Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

 Cracks scattered across the sky. Holes exposing Dimension X who too had holes in its void like sky with nothing but blackness scattered across the shattering sky. The ground quacked as it too broke apart under the feet of billions. The world let out an ear splitting cry along its residents screams, barely holding together itself as a softer giggle over whelmed its pain. Thousands of small blobs of blue oozed across the cityscape, leaving inky black emptiness behind them. 

 "DONNIE HOW MUCH LONGER TILL ITS UP AND RUNNING???!!!"

 "I'M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN!!!"

 Two hands typed furiously on the alien tech that glowed a pinkish purple. Uncoherent mumbling sprung from the hand's owner as they desperately worked. A figure with two swords strapped to their back sliced at the black ooze slinking near the device, though with each slice a bit more and more of his blade disappeared. His gaze darted to his blade with a look of horror before it switches to sadness. Quickly shaking his head he continued his mad slicing to keep the ooze at bay. 

 Three figures come dashing from a corner, one limping while the other two supported them. The figure with the swords turn and yells with relief. "Mikey! Raph and April! I'm glad you could make it! Where's Casey-"

 His voice dies when he notices the sobbing leaving the one being held. Her fierce red hair a mess clinging to her cheeks as tears flowed from her eyes. A sniffle left the smaller figure, tears falling from their baby blue eyes as their grip trembled. The other figure wearing red's green eyes seemed to stare blankly into the air, a vein seeming to twitch on the side of his face as he grit his teeth. 

 It was enough for the pieces to fall into place. Feeling his hands tremble slightly even more, his eyes hardened as they darted back to Donnie. His voice was harsh, escaping as a bark as he tried to keep it together. "Keep the THINGS away from the portal gate! We need to buy Donnie some time!"

 "DONNIE!"

 The figure wearing a purple mask sends a blind and desperate look to his brother. "I NEED MORE TIME!!!"

 The other figures dive to the side of the leader in blue, attacking the ooze that had gotten closer. April unsheathed her weapon, a metal fan that she blindly swiped a the ground. Uncaring if she hit the ooze or simple concrete, the sobs not ending from her. The one in red too slashed at the ooze, though his emotions were more channel which was unlike him. The one in orange unsheathed the blade a the end of his chuck and slices the ones farther away trying to minimize the work the others had to do, though it seemed almost futile as more of the ooze came to replace what ever they got rid of.

 It seemed to be never ending, the ooze getting closer and closer as the typing grew faster and more frantic. It forced the defenders back, their feet mere feet away from the substance. One of their eyes seem to drain as a particular clump grew closer. It was a hopeless situation. 

 There was no way to get out of this and no way for Donnie to get a hypothetical portal open. Casey was already... They shook their head, feeling the emotions start to get too much. They couldn't afford that, nor such a grim thoughts. Looking away from their task, eyes widened at the sight.

 Mikey had his back towards a trail of ooze that had creeped up behind him. It was reaching towards him. He was going to end up like Cas-

 The thought died and was replaced. It was only the thought of a mad person, a thought that made them smile. Reaching forward, they grabbed Mikey's shoulder and flung them away from the ooze just as it shot up to encase him. Baby blue eyes widened as a scream rips from them as blackness encased his rescuer. 

 "APRIL!!!"

 "I got it!"

 Four eyes snapped towards the sound of their baby brother's scream just as a large purple glow exploded from a frame. The sight of the girl with the fierce red hair smiling madly as the blue ooze that turned the spot she used to be into the black void. Her once yellow outfit faded away and her hair was extinguished. 

 Cries erupted from the now illuminated turtle wearing purple. He dashes towards where his friend once stood as two other turtles held him back. Shouts for him to not go after the girl seeming to go deaf in his ears. He sobbed as he felt himself get shoved backwards into the portal, disappearing with a small flash. The turtle wearing red quickly picked the smallest turtle who was crying and sobbing, throwing him too into the portal. 

 His green eyes turn and faces the last of his brothers. The oldest and assigned leader by their father. His face was blank, clear shocked by what had just happened. But while he too was horrified by what had just happened, he couldn't allow this to hold him back.

 His hands grasped his brother's shoulder, deep blue eyes turning to meet his own. It was enough, for the two eldest siblings gave each other a nod. One pulled a grenade out from their weapon pouch and pulled the pin. They tossed it into the air and jumped through the portal. The remaining turtle going through quickly after though mumbling something softly.

 And with a small tink, the grenade hit the ground and erupted into a orange and red glow. Melting and bending the metal frame. Sending chunks of the ooze and metal chunks flying into the now black void like space. The purple portal no longer existing with out the frame to keep it up. 

 Chunks seemed to remain of the world, simply flouting in the void. The screams and destruction having gone silent, with the exception of a childlike giggle.

Chapter Text

 Leonardo stared down into the cup of tea in his hand. It has long since gone cold, but he couldn't help but just hold it and stare. His reflection was staring back, looking just as tired as he felt with the darkening bags under his eyes that not even his red stripes could hide. He hated how tired he looked, but he hated more that its been two years and the... INCIDENT... is still so heavily affecting him. 

 Glaring down at his mug, he swiftly chugs the drink down. As weird of it tasted, he couldn't bring himself to abandon the drink he had made. He wasn't cruel enough to do that.

 After a quick scrubbing of the cup, he turns to leave the kitchen. Passing a clock that said three thirty a.m. He ties his blue mask on and strap his katanas to his back. With a clean and practiced slice of one of his blades, a blue portal opens in front of him.

 The faint blue glow radiates over his skin, the same way it did every time he opened a portal. He simply stared at it for a moment, contemplating if it was too early for this. His brothers would be waking in a couple hours, and if they couldn't find him they might freak out. It was the one thing they had tried to work through, but seemed that no matter it was a near impossible anxiety for them to get through. It wasn't like he blamed him for it. He would have a similar reaction probably for any of them had they been the ones who...

 He shook his head, the tails of his mask rubbing a tad against his shell at the sudden motion. The thought was chased away as he made his decision. 

 Leonardo stepped out from the portal, the vibrant cityscape glowed under the building he stood upon reflecting vibrantly in his stormy grey blue eyes. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. The black clouds above the sky a gorgeous contrast to the blues and purples speckled by the rainbow of stars. The moon a mere sliver casting down its weak rays of yellow.

 It was a familiar sight, the leader in blue frequenting this particular spot once he had recovered enough. It was reassuring to see the destruction to have been undone. To see fore sure no signs of the lingering monstrosities was remaining. The people of New York walking the streets almost as if a alien invasion had not happened. The normalcy was a pleasant sight.

 But Leo wasn't blind to the new sight of yokai walking among the people. Some disguised and others not, seeming to be more open to reveal themselves since the incident. It was only a few, but the peace from them was clear.

 Sitting down on the edge, Leo simply watched it all. Watched the clouds crawl across the sky, the people walking along the sidewalks, how the moon ever so slightly turned as time passed. It was relaxing for the turtle to watch, and the soft lofi-pop tunes for sleep he was playing certainly set the mood. He wouldn't mind a warm cup of jasmine tea to drink at the moment, but the turtle felt he might be drinking too much and would certainly have to use the bathroom at some point if he did, thus ruining his perfect moment.

 Honestly this was the most relaxed he's felt in awhile. It was a nice feeling that felt almost foreign. There was nothing more that he wanted than to simply relish the moment. Nothing can ruin this for him.

 Nothing can ruin it.

 The sound of footsteps on places they shouldn't be did not catch the turtles ears.

 Nothing can ruin it.

 He certainly didn't hear the familiar sounds of metal sliding against leather, nor notice the steps seeming to pass him.

 Nothing can ruin-

 Oh what was he kidding? Letting out an annoyed sigh Leo turns his eyes towards the almost silent steps. Seeing the shadow jumping from roof to roof, the turtle couldn't but feel that familiar itch. That side to him that always got him and his brothers into trouble when they were younger. 

 Standing up he unsheathed both of his katanas, his eyes following the shadowed figure. Pulling one of his arms back with a steady intake of air, Leo swings his blade across the sky. It spun in a blue blur as it neared a roof, not taking his eyes off the blade he reaches forward and grasps at the air, the blade reappearing in hand with a sudden change of the area.

 The shadow was a tad closer than before, though with it on the constant move what ever distance was gained was quickly lost. Had this been younger Leo, he certainly would have confronted the shadow alone, but he knew better now. As he made his way after the shadow he sent a quick text to the group chat and constant updates on his location ensuring he had back up.

 Man had he learned his lesson over the years of growth! 

 Occasionally, Leo saw what seemed be the flash of white eyes in the shadows, or caught the familiar scent of pizza. Now that was a surprise. Eyeing the shadow once more as he followed, he couldn't help but notice it was about as tall as Mikey currently was. Maybe it was Mikey, and he went to grab a late night pizza from Hueso's?

 Though that made almost no sense, since his brother always asked for their orders before going. Maybe he wanted to surprise them with pizza in the morning? 

 It wasn't like their orders changed all that much. Plus it was something Mikey would do...

 Leo continued to follow the shadow, not feeling reassured by his theory. Though the shadow eventually came to stop in front of manhole. A familiar manhole...

 "What the..."

 This wasn't Mikey. The shadow slipped down into the sewer's depths, followed quickly by Leo. He followed the unfamiliar figure go down a familiar path. Walls Leo had actively avoided like the plague crossed his path. The pit in his stomach grew more and more as a cold sweat dripped down his brow. His mouth went dry for a moment.

 Ugh come on! He can do this! It was simply returning to his-

 Leo blinked to see that he had lost the shadow. Forcing his thoughts to be silent, as difficult as it was sometimes, Leo felt it relatively easy in this moment. He could hear the faint, but thunderous drops of water falling from crevasses and storm drains above him. The sound of water cascading down a fall someplace deeper down the tunnels and ever so faint steps of the people above. But no sounds of the shadow.

 Well course he couldn't hear it. It was a shadow after all, and shadows didn't make sounds. But they also didn't smell of pizza. Leo's eyes snap open as his eyes shoot above him, just in time for his blade to block a strike from above.

 The blade slid off of Leo's blade as it came back with another strike, aiming for his exposed side. But Leo was more prepared this time and quickly blocked the blow before retaliating with his own strike. Though his own strike was blocked by another sword. Quickly leaping backwards, Leo held both his blades out in a defensive position, a small nervous smile on his lips. 

 The white eyes in the shadow narrowed, the two katanas in its own hands seeming to reflect the faint light in the sewer with an ominous glow. Their own posture a defensive one too, though it looked far more refined compared to Leo's own. He wasn't sure why, but no quips seem to come to mind as he stared his opponent down. Something felt off and wrong.

 Sliding his foot back, Leo swiftly hurls one of his katanas towards the head of his opponent. White eyes widen before sliding smoothly to the side, the blade passing by. Leo tightened his grasp, feeling the blade return as the shadow was now in front of him. Bringing the blade in his other hand down, he felt it get intercepted. Swiftly he rotated his hide to force more power into his next swing as he brought his other blade down on the interception. 

 He forced his weight down onto his blades, hoping to overpower his much shorter opponent, but plenty of sparing sessions with Mikey has proven this trick doesn't always work. 

 The shadow used his blades to direct Leo towards the sewers wall, the teen not expecting the sudden shift in his weight. A small yelp escapes his lips as he quickly uses his foot to catch himself before kissing the wall. The air seems to shift and he slides to his side in time to see sparks fly off the wall where his head once was at. The resounding clang  echoing in Leo's head.

 The older teen felt he needed to pick up his pace. Adjusting his grip on the grips of his swords, Leo slices a portal into the air, leaping through to appear above the shadow. He quickly tried again to bring his blades down where the opponent once was at but they quickly dodged the blow. So he opened another portal and quickly tried to attack their blind spot but once more missed or was blocked. 

 Leo tried harder and harder to land a blow but felt himself get pushed back bit by bit as the shadow learned how his portals worked. This wasn't going well. Leo knew his fighting style wasn't the best against a singular opponent on his own. He was better as support or as a wild card, or as the teams medic. While he could hold off a enemy on his own relatively well, the level of this... shadow was something else. It was like fighting a more honed version of himself, with out mystic abilities and he was still losing.

 The shadow's blade came down near one of Leo's portals, barely grazing his arm with a small spurt of crimson blood. Ok Leo had made his decision in that moment.

 He needed back up.

 Slicing his sword through the air one more time, a larger portal appeared. The blue glow seeming to radiate more light than his others, removing the shadows from his battler. The blue glow illuminated a turtle wearing a blue bandana, his whitened eyes squinting at the sudden light. Leo felt his eyes widen. "What the-"

 With a loud oomph, Leo felt a kick to his sternum send him flying through his portal. The back of his shell came crashing down harshly into his bed. Pillows went flying as it closed, his blanket wrapping haphazardly around his limbs as if trying to assist his assailant. 

 Pointing his sword into open air Leo stared where the portal once was at. The enemy now gone. A single thought rushed through his mind as he processed what had happened.

 "Was that... me?"

Chapter Text

 "DOOOOONNIEEEEEE!!!!"

 Leo practically kicks the door to his brother's lab off its hinges as he wildly searched for his twin. If anyone was going to have a possible answer to what he saw, it would be his nerd of a brother wearing purple. 

 Said soft shell's face was squished against his desk, drool trailing from his mouth. His eyes snapped open as he exhaustedly turns to his brother, teeth grit tight as a seething glare burned in his eyes. "Leo, you better have a good reason for waking me at..." 

 He looks up at the clock just above his desk, glaring angrily at the time. It was 5 fifty-five in the morning, much too early. "This ungodly time when I finally had a chance to get some sleep!"

 Leo stares at his brother for a moment, trying to find the words to articulate the words bouncing wildly though his head. His hands flail in the air as he pointed and gestured from place to place, incoherent rambling passing through his lips as he tried to string them together into a sentence. 

 His twin catching onto the state of his brother, forced himself to calm down with a small sigh and rubbing of the bridge of his eyes. He knew that his brother sometimes needed a moment to calm down when in such a state, so he did what his brother Mikey would normally do. He pulled an extra desk chair out and placed it behind his frantic brother, giving the option for him to sit while he himself patiently waited for his brother to get his thoughts organized.

 Ever so slightly Leo sat in the chair, his eyes seeming to dart around for a moment before he stops talking. He took a deep breath and held it for a moment, his stormy blue eyes closed for a few seconds as he tried to still his thoughts again. Or at least organize them enough to actually talk.

 Letting it out slowly through his mouth he turns his eyes back to his brother. Donnie had his purple mask on, but the etched sharpie eyebrows were raised in a manner of him waiting for his response. Leo already knew his brother would have a fit once he heard what he was going to say. "Don I think I saw an alternate version of myself."

 Don's eyes widen as he slips from his chair. His arms flails wildly before catching himself with a scramble. He shoots forward until his beak was almost pressing against his brothers own. His wide cinnamon colored eyes seemed to sparkle, practically glowing with the curiosity and excitement behind them. "YOU SAW AN ALTERNATE VERSION OF YOURSELF?!!!"

 He gasps before shooting away and looking down at his phone, his eyes shooting back up at Leo as he pointed at it as if it held the answers. "Was that why I have almost 20 texts in the group chat?!"

 "Wait, ya'll didn't read my texts..?" 

 His brother in purple snaps his eyes back to the texts and actually reads them, though his brows furrowed more and more as his excitement seemed to die. A hunch seems form on his shoulders as his eyes dart towards his twin, a mild look of discomfort clear alongside the crease forming on his brow. "I see they might have taken residency at our... old home." 

 Leo nodded his head with forced smile on his face, his eyes looking anywhere but at his brother in that moment. None of them have gone back since they moved out, none of them wanting to remember what happened there. The blood was probably still staining the ground too-

 Leo quickly shakes his head, breaking that train of thought as he looks back to his ever so slightly younger brother. He was tapping his fingers against his chin, a calculated and contemplated look to his eyes as he mumbled softly. Probably calculating on the value of having all his crack theories confirmed over the value of the possible redigging of trauma he and his brothers have actively been trying to heal/suppress. 

 Honestly the leader in blue debated even bringing this up to his older and youngest brothers. Between the four of them, the two were far more likely to react emotionally over the situation unlike Leo and Donnie's own more calculative out look. It wasn't like they weren't hurt by what happened there, but in manners of compartmentalization, for best or for worst, Donnie and Leo were the least likely to burst into tears mid climb down the ladder. As much the brothers have grown as the years passed, some of the traumatic experiences they shared were things they didn't speak about in too much depth. Not since... THAT happened, resulting with Mikey not leaving his subway car for almost a week.  

 Maybe it wasn't the best, having them all avoid the giant pink elephant in the room that seems to laugh when ever they try to point it out. But the others actively avoided it, and so did Leo himself. Mikey the only one who did try to confront it, being the one most emotionally entuned with everyone and having the better understanding of mental health, simply didn't anymore since then. It felt like he had simply resigned to the fact his family would not speak of it.

 "Leo!"

 Blinking, Leo looks up to see his brother with his battle shell on and bo-staff in hand. His goggles were propped up on his head as he typed quickly on his wrist device something. Though the ping leaving Leo's phone was a sign he sent a message to the group chat. 

 Quickly pulling his phone out, he couldn't help but scoff a bit at the text. 

 The Purple One: Leo and I are going to raid the dump, so don't be surprised if we aren't at the lair.

 It was a lie. Donnie might not show his emotions as openly as his brothers, but it was clear to Leo that he shared the same thoughts. Do not dig up emotional trouble for their warm colored siblings.

 Two pairs of eyes meet. A shared thought between them before the slightly taller one turns around and slices a portal into the room. The blue glowing vortex seeming to taunt them for a moment. It blue glow letting off a similar feeling to that of static electricity right before it snaps across space. Taking a deep breath and outstretching his leg, Donnie steps through the portal. Leo looks behind him, around the lab once more before he too stepped through the glowing vortex, it closing with a small zwoop behind him.

 "Donnie... you need to eat bro..."

 Mikey held out the plate with a slice of cheese pizza to his larger brother. His larger, lankier brother didn't move as he held arms with a tight grip, his slightly knobby knees pulled near his chest as his dull eyes stared into open space. He hadn't left this pose since he and his brothers had arrived to their new base which was almost three months ago now.

 The younger brother tried to cheer his older brother up. He tried cracking jokes, tried offering him some of the cool things he found around the base, and even tried to make him angry. Mikey needed his brother to emote something other than the dull blankness he was expressing. He couldn't take any of this anymore and Raph's go to emotion being rage and Leo being more stoic and shutting his feelings down more than ever was beginning to drive Mikey mad. It felt stifling.

