t handle.
Casey was no stranger to running into things blind, but as he leapt to the neighbouring building with less finesse than he would like to admit he realised that he might as well be unconscious. These guys were like no foot he’d ever fought; as they turned around to face him yellow eyes sharp it was immediately different, the movement was fluid but animalistic, instinctual yet polished unlike the predictable robotic movements he was accustomed to, no these were real people, and they were smart.
But even then they weren't looking to fight, maybe some sort of location scouting, material gathering after not even equipped to deal with a DIY vigilante, or maybe (more likely) they were too bored too, either way within a few minutes of back and forth and at least 2 exploding pucks a portal opened, a Milkyway of mauve hues a bit to much like that of the kraang both figures turned around to look back to see him still standing, bouncing from foot to foot eyes darting, daring them to strike back (maybe his mouth even straight up yelling it) they seemed to ignore both stepping through into the void with little hesitation but not before crafting some sort of paper ball? He remembers April attempting to teach him something similar when they're tutoring sessions got off track the similarities stopped pretty soon.
A giant paper soldier loomed over him, charging him to the ground. His first thought being holy fuck this is cool the second was cut off when his head collided with concrete causing him to tighten the grip on his hockey stick as he attempted to push the paper creature off when that didn’t work he bit it, sank his remaining teeth into the paper and surprisingly didn’t loose anymore. The creature hesitated just long enough for him to bring his knee to the gut then follow through with-
Slowly confetti-like strips floated around and for a second time he was wheezing on one of the cities rooftops panting like a dog on a summers day, each word a desperate gasp “That'll Show. ‘Em. Not. To. Mess. With. Casey- Jones” he whispered between shallow breaths, now where were those turtles.
“HALT VILLIANS-” a dramatic voice boomed over the city traffic, the silhouette of a whole arsenal of weapons coming into view: more than enough to wipe him and the rest of humanity out.
In a half-hearted attempt to hide or at the very least lessen his presence clasped his hand over his mouth to muffle uneven breaths staring frozen against the now two amphibious figures that started at him from above ‘Donnie's going to flip’ was the only coherent thing he managed to mumble out. Suddenly, one of the figures moved into the light previously neutral face screwed in confusion,
“Wait, wait, wait, Donatello? Me? Why would I flip, what's happened?” the one who proclaimed to be some form of the turtle he knew questioned, ‘Donatello' stepped closer, metal staff still adorned with enough ammo to blow him to bits.
“Not you Donatello,” he started, shuffling back hands up in a display of innocence “Well yes- you, a different version if you? Unless you shrunk in the wash,” a smirk at the corner of his mouth.
The Joke didn't go down well, both mutants continuing to stare with varying levels of suspicion until the shorter one tapped the other's shell (which was covered in some form of technical enhancement) and dragged him off to the side allowing just a little bit of tension to leak from Casey's body.
“He fought the foot, the confetti proves it” so it was the foot then, he smiled to himself trying to pick out more of their conversation.
"What if it's a plan?" The other muttered back before whipping back around to examine Casey as if he was a speck of dirt on the street “Who are you? Why are you here? What are you doing?” he interrogated, getting closer with each question until they were only centimetres away.
“The first I can answer,” he said with a gulp thankful the shorter had once again pulled Donatello away “I am Casey Jones," he declared “as for the rest- that's what I was hoping to find out,” and with that, the two had already turned back around- most likely to discuss his fate.
“Let's get him back to the lair, he's hurt Leo could help," the younger suggested,
“There are too many variables it could be a spy, a rival-”
“But he hasn’t hurt us yet or tried to run away trust me on this D”
“True true- but still”
“How about we speak to the others and decide as a group, he can explain along the way” the orange-clad turtle compromised gesturing towards him as he spoke
Donnie relented but still furrowed eyebrows (god the eyebrows) relaxing as he looked on his baby brother with a quiet fondness that must be universal among older Hamatos and Mikeys everywhere before both turned back to face him.
“Follow me human” the turtle said with a curt nod to which Mikey rolled his eyes.
