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Almost a year after the invasion everyone is doing okay. Leo is halfway done with physical therapy, mikey has the majority use of his hands (but some days are worse that others), raph is coping with the crawling pink scars across his body and the loss of his eye, and Donnie’s shell is almost completely scarred over and healed, Casey was in therapy trying to help with the shit he’d seen in the “Bad End” as Leo called it and things were looking up.
Donnie was looking for old things to make new, old plans, old ideas that never came to fruition, but they find a folder. Entitled CASEYJR-MASK-08013144 clicking on it he found a file called CJRM 080544.mov. Donnie had no idea what this was deciding to delve into it. They click the video. What he found was horrifying.
Red was everywhere, from the sky to the ground to his… brother. An old wrinkly Leo came into view, blood pouring out of a wound on his side. His eyes unable to focus but a large mechanical arm clutched a photo. The photo of his family. Casey’s voice crackles out of the speakers “I got you, sensei. Stay with me.” Casey’s voice attempted to be cool but fear dripped out. “You're a life saver, Casey Jones.” Leo said lucidity coming to him Casey’s mask flips up revealing the teen. “I learned from the best. Come on, we're almost there.” He says his voice hardening. As they run explosions and screams tear through the air. Donnie’s chest tightens. As Casey’s mask is up he’s now looking at the sky, he sees the technodrone high in the air its tentacles stretching down like hands coming to take them. Growling is heard from behind them, a warm welcoming familiar yellow flashes by. “No” Donnie hoped no one was around to hear the fear and pain coming from his normally monotone and level headed voice. “Bad doggies!” Mikey shouted zapping them out of existence “impeccable timing, little brother. Very dramatic.” Leo said the camera still pointed to the sky but Donnie could hear the smile coming from him. Yellow chains floated around then a big blinding flash of yellow flossed the screen. Shuffling was heard, Casey must be setting leo down. “Help him, Michelangelo. He’s hurt bad!” Fear wasn’t even being held back in the slightest. It came out full bore. Leo groans donnie has never been more happy to be stuck looking at the sky. Roars, gunfire, normal fire, thunder rang out across the battle field. Leo started to speak again, “that’s it. The resistance failed. The kraang won.” Leo sounded sad, the thought of loosing always made him sad. But this was a whole new level. “But it isn’t over. We still got a ninjas greatest weapon…hope” there’s that inspirational leo agin. The leader, the face man, putting his leader mask on again. “That and a badass mystic warrior. Mikey we need a time gateway.” His voice cracked slightly at the end. “It’ll take everything I have” oh no, donnie thought remembering what happened when this realities mikey opened a portal. “I know, but this is our last chance. It’s our only chance.” Damnit leo what is with you and sacrifice! Donnie thought tears prickling his eyes. Mikey made a sound of agreement. “What’s going on? Where is he going?” Casey was terrified “Casey listen.” Leo said pulling the kids attention away lighting crackled a bit away yellow once again entered the space. “The kraang first came to our planet through a mystic doorway. The key that opened the doorway looked like this.” Faint scribbling could be heard. “Why are you telling me this?” “Because Mikey’s about to send you back in time to the day the key was stolen.” The day the world fell apart “wait. He’s gonna what?!” Crackling became the majority of the sound. Oh god Mikey’s cracking again. Donnie felt that same fear as when his mikey did that. “The people that stole that key opened the doorway for the kraang. You have to find it before that happens. Find the key, stop the kraang.” The authority in his voice made donnie nervous, he’s never serious unless he’s about to sacrifice himself. “But sensei-“ “Say it!” Leo interrupted jostling Casey slightly. “Find the key, stop the kraang.” He was nervous. Soft metallic thuds could be heard. “I don’t want to lose you.” Casey started to sound teary. “Casey, it’s not about me.” Fuck there’s that damn phrase again! Donnie started to clench his fists. An explosion rang out and bright red flooded the screen. A large kraang monster stood over them. Donnie wished to be looking at the ground now. “They found us!” Casey shouted whirring started up, ah yes the chainsaw hockey stick. More lights came in, looming over them. “Mikey!” Leo shouted as the monster beamed the light down on them. Yellow particles started to dance in the sky. Mikey shouted in pain or determination it wasn’t clear which. “Master Michelangelo, no! You’re gonna-“ something happened to interrupt him. Another bright flash of yellow drowns out the daunting red. A disgusting yellow. “No- no” Donnie now crying shouts at the screen. He knows what happened, Casey told them how what Mikey did to save leo killed him in his future but donnie didn’t want to believe his only younger brother got ripped apart from the inside by his ninpō. Donnie was once again happy to be looking at the sky. A charging up noise was heard “Casey… when you’re done saving the world, do me a favour. Grab a slice!” Leo shouted hurling Casey into the portal, his mask sliding down. Now donnie can see what befell his older brother. Before he went in dogs flew towards leo, but he held them off when a right white and red bean shot down, obliterating him. “Casey screamed as he fell into the portal. Donnie was now silently crying, thick hot tears streamed down their face. They knew he and the rest of his brothers died but Casey never talked about it.
Times Square with its blue lights, happy Indistinct chatter, cars honking loudly as traffic stands still. Casey now is in their past. The day the world died.
Donnie had no idea what to do. They sat in their subway car and just cried. Unsure of how to go about with this new information.