 While none of his brothers asked him to, Mikey felt he had no choice but to keep up his excitable faced up. To keep any semblance of positivity in this situation cause if he didn't he didn't know how far his brothers would crumble. But this was starting to get exhausting.  He felt the tears build up more and more behind his baby blue eyes as the deep pit forming in his gut just seemed to grow, more and more. 

 "C-come on Donnie... please man... please- just..."

 His voice trembled as it cracked ever so slightly. Hot tears fell down his eyes, though his smile never left his lips. It waivered though. It shook as he put the plate down to his side, and tried to get his brother to look at him. 

 Mikey placed his hands on his brothers cheeks and tried to direct his face to look into Mikey's own. Dulled cinnamon eyes seemed to stare though baby blue eyes that pleaded to be seen. He rubbed his cheeks gently, trying to stimulate something from his brother. Though nothing changed.

 His brother's gaze remained blank and his posture had not changed nor relaxed. After a mere moment of silence, Mikey broke. Curling into the side of his unresponsive brother, Mikey sobbed and cried trying to comfort himself, though failing. His sobs didn't echo, but they were loud enough for the eldest brother to hear upon him re-entering the new lair. He was originally going to inform his family of his discovery, but hearing the state of his youngest brother, he knew it wasn't the right time.

 Leo has never felt more like a failure than he has now.

 Leo stepped out the portal in the ruins of his old home. Almost like entering another dimension, feeling the warmth get sucked out of him upon entering the dimly lit cavern. Memories seemed to dance around Leo's gaze as he trailed behind his brother. The two looking around the once vibrant place they called home, now dulled from the lack of working lights and faded paint. Pieces of walls still laid in a pile at the bottom where their old skate ramp used to be, a small green splotch near it.  

 Leo couldn't help but stare at it, his eyes narrowing as he leaned forward to get a better look. Though upon further investigation, it was simply a large patch of moss that had developed. Releasing a breath Leo didn't even know he was holding, he quickly turns and follows hid brother who was a tad ahead. His dual colored goggles were down as his eyes darted everywhere other than the large pile of rubble near what used to be the tv room. "No sign of anything mystic other than the remains of your portal. See anything Nardo?"

 Leo's eyes dart around again, confident he could tell anything off about his old home. "No. I would say to split up, but I don't want to encounter these guys alone if they just so happen to be from a universe where we're bad guys."

 Donnie rolls his vibrant cinnamon eyes as he typed something out on his wrist device, his voice almost void like as he shrugs his shoulders. "Scoff. Leo chances that a villain version of ourselves are here are... actually just as likely of a version of us with just slightly different colors assigned to us would come across us."

 Leo raises a brow as he catches up to his brother. "And the chances of that aaaare?"

 His twin pauses for a moment before typing something on his wrist again. He then turns to look at Leo with a smug smile, "One in infinity."

 Leo held back a squawk as he pointed accusingly at his brother in purple. "Infinity isn't a number! Don-"

 Don stops moving as he looks up. His grip on his staff growing stronger as he slides into a familiar pose. Quickly unsheathing his own blades from his back, his eyes look up to a particularly shadowed part of the ceiling. He squinted his eyes to make out what ever his brother was seeing, though there was practically nothing. That was until two sets of white eyes flash open. 

 On swift feet, Leo intercepts the sudden blades that nearly crashed down into his brother. A turtle wearing a deep blue mask seemed to glare down at Leonardo as he pressed down. The weight much heavier than Leo's own as his legs tremble slightly under the pressure. Though with a quick kick to the other turtles lower plastron, knocked him away with a gasp of air. Placing his hand on Donnie's arm he quickly teleports them a dozen feet away from the now hunched turtle. 

 Spreading his legs apart, he sheathes one of his blades before pointing his now free hand at his counter part. A exaugurated frown on his face, a glare forcing his eyes to squint indignantly. With a loud voice he shouts "IMPOSTER!!!"

 A loud responding slap sound could be heard from behind Leo as he continues to point. His counterpart simply stood there, staring confused at Leonardo. "Uh... this is when you point at me with a look of surprise to man."

 The other turtle simple gives Leo a look practically screaming "Are you serious right now?"

 Leo couldn't help but feel his cheeks go a tad hot in embarrassment, but he refused to crumble first. Stubbornly still pointing with puffed out cheeks. A groan comes from behind him as Donnie stepped in front. A wide grin on his face as he lets out a small squeal of excitement, his legs doing a little wiggle. "AAAh I KNEW THE MULTIVERSE WAS REAL!!!"

 Forcing himself still, the familiar deadpan look to his eyes but his cocky smirk on his lips. Clearing his throat, he saunters up with a calculative look, studying up and down the green turtle. "Clearly a Leonardo since he has the katanas..."

 Donnie's eyes widen as a wide grin crosses his face, his eyes snapping to his twin. "UNLESS HE'S FROM A UNIVERSE WHERE RAPH WEARS BLUE AND USES KATANAS!!!"

 A gasp leaves his face as he starts to type rapidly on his wrist device again. "Is there a universe out there were everything is the same except for our naming and turtle species?!" 

 Loud giddy giggles leaves him as he practically drools over this whole situation. Leo though stared at the other turtle, now confused even more by the situation. By the look of confusion, but somehow mild amusement on the other turtle's face he could already tell that he is not a Donatello. The look of his face was too familiar of that of an older brother amused by their younger siblings but clearly not following along entirely. 

 Leo felt himself relax ever so slightly, not pointing anymore and instead returning to his confident position. Though he wasn't smiling, his own calculative look to his eye as he studied the other turtle. The way he stood at his full height, but was not too much taller than Mikey. How his blue eyes were a darker shade than his own, seeming more like a deep ocean hiding something away. His green skin was speckled with spots like faded salt and pepper with scars covering most of his skin under his head. The clear lining of toned, but slim muscles that deceptively hid the true strength they held. His plastron had multiple nicks missing from the edges and a clear divot across from his shoulder blade down to his waist area with a slightly, almost unnoticeable color difference. It was clearly an older scar, but a scar that left Leo reaching to touch his own plastron, noting the dent in his own. 

 It was easy to notice how dirty the training bandages wrapped snuggly on his forearms and feet were almost gray from the filth caked on them. The leather knee and elbow pads were covered in scratches and missing pieces, along with the leather belt on the turtles waist. The blue mask on his face seemed to be the cleanest and undisturbed part of what he wore, with the exception of small blue stitching lining its tails keeping it together.

 But Leo felt his eyes almost bulge out from his head when his eyes landed on the turtle's left upper arm. In clear black ink was what was a variant of the Hamato clan symbol etched into his skin, proudly on display. It was breath taking, and Leo couldn't help but get closer and lean in to look at it a tad better. Upon closer inspection it had a faint outline of blue along the black edges.

 "Wow... That is so cool..." Leo was surprised by how fluttery his voice sounded, quickly snapping his eyes away from the symbol to see the other turtle's face. His eyes were wide and a faint embarrassed blush seemed to cover his cheeks as he self consciously covered the piece of art.

 His voice was deeper than Leo's own, though it was gentle in a very familiar manner. "Uh.. thank you..."

 The two turtles in blue seemed to stop in time for a moment and stare at each other, trying to make out what ether one was going to do. But seeing each other in light, and seeing no signs of harming the other it seemed to have them both relax. Maybe nether one was going to harm the other's family.

Chapter Text

 Mikey eyes snap open as he holds back the gasp for air retching its way out his body. The panic being caused by his dream trying to send him into a frenzy to beg his older brothers to help him like he used to do when he was younger. Though instead he forces himself to take a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly. He slowly repeated the process until his once thumping heart came to slower more steady rhythm. 

 Once his heart had settled, Mikey's baby blue eyes turn to the weight leaning against his side. His immediate older brother, Donnie, was leaning limply against his baby brother. His now dull cinnamon colored eyes were shut and his breath came out a little deeper. His once stiff shoulders were relaxed and the faint whistle leaves the gap between his teeth was almost deceptive. Mikey already knew his brother didn't fall asleep, it was more like he sub came to his bodies demands for rest after days of him not caring for it. 

 Adjusting his brother's position so he's not leaning against Mikey anymore, he felt his eyes catch on the plate he had put off to the side. The cheese pizza was gone, crust and all. Mikey's eyes immediately dart to his brother's face, but he saw no signs of pizza residue there, so he went to the next spot. Looking at Donnie's hands, Mikey could see the ever faint remains of flour from the crust. 

 His heart swelled with joy and relief at the sight. This had been the most his brother had eaten since their arrival here. Mikey couldn't help but look at his brother again. This time with a bit more hope that he in fact had chosen to fall asleep. 

 Mikey had to tell someone.

 He had to tell his other brothers! Donnie could be improving and then they can get started on a-

 Mikey forced the last half of his thoughts off. Don't think of that yet. Focus on telling the good news to his family.

 Standing up and turning quickly, Mikey couldn't help but smile even wider at the sight of his other older brother. Raph was sitting in his spot in the empty room, his shell pressed against the wall as his shoulders rose and fell with his breaths. His green eyes were shut but even in sleep a crease seemed to have made its home between his eyes. Mikey hoped his big brother didn't have the same nightmares that he has been plagued with and would get a restful sleep.

 Keeping his feet silent, Mikey left the shared room. Leo should be back home by now, but the fact he wasn't in the room with his family was probably a sign he was training. It was the one routine from home the leader in blue didn't break, but he didn't force his brothers to participate with him. While Raph did participate sometime, Mikey was too busy caring for Donnie to join. 

 Making his way to the designated training room Mikey freezes when he hears something.

 "UNLESS HE'S FROM A UNIVERSE WHERE RAPH WEARS BLUE AND USES KATANAS!!!"

 The sentence made Mikey almost do a spit-take at how ridiculous it sounded. Raph wearing blue and using katanas? That was as likely as Donnie using Mikey's nunchakus and being a ball of muscle like Raph himself. A soft chuckle leaves Mikey, making his way towards to voices. He comes across a corner and before walking around it, he cautiously peered out.

 He was greeted by a strange sight. Two other turtles stood on ether side of his brother Leo. One had what seemed like a square purple shell, his skin tone was a duller shade of deep green with deep purple pixel shapes on his shoulders and thighs. What looked like a purple tech belt around the center of his plastron, a green oval shaped thing in the center, a metal bo staff strapped to his back. What looked like fabric knee and elbow pads covered his joints while purple fingerless gloves covered his hands, a equivalent to his gloves covered his legs below the knee guards exposing his toes and heels. On his left wrist was a device he typed on with an excited glow to his brownish red eyes. A purple bandana covered the upper part of his face and the top of his head were a pair of mismatched colored lensed goggled sat. Mikey couldn't help but notice how big the top of his head was, but it must have been big to hold a big brain. The colors and the clear tech exposed on the turtle told Mikey this was an alternate version of his brother Donatello. 

 Turning his eyes away from the purple turtle, feel a wave of sadness hitting himself in the gut at the familiar expression on his face, Mikey decides to try and see who the other turtle was. 

 Unlike the Donatello, this other turtle seemed to hold a more cautious gaze to his posture. He clearly was trying to hide it with a more, as some would call it, fruity pose, but his eyes gave him away. His lighter green skin contrasted pleasantly against the yellow triangular crescent shapes on his upper arms and thighs. Like the other turtle, this one too wore blue gloves on his hands, though the blue ones only ended a bit before his elbows, a brighter blue striping its edge. A similar thing as his gloves was on his feet too and ended just below his knee, it too having the lighter blue stripe on its edge. But Mikey noted how he also wore electric blue nail polish, which he won't lie he was a tad envious of. A blue fabric belt crossed his left shoulder and came to an end on his waist where a similar green orb to the other turtle was at, the fabric going around his waist  holding a small tactical bag. A blue mask covered his face and what Mikey assumed to be two crescent red marks on his eyes, the tails hanging loosely in a similar manner to Leo's own, resting on his shoulders. 

 The two katana sheaths strapped to his back was a dead give-away other than the color this was a Leonardo. Though the expression he wore was clearly one that was far sneaker compared to his own brother's open scrutinizing gaze when meeting someone knew, the eyes though gave way the intention. This turtle didn't trust his brother, but Mikey didn't blame him. 

 Keeping his feet silent, Mikey creped closer. His eyes never leaving the other turtles, his smile growing at the sight of how amazed by the family tattoo the other Leo was. Before anyone even noticed, Mikey was standing right next to both Leo's, who were still staring at each other. Feeling excitement begin to bubble up, before he could stop it his voice escaped loudly. 

 "Whats up dudes?!"

 Both Leo's spring a solid few feet away from each other, their eyes widening as they fumbled with their swords for a second. The Donnie turtle also lets out a loud yelp in surprise, his eyes snapping around as he points his bo-staff at the new turtle. Though Mikey wasn't expecting for it to be engulfed in a purple light, hundreds of devises shooting out looking like different rocket launchers aimed at himself.

 Mikey didn't even blink, simply smiling widely as he gives a small wave. "Sorry dudes! Didn't mean to startle ya'll!"

 Mikey's Leo turns towards him with an angry scowl forming on his face. His voice wasn't loud, but it held that familiar bite that used to scare Mikey when he was younger, the one used when he was in trouble. "Mikey! What did I say about sneaking up on people when we aren't in battle or on a stealth mission?!"

 The younger turtle simply shrugged his shoulders, a small roll of his eyes making his other brother puff up more in annoyance. "Come on man! I was clearly being stealthy cause of the new dudes here, but I decided to make myself known after the kid clearly got on your 'not a enemy' side. You'd think we were still kids with the way you treat me sometimes..."

 The last part was mumbled, it sour with minor irritation but it wasn't something he was mad at. He and his brothers could have that discussion at a different time, when Donnie was better.

 The other Donnie's weapon seems to fade away into purple pixel-esc shapes, the air now empty around the metal staff. Mikey couldn't help but feel himself approach it, his eyes wide in curiosity as he admired the weapon. Though he made sure his hands were clutched tightly behind his shell, as to stop himself from just snatching it. "Oh wow! Our Donnie would be so jealous of you dude! I remember when we were younger fighting aliens and mutants how much he complained about fighting with a 'just a stick'!"

 Other Donnie pulled his staff closer to himself, a clear look of indignant annoyance on his face. "'Just a stick'?! Does your Donatello not have a appreciation for the finest weapon of all?! SCOFF!"

 Mikey couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "Yeah your definitely a Donnie! While I would disagree, the nunchaku are the superior weapon, your bo staff is really cool! Its made of..."

 Mikey's eyes narrow as he stared down at the metal staff, trying to discern the type of metal it was. Though clearly other Donnie was quiet proud of his staff, his posture straightening as he proudly placed his hand on his chest. "Made of the finest titanium yours truly could find!"

 Mikey let out a small gasp as he stared at the weapon with stars in his gaze. "Wow! Now I know for sure Donnie will be jealous! It took him years just to find enough Titanium for Metal Head 2 to get to his wanted form, and it wasn't even pure titanium!"

 The other Donnie's eyes seem to widen a second before his gaze went calculative. Himself crouching down a tad to study Mikey's face. "I would assume your a Michelangelo, but you seem far more into the technological field than what I would have expected."

 Was Mikey supposed to take that as a compliment or an insult? Mikey's face scrunched up as he looked at the other Donnie. "Uh... is that supposed to be a good thing dude? Or were you trying to imply Mikeys are stupid?"

 A loud gasp leaves the turtle in purple as he leaned back. "Gasp! By no means! While I do have to say my brothers are far more intellectually inferior to myself, I would never consider them stupid. They can just be dumb dumbs a lot of the time."

 His eyes narrow as he shoots a small glare at Leo, the question clear behind his gaze. So Mikey did what he did best, defuse the situation or redirect it. "Oh then thank you I guess dude! I like to help my Donnie with his projects sometimes! He has been needing some assistance with his more recent ones, so somethings just kinda stuck in my head." 

 Mikey had also been reading the blueprints that he had scrounged from his old home. He couldn't save all of them, but he was able to get some of the more practical ones, and the Metal Head 2 print. That was the project he was looking forward to the most when it comes to helping with. After all it was the most exciting thing he and his brother did together since the decrease in crime back home.

 "Are you ok?"

 Snapping his gaze away from other Donnie, Mikey turns to the other Leo who was staring at him concerned. A small hum left Mikey, him noticing how he wasn't smiling anymore. What expression was he making right then? The turtle in orange blinked a few times, noting how there weren't tears building up so he wasn't crying. Curling his lips upward he turns to the other turtle. "Oh yeah man! I'm fine! Just got a bit nostalgic there. Sorry bout that dude!"

 Feeling his brain hone in on the other Leo, Mikey quickly approached him. His hands no longer behind his back gently takes the hand of the taller turtle and looks down at them. A wide smile across his face as he studied the blue nails. "Man! Did you do this yourself? The lining is great and the color is so nice! Maybe I should paint my own too..."

 Mikey blinked a few times before shaking his head. He has to focus! Damn the brain fog was making him bouncy again. Looking up at the other Leo, he released his hand. "Sorry man! I shouldn't have touched your hand with out your perms, I just got a bit too excited dude..."

 The other Leo lets out a small chuckle before shaking his head. "Nah my man, its chill. I can get my friend to help paint your nails too if you want?"

 Mikey couldn't help but smile brightly. He held back the urge to tackle this turtle in a hug as he taps his feet in excitement. "THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!!"

 A cough draws his attention away though. Turning around Mikey sees his own Leo who was frowning ever so slightly, but the soft glow from his eyes was clearly with relief. Was Mikey that obvious?

 Grinning more he quickly jogs to his brother's side, turning to face the other two turtles who stood side by side now. Mikey couldn't help but feel the burning sensation of hope flicker through out his chest. Maybe he could befriend their counter parts and get their help! It wasn't like they had too much of a choice, but still if it meant helping Donnie and his other brothers Mikey would gladly team up with anyone.

 With small cough, Mikey's Leo crosses his arms as he eyed the other turtles. "I'm sure you know this but my name is Leonardo. And this..." his arm sweeps in the direction of Mikey, who bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet, "... is my youngest brother Michelangelo." 

 At his name being mentioned Mikey waves again, a beaming grin on his face. The other turtles nod their heads for a moment, before smiling confidently. 

 Other Leo speaks first, it clear he was taking charge of his small pair. "Well obviously, I am this universes Leonardo, but you can call me Blue or Leon. Just to avoid confusion."

 He shrugs a cocky grin on his face once more as he casually waves his hand at his brother. "And this is my twin-"

 "We are not actual twins!!!"

 "-Donatello, but you can call him Purple or Don." Blue clearly had ignored his brother's protest at being called a twin, but Mikey couldn't help but smile wider. His voice once more raising an octave as his hands shook.

 "Wow! Thats awesome! My brothers and I are quadruplet! Do you guys share a mutationday too or just birthdays?"

