Chapter Text
A memory of happier times, one that he had subconsciously pulled out whilst adrenaline pushed him further forward, was ingrained in a photo that gave him reason to continue onward. He slid the source of all his hope back into his pocket, deciding that happier times were better left away from the harm raining down upon them.
“I got you sensei, stay with me…”
Running through the mess of battle, Leo could hardly discern which side was which. Krang came in from all around, sending their dogs out as they wreaked havoc on the world. In the distance he noticed a few of his own resistance fighters, Todd at the lead shooting anything in sight. Despite the bleeding at his side, he continued to run with his student right beside him.
“You’re a life saver, Casey Jones.”
“I learned from the best,” he replied, mask sliding up to reveal his smiling face. With the plan he was beginning to put together in the back of his mind, Leo couldn’t help the sadness that overtook him. He’d miss that smile. “Come on, we’re almost there.”
They continued running, unbothered by the explosions happening around them. Explosions were normal, the pain was normal. Adrenaline gave room to ignore the pain flaring from his plastron, the blood falling onto his prosthetic. He noticed the statue of liberty—What was left of it, laying before them in the ruins of New York. They stopped, seeing the dogs that stood before her. Hearing the growling behind them, they ducked their heads down, shutting their eyes and preparing for the worst. They were always prepared for the worst.
“Bad doggies!”
Leo felt his heart squeeze at that, his smile returning when he heard the familiar voice. “Impeccable timing, little brother. Very dramatic.”
Within the midst of magical orange chains sat Mikey, his eyes shut and a calm unbefitting of the situation settled onto his face. With one simple motion, the chains were gone, caught in the mystical grasp of their wielder. When he opened his eyes, a golden glow emanated his intentions for the krang hounds. One more quick turn of his arms, and the dogs were gone, a pillar of golden light exploding from him.
God, Leo loved his little brother.
Casey was quick to set him down after, worriedly eyeing his sensei before turning to the mystic warrior floating towards them. “Help him, Michelangelo! He’s hurt bad!”
Leo gripped his side, studying the damage before looking up at the city he loved. The krang everywhere, their ship hanging in the sky, promising to send more if needed. The plan he had began forming since the resistance first went out seemed set in stone now. It was the only way to save this city.
“That’s it, the resistance failed. The krang won.” It pained him to say, the words giving him reason to avoid meeting his family’s eyes. “But—But it isn’t over.” He forced his smile to return, repeating the mantra of this is the only way that rang in his mind. “We still got a ninja’s greatest weapon, hope. That,” he finally turned to meet his little brother’s eyes, the only reminder other than himself of their time as four. His little brother who had grown so old, who gave everything to bring them where they are now. His smile felt a little more genuine as he added, “and a badass mystic warrior.” Now was the time, ever the strategist, Leo knew it was time to set the plan into motion. “ Mikey, we need a time gateway.”
Leo’s smile fell as his brother’s expression took on one of understanding. “It’ll take everything I have.”
Guilt absorbed him as he pressed on. “I know, but this is our last chance. It’s our only chance.”
Mikey, the beacon of light from the beginning to the end gave him an affirming nod. He always gave everything his all, and for the resistance he’d give it everything. Michelangelo—his little brother, and their last hope. He floated off, a sense of duty taking him as he pushed his cloak further up his arms.
“Wait, what’s going on?! Where is he going?” Was Casey’s panicked reply, and Leo wanted nothing more than to comfort him instead of putting the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Casey, listen.” In the distance Mikey settled on the ground, dragging his foot in the dirt and extending his hands as mystic energy danced along his arms. “The krang first came to our planet through a mystic doorway,” he explained, pulling the photo he loved so much from his pocket. “The key that opened the doorway looked like this.” He quickly scribbled down the visage of the key, handing it to Casey.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Cause Mikey’s about to send you back in time to the day that the key was stolen.”
“Wait—He’s gonna what?!”
In the distance, Mikey continued pushing, ignoring the toll it was taking on his body. The golden cracks trailed up his arms, and still he pushed.