“Is He always like this?” Casey muttered, mostly to himself.
“Your saying your Donnie isn’t?” feigning mock surprise, which Casey failed to pick up, “No it’s cool, he seems eccentric but everyone's like this here- at least that’s what it seems like, I'm guessing your Mikey then?” he said with a grin to the orange-masked mutant,
“Yep! That's me apparently- not the one and only- actually about that, about the other me-”
Before Casey could respond Donnie interrupted ushering the other turtle in front before getting through to what was supposedly the rest of his brothers speaking in rather cryptic sentences not taking an eye off Casey even for a second.
“Don’t let his kindness fool you Mikey could beat you to a pulp and that's if I don’t get there first”
Safe to say the small talk dwindle rather quickly after that.
»»——⍟——««
Within a few minutes of tense silence and scaling one too many building than his body would of liked, he was greeted by two more silhouettes both of which were more menacing than he would admit. One was lean almost lazy in stance, as twin katana were slung over their shoulder. The second was fucking massive, bigger than any of the other turtles back home or even splinter and if that wasn’t enough he was spikey, each point glinting in the moonlight with a quiet menace.
The larger figure stepped in front of the two who brought him here, them both scuttling behind the body like a mutant shield, they all still acted like brothers despite the notable difference in size and maybe even species, all four exchanging hushed whispers, eyes narrowed or wide as he strained to catch a word or even general vibe of the conversation, which there was very little of to start with.
Although suddenly Leo, (or what he assumed would be Leo it was ‘the blue one’) cleared his throat with an overly dramatic flare and took three long strides so they were face to face- close enough to see the bright red markings peaking from beneath the bandana- a bit like the purple ones scattered on the other Donnie's shoulders,
“I have one question for you,” god this guy was intimidating even more than the Leo he knew, maybe because he was taller, the dramatic pause only highlighting his presence more as he inched closer, Casey forcing a dry gulp finally he continued, “What is your favourite Lou Jitsu movie?”
“What?” Casey choked out wheezing a bit in relief,
“That's not what we agreed on-“ Donatello hissed dragging his hands down his face in exasperation,
“What? As long as it isn’t Punch Chowder we should be fine!” ‘Leo’ said smirking laced with casual nonchalance, nothing like the leader he knew.
"Wait you don’t know Lou Jitsu!” What he assumed must be Raph asked the other three looking genuinely sorry for him Casey just shook his head catching eye of the spikes lining the mutants shell.
“Your really not from around here are you?” This Mikey said with a sympathetic sigh.
“Well I guess that's one way to put it, don’t feel too bad it’s nothing that out of the ordinary,”
“So this isn't crazy for you?” Leo looked up now interested, the twin blades he was leaning on falling along with the mask of overconfidence.
“I thought we were going for intimidating here! I guess that's gone out the window” Donatello mumbled to himself pushing his way to the front of the crowd “Well what i'm curious is there's no Casey Jones here so how did you meet your turtles?” the others followed, mumbling in agreement.
“No me? How do you get by!” Casey quipped with mock heartbreak,
“Just fine thanks,” this genius replaying just as dryly as the own he knew back home would of.
“So I was doing my vigilante shit one night, beating up some thugs and they were about to run screaming when -Raph, my Raph not your Raph they are totally different - jumped in, he thought I was getting to big for my boots- so then we ended up having a scuffle, I'll be the one to let you decide who won,"
"Raph?" the four brothers all said in unison.