 He could see the way the other turtle's faces went rigid at the declaration. Purple opens his mouth to say something before Leo interrupts, clearly trying to keep the train from derailing itself. "Anyway, do you mind explaining why you are here?"

 Blue takes a small breath before returning to his neutral posture. "Well after you attacked me-"

 Mikey's eyes widen as he turns to his brother. "You attacked other you?! Not cool dude!"

 Leo gives a wide eyed look before shaking his hands in a denying manner. "It was dark ok! I just felt eyes watching me and attacked my follower! How was I supposed to know it was this universe me?!"

 "Still dude! What if we landed in a universe where we didn't exist?! You could have hurt some random person!"

 Leo rolls his eyes before rubbing the bridge of his beak. "Yes Mikey, I know that. But my priority right now is to protect you and Do-"

 Mikey held back the urge to roll his eyes, forcing his attention away from Leo to Blue who was waiting patiently. "Sorry, got side tracked."

 Blue shook his head, annoyance clear in his eyes but also amusement. He clearly was seeing something in the interaction that the two brothers couldn't see, but then again thats what a third perspective was!

 "As I was saying... After you attacked me and kicked me through my portal, I went to my brother here to talk about you being my alternate. As much as a nerd he is, I knew he would murder me in my sleep if I didn't bring him."

 Purple leaned into view, a grin on his face. "I would definitely have murdered him in his sleep if he didn't bring me along."

 He then leans back away, Blue rolling his own eyes. "So we came here to check out if you were possible evil versions of us from an alternate timeline. Also check to make sure I'm not delusional and hadn't just imagined the whole situation up."

 Mikey oh-ed as he turn to look at his own brother with a scrutinizing glare. He was going to have to talk to him about words first, not swords... again. Turning his gaze back to the colored turtles Mikey gave an apologetic look. "Sorry dudes, we've been pretty uptight since getting here. Especially with all the blood we found here."

 The two turtles stiffened, eyes seeming to freeze on Mikey who still smiled. "Honestly with how much we found and how clearly abandoned this place was, we had assumed you all had been killed, bros. The only reason we chose this place as our new temp base was cause it clearly was your home at some point."

 Blue's eyes dart towards a pile that was across the pit from them. Most of the blood having been there. A spot Mikey had actively avoided, not wanting to go near it. Purple gave a confused expression as he stared at the two shorter turtles. "You wanted to live in a murder scene?"

 Leo nervously coughed into his fist, eyes darting around for a moment before settling on their feet. "Well... that was a downside, but we trust that our alternate selves would somehow have things we needed. Plus if your enemies had succeeded in killing you, they certainly wouldn't return here. Thinking the turtles are dead kind of deal, you know?"

 Blue and Purple shared a look, clearly upset a bit by the mere thought of themselves being dead. But their eyes turned back to Mikey and narrowed slightly. So Mikey did what he did best.

 "Well, sorry dudes for intruding! We can leave if you want us out of here."

 Mikey purposely let his smile wilt ever so slightly. His baby blue eyes dropping a bit as he looked at the ground, trying to look as guilty as possible while standing strong. This technique hadn't worked on his brothers in almost a decade, but it might work on these larger turtles.

 Turning his ever so slightly glistening eyes to the other two his lip ever so slightly quivering, he could see it in their faces. They were taking a frontal assault of... Puppy dog eyes.

 Purple grabbed his brother's shoulders and he gave him a vicious shake. "LEO DON'T! WE CAN NOT FALL FOR A MIKEY TRICK THIS LOW-"

 Blue's eyes shook and darted around as sweat seemed to bead on his body. His mouth flapped around for a second before words the words Mikey wanted left his lips. "I guess you guys can stay with us or something... A murder scene isn't exactly a nice place to stay at..."

 Goal achieved.

 Mikey's eyes widen and glistened more as he bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet. "REALLY?! WOW YOUR SO AMAZING DUDES!!!"

 Purple shook his brother by the shoulders viciously as Blue simply looked at anyplace but his brother. Mikey was familiar with this scene, it being something he did constantly to his own older brothers when they were younger. Being the baby brother, no matter the dimension had many perks.

 "Why did you do that Mikey..."

 Blue and Purple had left through a portal, saying how they had to talk to their other brothers before anything solid happened. Leo stood behind Mikey with a small suspicious look to his eye, having seen his brothers actions as clear as crystal. Mikey was sure that had he not done this similar trick on his brothers as much as he had, it would still work on them. But what could he say that he was never lying calling himself the cute one, no matter how much Raph had tried to undermine that claim.

 "Hmmm... Well this place can't help Donnie bro..."

 Mikey didn't need to look at his brother to tell he had stiffened. The slight shifting of his sheathes on his shell had given that away. His voice was still light, but it held a firmness that would make it difficult for his brother to argue with him. "We can't make a plan with out Donnie, and the alternate versions of us seem nice. Maybe they can get to him where we had failed..."

 Leo's hand touched Mikey's shoulder, his grip tight in a reassuring manner. "Donnie will be fine-"

 Mikey snapped his blue eyes to his brother's own, a anger burning in their lighter depths. It was enough for Leo to stop what ever he was going to say. Mikey rarely got genuinely angry, but when he was his brothers had learned to take the situation seriously. It was clear Mikey saw something in these counterparts Leo doesn't see, but he had to trust his youngest brother. 

 After all what did they have left but each other?

Chapter Text

 "YOU DID WHAT???!"

 Leo scrunches his head a tad into his shell, eyes shut as a wobbly smile crosses his face.  His fingers tapped nervously against each other as his shoulders raise up in a defensive manner. Donnie kept his face neutral, but the back of his heel was tapping silently against the ground, and his eyes were glued to a very specific spike on his brother's shell while his drawn on sharpie eyebrows quivered. 

 They were in trouble.

 Standing before them was their eldest brother, Raphael. He towered over the twins, at the intimidating height of seven and a half feet. A tank of muscle that was bulging out and exposing plenty of pulsing veins. His sharp almond shaped eyes glaring down at his brothers with rage harsher than most flames. Their youngest brother looked like a child from where he perched on their giant brother's right shoulder, his eyes narrow as he sticks out his lip in a angry pout.

 Both brothers had caught Donnie and Leo discussing how to break the news to their family. Ultimately busting them on their small lie that they had been to the dump, and triggering reasonable anger at them for doing something possibly dangerous. After all the last time the four had gotten involved with dimensions, it resulted with one of them trapped. A traumatic experience for all of them to different degrees.

 Nervously chuckling, Leo forced his eyes open trying to correct his posture to that of "confident leader" and no longer be "younger brother in trouble". But his body nervously wiggled as he leaned against his brother, one of his legs crossed. His voice didn't tremble though he felt scared out of his wits right now, not remembering his eldest brother looking this scary before. "Come on Raph! Its ok, they weren't a danger and were pretty chill!"

 Raph's mouth opens, revealing his much sharper teeth but he quickly shuts it with a air cracking snap, deciding to give the leader a chance to explain himself. In that moment Leo couldn't help but remember that little fact Donnie had told him ages ago when they were still tots. A fully grown alligator snapping turtle had the bite force of a thousand pounds and easily could snap through bone.

 The eldest brother, ether intentionally or not had just snapped the air and practically caused his middle siblings to shit themselves from the sudden action. If it wasn't the fact they knew they were a family, the would have probably assumed their brother was a villain waiting to harm them. But he wasn't and Leo knew this was his chance to give a full explanation that could ether be throwing oil or water on this flame.

 "OK so Don and I went back to the old lair, and met our alternate selves from another dimension and may have promised their version of Mikey they could stay with us... here in our home..."

 The atmosphere seemed to grow twenty times hotter, and it took Leo everything to not retract into his shell. His brother was pissed.

 "BUT THEY WERE LIVING IN THE RUBBLE OF OUR OLD HOME AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM EVIL!!! I DIDN'T EVEN FIGHT MY ALTERNATE SELF THIS TIME!!!"

 "THIS TIME?!!!"

 Oh shit Leo forgot he had yet to mention his fight with his alternate self. He had to explain fast.

 "WELLIORIGINALLYWASFOLLOWINGTHEIRLEOANDGOTINTOAFIGHTCAUSEHETHOUGHTIWASANENEMYANDITHOUGHTHEWASNAENEMYTOOSOWEFOUGHTFORABIT!!!!"

 Leo gasped and panted a but after that mouth full. Their was no way that had resolved anything, but now that the story was out he could only hope his brother was merciful. Looking at the now heavy breathing older brother, Leo felt he had to throw one last thing in. "We're chill now and I believe he only wanted to protect his brothers!"

 This small detail earned a sympathetic look from Mikey, who still sat atop his brother. The youngest's anger seemed to have diminished but annoyance was still clear in the way his eyes scrunched together. Raph too seemed to have calmed down ever so slightly, his breaths become more controlled as he rubbed the bridge of nose, the chasm between his eyes seeming to grow deeper as the seconds passed. 

 Though Leo was now leader of the group, his older brother was still the family protector. The oldest brother would always take on himself the safety of his family, and Leo knew no matter how much he tried he could never take that from the larger turtle. In their group him being leader meant he was in charge of guiding his family in the correct direction in events, to ensure them the safest path to victory in the correct direction. Mikey was their ball of sunshine and emotional support, the one who could read his family like a book and knew their habits the best. Donnie was the tech and informational brains of the group who will provide the known facts and details of what they needed to know. Raph the protector's role was to ensure no matter where Leo lead them that no harm came to his family. The blade and shield of a warrior that follows Leo's stone path basking under Mikey's sun and provided the knowledge of Donnie. 

 Leo had essentially lead the warrior down a path with no sword or shield in a snow storm into a well known dangerous cave. So of course his oldest brother was pissed. To him, Leo had almost sent the warrior that was their team to death.

 The soft voice of their youngest brother break the sound of their older brother's grunts of anger, his smaller hand tapping the top of his head. "Raph I get why this is upsetting... but maybe we should give the other group a chance? Or at least meet them all together before we decide anything."

 Raph opens his moss green eyes with a far more exhausted look, though the anger was still there. "I am ok with your plan Mikey, but-"

 His eyes narrow as he sends an angry glare at the two middle children who looked up at him with begging eyes. It typically worked, if they were still in their tot ages. "This can not happen again."

 Both the middle children let out a faint sigh of relief. Though Raph's gaze had softened but the glare was still there. "Could... you both just tell us the truth next time? I can guess why you didn't want to bring us..."

 Grief flashes through his eyes for a moment, but was replaced quickly with a slightly hurt expression.

 "But that doesn't make it ok. They could have hurt the both of you and while I don't doubt your abilities, but we're a team and this is a matter than involves all of us."

 Leo looks away from his brother, his hands having stopped fidgeting to instead clench tightly into fists. It seems he hadn't grown as much as he had hoped over the last two years. 

  Mikey hums softly as he sits next too his tallest brother. Donnie had opened his eyes, but they still simply stared into space, seeming to no longer be asleep. Leo stood by the entrance, his sea blue eyes occasionally darting on the look out for an unknown danger. Raph had awoken, but didn't leave his spot, his emerald green eyes seeming to glare at Donnie. 

 No one spoke, for a bit. The silence only broken by Mikey's humming and the occasional shuffling of feet. But when a tiny blue portal pops up above, Mikey's head and piece of paper falls through. Raph instantly jumps to his feet, his sai in hand, a look of pure hostility at the tiny spot. Though as fast as it opened the portal closed.

 "What the fuck was that?! Did it follow us?!"

 The enraged shouts of Raph seemed to bounce around the room, but Mikey simply shook his head as he read the small paper.

 'The fam has decided to meet! We can disgus more there cause my bros are a little angry as me and Purple :(

 Meet us on the tallest building above the lair you are in at midnight tomorrow ~Bluuuue'

 Mikey smiled wide before handing the small note to Leo. His brother reads it, a small rise to the edge of his lips before he tucks it away. His shoulders seem to lower ever so slightly as a small sigh leaves his nose, having finally had a direction to go in.

 Turning his baby blue eyes to his other brother, Mikey holds back a grimace. Raph's face was contorted into a scowl as a vein seemed to pulse near his eye. The rage clear from his fear and the fact no one had answered his questions yet. Raising his hands in a calm manner it took the youngest turtle a bit to not make a joke, knowing that would just fuel his brother's rage. "We met alternate versions of ourselves, or well... Of Leo and Donnie, I don't think out counterparts were here, but Leo and I talked and asked if we could live at their place! The note was just from their Leo, who said we can call Blue."

 Raph's eyes seem to glow brighter as his head snaps to Mikey. He opens his mouth, probably to shout out a question but Mikey was faster. "Blue can make portals in this universe, so the portal was his! Its not from THEM."

 The brother in red growls as his eyes snap to Leo. "Why didn't you get me for that?! What if they were evil versions of us huh?"

 Leo opens his mouth to say something, probably to tell his brother to back off, but Mikey was faster. "It was me who didn't go to get you."

 Raph's angry gaze snaps to the youngest once more. His grip on his sais tighten till his knuckles were almost white. Mikey continued, his tone still light. "You were sleeping when I left the room, so I didn't want to wake you up. I went to find Leo to tell him..."

 Mikeys eyes light up as he shoots up from his spot, his hands flailing round before he pointed excitedly at Donnie.  His voice was raised and alight with excitement and joy his brothers hadn't heard in quiet sometime. "Donnie ate some pizza!!! I didn't see him eat it, but earlier I offered him some pizza and when I fell asleep he must have eaten it!!!"

 He saw both his brother's eyes widen as they turn to look at their tallest brother. Donnie hadn't reacted at all to anything his brothers had said, nor to the tiny portal. His dull eyes still staring blankly at the wall across from them. It was a sight they had all grown familiar with, maybe it was the hope of Mikey's words, but they all swear they saw a tiny bit of color return to their brother. Both his brothers looked back to Mikey who was smiling widely. "I still don't know if he had passed out or chosen too, but he was also sleeping!"

 Though as quickly as the excitement had left the youngest, it slowly flickered out into the more forced smile he had been wearing as of late. "So when we saw our alternate selves... i just thought..."

 His fake smile disappeared to to be replaced by a quivering frown. "I thought if anyone could help Donnie it would be... Donnie... or maybe more of... uses would help..."

 Raph's rage dissipated at the sight of his baby brother's sadness. Even after years of living together, he could never get used to the rare and painful sight of the youngest genuinely being sad. It did two things to the elder brothers. It ether fueled their rage or extinguished it if the situation allowed. Doing the only thing the two could think of, Raph and Leo wrapped the youngest brother in a snug hug. Hoping to squeeze the sadness out of the smaller turtle.

 Donnie simply stared... his eyes never once breaking contact with the wall even at the sound of his brothers cry.

Chapter Text

 Leo hummed a bit as he stood on top a building, his brothers around him. Raph looked around, Mikey sitting on his shoulder excitedly throwing questions out into the air of how their counterparts would be like, the larger brother chuckling as he told him to be patient. Donnie typed away on his phone as he sat next to Leo, his eyes occasionally darting upward towards his brother with a raised brow. It was clear that everyone was a tad excited to meet their alternate selves.

 Leo could see it now...

 The two Ralphs causing earthquakes in the lair as they train together in a friendly spar. Bonding over the love of cute animals and trying to prevent their brothers from doing too crazy of shenanigan! The Mikeys turning the lair into a neon disco party paint job that will burn everyone's retinas into oblivion. Giving therapy to not only their brothers but to each other in a way that will surly not be self talk... or would it still count as self talk??? Ether way, the Leos would bond over the wacky shenanigans' they would get their families into and crack so many jokes there would be no escape for anyone. No mercy. No escape.

 Best if all, all six of them would team up to stop what ever world dominating plans the Donnie's would build together! Surely the two would be able to create almost impossible technological advancements with the both of their brains together! 

 Leo felt himself smile as he stared off into the night sky, a sense of curiosity strong in his gut. But then his smile wavered. He couldn't help but remember the way the two turtles he had met acted on their first meeting. While yes their Mikey was almost identical to his own with the exception of an odd air of maturity to him, and his physical appearance, the way he held himself was as if he had been expecting danger. As if any second something was going to crawl out of the shadows. Leo didn't even think the Mikey was fully aware of it, much less the somber look he had when staring at Donnie with as his hand fiddled with the weapon strapped to his waist. 

 The other Leo too seemed to radiate a strange aura around him. Maybe it was because they were from a different universe, but the air was tense from their mere presence. His guard was up in a matter similar to that of him hiding something. It was probably be the case he simply didn't trust this universe's Leonardo, which Blue completely understood, but the face he made when Mikey had brought up Donnie set off some alarms. The pure sadness that just seemed to have drowned his deep blue eyes and the way his shoulders had gone stiff. Did something happen to their Donnie? Was this their first time meeting alternate versions of themselves?

 Mikey didn't even seemed phased to see alternate versions of his family, and was trusting while Leo radiated his hesitance to get close. Something wasn't adding up and it was making Leo's shell itch.

 The ever so faint sounds of groans snap the red slider from his thoughts as his eyes dart towards the building's edge. A green hand shoots up from the edge to be followed by a green head wearing a red mask. His eyes were a tad wide as he panted before dragging the rest of himself over the edge, another turtle seeming to be strapped to his back. Leo wasn't prepared for the words to come spilling from this new turtles mouth in between pants. "Fucking shit... Don you serious weigh way too much for such a lanky ass turtle!"

 A hook latches itself to the buildings edge before a green blur shoots up over it. It landed with a small thud next to the other turtle, this one wearing blue as he seemed to stare down at the other. "That was why I told you to use the grappling hook Raph. Damn it man, its like your brain was fried by the damn portal sometimes I swear..."

 The turtle on the ground glares up at the other turtle before flipping one of his fingers up at him, the turtle equivalent to the middle finger. A offended scowl crosses the blue turtles face as he unties the other turtle. Though everyone's eyes snap toward the sudden bang of a door opening.

 Turning around Leo sees other Mikey casually coming from the rooftop entrance way. A wide grin on his face as he quickly walked to stand by the other turtles. "Or you dudes could have used the stairs. The buildings an apartment complex yo! Met some chill dudes on my way up!"

 Simultaneously the two turtles in red and blue shout, "MIKEY!!!"

 Other Mikey simply chuckles a bit before helping the last turtle stand, a blank look to their cinnamon colored eyes. Blue couldn't help but frown at the sight. Everyone's eyes darted around, taking in the sight of the new group. Clearly studying them.