“The people who stole that key opened the doorway for the krang. You have to find it before that happens. Find the key, stop the krang.”
“But sensei—”
He gripped his shoulder. “Say it!”
“Find the key, stop the krang.” His hold on Casey loosened to a gentle pat. “I don’t wanna lose you…” And God, if that didn’t break his heart.
He continued to smile for him, shaking his head as he replied, “Casey, it’s not about me.”
A sudden red light interrupted their soft moment as they looked up to meet the terrifying sight of the krang droids.
“They found us,” Casey cried over the sound of his deadly hockey stick.
The same red light shone above them, a spotlight that was sure to bring them death lest the plan happened now. “Mikey…!” Leo gave a warning cry, looking to his brother.
Mikey stood before a nearly open gateway, his body falling apart to the golden cracks. He cast a glance to his failing form, shaking his head as a look of resignation took over his face. He gripped the air before him, pulling harder onto the mystic energy. A cry escaped his throat as he continued to push himself, knowing how this would be their only chance to fix things.
“Master Michelangelo, no! You’re gonna—”
The sound of Casey’s voice, the one who would save them all made his heart tug. To think, he was once so young as well… He looked back, smiling despite the way the mystic energy was tearing his body apart. Long ago he promised his brother he would never say goodbye, that he was with him till the end. This was no different. With little time for words of any sort, he gave a wink, turning back to face the gateway. One final tug and then he extended his arms and accepted his fate, a fate that ended with him helping others the way he had for his entire life.
Standing before a now open portal, Leo’s pained expression gave way to a smile, an appreciation for his youngest brother extending past the current ache of another loss. It seemed as if Mikey would always be there to help him, despite any cost. A krang droid stood above the gateway, krang hounds preparing to lunge at them. It was now or never.
“Casey,” he began, setting his hand on his student’s shoulder. “When you’re done saving the world, do me a favor…” He could see the willingness in his student’s eyes, a willingness to do anything he asked of him. Leo believed he hardly deserved the kid. “Grab a slice!” He took his shoulder in hand even harder, tossing him into the gateway as the dogs lunged forward. Knowing his student would be safe in the future, Leo turned back around, throwing off the dogs and pressing forward.
He could feel the looming presence of a krang droid ready to obliterate him beside him, and he was prepared. Ready to accept his fate for what it was, knowing for a fact that his student would save everything. He was ready to see his brothers.
For a moment, he was certain he had died, the smiling image of his youngest brother appearing at his side. Ever the dramatist, he appeared in golden light to match his mystic energy. Before the krang droid could cast its deadly laser upon him, this mystic Mikey stood before him, encapsulating him in the warmth of his golden glow. His brother turned toward him, gripping him in a hug that he could hardly feel before they were suddenly off.
For a moment, Leo wondered if heaven really was real, with how they seemed to flying upwards, but then he discarded the thought almost immediately. While he could make sense of Mikey being there, he wasn’t sure if that was the place for him. Besides, the darkness around them didn’t feel like any afterlife he had heard of, and the speed of which they were traveling felt too real. With a final push forward, air untainted by the krang hit his lungs as Mikey, who’s body was growing more present by the minute, pulled them out with a flash of golden light.
Suddenly, his brother was real once more in his arms. His brother was here with him once again.
And they were falling.
Shit, they were falling.
Without thinking, he pulled his unconscious brother close, turning so the brunt of the fall would go to him. Mikey had already given enough, and so he would give back to him in that moment, questions he had and a minor fear of the hitting the ground being their final moment together be damned.
Finally, as he had expected to happen earlier, everything went black.
---
Diligent eyes flew from each dark corner, eventually catching the light filtering in through the opening before him. For a second, he considered that his plan had succeeded, that this was what people meant when they spoke of seeing a light in death. The idea of his youngest brother carrying him to the afterlife had seemed like a nice thought.