"No! well- yeah, but it was nearly a tie and he’s much shorter where I come from- wait that's worse, but anyway it happens again so I followed him down to the sewers and may or may not take the foot clan with me" pausing to take a breath he continued again "We fight the foot clan together, I save his life, he saves mine all that jazz, we're bros now all worked out!" they were staring at him no sorry rephrase the crime fighting bandana wearing mutant turtles were gawking at him, “Been friends ever since..” he tagged to the end to try to make up for the damage,
"That's a lot to take in," this Raph chuckled awkwardly Michael Angelo nodding in agreement
"Sorry can we back track to the fact that this isn't the craziest thing you've done?" Leonardo started before a certain purple turtle interrupted-
"Sorry you just confirmed the multiverse with the fact that that story was too ridiculous to not be made up and on top of that I've just made at least 25 bucks 'nardo cough cough Raphael cough cough"
"Wait so are we taking him back" the youngest turtle asked,
"We're kind of obligated to aren't we? He is our friend,"
"Correction, he's a friend of a version of us, a version where Raphael is short, so that means I could be dumb, Mikey could hate art and Leo could be straight, so i don't trust you" then after some thought "no offence"
"None taken," (some taken okay) "I’m sure it won’t be long before the guys come to pick me up, I mean it must be quiet there without Casey Jones"
"Well then I'm sure April and splinter are waiting for us, you like pizza?"
"Is that even a question?" Casey replied with a smirk, Leo grinned back although it didn't seem genuine like Mikey's had been before he lazily cut through the air leaving blue rips in space in there place, before he could question swirling blue portal the others were stepping through the last being Raph.
"What the fuck was that?" Now this wasn't something Casey had seen before,
"Do you not have-" before Raph could finish let alone explain a now bug-eyes Casey was attempting to shake him seemingly forgetting any weariness he had towards him before,
"NO, I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS," he screeched continuing his attempts to shake him,
"I think we all do don’t worry," detaching the teen from him and giving a tentative head pat,
"Phh Casey Jones? Scared? You must have the wrong person," and with that he was jumping straight through the portal. A cool breeze washed over him followed by the feeling of floating before falling all in less than a second.
"That was sick," he panted rolling out of the portal as Raph stepped over him, going to grab the pizza from the kitchen (he was really messing up the landings today,) before letting out a low whistle as he stared up at a sewer roof, it was warmer brighter here as he temporarily forgot the mystery of those glowing portals that seemed a lot more like a home than the one he knew.
"It’s you! The kid who got run over" a vaguely familiar voice exclaimed above the general chatter "I was wondering if you were still alive!"
"Almost got run over-" Leo started, he just could not get a word in today, but Casey did not need to be reminded of the pain he was in right now.
"Yep that's me!"
"Nice to meet you properly-" the girl grinned down at him offering a hand to get up
"Casey Jones," he replied dusting himself off "and the same to you...?"
"April O'Neil-" Immediately Casey had broken down into a full on cackle, falling back to the floor almost as soon as he had gotten up doubled over in this fit of giggles,
"Leo check for brain damage, maybe he did get hit by a car-" April suggested now looking concerned for their new guest,
"No, no I'm fine, Just my April well first of all she’s white secondly she’s ginger so she’s pasty" he explained catching his breath looking less like a mad man to everyone's relief, "but she's great I swear, been through a lot too,"
"Well does your April have a crane license?" she smirked
"No I don't think so, she does have this 6ths since thing, and a Crane license that sounds amazing, but when would you need one?"
"More often than you think, now how about this-" within a second she produced a, magic baseball bat?
"What the, Could you do that to my hockey stick, I mean the pucks already explode-"
"No mystic powers," Mikey gasped and all the Hamato's looked at him with curiosity
"How did you get them the portal the tech the fucking baseball bat"
"How do you fight without them?"
"The old fashion way I guess," Casey shrugged mildly disappointed that his turtles didn't come with super powers but you win some you lose some,
"Even Me?" Donatello asked a deathlike grip on his definitely not wooden bo staff,
"Well from what I hear Donnie's tech upgrades always were a little unpredictable and master splinter wanted him to use his mind to think outside the box, except he never said that he said some encrypted riddle bullshit that neither Donnie nor Leo could get,"
"So no mystic powers eh? That reminds me how exactly did you get here in the first place?" stupid Donatello and his questions that made perfect sense as he looked up to see the rest of the group looking curiously in agreement,
"Well its kind of a funny story,"
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Take my art :D pls don't repost! it's also on twitter in better quality.