 The slider's eyes land on the first to arrive that he didn't recognize. It was a shorter turtle, even shorter than Mikey by a inch or two. He wore a red mask over emerald green eyes that looked alight with flames, the edges of the mask littered with nicks and rips that followed to the shredded tails that swayed with the wind. His plastron had a distinct jagged piece missing on the top left side, and more cracks lining the edges of it with many scuffs marring it. Similar to the other Leo, his green skin was littered with scars from cuts, though instead of the salt and pepper speckles of his brother it held darker green and faint yellow speckles. A dark brown tactical belt was strapped to his waist with two sais at his sides. The bandages on his wrist and feet matches the color of his belt and knee and elbow guards. His back shell from what could be seen was jagged, not from natural shaping but from chips and pieces breaking off its edge from constant battles. And similar to his brother, the same tattoo was inked into his upper right arm, though instead of the faint blue lining it had a deep scarlet. The smaller turtle had a far more muscular build compared to the other three, it clear he was the more physically strongest. Though he wore an angry scowl on his face.

 Feeling his eyes dart away to feel a tad relieved to see other Mikey. The turtle had a medium build, though was no wear near his other brother's Leonardo. His skin tone was almost a lime green covered in faded darker green and lighter brown spots, a cluster of darker brown ones on his cheeks similar to that of human freckles. It was covered in scars too, a sad sight for the older brother to see, knowing it was a sign of constant battle. His baby blue eyes was aglow with a familiar warmth found in Blue's own baby brother's eyes that complimented the sun orange of his mask. Two short tails sticking out from the fabric like his brother's own. A lighter brown belt was strapped to his waist that matched his knee and elbow guards and the bandages covering his wrist and feet. Unlike his older brother's this Mikey's plastron was not cracked or chipped, but it had many scuffs all across it. But Blue noted how he didn't seem to have a tattoo. 

 Turning his eyes to the last turtle, Leon couldn't help but feel himself hold back a breath. The tallest of the three turtles simply stood with his shoulders slumped, his cinnamon eyes staring blankly into the air. His softer toned green skin was marred with scars from cuts and patches of burn scars, the faint green and yellow speckles barely noticeable at all. The soft lavender colored mask on his face was slightly singed in places and faded in spots similar to splatter marks from some paint or chemicals. His plastron was unsymmetrical, the bottom left seeming to miss a solid inch or two chunk of it. The once sharp edges seeming to have worn away into a less sharp edge. His upper plastron, wear his heart would be was a familiar tattoo painted on. It had a purple outline to match his colors, though it seemed faded compared to his siblings own. The brown knee and elbow pads matched the belt on his waist and strap going across his chest, but it didn't match the more greenish toned bandages on his wrist and feet. He didn't have a weapon on him, but that didn't concern Leon as much as the expression. This turtle's expression was completely blank, not even a hint of emotion from his eyes or posture. It was like looking at a walking corpse.

 That couldn't be their Donnie... Surely not...

 His stormy blue eyes dart down to his own Donnie who held a expression of shock. It didn't take twin powers to read the question going through both their heads.

 What had happened to Donatello?

 Leo broke his attention away from Raph who glared at the other group of turtles. His deep blue eyes darted over towards the right-

 What the fuck?

 Towering over everyone was a giant turtle, larger than Slash ever was. He wore a red bandana like mask over his face that only showed his sharp moss green eyes, the two tails shredded at the edge. A single snaggle tooth stuck out from his lip as he stared curiously at them. His massive plastron had sharp pieces jutting out around his collar bone and a two bandages covered the left side in a x manner. His slightly lighter green skin had sharp edges to it too that stuck out, his elbows and upper legs covered in a red fabric that matched the belt on his waist. His hands had bandages wrapped around them alongside his ankles. His massive shell had many jagged sharp looking spikes to it, that could easily cut someone. In contrast he wore a light pink nail polish on his surprisingly blunt cut nails. This turtle was a fucking tank. Leo had no other words that could describe them. This was this universe Raph?!

 Looking a tad upward, Leo saw what could only be this universes Mikey sitting on top the other turtles shoulder. He was the smallest turtle of his group and had dark green skin littered with bright yellow-orange colored spots. Like his own Mikey, the tails of this turtle's mask were short and curled upward ever so slightly, though the shade of orange was more or a burnt orange color. He had a vibrant neon magenta colored patch on his upper plastron in the shape of a triangle and a electric blue thunderbolt shaped one crawling up his lower plastron. He had matching orange wrist bands and knee pads with different expressions drawn on them. Like his other brothers, he wore fabric on his feet but his were orange. Leo could practically see the questions threatening to burst from him, but then he saw how it morphed into a look of shock.

 All their eyes did when they landed on Donnie. Leo felt his breath hitch in his throat as instinctively he stood between his family and the other turtles. He knew he was simply being too sensitive, but their eyes made Leo want to draw his swords and scream at them. To tell them to fuck off and he changed his mind, that they'd be fine on their own, but he knew that would be childish. He heard the unsheathing of metals from his side and Leo quickly sticks his arm out, stopping Raph from lunging at the other turtles. 

 Deep breaths Leo...

 Taking a deep breath through his nose and out through his mouth, he looked back at the turtles. "Before we ask questions and vise versa... how about we introduce ourselves once more."

 Blue nods his head, his eyes shooting a look to his siblings that was unreadable to Leo. But their gazes seemed to have relaxed somewhat, at least enough for Leo's fight response to have relaxed some. 

 Taking another breath, Leo uses his arms to direct the other groups attention. He decides to start with himself. "Once more, I'm Leonardo Hamato, and these are my brothers."

 He moves his hand to Raph who growled slightly at the other turtles. "This is Raphael Hamato,"

 His hand moves to his left directing their attention to the youngest brother. "This is Michelangelo Hamato..."

 Keep going Leo. Don't stop now.

 Gently taking his tallest brother's hand, he gives it a comforting squeeze by habit as he looks at his face hoping to see something. But he saw no change, and his hand didn't squeeze back. Leo couldn't help but feel a sigh leave him as he looks back at the other turtles. "...and this is Donatello Hamato..."

 Leo hoped he wasn't too obvious about how upset he was, trying his best to hide it under his façade of controlled emotions. But by the look his brothers had sent him, he wasn't doing too well a job. Hopefully well enough for the new turtles to not have noticed, even if his brothers did. He turned his attention to Blue, who like Leo raised his arm to direct their attention.

 His voice sounded far more enlightened then Leo's own, though he could guess that would be the case cause none of his brothers were in such a state. "As you could probably guess, I'm Leonardo Blue Hamato, and this crumpled purple nerd,"

 He turned his hand down to Purple who was staring, mouth agape at Donnie. ", is Donatello Purple Hamato."

 Blue then proceeds to approach the giant turtle, his arm wrapping around the much larger brother as he squishes his cheek against his side. "This giant teddy bear is Raphael Red Hamato!"

 He then points up at the smallest turtle. "And this is the amazing Michelangelo Orange Hamato!"

 The two turtles give friendly smiles, waving at Leo and his brothers. Blue decided to continue, "Until we decide on anything official, you can call us by out colors as to prevent confusion on names. We can work out other nicknames for each other as things progress."

 All the turtles nod their heads, seeming to want to avoid confusion and not feeling on arguing over who keeps their names. Slowly everyone joined Purple in sitting on the ground, except for Orange who simply made himself more comfortable on his brother's shoulder. Then for a bit there was nothing but the sound of the wind blowing across the building tops and cars down below. But it only was a matter of time till the question was asked, and Blue was the one who decided to ask it.

 "So why are you here in our universe?"

Chapter Text

 Blue stared at his counterpart who sat in a  seiza pose. His other brothers sat in more relaxed poses. Raph had one knee raised to support his arm. His green eyes didn't dare break away from his own Raph, clearly impressed and a tad jealous of their size difference. Mikey sat next to their Donnie who had his legs crossed against each other as he leaned a bit into his brother who sat with his long legs curled up on himself. 

 Silence seems to permeate the air, as Blue watched Leo stare at the ground. The ridges of where his brows would be knitted together in deep thought, seeming to be thinking what to say. At this point Blue wasn't sure if he wanted a truthful answer or just leave it be. What ever reason they had come to their universe couldn't be good with the way all the turtles had appeared. Though Blue and his own siblings held many scars, the amount littering their counterparts was almost nauseating. 

 "I can't tell you too much of the finer details..."

 Blue felt himself stiffen, his mouth opening to retaliate but the words died on his tongue when he saw the expression on Leo's face. The way grief had morphed his eyes into narrow slits as he stared intently in the ground. His body trembled ever so slightly that most people would not have notice if Blue had not been staring as intently as he had. Though then he blinked and stared right back at Blue. 

 "Even now we don't know what exactly attacked us or why, but we can not speak on what we do know cause it will spread here. Though I will say... it destroyed everything..."

 Blue felt himself freeze at that. Though his brother Red wasn't always the smartest turtle out there...

 "What do you mean it destroyed everything? If you'd like we can go and help you beat them!"

 Leo's eyes harden as he shakes his head. "There isn't anything to return to... they destroyed everything."

 "Surely-"

 "Red..."

 Red turned his head up towards his youngest brother who held a somber look. The younger brother directing his brothers eyes once more to the other turtles. "I think they don't have a universe anymore..."

 Everyone goes silent. 

 But then Purple spoke, his voice filled with the usual monotone sound, but his brothers heard the faint influx that only happened when he was nervous. "That should scientifically be impossible. With every action, another universe is formed for every other possible option or inaction that can happen- and I stand corrected by my own words."

 Mikey turns and looks at his brother for a second before turning a wavering smile at the colored turtles. "Our April and Casey... didn't make it with us... Donnie was pretty close to them..."

 His baby blue eyes turn down as he stares at the ground, clearly unhappy. Though Blue caught the last words mumbled by the younger turtle. "We all were... but not in the same way..."

 Blue wasn't sure which was worst, the idea that these turtles fled from a danger so great it destroyed a whole universe, or that just if they speak wrong said danger would come here. He did know that these strange turtles came and brought a possibility of a great danger to his family and himself! Why of all the multiverses for them to come to did they come here?! Did they have no care of the lives they could be intruding on and destroying?!

 But Blue then saw them. Saw the scars on their bodies and the state their Donnie was in... The way he just blankly stared at nothing even after his older brother held his hand in a attempt to comfort him, and how not once had their Mikey left his side. How occasionally Raph's green eyes would dart over his brothers and he'd try to subtly scoot closer to them, his gaze hostile and nervous when ever it met Blue's own gaze. 

 These weren't people who were trying to drag his brothers down with them. They were simply lost, and happened to arrive in Blue's universe with his family. They lost everything but themselves, and one of them was still lost. It didn't take much to come to a decision. 

 Turning to his siblings, they all share a look that gave them all their response. Looking at the other turtles, Blue stands up and offers his hand to Leonardo. "Well... We can maybe help you guys get settled in our universe then."

 Deep blue eyes widen for a moment, but a soft smile crawls onto his face as he reaches forward and grabs his hand.

 "Welcome to our casa!"

 A small gasp erupts from the new turtles as they looked around the abandoned subway station. Noting how fairy lights hung loosely around casting down a warm glow to the area. In one area down some steps facing a brick wall was a single lounge chair with a projector next to it. Five subway cars lined the opposite walls, each glowing their own respected color. A smaller hallway traveled away from the large room to what could only be the kitchen, and a public bathroom had its men sign adjusted to look like it had a shell on it. 

 The lair was smaller than the previous one the turtles were staying in, but it was more cozy and radiated a welcoming vibe. It almost had all the caution melt off the new turtles shells as they looked around. Mikey spoke first, the excitement clear in his tone. "DUUUUDES! They live in an actual subway!!! They have a projector too!!! BROOO!!! We gotta watch Cragnar on it!"

 Leo couldn't help but chuckle a bit, a small shake of his head before he turned his attention back to Blue. "Thank you for letting us stay here with your family... we appreciate it..."

 Blue shrugs his shoulders before waving his hand in the air. "Nah its ok man! Glad we could be of some help. Now for sleeping arrangements I was thinking of just pairing all our counterparts together, but thats only if your comfortable with Donnie staying with... well away from you guys."

 Leo turns and looks at his taller brother with a cautious gaze, noting how he still hadn't reacted to anything. Not even the fact Red was carrying him like a princess which he would have raged at. Sighing a tad, Leo nods his head. "That would probably be best... while I would like for one of my brothers or myself to be by his side... I won't lie and say Mikey needs the mental break... He's hardly left Donnie since we got here..."

 Blue nods his head before giving a reassuring smile. "Purple is a bit... awkward when handling emotions, but he'll come get you or Mikey if anything happens since our carts are closest to his."

 Leo nods his head a small smile on his face as he looks nervously at the ground. Blue couldn't help but hold back the urge to coo at the smaller turtle, but he didn't stop his next action. Reaching over, Blue pats Leo's head trying to reassure the smaller turtle that everything was all good. "Plus if you need any help you can just come to me Little Leo! You must have gone through a lot for your age..."

 A looks of embarrassment and indignation crosses the smaller turtles face as he scrunches out of Blue's reach. "W-what do you mean "by your age"?"

 Tilting his head Blue chuckles at the shy kid. "Well I mean, I'm 18 and Raph is 19 so you can come to ether of us if your having trouble! We get what its like to struggle being in charge of a team-"

 A harsh blush covers Leo's face as he couldn't help but shout out in protest and shock. "YOU'RE ONLY 18???"

 Blue felt his eyes scrunch in confusion as his hand lowered. "Yeeeees?"

 Leo began to look up at Blue and Raph before at himself and his brothers. A look of shock clear as he seemed to try to process this new information. Mikey on the other hand just let out a small fit of giggles, it echoing through the room as he pointed at Blue. "Dudes!!! Your still so young, man!!! I remember being that age!"

 Blue was even more confused. Turning his eyes down to the other turtle, soon to be roommate, he asked the question. "Wait... how old are you guys?"

 A soft mumble left the other leader, one that no one heard. So Blue leaned in closer. "Sorry I didn't catch that."

 Blue saw Leo's face turn redder as he looks to his side, a bit of a puff to his cheeks. "We're 25..."

Chapter Text

 Blue's eyes snap open as a sudden cold air entered his lungs. His eyes dart around, taking in the dark surroundings of his room, the postures lining the walls seeming to taunt him. Pulling himself up from the blankets that felt suffocating, the faintest ache tugging at his brain from the motion. 

 A soft groan crawls from his body as he presses his feet onto the ground, his hands rubbing the bridge between his eyes as he tried to ease the pain. But something soft lightly ticked his feet. Opening one eye, he couldn't help but stare in surprise at the pallet of blankets on the ground, a small pillow nearby that looked neatly placed. The guest that was once laying there gone. 

 Stormy blue eyes dart around for a sign of his guest, but saw no one else in the room. When they landed on the familiar clock on a small shelf above a covered window, Blue couldn't help but sigh. 

 6:45 am

 It had only been a few hours of rest before the cursed night terrors had woken him up, and depending on how much sound he was making he might have woken up Leo.

.. Ok yeah. Blue decided in that moment he was going to work out a nickname for the other turtle so he's just not saying his own name. It was weird, and unlike Red, Blue wasn't too into the whole third-person talk. Even if he was referring to someone else.

 Being careful to not ruin the neatly made pallet of blankets, Blue left his room. His feet quietly pattering across the ground as he made his way to the kitchen. He noted how the light was already on and the faint sound of air whistling grew louder as he grew closer. Someone was making tea which instantly shut down the possibility of it being Doni-Purple. Maybe Raph or Dad was making themselves some tea. 

 Blue groans internally, rubbing the bridge between his eyes as he entered the cooking space. He was already tired of the name issue. His fam needed to work out nicknames, preferably soon. Looking up, Blue felt his eyes widen in surprise. 

 Standing before him sitting neatly on one of the counter chairs was Leo. He awkwardly held one of Splinter's more formal Japanese tea cups in hand as his eyes nervously dart around. The pot was whistling on the stove, but the turtle in darker blue hadn't approached it. So Blue instead went and took it off the stove, turning his attention back with a curious raised brow. The question as clear from his look as the red stripes on his eyes. 

 Da heck is with ya?

 Leo nervously strummed his fingers on the glass as he nervously looked away. "I um... Don't know where you keep the tea..."

 A small hum leaves Blue before he goes over to the designated tea cabinet. He opened it with a small smile, eyeing all the options linings its shelves. "Ok so we have black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, pu-erh tea, purple tea, matcha tea, chai, dark tea, aaaaaaaand mystery tea."

 "Mystery tea???" Leo gives Blue this incrudious look as he peered around the larger turtle. Blue shrugged his shoulders as he took out the homemade tea bag. Orange had made it, but he didn't tell anyone what he used in it, but he did warn to only drink it at the worst of times. Shrugging his shoulders Blue put it back in its spot. He probably shouldn't have mentioned the mystery tea.

 His counter part nervously looked to the side for a moment before shrugging a tad. "I'll take green tea please..."

 Blue nods his head grabbing the box and taking two bags from it. With a familiar swift motion he swipes his mug from another cabinet and pours the scalding hot water into it alongside one of the tea bags. He quickly repeats the process for Leo's own glass before quickly flipping the tiny hourglass set for 3 minutes.

 Then they both waited in silence. A silence that seemed to drag on for ever covered them like a blanket, but not in a comforting manner. It was heavy and felt to choke out any of the air from Blue's lungs. By the way his counterpart seemed to squirm ever so slightly himself, he seemed to have felt the atmosphere too. Nether were comfortable.

 Blue felt his eyes dart around to look at anything other than the other leader in blue, not sure what was a safe ground to speak on or if the other Leo even wanted to speak on anything. Blue had three things in his mind to fore sure not speak on. 

 1. Don't speak about his (other Leo's) Donnie. That was by no means a first conversation topic.

 2. Don't ask about the scars. Sure they were cool and kinda badass, but clearly from probably constant traumatic battles. Also not a good starter conversation.

 3. Do not ask about the first fight or-

 "How did you sleep?"

 Wait, was that his voice just now?

 The clear awkwardness to it, made Blue scrunch up into his shell ever so slightly. A nervous grin crosses his face as his eyes nervously dart around at everything but the other turtle. A million thoughts rushing through his brain as he tried to grasp the idea on why he had asked that!

 Of course he hadn't slept well or the other turtle would not be awake this early! UAAAAAGH WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID LEONARDO BLUE HAMATO?!!!

 "It was honestly some of the best sleep I've had in quiet sometime..."

 Blue's thoughts went silent at that. His own stormy blue eyes went to Leo as he watched him gently bounce the tea bag in his cup. His own darker blue eyes nervously looking up at Blue's own before looking away. His posture was straight, but slightly tense and Blue notices how Leo nervously bounced his right knee. He wasn't sure why, but Blue simply observed his counterpart, noting how expressive his eyes were. 

 "H-how about you?" Both Leo's eyes meet and seem to lock onto each other when those words left the smaller one. 