Then the full force of New York city’s constant, almost overwhelming sound hit him. His eyes struggled to adjust, catching glimpses of cars driving by, pedestrians not even bothering to glance into the alley where he lay. Just as he realized he was still alive and somehow in the city he was raised in as his past self would recall it, he was struck with a confusion even more intense.
Unless the afterlife resembled New York, he couldn’t think of a reason why he was there. He stood on shaky legs, leaning against the nearest wall for balance. Through the haze in his mind he could recall Casey and the way his student’s expression had taken on the fear of loss and what was to come of it similar to that of what he himself had always kept close to his chest.
Before that, he remembered his brother and the smile on his face even as the force it had taken to rip open a portal to the past had drawn cracks along his body, disintegrating him in a flash of golden light. Recalling the scene caused a pang of distress through him, his legs buckling as he slid down the wall, running a hand over his face. Not even the questions running through his mind could help him ignore the loss of his youngest brother.
And of course he had winked, smiling even to the end.
A humorless laugh escaped him, hand falling from his face and brushing against something warm. He turned his attention to the hardly visible night sky, debating on the best course of action—
He looked to the side, backing away in alarm when he was met with a figure slumped on the ground beside him. Through his surprise at waking up in what he assumed to be the real world, he hadn’t even noticed someone else laying there. Cautiously, he drew closer, his katana clutched tight in his hand. He stepped closer, doing his best to reflect the light from the city to get even the slightest peek of the possible threat.
“Mikey…?” He couldn’t help the tremble in his voice, the sight of green skin wrapped in a bright orange cape making his heart leap into his throat. For a second, he wondered if New York really was the afterlife, being certain that he had watched his little brother die. He dropped to his knees, hovering over him with shaky hands, doing his best to find his pulse through the nerves. His breathing slowed as he felt the soft beating of his heart against his hand. He vaguely remembered the mystic, golden form of his brother carrying him from danger.
“Okay,” he muttered, sitting back and shifting his brother more so against him than on the ground. “We’re okay.”
He combed his fingers through Mikey’s hair, staring at him as he continued to question what was going on. The sleeping box turtle would probably have some answers, but he knew better than to wake him. Sleep was rare in an apocalypse and he was certain that performing time altering magic would do some damage to a guy—seeing as it had taken Mikey some time to harness the ability to not nearly pass out every time he performed some mystical feat even before having the skills he did now.
A sigh escaped him as he laid his own head against the wall behind them. They couldn’t wait here forever and knowing Mikey, he’d be out for while… Despite the current theories running through his head, in the moment he’d preferred to not risk anything. The state of not only Mikey, but himself as well would put them at an extreme disadvantage if they found trouble and finding trouble was something he was pretty good at.
Even so, he couldn’t help the slight pang of fear in his chest each time his hand left his brother’s pulse.
So close, he had been so close to losing the last of his brothers, and yet by some miracle, Mikey had survived. He had no intention of wasting that.
Ensuring himself once more that yes, Mikey was in fact alive and breathing and here, he hoisted him against his back, steadying him with a hand under his shell. He stood, giving his legs a moment to adjust to the sudden weight before glancing up the building he intended to scale. Despite the ache he felt in his own body, he jammed his sword between two loose bricks and hoisted himself up, pressing his foot against the wall.
The difficulty wasn’t in carrying the weight of himself and his brother, but more so in managing balance as he attempted to reposition Mikey in a way where they wouldn’t immediately fall. It took a considerable amount of time with his current state and the added caution of his brother on his back, but eventually they were up on some apartment building that gave him a sense of familiarity he couldn’t shake. Resting his brother against a nearby air filter, he took a minute to take in his surroundings. Any small noise deepened his worry, the uncertainty of the situation influencing his lack of ideas. While so many years ago, this would have been an okay (while not desirable) situation, he found that he couldn’t plan his way out of this. The city he was in now was not the one he had adapted to. Despite it being an integral part of his past, his past was something he had declared lost a long time ago.