 Both of their eyes screamed nervousness and clear exhaustion. Though on two different people, it was a similar expression. Maybe it was because technically they were the same person, but Blue felt himself speaking before thinking. "Honestly, not that great..."

 Leo seems to nod his head a bit, his eyes darting to the hour glass before pulling his tea bag out. Blue quickly followed suite and threw it away in the trash next to the island, his counterpart following suite. The two take a long sip of their tea, almost synchronized with their timing and certainly was when they let out a small sigh together. The both of them smiled, Blue chuckling softly at the small moment.

 "I'm sorry if I woke you up earlier... I tend to get night terrors semi regularly..."

 Leo shook his head, looking at Blue with a empathetic smile. "Its ok... I get them too actually. I'd be surprised if you didn't get them being leader and all..."

 Blue looked at his counter part for another moment before drinking more of his tea. A question on the tip of his tongue, but it was a question he wasn't sure he could ask. Would it be too much? Would it trigger something?! What if it made his team appear weaker by asking this-

 "Would you like to know how I manage them..?"

 Blue couldn't help but just stare at the other turtle, a small glisten to his eye. Other Leo seemed to look a bit away, a faint blush on his cheeks as he takes a sip from his cup. His voice was soft as he didn't lower his cup. "I've been in a similar situation for longer so I know some things that work for myself... Maybe they can work for you, and you won't have to deal with the hardship of it untreated for as long as I did..."

 "R-really?! You're serious right now?!"

 Leo's ridge where his brow would be raises in a questioning manner as he takes another sip of his tea. "Yeah I am... I feel like we're similar in the manner where we don't go to our brothers for the support we need..."

 Blue scrunched into his shell a bit a nervous chuckle leaving him as he shrugs his shoulders. Leo giving a supportive smile as he looks into his cup. "Which I must say we need to work on. Like I already promised my own brother's I'd work on it, but its still difficult, me being the oldest of us four..."

 The taller turtles head snaps at the other turtle again, once more feeling shocked at the slight difference between himself and him. This Leo was the oldest, and was thus by that logic was always the leader? That was if they followed the same rules his family had originally did before Splinter overthrew Raph and placed Leo in his place. The overwhelming anxiety that had suddenly came crashing down on his shoulders in that moment and followed after was terrifying, but this other Leo had to handle that and being the eldest brother?! Blue could hardly keep himself from crumbling under leadership, and if he didn't have the support of his more experienced older brother Leo wasn't sure what would have happened to himself.

 Again words seem to leave his mouth before he thought on it. "So you were always the leader?"

 Leo gives a slightly confused look to the other turtle before a look of clarity seemed to dawn on him. "You weren't always leader, were you?"

 Blue shook his head, a soft no as he took another long gulp of the now lukewarm tea. The two sat in the silence again for a moment but this time it was shorter lasting. Leo went and rinsed his cup in the sink before gesturing for Blue to follow him.

 Not releasing his mug Blue followed the shorter turtle. The two returning to his cart and closing the door behind him.

The two returning to his cart and closing the door behind him. When he turned around, Blue saw Leo sitting in a butterfly position on the pallet of blankets, his hands resting on his lip as he watched. Nervously sitting on the pallet too, Blue tries to copy Leo's position, earning a small chuckle from the older turtle. "You don't need to copy my pose, just sit in a manner that's easy to maintain your balance, and comfortable.""

 Nodding his head nervously, Blue crossed his legs and places his hands on the ground in-between his legs. His eyes staring intently at Leo who took a deep breath. "I've found meditation to be a good way to clear my thoughts, it doesn't work for everyone, but it helps myself well enough so if you haven't tried it maybe that will help you too.

 Blue felt his nerves return as he casually shrugs his shoulders. "Meditation isn't something my brothers and I really do... not that we haven't tried its just hard to sit and do nothing, ya know?"

 His stormy eyes goes to deep blue and was surprised to find a slightly confused expression on his counterparts face. A wave of nerves seem to wash over Blue as he breaks the contact, noting another major difference between himself and his counterpart. It was clear his counterpart didn't suffer from the same constant bouncing of thoughts and difficulty to maintain his attention on one thing for too long. He must be such a much better leader-

 "Oh I think I got it now... You're kind of like Mikey and Donnie in that since then..." Blue felt his gaze snap back up at his counterpart who held a understanding look.

 He then seems to grow nervous as his hands shoot up and point at his self, his hands seeming to flail around a little. "I mean my Mikey by the way! I know you all said to refer to you by color but it would still be confusing to suddenly just call one version of the same person by name and not the other! So I just wanted to be clear."

 His counter part seem to flail around for a moment, his eyes darting around as he clearly tried to think his words through and not say something wrong. In a way, it was reassuring. His counterpart clearly still was nervous and not perfect even though he was older. He seemed to lack a certain confidence in this type of conversation . 

 "It's ok I get it. How do they manage to mediate then..? I assume thats why you mentioned them..." Blue nervously chuckles but couldn't help but smile at the clear relief crossing his counterparts face.

 "Well Donnie gave up on the whole meditation part of training, but Mikey tends to still try with me." Leo's eyes dart around the room again, seeming to search for something before they land on something. A smile curling the edges of his lip as he quickly grabs for something.

 "Mikey usually does best when he listens to music while meditating. He still has a bit of trouble, but when he gets into it, he can sometimes go even deeper than myself." His voice seems to raise a bit in pride as he pulls a baby blue headset off of a shelf, it having two rubbery elf ears attached to the parts that normally would cover someone's ears. It was something he had used a few years ago as part of his cosplay, dressing as a space elf from one of the Jupiter Jim movies he had seen at the time. 

 "I'd recommend orchestral or instrumentals, but Mikey never really liked that type of music. It just has to be something with out lyrics so it doesn't completely distract you." Blue nods his head as he reached over to where he kept his phone charged before an idea crosses his thoughts. 

 He quickly stood up and scrambled over to the light switch, quickly turning if off casting the once intense white light into a deep shadow. His hand shoots up into the air grouping blindly until it lands on a thin wire. He then delicately traced his hand over it until a small round object reached his hand. He gives the round thing a single turn and the room erupted into a soft orange glow.

 Blue felt his eyes shoot over to his counterpart to feel a wide smile cross his face at the sight. Leo's eyes were wide in wonder as he looked up a the fairy lights casting their warm glow down in the once gloomy room. The shadows casted by the lights were a darker shade, but it only complimented the warmth from the light. 

 He returned to his position, his eyes never leaving Leo as he waited for what to do next, hoping for some more tips. Leo breaks his gaze away from the lights before smiling at Blue. "Wow that's a way to set an atmosphere!"

 Blue felt his smile quirk higher as a wave of confidences blows up in his chest. "Well I felt it would be better this way."

 "And it is. It won't hurt your eyes as much when coming out of meditation or going into it." Leo closed his deep ocean blue eyes, his hands returning to his lap as his posture straightens. Blue closed his own eyes, but quickly opens them as he grabs his phone again. He quickly scrolls through his playlists before settling for a rainy day lofi-pop study playlist. He didn't have the music too loud, just enough for the sound to gently tug at the back of his brain underneath the million things bouncing around. He closed his stormy eyes and saw nothing but the faintest glow of the fairy lights above.

 Leo's voice slices through the louder thoughts, similar to the swords he carries. "Take deep, steady breaths through your nose. Hold them for five seconds before letting them out through your mouth until there is nothing."

 Blue did as instructed, allowing his breaths to follow into the rhythm set by his counter part, but felt the once quiet thoughts grow louder. He didn't allow them to interrupt his pattern though, Leo's voice returning. "Now, every time you breath out, allow a thought to get blown away with that breath. Don't think too hard on it, just simply do it."

 Blue nods his head subtly, again repeating his breaths, but this time imagining he was blowing the thoughts away. He felt his brain slowly get quieter and quieter until he could hear nothing but the soft beats of his music. Slowly his thoughts stopped coming and a wave if calm seemed to wash over his shoulders. Even the music seemed to fade away into silence. The splash of colors pulsing from the edge of his vision, but not interrupting the wonderful moment of peace.

 Leo stared contently at the taller turtle enter meditation. His body going into a familiar stillness that Leo had seen his own father go into when successfully meditating. But Leo felt himself stare more at the other turtle.

 His counterpart. 

 This was this universes version of himself and it was uncanny. This turtle looked nothing like himself, but the look he had and the mannerism he held was as if Leo was staring into mirror that revealed his inner self. Maybe if Leo hadn't started off as leader he would be the same way as Blue, but that wasn't the case. He was the eldest sibling and had to keep his brothers and team together and guide them. He couldn't afford to expose his weaknesses to anymore, not even them.

 But thats what he saw when he looked at Blue. The inner version of himself constantly questioning his worth and how well he could lead them. The self doubt and self depreciation that he had mastered in shoving down deep deep deep inside his mind. Cramming it all into a box that had grown larger and larger over the years that occasionally cracked open just to be slammed shut with more content crammed into it. He hated it, but he couldn't help but hope he could show this younger turtle a better way.

 A better way to grow-up and a better manner to cope with the weight on his shoulders.

 Taking in a deep breath, Leo fixed his posture and held his head up as he shut his eyes. A soft smile on his lips as he entered the familiar trance he had been taught by his father. So the two sat in the room in silence, unable to hear the faint sounds of their brothers awaking around them and starting their days.

Chapter Text

 "DUUUUUUDE!!! What do you mean you've never seen Cragnark here?! Its like the best cartoon out there! Well except for the ending, but we don't talk about that."

 "Well I don't understand how your world doesn't have a Lou Jitsu action movie series!!! Like have you guys been living under a rock?!"

 Two turtles sit across from each other in a well lit orange train cart, the light leaving several Japanese styled lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The walls were littered with different papers going from postures of franchises to fanart of shows to realistic sketches of random things. Textured light gray flooring was splattered with a mix of colors that complemented the darker ebony of the walls. Outside one of the windows was a painted mural of a sunset, it not having any light coming from it. Blankets laid scattered around, in a misshapen pallet with a large yellow pillow on it. The hammock hanging on the side of the room was occupied by the darker toned turtle while the lighter toned turtle sat on the blankets. 

 Both excitedly rock a little on their legs as they gesture around the room, their words seeming to joyously bounce around the room. They both compared the similar but much greater amount of differences between themselves and their family. 

 The lighter toned one chuckles, scratching at one of his freckles on his cheek. "Well we did live in the sewers, and so did you in fact!"

 "Hmmm touché. We did but we were by far more cultured it seems!"

 The older one rolls his eyes before leaning back onto his arms, a cocky smirk on his face. "Ooooor! Lou Jitsu doesn't exist in my universe and vise versa for Cragnark not existing here."

 The smaller one's smile never wavers as he shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know but that sounds like a Donnie thing to answer."

 Orange as empathetic as he was, caught instantly the very subtle tension grow on his counter parts shoulders. Shit. He wasn't supposed to mention their Donnie damn it. Quick he needs to divert-

 "You're right... it would be a very Donnie thing to answer..." Mikey's eyes seem to stare off into space, the wide grin on his face softening into a much smaller and gentler looking one. Though as fast as it came, it reverted back to the sunny grin from before. "I think we should be honest here little dude."

 The sudden change snapped Orange's eyes wide as he looked at the other turtle. "What do you mean by that?"

 Mikey's smile turns into a neutral line as his soft baby blue eyes meet Orange's own cerulean eyes. The once light atmosphere fading away to a more serious one. "I mean I'm gonna air some stuff out here, if your comfortable that is and if not just say so but I feel its best to say this now before any 'surprises' happen."

 Orange felt himself shrink a tad into his shell. His eyes darting around for a moment in contemplation as he looks around. Was this a good idea? Like, yeah it was good to learn this information and pass it on to his brothers, but he also knew that if he was careless with this new found information he might ruin any chance of bonding with the other turtles. 

 His eyes dart over to his counterpart who patiently waited for his consent. His eyes trailed over the many sharp slices to his soft pale skin that seemed to be littered in small speckles. How the freckles under his eyes stood out more, but there were tinier darker spots across his entire body that looked like scars too. He could use this chance. Particularly what had happened to their Donnie, but also any possible triggers to avoid. Orange could tell other Mikey too possible triggers of his own family to avoid that he could tell his family. It would probably be beneficial in the long run...

 Though Orange knew how private his brothers were about the past. It was a landmine so large for all of them that not even he could deactivate it as easily as he used to nor could he avoid the explosions from setting off his own bombs. They had worked through some of it, but not enough to truly heal. Time was supposed to help, but for himself and his brothers it just simply let the wound fester and burn itself. Mikey was the family phycologist, and now there were two of himself. Two was always better than one after all. And so long as they didn't share with their brothers what they had shared with the other, then nothing bad would happen.

 Nodding his head, Orange looks at his counterpart with a serious look. "Yeah sure... I need to air some stuff out too anyway, but what I say here can't be told to my brothers..." 

 His face morphed into a grimace as he scratches at his lower arms, eyes not leaving the other turtle's own. "Their still very sensitive about everything and I don't want any... 'surprises' ether."

 Mikey nods his head, a gentle smile on his face. "Yeah little dude! I won't tell your brothers what you told me, and you won't tell my brothers what I tell you. While we are more... numb I guess is the word, to what happened to us, they have some severe reactions in some moments, and my big bro's hate looking weak to strangers. No matter how many fucking times I tell them its not weakness."

 His baby blue eyes roll as he crosses his arms in frustration, one of his fingers seeming to gently itch at the bandages at his wrist. Orange let out a small chuckle noting the similarity between them. "Yeah... my brother's don't like showing their problems to others ether, even if it would probably help them."

 A rough sigh leaves both the turtles as they share an annoyed glance. Why were their brothers so fucking stubborn?

 Raising his hand, other Mikey lets out a small groan before looking back at his counterpart. "Since I'm the oldest I'll go first."

 Orange tilts his head, shooting a confused look at Mikey but doesn't stop him.  Mikey reaches over and grabs the giant yellow pillow off his makeshift bed. Its soft cushion squishing pleasantly against his plastron and squishing against the ground between his legs as he leans back against the wall. He takes a deep breath for what felt like ten seconds before letting it out for just as long. His shoulders seem to relax alongside the release of the breath and when he looks back up at Orange, the younger turtle could see a far more clear look to his eye.

 "I'm going to start at the beginning, and I mean the very beginning for my family. Feel free to interrupt me with comments if you want, cause I know I'll probably do the same to you." Mikey flashes a grin at the younger turtle before shuffling his legs around a  bit.

 "Our father, probably like your own, was a man named Hamato Yoshi. He was a member of the Hamato clan in Japan. A clan of skilled ninja that fought for peace and keeping said peave, and father was the heir of the clan. He was the most skilled member of his clan." Mikey's tone didn't match his face, his voice sounding somber as he started his story. Orange felt himself shiver at the demand for respect oozing from the words of his counterpart. His mouth slightly agape as he simply listened.

 "He had a adopted brother that went by the name Oroku Saki who was his rival in not only battle... but in romance." Mikey noted how Orange's eyes widened at the names, but the smaller turtle didn't speak yet. 

 "Dad eventually won over the girl he and Saki were fighting for and got married. Her name was Tang Shen, and her and dad had a daughter they named Miwa. Well one day Saki came into the house to fight dad, the both equal in skill. But at some point Shen took a blow meant for father, and died from it. The house at some point caught fire, and dad believed to have struck Saki down, leaves the house believing Miwa had died from how long the fire was going. Which I still to this day think was a stupid decision. If it was me I would still go check before I fricken leave."

 Mikey grumbles under his breath as he squishes the pillow tighter. Forcing any true anger he felt at his father was going into it and not into his thoughts. He couldn't afford to get his brain too side tracked right now.

 "Anyhow, turns out Saki wasn't dead, and he kidnaps Miwa and raises her as his own daughter, renamed as Karai."

 "Wait great gram-gram is your sister?!"

 Mikey felt any since of controlled thought disappear. Gram-gram?

 "Uuuuuhhh.... wait what? I'm sorry little dude but Karai is your grandma here?!"

 Both the turtles seem to freeze and stair into space. A thousand computer error noises seeming to scream in the back of their minds as they try to compute this new information. For Mikey it was the image of their punk older sister old and wrinkling from age with the once blond part of her hair turning gray. For Orange it was the thought of their gram-gram being the same age as themselves and working for a bad guy. 

 Both turtles smile, look each other in the eye after what felt like hours of trying to wrap their little brains around this fact and come to a shared conclusion. This was going to be thought about at another time. Now now.

 "Anyway I'm going to continue my life story and try to organize that thought later."

 "Agreed. Please continue other me."

 Mikey nods his head, closing his eyes and taking another deep breath to organize his thoughts while shoving that new learned detail into his 'get back to later' pile. He lets it out and grabs the last thing he remembered of the story. "Ok so as I was gonna continue. We're gonna skip a year into the future. Dad had moved to New York to live a new life. Get away from his past and all that ya know?"

 Orange nods his head, his hand grabbing the pillow on his hammock and hugging it to his own chest similarly as his counterpart. His eyes glued to Mikey's own as he continued the story.

 "Well one day he adopted my brothers and I from a pet shop. We at the time weren't mutants yet so we were just silly little adorable baby turtles!"

 "What species were you guys?"

 Mikey stopped again and squinted his eyes together. He thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "Honestly have no clue, my Don might know. Why?"

 Orange shrugged his shoulders before pointing at himself. "Well I was just wondering is all. I'm a box turtle, so unlike my brothers I can completely seal off my shell and plastron to protect my soft parts. Like this!"

 He then proceeds to suck all his body parts in. His plastron snapping shut against his shell effectively sealing him completely off from the outside world. Mikey's baby blue eyes widen in aw as a small gasp leaves him. "Wow little dude, thats so fricken cool!"

 Orange slides out of his shell with a proud grin. His family having grown up with this trait of him, didn't complement this quirk of his. It felt nice to have a part of himself complimented that he didn't know needed to be validated. "Thank you! I can do that, but cause I'm a box turtle I'm not that good at swimming. I can still hold my breath for awhile but the actual swimming part is a bit of a challenge. My shell also heals faster than my brothers cause of it, and its also much harder! I also have a great since of direction. I always know my way home unlike my brothers who often get lost."

 Mikey nods his head before looking down at himself in thought for a bit before turning back. His eyes were wide with wonder as he watched his counterpart with an encouraging nod. Orange smiles wider as he bounces his shoulders slightly in joy. "Purple is a softshell turtle and cause of that he is the most flexible of us and is really fast! Well not as fast as me, but that's cause he's also heavier than me and wearing lots of tech. But cause his shells soft he wears a battle shell to protect it which he has crammed full of tech! But out of all of us he can hold his breath the longest, but he gets sleepy easily if he gets too cold for too long. Oh, he's also a great swimmer! He also has a mean bite but he only bites if you anger him too much! Also like my brother Blue, his nails grow pretty fast so he has to keep them trimmed down" 

 "Woooow!"

 Orange nods his head again before tracing crescents over his eyes and arms. "Blue is a red-eared slider! His hearing is bad if he's not trying to listen but he's super aware of everything around him somehow and has the best vision. Like, he can see details of things that would be blurry for Purple with out his goggles! It also makes it harder for us to hide anything from him."

 Mikey laughs a little his body rocking as he leaned back. "I think thats just a Leo thing little dude! We have trouble hiding anything from my Leo too!"

 The both of them laugh a little at the similarity. Mikey once again looking at Orange with a curious look. "What about your Raph? What kind of turtle is he?"

 "Red is a alligator snapping turtle! He's the strongest of us all and has this reeaaaally long spiky tail that can dent a car if he hits it right!" A gasp leaves Mikey as he hugs his pillow tighter. "No way!"

 His smaller counterpart nods his head as he throws his arms into the air. "He totally could! The spikes on his shell aren't a joke ether! He fell on top a car once, and they all pierced through the roof of it like it was butter! He also sometimes does this thing with his tongue where he wiggles it around, but this little nub is at the end which apparently would have been used to hunt if he stayed a turtle! We also tested it once, and Red can snap a whole watermelon with just his mouth! It just fricken exploded!!!"

 Mikey gasped a wide open mouth smile on his face as he stared at the other turtle. Orange then suddenly leans in and whispers. "We also don't talk about it, but he also sometimes lets out this stink when he gets scared or feels extreme levels of emotions but he's self-conscious of it so if you smell it don't speak on it."

 The larger turtle nods his head. His quickly makes a zipping motion over his mouth and flicks his fingers to the side. "Got it little dude. No mentioning the stink!"

 Orange smiles gratefully before leaning back into his hammock, his body relaxing a tad more into the soft fabric pressing into his carapace. Mikey grins before scratching at a freckle on his cheek. "Man you guys are so cool! Plus you guys can do magic which is awesome!"

 The smaller turtle tilted his head ever so slightly his eyes never leaving his counter part. "You guys don't have mystic abilities or Hamato ninpo?"

 Mikey shakes his head a no before his eyes widen. "Oh yeah! I gotta finish our origin!"

 Orange felt himself buzz slightly as he got more comfortable, noting how fast he redirected the conversation. "So Dad was heading home when he saw these guys being pretty suspicious in a alleyway. Now being a Hamato, he was taught to seek out to enforce peace, so he went to investigate."

 Mikey's grip on his pillow tightens once more has his face hardens into a more serious one. "Dad saw them trading a canister of mutagen around. A rat gave way his position and a fight started! Dad was fending them off well but at some point the canister fell broke and splashed all of us! Dad got mutated into a rat while we were mutated into... well ourselves!"

 Orange cooed as he nuzzled more into his pillow. He watched excitedly as Mikey puts his pillow down to wiggle his fingers in the air in a ominous gesture. "My did didn't know then but that was our first encounter with... THE KRAANG!"

 The colored in the room died. The heat once comfortably engulfing his body dies into a familiar coldness. His eyes dilated as he felt his breaths go ragged. Orange stared at his counterpart, his voice almost none existent.

 "... the Kraang...?"

Chapter Text

 Mikey felt himself stiffen as he saw a familiar expression on the younger turtle's face. The way his pupils compressed as his eyes widened. His breaths leaving his mouth heavier than before and being taken in faster, his grip tightening on the pillow as he shrunk slightly into his shell. 

 The older turtle was familiar when he has stepped on a landmine. He had done it a many times with his brothers by accident when he was younger. The reaction varied depending on his brothers and how they were feeling the moment before, but it always ended with them getting stuck in their heads. Leo would shut his emotions down and go train or meditate. Raph ignites like a forest fire, spreading across everything in a destructive blaze so he goes to the surface to cool down and think. Donnie shuts down, pouring his everything into his science and tech until he boxes the feelings away. The many times his brother set off his own landmines he simply pretends they didn't, forcing his smile to stay plastered on his face until he was in the safe space of his room to break down in muffled sobs. He would then simply slip into his own mind for a few hours until he was ready to return to his families side.

 Mikey could tell by the way his eyes kept darting towards the entrance of the cart that he wanted to see his family. A similar reaction Mikey himself would have if someone not his family set him off. In a way that was reassuring, cause he knew how to remedy this to an extent. 

 Softening his voice and lowering his volume, Mikey gently places his pillow down before slowly shuffling closer to this counterpart. "Little dude... I'm sorry I should have been more careful with my words... Do you want to go see your brothers or do you want me to leave the room? I can get one of them if you want me to..."

 Orange's eyes dart from the door way to Mikey to then the small clock sitting on his desk. It said four twenty-two in the morning, an ungodly time for any of them to still be awake with maybe the exception of Blue. 

 Mikey feels a small relieved smile cross his lips when his counterparts voice softly passes his ears. "I-I wanna see my brothers... but don't wake them if their asleep please..."

 The taller turtle nods his head. He slowly stood up, making sure his body was in full view of his counterpart before gently reaching his hand out. Mikey always felt better with physical contact to ground him, even more so during a breakdown. But Mikey had to remind himself, Orange was him, but not really. The moments they've spent together for the last couple hours have shown him that. So he gave the option.

 To his pleased surprise, the smaller turtle grabbed his hands tightly. Both their blue eyes meet for a moment before Mikey gives a reassuring smile. He reassuringly squeeze his hand back, earning a small smile from his counter part.

 With silent steps both of them leave the carts and peer into each of Orange's brothers rooms. First was Purple's. The softshell laid in his bed sound asleep, headphones on his head softly releasing muffled music. His mask was off, revealing to Mikey the eyebrows were in fact drawn on which mildly blew his mind. A soft subtle wheeze left the turtle as he slept on his plastron, a bit of his soft shell revealed exposing many circular like dents in it. Mikey felt his eyes catch on how Purple had his arms resting under his pillow, the right one seeming to have sharp lines of faint orange covering it until it disappeared under the pillow. By instinct his own eyes dart over to the pallet of purple blankets piled in a nest like fashion with a green lump in its center. It was Donnie who had his back facing the two turtles, but he was curled up with his breaths softly rising and falling. A familiar faint whistle of his breaths pushing through the gap in his front teeth that never went away as they aged. 

 Looking back down at Orange, Mikey smiles at the tiny smile on his face. The anxious look to his eye was lessened but Mikey felt the shivers still going through his hands.

 Gently he gave his counterpart's hand a small squeeze. His cerulean eyes shoot up toward Mikey who tilted his head towards the next cart, then shrugging his shoulders. He then tilted his head back towards purple and bounced his eyes in a gesturing manner towards the sleeping turtle. Orange shook his head before tugging the larger turtles hand towards the next cart. Mikey gives a small nod before leading him to the next cart.

 Both turtles in orange peer in to see two turtles. One neatly laion a pallet of blankets on the floor his blue mask still on, though his katanas were under the blanket with him. The other turtle was a tangle of limbs and blankets on the bed nearby. His mask and belt was still on but his gloves and leg covers were off. A larger sword hung above the bed and Blue's own katanas were sheathed hanging from the bed frame. Both their eyes were closed and the slow rise and fall of their chests were clear a sign of sleep. Though both Mikey's glare a tad at their older brothers, clearly nether expecting to be asleep for long by their lack of getting comfortable. Or it might just have been a trust thing, nether the orange turtles having done it ether.

 Leaving the cart of Blue, both turtles go to the last and tallest cart. Peering in the two turtle's ears were wrecked by the sound of someone's loud snores. Both turtles holding back minor giggles, they simply watched their brothers for a moment. The giant spikey turtle slept on the ground in a heap of teddy bears of different sizes and large red blankets. His mask was off but he instead wore a helmet with a bracket going across from it. A giant red onesie covered his body as he snuggly pressed his head into a massive pillow. Mikey caught the subtle scar pattern sprouting from the giant turtle's closed right eye and the similar scars as Purples on his left hand. One was trauma, two was trauma, but Mikey felt if traumatic scars are shared by two brothers it probably involved all the brothers. It was a pattern his own family had so it wouldn't be too surprising if it applied to this family too.

 His eyes went to the bed and surprisingly sees Raph actually sleeping. He had his face nuzzled comfortably into a giant teddy bear, a red blanket covering his shell as the loud snores left his mouth. Mikey couldn't help but coo at the sight. It was nice to see his brother actually look comfortable. Turning his gaze back to the smaller turtle, Mikey felt himself light up at the sight of relief painted across his features. Giving the smaller turtle a smile, Mikey once more tilted his head towards the larger turtle. Though Orange simply gave him a small shake of his head and started to lead his counterpart back to his cart. The taller turtle allowing himself to be lead by him.

 Once they were back in the cart, Orange practically collapsed down onto his knees with shaking breaths. Mikey quickly kneel next to the smaller turtle, his hand gently rubbing firm circles on the back of his shell, himself enjoying when his older brothers did it to himself. Though unlike his brother's, he also leaned into the younger turtle and softly cooed in reassurance. Orange quickly wrapping his arms around Mikey, pressing his face into the shoulder of the larger turtle. Mikey simply hugged the smaller turtle back, continue to reassuringly rub the smaller turtles shell. The two simply sat there, regaining what control they could...

 "Feeling better..?"

 Orange nods his head as he sniffles slightly. He leaned against the older turtle simply by habit, having done the same when his older brothers comforted him. "Sorry... the Kraang... are..."

 Mikey nodded his head. "It's ok little dude... I understand. I'm sorry I wasn't careful with what I was saying."

 Orange shook his head making sure to look up at the older turtle that had done nothing but smile and try to help him. Even though if his universes Kraang were like Orange's, speaking of them would be just as traumatic, Mikey was going to tell him. Yet he interrupted him...

 "Hey..." Orange refocuses on Mikey. He watched at the slightly crinkle freckled cheeks of his counterpart. The grin on his face seeming to glow. "... Don't be sorry for something you can't help. You never asked for the experiences thrusted on your shoulders or for the consequences that befell from them. Its not your fault, and there isn't a need to be sorry for wanting to check on your family. I do it myself sometimes."

 "Really..?"

 Mikey nodded his head. "Yeah. I didn't get to this part of the story yet... but when my brothers and I got into our second year of being protectors of New York... the invasion started..."

 Orange felt his eyes glue themselves to Mikey's face. He watched as the ridges above his eyes lowered, his reassuring glowing smile morphing into one more of pain. "The Kraang teamed up with The Shredder, who was Oroku Saki by the way, and the two of them hunted my brothers and I down. The Kraang invaded our home, and while we were running away Leo got separated from us... We were supposed to regroup at our April's apartment..."

 His voice paused.

 The smaller turtle stared at his larger counterpart, watching how his grin had completely disappeared to be replaced with a pained grimace. He takes a shaky breath that causes his whole body to tremble as his eyes seem to stare off into space. Orange pressed himself further into the larger turtle, tightening his hug just enough to refocus the turtle. Mikey blinks and sends a grateful look down to the smaller turtle before leaning more into the hug. "The Shreddar ambushed Leo on his way there... He almost killed him..."

 Orange felt his breath freeze in his lungs as the memory of Blue when they pulled him out the Prison Dimension. All the blood and all the pieces of his shell... He quickly shook it away. He had already checked and Blue was sleeping with is counterpart in his room. So Orange refocused his attention to Mikey. The larger turtle having shared a similar but not exact experience to the smaller one.

 "I-I don't want to go too deep into details over the damage, but its the reason he had that scar on his shoulder that goes into his slightly broken plastron... Thats all I'm going to say on that part..." Mikey's grip tightened for a bit, but not enough to hurt the smaller turtle.

 "Leo was in a coma for three months from the damage he sustained... and all I could do was try to keep my family and friend's spirits high with my 'optimism'." Orange noted the grimace that crossed his counterparts face. That would be noted for later. "But every night I'd go into their rooms while they slept just to make sure they all were still breathing. Leo was just so still and his breaths so shallow my fear that his breaths would stop spread to the others... I had to check to make sure they all were still alive every night or my brain would bounce around like a rubber ball imagining their deaths..."

 Ok. That was kinda fucked up, and scary how similar the two were with that detail.

 Mikey then shook his head, his gaze returning to look at Orange. "Anyhow, ever since then, even after Leo woke up I check on them every night with the exception of April and Casey. I don't do it to them anymore since they both live in two different areas town and it would be near impossible to check on them and sleep. So I just sent them goodnight messages and stayed awake until they responded to me, which usually only took a minute to three hours."

 Orange nodded his head in understanding, but man was it like looking in a mirror right now. Well he guess this was his alternate version of himself so it was technically him. 

 The two sat in silence for a moment. Maybe it was the emotions that was burnt, but the two turtle's eyes drooped as they snuggled closer together. A small squeak of a yawn leaves Mikey as he reached and wraps a orange blanket around the two of them. "Sorry little dude... but we can continue the deep talk at another time... I need to catch some z's and I think you do too..."

 Orange lets out a small hum of agreement, nuzzling into his counterparts plastron who wrapped his arms a tad firmer around him. The two let out synchronized breaths as their bodies relaxed, the tension leaving there bodies. The smallest of the two snap his fingers twice and the lanterns dimmed to the point of almost being off, but not completely. The two turtles slowly fell into a calming sleep.

 6:05 am

Chapter Text

 Purple's eyes groggily open the second the clock turned to seven in the morning. A habit engrained into his brain since childhood from forcing himself to wake up to watch the learning channel before good old daddy-o woke up to be on the tv for the rest of the day. It used to be earlier, more along the lines of five in the morning, but after the begging of his younger brother he had forcefully changed his clock to seven. If he got any sleep at all that is.

 Letting out a breath from his nose, he slowly sits up, arching his back as much as his shell allowed as a familiar cracking sound erupts from his back. His brothers would cringe whenever he did this, probably because the very thought of their backs bending more than 0 degrees out of place scared them, but that was simply the benefit of having a soft shell. Which is was good after the many many... many many many many negative points of having one.

 A faint itch crawled across one of the many divots on the back of his shell, but Purple could already tell from its spot he would not be able to reach. Grumbling in annoyance he reaches over to press a button. With a small click of it, a long narrow robotic arm pops out the wall. It reached over and itched random spots on Purple's shell until he adjusted it to itch the right spot. Once the itch was being scratched, the softshell felt a wide grin cross his face as his eyes fluttered shut. 

 A small happy churr left his lips as he allowed himself to enjoy the feeling. Ah nothing could make ruin this-

 Wait wasn't there supposed to be something else he needed to remember-

 Purple freezes as his eyes dart to the side of the room. In the haphazard nest he made the night before with blankets sat his counterpart. His dulled cinnamon eyes stared at the ground blankly. A clear sign of ether being emotionally or mentally shut down, something Purple was very familiar with. He's entered a similar state on occasion when he gets overwhelmed when he was younger, but has gotten a better handle over it as he got older. 

 "Ugh... Sigh." Getting off of his bed, the softshell quickly got his gear on, the only thing missing was his battle-shell but he didn't need that right now. 

 Approaching the assumedly taller turtle slowly, Donnie doesn't take his own eyes away from him. He slowly kneeled before the turtle and make sure his eyes were making contact with the other's hazy own. "Hey you hungry other me?"

 The taller turtle's eyes seem to focus for a moment before a small shake of his head was his only motion. Purple nodded his head in understanding before looking his counterpart over. He noted the gaunt and thin look of his counterpart, clearly from a long period of not eating and sleeping. His skin was also a faded shade from clear dehydration. Purple wasn't a medic, but he was familiar with his brother's anatomy enough to tell when they hadn't been taking care of themselves. 

 This turtle clearly needed a lot of care and emotional support...

 Things this Donatello simply was not mentally nor wanted to be capable of. "Ok yeah. While normally I would say 'Ok cool.' you clearly are not in 'ok cool' answering terms. Now, do you wanna go in to my lab and discuss all the differences between our universes from a scientific aspect?"

 The other turtle didn't react much past looking away. Yeah, that was enough proof for this purple clad turtle to see this was severe. No Donnie would miss this opportunity to discuss anything scientific unless something was truly wrong. 

 Standing up quickly Purple decides he needs to ask some very serious questions of his brother's counterparts. One thing Purple knows on how to solve his shut downs would be thinking it through, and when that doesn't work he shoves it into the corner of his brain he doesn't touch. When that doesn't work his family is usually the solution, and his family will certainly have important answers.

 Looking once more over his counterpart, Purple lets out a groan as he goes over to his wardrobe. Rummaging through it he takes out the weighted blanket and tucks the larger turtle into it, grumbles leaving himself the whole time. "Scoff this is stuff my brothers do, not me. Or your brothers!"

 Stepping back to study his work, he couldn't help a scrutinizing gaze as he stared. After a bit he decided the turtle needed more pillows. Purple leaves his cart and subtly, at least not caught by the Leo's in the kitchen by the awkward air radiating from it, and takes all the common room pillows. By all Donnie means all. He then proceeds to comfortably tuck them all under and around his counterpart, readjusting all the blankets while he was at it. This was far too much work this early in the day.

 Purple once more studies the nest he had formed for his counterpart and couldn't help but think something was missing. Then it hit him.

 "Headphones."

 Rolling his eyes he once more leaves the cart again. It was time to question the alternate Hamato clan to find his counterpart' s taste in music. Just incase he wasn't into the same music as himself. His family had made it clear they were by no means a fan of his choice in modern day techno. 

 Once more leaving the cart, Purple catches a glimpse of his twin re-entering his room. Debating whether to go there or not, he decides to go to the Mikey's first. They would surly have a solution and could easily take over watching the destressed turtle. Purple knows no one was better at handling emotions than a Mikey... or at least his Mikey was. Purple wasn't too sure what to make of other Mikey. The turtle seemed just as bright as Orange, but there was something off about him. A level of maturity he wasn't familiar with seeing in a turtle with the name of Michelangelo. While yes his brother was mature for someone at the hormonal age of 17, but by no means was he at this maturity level.

 He shook his head, shaking the thought away, Purple was now standing in front of Orange's cart. Peering through the window on the door, Purple felt himself huff. Orange and other Mikey were wrapped snuggly together in a fluffy orange blanket leaning against a massive orange pillow. The two soundly asleep with Orange's head nuzzled against Mikey's plastron, and Mikey's head resting on top of Orange's head. It honestly was a cute scene, and Purple felt himself pull out his phone and take a picture. The other brothers would probably enjoy this image and so would Purple's own siblings. They all enjoyed seeing their youngest being cute, he didn't see why that would change for the others.