He looked to his only possible source of answers and sighed. Mikey would never purposely lead them to danger and he trusted his brother more than he trusted himself. It was then his plan set into motion.
Step 1: Wait for Mikey to wake up.
Step 2: Stand on guard for the night.
Not his best, but when in an situation he couldn’t understand, it seemed best to wait for the one who could. He rested himself beside his brother, finally taking notice of the pain that flared in his side. He hissed, bringing his hand to his plastron to find that the bleeding had started up again.
A chill went down his spine as he tore a piece of his scarf from his neck, fashioning it into a makeshift bandage. The medic in him would’ve hated it, but through the apocalypse he had grown used to quick-fixes for injuries. If he wasn’t going to die and could walk alright, he was fine. There were different standards set for health and safety when you have an army of aliens chasing after you. In this case, the lack of resources was what kept him from properly taking care of it. Even if he had what he needed to patch himself up, he still would’ve saved it in case Mikey needed it.
Glancing down at his brother once more, his eyes quickly scanned him over for any possible injuries. Other than almost dying, that was. He found himself continuously checking to make sure he was still breathing, terrified that this miracle wouldn’t last. He brushed his brother’s hair to the side, huffing a laugh at the bald spot on his head. For a moment, he let his mind wander, back to when his brothers use of mystic energy had brought… unexpected benefits. He could remember Mikey’s confusion, his own jealousy at the time that his little brother would get the hair Leo himself would often dream of.
Then he was reminded of the less than optimal side effects. The advanced aging, the way his little brother was still his little brother, but his body became much older. Leo was certain that had Mikey not had to push the limits of his mystic ability, he would still have his younger brother, mentally and physically. Perhaps it was Mikey’s perceived age that had brought Leo to believe he could depend on him as heavily as he did—To even the extent that he believed he could ask him to risk his life…
The pang of disgust that hit him was overwhelming, putting an ache in his chest as his hands froze on his brother’s head. He had done that, hadn’t he? He had asked Mikey to lay down his life for him, for the cause. So quickly had he been to request that he push the limits of his power and of course, Mikey had no qualms to oblige. Leo wanted to take his little brother by the shoulders, shake him and yell, Think of yourself, dammit! If he still held the mystic abilities from his youth, he never would have asked that of him. The loyalty and trust his little brother had for him felt undeserved, as if he was taking advantage of Mikey’s never-ending kindness over and over again.
In the back of his head, he could hear a voice oddly reminiscent of the little brother passed out beside him, It’s not your fault.
His eyes landed on his brother, scanning for any sign that he had spoke, only to be met with silence. Even in this state, Mikey would somehow be there to comfort him. He was thrown back to his previous disgust with himself, though it wasn’t as difficult of a war to fight on his own with his brother’s smiling face and kind words in mind. Mikey didn’t blame him for anything. He didn’t blame him, and they were both alive and well. Somehow.
He exhaled, gathering his thoughts into one cohesive pile. Self pity was not the priority here, but keeping Mikey safe was. Throughout his bouts of self doubt, he remained ever vigilant. Any small noise wouldn’t get past him.
“Stupid… Useless…”
For a moment he was convinced it was himself who said that—The spiel of self loathing not new to him, especially in his greatest times of worry. He was decently sure however, that he did not have the voice of a teenage girl, and so the thought was immediately rejected in favor of setting his brother on the ground gently and quietly moving to the edge of the roof. A mess of curls came into view, making his heart lurch. Temporarily, he was reminded of an old friend and his slowly growing theory as to where he and Mikey had wound up seemed more and more possible.
The sound of a phone ringing grew to be nothing more than white noise, his breathing picking up pace at the voice that came after.
“You have reached Donatello, by some unperceivable means it appears I am not at my phone right now. Leave a message. Keep it short.” Beep.
“Ooo, Donnie I swear—” Leo could distantly hear the pressing of a button. “Donnie, I swear if you don’t call me back—Is everyone okay? What happened? I’m heading over soon. If I get there and you guys are—” She nearly choked on the word. “—dead, I’ll kill you all myself. You better get back to me or you’re first.” She sighed, ending the voice mail as she leaned herself against the railing of the fire escape.