 Rolling his eyes he leaves the area and makes his way to the next set of emotionally supportive brothers he knew. The Leo's.

 While yes he'd go to Red normally, the giant would still be asleep for another thirty minutes and Purple wasn't sure how to handle new Raph. The turtle clearly didn't trust any of the alters by the glares he was constantly sending them. Hell he felt like his shell was going to combust with the intense glaring when he led Donnie into his room. If young Raph had taught Donnie anything, protectiveness over family is a flame that can burn through metals... and Purple swore he saw old blood stains on other Raph's sais. Definitely were some on the wrappings that is.

 Standing outside Blue's room, Purple knocked gently on the door. Just loud enough to draw someone's' attention. But to his surprise, there was no response. So he knocked again and still got no response. Honestly it was kind of concerning since he had just seen both Leo's awake not even half an hour ago. Were they ignoring him?

 No no no no that wasn't something Blue would do much intentionally. Though this was an important question he had and the last thing he knew would be wise to do would be to leave other Donnie alone in his room for long periods of time...

 The softshell rolls his eyes and lets out a loud sigh before marching over to his room. This was way too much work for this early in the morning. 

 Purple flops into his large gamer desk chair in front of the many monitors of his lab. Tucked away in the corner, away from everything dangerous, was other Donnie in his recreated nest that Purple may or may not have dragged him across the lair on. An old pair of purple dog headphones on his head that was softly playing generic lofi pop, something Blue would listen to while relaxing. While Purple himself enjoyed the music sometimes, it was a little too soft for him to enjoy to the same degree as his twin. 

 Maybe he should just have played his music, but he felt that wouldn't do anyone any good this early in the morning. With a small sigh, he quickly begins to browse the internet, specifically researching on possible threats to the universes. But he found nothing pass theoretical information or responses on novel multiverses. People responding questions on forums saying how a universe couldn't trully be destroyed, it was only a roll of a die whether or not your the lucky one to survive or not. 

 Purple was too familiar with that information. The multiverse after all was an infinite void of all possibilities happening in parallel in subsequently timelines. A "universe" was not truly less of a collection of planet like results and more like that of the branching limbs of a tree spreading farther and farther out infinitely, occasionally crossing with branches of other trees. If Purple was to describe his current situation with the alternates, it would be a case of tree branches tangled with another tree getting stuck after the original gets chopped down. The vast differences of the turtles could also be described as simply different tree species.

 Purple would say his own universe would be The Prosopis Cinernaria, he fore sure didn't just pick that tree cause it was his favorite, while the alternates universe would be something like... oak or something like that. Some basic ass tree cause no way was their universe cooler than his own with how amazed other Mikey was when he had seen Purple's mystic abilities. It reminded him of his brothers when they had first gained their abilities...

 Stop that. Purple shook his head before returning to the topic of threats to universes. Its impossible to completely destroy a multiverse, because by the laws of the multiverse it would simply spawn another protected by the fact one was already destroyed. It was a fruitless endeavor that would confuse someone who didn't stay up to three in the morning every other night researching the topic. Every action spawn another universe, and the only difference is whether or not your lucky enough in which version of your home your born in.

 The turtles had simply lost the luck of the draw. Though in a way they had won the draw of the cards, having arrived with all four of themselves and not losing anyone of their family-

 Scratch that...

 Purple looked back over at his counterpart who stared into space blankly. They had lost a lot of their family if April and Casey was the same to them as Purple's own were to him. He didn't even want to think about their Splinter. That was a thought he could save for another day. But there wasn't any actual tangible threat his research could find. Not one that acted in a virus manner like the turtles had told him with the little information they said. In a way it concerned him the manner this threat worked. He couldn't ask the other turtles any details with out risking bringing the dangers to themselves. This whole situation frustrated Purple.

 He rubbed the bridge of his beak, his attention once more going over to his counterpart. The taller turtle had flopped over onto his side his head pressed into one of the many pillows Purple had provided him. His hands were clutched on the weighted blanket and a slightly content look seemed to cross his exhausted expression. It seemed the other Donnie had found a bit of solace in Purple's lab, and that was a step he had needed to take. Purple never felt more safer than being in his lab, except when he was in a turtle pile but he would never admit that to his family.

 Staring at his counterpart for a bit longer, Purple returns his attention back to his computer. Maybe he had to do some more research... He needed to start preparing preventative measures after all...

 "Dee! You gotta come out!"

 Sparks flew past a green speckled face as the blow torch in his hand touched metal. The rugged old truck he had been working on letting out a tiny shrill screech as he welded together a piece of foreign metal to it. At the sound of the familiar voice Donnie flips up his metal ask after turning the torch off. His soft purple mask was unsinged and looked freshly cleaned, complementing his cinnamon colored eyes. He turned his head away from his work to see his closest friend standing at the entrance by the large barn doors. 

 "I'm almost done here Casey. I'll be out in a bit."

 A loud scoff leaves Casey as he rolls his chocolate brown eyes. His tall but condensed body striding over to his turtle friend, the ripped holes on the knees of his jeans revealing lightly tanned skin. His black bandana folded and wrapped around his forehead to keep his long black hair pushed out of his face and from bouncing over his eyes with each step he took of his long legs. The skull muscle shirt he wore hung loosely off his frame, but exposed the slim but muscular arms he had, a few scars covering them. The sun beamed behind his figure as he reached and grabbed Donnie's hand.

 His voice was light as he started to drag the turtle out of the old barn. "Come on Dee! You said that like an hour ago and Red is almost done with dinner!"

 The sun was nearly blinding in the taller turtle's eyes as he quickly blinked away the daze. The sky was a soft baby blue with large soft white clouds flouting across it. It didn't have cracks shattering across it revealing space and dimension-x. A soft cool breeze blew through Casey's hair and Donnie's mask tails, pulling them towards the woods. The trees were a natural green casting a deep shade across the ground, a welcoming and familiar tug. Blue globs weren't slowly devouring the scenery and slowly making its way to the barn.  A reassuring squeeze comes from Casey's hand as he continued to gently lead Donnie towards the barn house.

 Upon entering Donnie couldn't help but feel something was missing. His eyes darted to the living room, searching for the rabbit like tails of his youngest brother's orange mask sitting in front of the tv or the deeper and longer blue of his oldest brother sitting on the couch. Though nether were there.

 Casey continued to lead Donnie into the kitchen were a female wearing her long orange hair up in a ponytail held back by a yellow headband stood in front of the stove, her body covering a majority of the stove. Her large yellow hoodie covering the black t-shirt she wore with two zeros side by side on her chest. Her baby blue eyes turn and crinkle upward as a smile lifts her lips. "Hey you got him out of the barn! Just in time to since dinner is done!"

 Casey lets out a loud whoop as he lets go of Donnie's hand to sit down at the table. Donnie felt something red was missing, but he didn't think too hard as he nervously itched at the back of his head. "Yeah but I need to go back afterwards and finish upgrading the truck."

 Why was he upgrading the truck for again?

 He sat in a chair as April turned around with two plates in both her hands, pizza gioza on them. "I made your favorite Dee today since I thought it would get you out the barn!"

 Drool practically poured from Donnie's mouth as he pulled chopsticks out from someplace. Already at the ready for the delicacy from home. Wait what did he mean from home? He was home. "Thanks April!"

 April gives a small nod before placing another plate before Casey and grabbing her own and joining them at the table. The three sat peacefully at the dinner table enjoying their meal when a question tried to leave Donnie. "Hey when with the others join us?"

 April and Casey look at him confused for a moment. The sky seems to flicker for a moment as soft music tickled DOnnie's ears, blue goop seeming to drip from April's eyes and Casey's black hockey mask flicker over his face with glowing red eyes. Casey shrugged his shoulders before continuing to eat. April giving Donnie a concerned smile for a moment. "Uh Donnie, what others are you talking about?"

 Donnie froze and thought about it for a moment. What others was he talking about?

 He shrugged his shoulders before throwing one of the gouzas into his mouth, the flavors exploding in it. "Mhhhhm never mind I don't know."

 April and Casey shrug before returning to their meals. All three of them relishing in the peace unaware of the three ghost like figures staring sadly at them from the woods. Each a unique color but intangible in the existence. 

Chapter Text

 Leo's ocean blue eyes slowly open to soft warm glow of the fairy lights hanging above, though the air felt tense like that of static. A soft but final breath leaves his mouth as he slowly stands up, his muscles tightening from having settled into their familiar positions.  Its been awhile since he had such a peaceful session of meditation. His mind being plagued with anxieties and the hopelessness of his situation. He had failed to protect his family and their home, though he already knew verbalizing such a thought would result with his family getting upset with him. The familiar comments of them saying he was being to hard on himself, or how it was an impossible task.

 How it was his responsibility to have kept everyone safe and he failed! Casey gone, his fate that last memory ripping through April's mind before she saved Mikey. Leo could still hear the heartbroken sobs leaving her as she fount back against... the thing. How the lost of both have broken Donnie. The turtle having not having anything except for a single slice of pizza a couple days ago, his brothers giving him constant soaks in water to keep him going. Leo knew Donnie used to have issues with himself being a turtle, but it was moments like these he was glad his brother hadn't done anything desperate to change himself. The turtle dna in him the only thing keeping him alive in his near catatonic state.

 Shaking his head, his eyes catch on the clock on the shelf next to a few figures. It glowing 10:45, a displeasing time for Leo since it meant he missed his usual training time.

 His eyes dart over to the other Leo, or Blue for now and sees his eyes still closed. The red and yellow marks seeming to pulsate a faint glow, similar to the white aura that would engulf Leo and his father when they were in a deep trance. A small smile quirked on the edge of Leo's face, but he had to sadly interrupt the session.

 Gently taking the headphones off his counterpart, he snapped his fingers. The taller turtle's stormy grey eyes snapped open a slightly startled look crossing his face. The moment his eyes had opened the pulsing stopped, and the air seemed to still into one of more calm. His head turns around quickly before settling on Leo, his tensed shoulders relaxing at the sight of him. "Come on Blue. Younger brothers, or big brother in your case, will worry if we don't go eat something."

 Not waiting for the other turtles response Leo quickly leaves the room, not acknowledging the sounds of someone scrambling to follow. The two turtles making their way back into the kitchen, a silence they both would soon be broken by questions in a moment. Thought nether turtles in blue expected to come across two, very dead looking Mikeys hovering over the stove wearing a cook apron. Both their blue eyes snap toward their older brothers, the bags clear under their eyes even through the mask. Though both Leo's are also familiar with the screaming glare behind the smiles on the orange turtle's face saying "Do not ask or we will stab you."

 Though Leo felt his chaotic side peeking out from the deep deep hole in the back of his brain. The hole he used to try to fill in, just to give up. "親愛なる弟よ、あなたは朝食後に訓練のためにあなたと一緒になりたいですか?それとも、あなたのシェルをそこにドラッグする必要がありますか?"

 (Dear younger brother, do thy wish to join thee for training after breakfast? Or shall I have to drag your shell there?)

 Mikey's face morphs into one of confusion for a moment as his brain clearly was trying to compute what he was saying. Orange's eyes widened as his mouth went slack open, and Leo could see the glow of curiosity exploding from the eyes and aura of Blue. Though as fast as the confused look crossed Mikey's face it faded away into one of pure annoyance. "レオ、私の最愛の兄弟、それはこのたわごとに早朝にあまりにもクソです。相手の頭が爆発する前にクソ英語を話すだけで、彼らは今、顔で日本語を話さないと確信しています."

 (Leo, my dearest brother it is too fucking early in the morning for this shit. Just speak fucking English before the other's heads explode cause I'm sure they don't speak Japanese by their faces right now.)

 Leo's lip raises ever so slightly in an amused smile as he quickly nods his head, taking a seat at one of the island counter stools. "Sure Otōto. What ever you think is best."

 Mikey simply rolled his eyes at his older brother, though a fond smile was on his face as he turned his attention back to the stove, a pancake cooking in a pan clear in sight. The older orange turtle says something as an amused glare is sent at his eldest brother. "Ich schwöre manchmal, dass mein Bruder ein Idiot ist."

 (I swear sometimes my brother is an idiot.)

 Both the younger turtles in blue and orange looked confused and amazed at the older turtles. Leo could practically hear them screaming, wanting to know what the brothers were speaking about. But honestly, Leo had no idea what Mikey had just said. "Before you ask, no I don't know what Mikey had just said, though knowing him it was probably a comment on me being an idiot."

 The taller orange turtle flutters his eyes in a innocent manner as he tilts his head to the side. "I don't know what you mean dearest Ani! How could our wise fearless leader be an idiot?"

 A snort leaves Leo before a plate with pancakes gets places before him, a small tub of butter quickly getting slid across the counter towards him with the syrup bottle. Orange slides another plate of pancakes to Blue and then took a two plates of them out the kitchen. Leo couldn't help but feel his eyes follow the smaller turtle, but he quickly shrugged it off having seen his own youngest do this similar routine when Donnie was cooped up in his lab. Purple must do a similar thing as Don, a "Donatello" trait you could say. That got a small chuckle out of him.

 Blue buttered and syrup-ed his own pancakes, his sparkly eyes not leaving Leo unless it was directed at Mikey. But then a shadow gets casted over the group. Everyone turned their eyes up to see Red, sparkly eyed and bushy tail, clearly a morning person unlike Leo's own Raphael. It was a surprising sight. But not as much as how many pancakes Mikey had given the goliath. It was a stack almost as tall as Leo himself, and Leo was a solid 5 ft seven. It was a pretty intimidating stack of pancakes.

 Though the harsh snap of Red's jaws as he shoved a small portion of the stack into his mouth caused Leo's head to scrunch down slightly into his shell. The sound loud and unexpected for the significantly smaller turtle, and some instinct in the back of his brain was telling him to run from the giant. Though Leo had long learned what to do with many of his turtle instincts...

 He shoves the screaming turtles in his mind down the same hole his humor is also getting kicked back into. The two tend to escape the never ending hole... sometimes and always at the worst of times. Though good thing Leo has the discipline to just shove them back into said hole! Its not like its his solution alongside his mind box or anything to every problem plaguing his mind that can't be solved by meditation or training.

 ...

 OK maybe he should solve that at some point, but today wasn't that day! 

 Leo quickly shoved a large portioning of his pancakes into his mouth, no longer wanting to think over that issue. Though he had over estimated the portioning, a chunk getting stuck going down his throat. A wet cough erupts from him as he starts to pound his fist against his chest. His counterpart chokes on his own pancakes at the sudden sound of Leo choking. Now both turtles in blue were choking on the breakfast and quickly turning red in the face. 

 "Oh shit!"

 Mikey quickly runs over to this Leo and tries to do the hemlock maneuver to remove the logged meal. Red moved over to Blue and proceeded to smack the other turtles back, knowing his strength was too much if he did the same thing as Mikey. Both turtles quickly helping their respective brother with the meals stuck.

 Eventually the stuck food came loose releasing its attempt to murder the two blue turtles. Both laying across the counter a heaving mess as drool trailed down the side of their mouths. Both wheezing as the cool air passes through their hot throats.

 Ok. Leo officially hated pancakes now. Standing up and reaching his hand out to be handed a glass of water from Mikey, he swiftly, but gently sips its down. The cool liquid soothing the sensitive passageway. Taking another second to just breath, Leo sends a annoyed look to Mikey. "You are fore sure are going to go train now."

 Mikey's eyes widen as he throws his arms out into he air. "What?! Come on bro what did I do other than save your life?!"

 Leo's voice was dead serious, and so was his face but his brother knew his response was one of bullshit. "You made some dry pancakes that mearly murdered me and Blue over there."

 Blue already had his fork in hand and was about to take another bite, but his eyes widened when all the eyes landed on him. He quickly shoves into his face and makes sure to chew thoroughly as everyone watched him.

 Mikey grumbles shoving some of his own into his face and glares at Leo. "Trockne meinen Leo..."

 (Dry my ass Leo...)

 Leo simply points at Mikey his eyes narrow. "Don't use that tone with me Mikey. Now finish your breakfast and get to training."

 Mike groans loudly before shoving another bite into his mouth. The turtle in blue leaving the kitchen, not touching any more of his pancakes. It wasn't until he was in the common area he realized he didn't know where the dojo was here.

Chapter Text

 Donnie opened his eyes to the vibrant ray of sun casting down on his face. The shade of the tall oak above his head failed as the bright littering patterns of the sun speckled across the once sleeping turtle danced with the shifting limbs. He laid in the soft grass, his head resting on a root as the breeze tugs softly at him. What he could see of the sky was a soft blue with large fluffy white clouds dragging crossed it. His bo-staff was casually thrown a good few feet away from his body as he simply splayed his limbs across the ground. 

 He basked in the warm glow of the sun and relished the cool touch of the breeze to stop him from getting too warm. This was another perfect day.

 April was softly snoring, laying by the tree with her back pressed against the trunk. A book laid abandoned on her lap, its pages rustling with the breeze. Casey laid on his side near Donnie, his arm propped up to hold his head up while his body faced the turtle. His black metal hockey mask laid on the ground, a faint red glow leaving where the eyes would be. 

 Donnie's blinks and turns his eyes toward his two friends, a fond smile on his face as he slowly sat up. He loved them both so much, and was so thrilled he had both of them here with him. Where is your family though??? There wasn't anyone else he would want with him here.

 Though his smile faded away when a faint sound flowed with the wind, it growing fainter as the wind strengthened. Donnie felt the wind tug harshly at the tails of his mask, almost forcing him to look away from the farm house to the woods lining the perimeter. The trees casted a deep shadows, the wind pulling and pushing their limbs around raking the blue sky with their green leaves. 

 Donnie didn't like the woods.

 The trees casted too dark a shadow there, and the bogs scattered through out it seeming to constantly trying to trap someone in their cold grasps. Its where many wild mutants have made their homes, and so long as he didn't leave the farm he wouldn't have to worry about them. He wasn't sure why he was so sure this would be the case, but other than the occasional strange sound, nothing came from the them. April and Casey didn't go there ether, agreeing with Donnie that the woods were too stressful of a area for their relaxing get away.

 Get away from what?

 "ᴰᵒⁿⁿᶦᵉ..."

 The turtle in purple's head snaps towards the woods. "Mikey..?"

 He heard nothing but the wind tugging at the trees. There was no way he heard Mikey just then. Mikey was at home-

 A pit seemed to form in Donnie's stomach as dread began to crawl up his throat. Reaching over, Donnie grabs his bo-staff and stands up. Wait why had he gotten up? 

 "ᴰᵒⁿⁿᶦᵉ..."

 There it was again. The ever faint voice of his youngest brother, crying out his name in the distance. It was so soft that Donnie could hardly hear it over the wind that had grown stronger, now more of that a storm that was trying to rip the trees out from the ground underneath the turtle. 