Leo swayed, struggling to ground himself when faced with the realization that this girl was April… It was April, their big sister. And on the phone—He has to take a shaky breath to keep himself from crying. How long had it been? How long since he had heard the beautiful dead pan voice of his twin?
Then came his own worry. April was panicked. About what? What was happening? Where was Casey? Were his brothers okay? Did Mikey really take them to the past?
His body gave one more lurch forward before he caught himself, knowing he had to calm down before he gave away his position. He was at least 72% sure he was seeing April, and while he loved his big sister more than anything, he couldn’t bring himself to trust her without confirmation. The only source of certainty lay slouched against some air filter with no guarantee that he would even know what he had done. Leo had to play his cards right. April or not, there wasn’t any guarantee that revealing himself to her now would be the best course of action.
But god, did he want to.
The idea that he could take comfort in his big sister again, find solace in her words and wisdom… He wanted nothing more, but he wouldn’t let himself falter. This was a lot, everything was a lot and no one could help him now but him. He wouldn’t screw up now.
April’s phone rang.
“Donnie? Donnie, you there?”
Leo felt his heart drop.
“Yes, April… Apologies for the false alarm, it appears everything is—” There was shuffling from the other side, a shout that made Leo take a sharp intake of breath.
“Is that April,” he heard his little brother call, voice livelier than he’d heard in years.
“Yes, Michael. Don’t—”
More shuffling was heard before Mikey was speaking, loud and clear. “Hi, April!”
“Hi, Mikey,” she greeted, her voice soft in a way that let Leo know she was smiling. His own face broke into a fragile grin, his previous thoughts to position himself elsewhere forgotten to him.
“Are you still coming over—”
“Michael, my phone—”
“Yeah, yeah I’ll be over soon.” She pushed herself up from the railing, turning to lean her back against it. From where he sat, he could finally see her face, the laugh that played from her lips. The youthfulness to her face was as refreshing as it was mind boggling. “You… You guys sure everything’s okay?”
“Yeah, Raph was just being Raph. We’re gonna get pizza—”
“Need I remind you, brother o’ mine, you have your own phone?”
“What flavor do you want—”
“Can you ask her if she can grab it on the way? Tell her I’ll pay her back.”
The newest addition to the onslaught of voices over the phone made him lose his ability to breathe entirely. All sense he was making seemed to simply fly away as he stood open-mouthed over the edge of the roof. It brought an ache to heart, a heaviness in his chest that once again caused him to sway worryingly. First April, then Donnie—How many people would simply rise from the dead tonight?
“April, Raph wants to know if you’ll—” The name made him shiver involuntarily. Not even the cold night air had made him tremble the way it did.
“Yeah, I heard him. I got it.” She moved from the rail, stretching her arms up and digging around in her pockets before pulling out a wallet. “Let him know there’s no need to pay me back either.”
“April—” The voice—Raph’s voice, came through much clearer this time, his tone nervous in a way that made Leo’s heart clench.
“Raphael, my phone, please.” He could picture Donnie’s tense smile with an outstretched hand to match.
“But I wanna say bye to April!” Mikey’s pouty face that would consequently result in him getting his way—
“Wait, you guys are talking to April without me?”
It was here he faltered, the voice that was so familiar to him knocking him backwards. He stumbled, pushing pebbles off the ledge in his sudden movements. April’s response was cut short, the sound of shuffling and the creaking of the fire escape blaring loud in his ears, where his brothers voices had previously resided.
“I’ll… Call you guys when I’m on my way.”
“Sounds good—” Donnie’s reply was interrupted by a much more enthusiastic voice.
“Byeeee, April!”
“Wait, I didn’t even get to talk to her—”
“Bye, guys.” The phone gave a beep as the call ended, leaving the two of them in silence.
Leo’s breathing came back to him, much too quick this time. His eyes darted around the area. The building beside them would have been an easy leap away were he in better condition, but in this case (including the added weight of his still passed out little brother), he knew better than to attempt something that dangerous.
There was more creaking from the fire escape, soft steps of well worn sneakers against the metal steps pushing him to grab Mikey. He scooped his brother into his arms, rolling behind a vent that kept them better hidden from the gate to the fire escape. Hidden in the shadows, he let his scarf fall over his brother’s face as he held him close.
The footsteps were closer, steps against metal dulling into steps against concrete as April reached the top. He cursed himself mentally, hoping she would see no one and choose to leave herself. Of course that wasn’t what happened, his luck being too faulty and his big sister being to perceptive for her own good.
She continued moving silently and for a moment his heart swelled with pride at the skill she held even in her teenage years. That skill, however, was not working in his favor at the moment as he weighed the pros and cons of taking the chance to reveal himself to her.
Cons: She could freak out and they could end up in a fight, this could simply be another dimension and she could be his sister’s evil counterpart, she could even just not be April! She could so easily be an April doppelganger by the same name who also knew some guys who all shared the voices and names of his brothers—
He willed his paranoia to calm, to give him a moment to think.
There was one pro that was really all that mattered, his own fear of ruining yet another family be damned.
Pro: She’s smart, she’d listen, and if she’s the April they sent Casey to, she’d get it. She could help Mikey.
He owed his brother that much.
With a shaky breath, he stood, brother in his arms and his face still shrouded in darkness.
“Oh,” was all she had to say, he eyes blown wide as she stared up at him. “You’re… big.” The grip she held on her bat grew tighter as she took a fighting stance. “I’ve dealt with worse…”
The uncertainty in her voice made him smile, though it soon fell as the anxiety of his next actions kept his feet stuck to the ground. He needed to do this. For Mikey.
“April—”
“How do you know my name—”
“I—” He choked on his own words, shutting his mouth before he said anything stupid. How would he even explain any of this? If he couldn’t, then how could Casey have? “I’m from… the future…”
Her stance faltered, the bat falling past her shoulder before she righted herself once more. “Another one?”
Another one.
His chest grew lighter at the thought that she was referring to his student.
“Prove it.”
He couldn’t blame her for the request. Here he was, putting it out that he knew her when he had clearly been listening in on her conversation and continued to stand in the dark. He wouldn’t trust himself either. Not that he currently did, but he’d certainly hold her doubts all the same.
“Okay. Okay…”
With a deep breathe he took a step forward, the artificial light of New York city shining on his face. April’s mouth fell open, her shoulders drooping as she stood dumbfounded before him. She took a hesitant step forward, the bat falling to her side.
“Leo…?”
He gave her a small grin, nodding.
“And—” Her eyes flicked to his brother, still in his arms, hidden by the fragile protection of his scarf. “Are they—”
He pushed the scarf aside to reveal Mikey, noting the way her eyes blew wide and she relaxed completely.
“Is he okay? What happened? Why are you—Casey never mentioned—”
“I would love to answer any questions you have, but—” He took a ragged breath, the pain erupting in his side as his adrenaline slowly began to disappear. He was light-headed, the weight of Mikey in his arms growing heavier and heavier.
“Oh my god—Um—Okay… Not the craziest thing you’ve dealt with, O’Neil…” She ran a hand over her face, pacing for a moment before turning to face him once more. “Okay. This—” She gestured to him and Mikey. “—is crazy. Almost as crazy as Casey. I’m going to go see the guys… You guys? The guys. I’m seeing the guys and you… young guys…?” She shook her head, glancing around before peering down the side of the building. “We’ll have to go through the sewers… Will you—Are you okay to…?”
“Yeah.” He nodded, giving her an appreciative smile. “Thank you, April.”
“Course. We take care of each other. Future or—Or present. Past. Present? Whatever—I’ll always help you guys.”
As the chaos of what was happening played in the back of his mind, he decided to let himself take comfort in his big sister’s words.