 Why was he hearing his brother?! He was supposed to be back at home! Not in the woods!

 He'll never be home and nether will you. 

 His breaths grew faster and before he even realized it, he was already sprinting into the woods, not caring how strong the wind was getting. Though as if he had passed a barrier, the moment he stepped through the wind stopped. The air went still and the once blue sky turned a softer shade of pinkish orange, a soft purple barely seen through the towering tree canopy. A warm soft glow seemed to radiate through the forest, small red and blue particles flouting around. His steps were cushioned by the soft grass and moss covering the ground. A gentle unfamiliar but comforting song played through the air, seeming to make the small particles dance. 

 Donnie bent down and reached out to the particles, his hands clutching two of them and bringing them closer to his face. The red particle that he had caught was warm and seemed to buss around like that of a bee. It's red glow radiating through the air clashing with the blue glow of the other particle. The blue particle softly flouted around, going with the flow of the wind, but not being overwhelmed by its red counterpart. But the both did something similarly. They both seemed to gather and hover around Donnie's legs, not touching but seeming to pull him in a direction deeper into the woods.

 Normally logic base Donnie would have left. He would have run back to the farm to fine comfort in the presence with Casey and April, not wanting to get dragged into another disturbance. But the fear and worry digging into his gut forced him to follow the particles. So he followed...

 And followed....

 And followed.........

 And followed......................

 The particles stilled as the faint sounds of sobbing filled the air. Donnie felt himself perk up at the sound, the music in the background seeming to fade away slightly. Slowly approaching the sound, he comes across a large clump of shrubs. The sobs could now be recognized as the soft crying of Mikey. The smallest turtle of his brothers being hidden away by a large shrub. Wait... wasn't Mikey  now taller than Leo now??? His hands reach forward and part the plant, his heart stuttering and seeming to freeze at the sight before him.

 Mikey held a still April in his arms as large goopy blue tears fell from his eyes. The blue dripping over the girl, slowly making bits of her disappear. "D-Donnie I'm so sorry! I-it's all my fault!"

 Donnie didn't know what to say of what to do. All he could do was stare at the fading April and his sobbing brother. His breath stopped and his the sound of his heart grew louder. It grew so loud he no longer could hear anything. This couldn't be happening. This can not be real. It's not. Wake up Donnie! April was fine! She was just napping at the farm! This can't be real!!!

 "It should have been me! Not her Donnie-"

 Stop!!!!

Stop stop stop stop stop STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Donnie opened his eyes to the vibrant ray of sun casting down on his face. The shade of the tall oak above his head failed as the bright littering patterns of the sun speckled across the once sleeping turtle danced with the shifting limbs. He laid in the soft grass, his head resting on a root as the breeze tugs softly at him. What he could see of the sky was a soft blue with large fluffy white clouds dragging crossed it. His bo-staff was casually thrown a good few feet away from his body as he simply splayed his limbs across the ground. 

 He basked in the warm glow of the sun and relished the cool touch of the breeze to stop him from getting too warm. This was another perfect day.

Chapter Text

 Blue couldn't help but stare at his larger brother brightly, fork in mouth. A squeal sound was leaving him as he practically vibrated in his seat. Ever since his meditation, the turtle had felt nothing but bursts of energy coursing through his body, a feeling he had craved for years to achieve but no amounts of sleep seemed to grant. His legs wiggled as he pressed his cheeks up with his hands in excitement. Red simply looked a tad confused at his younger brother, not seeming to understand what has got his brother so excited. But Blue didn't really care, his gaze turning back to the taller Michelangelo.

 The orange turtle had an annoyed look on his face as he shoved a fork of pancake pieces into his mouth. His lower lip was sticking out in a subtle pout as his leg tapped rapidly on the ground. His baby blue eyes seemed to glare a hole through the seat other Leo was once sitting in.

 "Heeeeeey other Mikey-"

 Baby blue eyes snap to Blue, filled with annoyance as his face morphed into one of a inquisitive expression. The ridge over his right eye raises as he shoves another bite of pancakes into his mouth. The annoyance seems to morph into a more patient look as he tilts his head ever so slightly. 

 "What were you and other Leo talking about?"

 The annoyance returns to the taller turtle's face as he turns his gaze back to the pancakes. "Nothing much. Leo just wants me to go to training today, which I honestly don't want to do."

 "Oh. OK ok.."

 The kitchen goes silent with the exception of Mikey's fork occasionally clanking against his plate. So Blue studied the older turtle, a habit he had to decide his next course of action. The way the ridge of his brows seem to knit together as his blue eyes stared into the void of air. He notes how the turtle bounced his right leg rapidly and the slight twitch of the muscles on his shoulders every time his toe hit the edge. The faint bite against his lip that seemed to ripped at the surface level of his mouth that was a clear sign he did that often. Only stopping to chew on his pancakes when the fork reached his mouth, drawing the teeth away from his lips. 

 "Dude, if you stare any harder I think I'll combust." Blue blinked as he realizes Mikey was looking back at him. The annoyance in his eyes was overshadowed by a familiar patience that he was used to seeing in Red. It was a tad odd seeing a look of the alternate version of his youngest brother with this expression. "What's on your brain Sutōmī?"

 Blue couldn't help but feel himself straighten at the name, his brow quirking up. "Uh, first of all, Sutomi?"

 Mikey grins mischievously before tilting his head. "It means storm in Japanese. It was going to be the nickname I would call you. Because no offense dude, but just calling you Blue can still be confusing so I thought of an alternative. But if you don't like it I can change it to something you're more comfortable with."

 Blue wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling, so he instead gives the other turtle a confused look. Like ok he understood getting a nickname. While referring to each other as colors was only a temporary solution to the naming situation, he hadn't expected a nickname this quickly. Blue has only known other Mikey for two days now and shared one conversation other than this. Where had he even gotten the idea to nickname Blue after a storm?

 "Ok... but why that of everything? Like don't get me wrong it sounds awesome as heck, but I'm just curious as to why that specifically." Blue felt his hand nervously scratch at themselves as he stares at Mikey. Does he need to give Mikey a nickname too? Well eventually he'll have to. He doesn't want a situation were he calls someone's name and the wrong turtle comes in. What if their in battle and he warns a Mikey and it results with one of them hurt? Maybe a name far more out of what the turtles would normally use would indeed be for the best.

 The orange turtle leans back in his seat and crosses his arms in a loose manner. "Well its something I find a bit hard to describe... but you got this air around you similar to a storm."

 Mikey closed his eyes for a moment, his brows knitting together in thought. Thinking for the right words to say, his words come out a bit slow but clear. "Like when your in a storm and lightning is about to strike... or what was was it called again...? That thing when you get shocked-"

 "Static Electricity?"

 Mikey smiles wide he points at Blue with a clarity washing over his features. "Yeah that! Its like your aura is similar to static electricity which reminds me of the feeling of lightning about to strike! But smaller and safer dude!"

 Blue wasn't sure why, but he couldn't help but smile. Maybe it was the fact the nickname had such thought behind it, but knowing the reasoning behind the name pleased Blue. His eyes dart over to Red who looked amused a the interaction before returning to his brother's counterpart. "Anything else dude?"

 The taller turtle nodded his head before quickly dumping his dishes into the sink. "Uh yeah..."

 Could he ask this? Would it be to invasive of the other turtle's space and time? But Blue reeaaaally wanted to see the other turtles in action again since most of his view was casted in darkness. It was clear the other turtles had significantly different fighting styles that held similarities to Blue's own siblings. Or he could be wrong and this would be a great chance to see how other versions of themselves were taught ninjutsu.

 Swallowing the small build up of spit in his mouth, Blue nervously grins. His hands continued to nervously rub against each other, him being cautious to not scratch at them. "Could I by chance join?"

 Blue scrunched a tad into his shell as two heads whirl around to face him. One was wide eyed in shock while the other had a more surprised expression. Mikey simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Sure dude. It'll be nice to have some new sparring partners, and I'm sure Ani would be glad to have more people too."

 He then turned his gaze up to Red who was still staring at his younger brother in shock. "You can join too if you want Big Guy. But no pressure or anything, Leo's training sessions can get a bit intense for new folk and our fighting styles are probs pretty different."

 Red's gaze snaps away from the turtle in blue to face the turtle in orange. "Uh... Sure! Thanks little man, I'll join ya in a bit probably."

 The giant snapper cringes a bit, realizing he just used a nickname his Mikey didn't like. His eyes dart back down to the turtle, expecting to see a look of annoyance clear on his face but was surprised to see nothing of the sort. Instead of seeing the usual scowl of annoyance, there was a calm smile on the unfamiliar but similar freckled face. Both turtles noted how this Mikey didn't seem to mind mentioning of his size unlike their own. But then again this Mikey was taller than his Leo, so maybe he didn't mind the name compared when comparing himself to Red's towering size.

 Mikey nods his head before gathering his dishes off the counter, cramming the remaining of the pancakes into his mouth before walking over to the sink. Familiar and practiced hands start to wash the dish before sliding it into the drying rack. "Ok dudes, training 'll start in like... fifteen minutes once I finish checking up on D- I mean my Donnie of course."

 He then turns to leave the room but then pauses. He turns around with a slightly embarrassed smile as he scratched a bit at the back of his neck. "Uh... Could one of you show me were Purple might have taken Donnie?"

 Blue nods his head as he quickly gets up and leaves the kitchen, guiding the other realmer. "Sure my new Orange friend! I know just were to go."

 Mikey chuckles a bit as he followed. The two turtles walked through the subway until they come across a longer subway. The doors were shut and a large glowing purple projection with a harsher darker shade of purple text. 'DO NOT ENTER!!! (THAT MEANS YOU LEON)'

 "Ooh boi. He got the sign up, which probably means he's doing something important... or is annoyed with me." Blue nervously scratches at the back of his head for a sec. Mikey couldn't help but chuckle a bit before reassuringly patting the other turtle's  shell. He didn't mention how he could feel the faint grooves of what was clearly healed over cracks. 

 "Don't worry man. My D did the same thing when I was younger, and still does sometimes if he needs some alone time." The orange turtle went up to the door and knocked firmly three times, just loud enough to be heard but not obnoxious. It was clearly a skill well practiced, and familiar as the turtle quickly stepped to the side and placed both his hands behind his back. The air was silent for a second, both turtles just staring at the door for a second. But then Mikey kicked the metal door with a resounding thud.

 Blue just stared in pure shock for a moment, until the muffled squawk of his brother was heard and the door slid open. Blue felt his eyes almost bulge from their sockets at who opened the door.

 The music blasting through Purple's ears was resounding as he crammed a bite of his meticulously cut pancake into his mouth, his headphones blinking to the beat with the cat ears. The many tabs on his wall of monitors all filled with different sources on the multiverses, metaverses, omniverses, and other versions of universes. Each provided new information and contradict each other so much it made the teenager's brain throb. While he was a fan of learning new factoids and don't get him started on how much sleep he robbed his body to make his multiverse conspiracy board at his old home, he loathed conflicting information. 

 Information conflicting with each other meant he had to do even more research to decide what information was false or true, which in itself could be false if a incorrect statement was too popular. While yes, the multiverse was a fun theory, it was an asinine concept once proved to be true. It was almost unfathomable to prove and even with proof, which Purple had in his home at that very moment, it was impossible to prove his research to be accurate or not. And while Purple would love to experiment and earn his own evidence, it was too risky with the dangers of that to have befallen the guests of his family.

 A loud groan leaves the soft shell as he leans back into his desk chair, his hand rising to rub the bridge between his eyes. Maybe it was time for a break?

 His darker rust colored eyes dart over towards the clock on the screens, it letting the turtle know its been two and a half hours since his hunt began. Orange had come in silently and slid the pancakes onto the designated meal table he had Purple install so the turtle didn't starve himself accidentally. On said table was another plate of pancakes untouched for alternate Donnie, having long gone cold in the last thirty minutes since his brothers visit. 

 Purple turns around a tad in his chair to see the taller turtle nuzzled peacefully into his nest, his eyes shut as small whistles left his mouth. His relaxed posture seemed to have melted more into the soft pillows as his head was slightly pulled into his shell, arms snuggly wrapped up around the weighted blanket that Purple had lent him. The doggy eared headphones softly pressing against the pillow, the tunes leaking out ever so slightly.

 Honestly it was an adorable sight and Purple took another picture. He already knew this sight might reassure the turtle's brothers to some degree, seeing that it was the most normal he had seen the turtle since their first encounter. Purple paused, a thought crossing his brain making a smirk to cross his lips. He knew what he could do on his break now. 

 Pushing his chair away from the desk with his feet, a small whoop of joy escapes him as he stops before his work desk littered with mechanical pieces. New goal: get phones for the new turtles connected to the server. Though as soon as he was about to readjust his headphones and flip his goggles down, three knocks echoed from his door. 

 The softshell rolled his eyes and turned to look at the closed door. He remembers turning the do not enter sign, and his family normally took that as a 'Leave me alone' sign. So this was ether one of the new turtles, or his family needed him for something. As he was about to stand, going to open the door, a resounding thud echoed through the lab. Purple felt his eyes widen as anger starts to wash over him, though as he stood up he heard shuffling.

 Turning his eyes towards the nest, he couldn't help but squawk in surprise when the taller turtle stood up. His cinnamon colored eyes were still hazy, but almost like it was natural he walked over to the door and opened it. Though as fast as it had happened, Donnie turned back around and returned to the nest, snuggling back into the warmth provided by the weighted blanket. 

 Two heads popped into the lab, one wearing orange and the other blue. Purple couldn't help but flap his mouth open and shut, words failing him at the shear ridiculous and strangeness of the situation. How the hell did his counter part do that, and how the fuck did he open a door with practically no knowledge on its placement??? Was his counterpart not as deep in his mind as Purple had thought or-

 "Thanks D!" The orange turtle Purple recognized to be other Mikey seemed to beam at his tallest brother. His baby blue eyes aglow with clear hope and joy as he wrapped the other turtle in a tight hug. Donnie's eyes shut as he hunched his body to rest his head on top his brother's head, a soft but content churr seeming to leave his body.

 Purple felt like his brain was being fried. His research on multiverses, plus the realization his counterpart might not be as out of it as he thought was grating. Was it all an act?

 But then he noted how as quickly as the small sound of joy was out, the small burst of emotion seemed to die out. The larger turtle quickly leaving his brother and resettling himself in his nest. His stare once more blank as he stared into space. Though Mikey's face still was aglow at the reaction as he quickly approached Purple, the joy seeming to radiate off of him like the warmth of the sun. "I don't know what you did bro, but thank you so much! Thats the most he's expressed in... in what feels like forever!!!"

 The unease returns to the softshell as he looks at the other turtle. "How long is... forever?"

 The turtle in orange pauses, his smile wavering as he seemed to think about it for a moment before frowning. "Expressing joy... would be almost a year now since he expressed that in front of us his family..."

 The other two turtles stiffened at that. Though Mikey continued. "Though expressing anything at all its been since we got here, three months ago."

 Purple choked on a bit of spit in his mouth, a eruption of coughs leaving his body as his eyes widened. Blue's mouth hung agape as his eyes darted between other Donnie and other Mikey. "He's been like that for THREE MONTHS?!!!"

 Mikey slowly nodded his head, his hands seeming to nervously twitch as he starts to pick at the wrappings on his fingers, his feet seeming to fidget but snapping back into place as if glued to the spot. His eyes scrunched as he shrunken partially into his shell, his voice softer and sadder than its previously optimistic one. "Y-yeah..."

 "And you nor your brothers thought that something was completely wrong?! ITs not normal NOR HEALTHY TO BE IN THIS STATE FOR THREE MONTHS STRAIGHT?!" The softshell felt angered at the clear lack of care on the other turtle's side. How could they simply leave their brother in such a state?!

 Mikey seemed to shrink more into his shell before sending a slightly defiant glare at Purple. It was a familiar expression, something Orange would do when he was younger and was in trouble with Purple. But Purple wasn't expecting the tears to start falling from the baby blue eyes. He also wasn't expecting the words to be spat back at him, anger and frustration clear from the orange turtle.

 "We know its not good... but what were we supposed to do?" Mikey's voice was soft at first, but then it grew louder as his posture stiffened more and more. "What were WE supposed to do when not even we could relax!"

 Purple felt his rage boil more and his mouth opened to retaliate with something, but the words of other Mikey were faster. "NO! You do NOT get to judge how my brothers and I tried to care for him in a dimension thats not even our home! YOU did not see what this whole experience has done to him, Leo, Raph, or myself so you DO not get the right to comment!"

 He took a step closer, pointing one finger at Purple as his face turned into a snarl. An expression Purple was not familiar with seeing on his younger brother's face often, and it made the softshell lean back in surprise. Mikey continues, his breaths growing heavier with each word. "You do not get to fucking judge us for trying to do our best with what we have! I love Donnie, and I understand my brother is not in a good place mentally, but what would you suggest I do?!"

 Purple opens his mouth to give his answer, but Mikey didn't let his words stop. "If the words leaving your mouth is provide him comforting objects like-" his hands wave towards the nest Donnie was in, "THIS?! THEN FUCK OFF!"

 "WE AREN'T EXACTLY AT HOME, SO SORRY WE LACK RESOURCES YOU HAVE! I'm soooo sorry I tried to keep all three of my brothers fucking sane as we all process just fucking EVERYTHING!!!" Mikey stopped speaking, his eyes were wide while his pupils were small as he panted. Tears streaming hot from his eyes as he turned on his heel and quickly left the room, mumbling words under his breath that Purple didn't hear, but Blue clearly did by the widening of his eyes.

 Purple felt the anger in him simmer as the turtle left. But then his eyes met Blue's, and the simmering anger was snuffed out with the cold feeling of confusion dumped over it. His twin's eyes were narrow and clearly filled with disappointment as a tired sigh leaves him. "You just couldn't wait, could you?"

 A loud scoff leaves Purple as he looked to the side. "They should have-"

 "Donatello."

 Purple froze at the usage of his full name. No one ever called each other by their full names in this family, not even when they were enraged enough to get into a physical fight or when their father was trying to be clear with his thoughts. So Purple didn't look at his brother, gluing his eyes to the wall of monitors. Hoping his brother would not try to force the contact.

 Blue let out a deep sigh. His words were laced with disappointment and slight annoyance. "Look Tello, I get why you got upset. Its not ok that they left him such a state-"

 Purple felt his brows lower as he glared at the screens. "I already know that."

 "-but it wasn't right of you to jump the gun like that." Purple couldn't help but glare harder at the screens, his eyes noting every familiar pixel and slightest smudge. He hated that he noticed those and now he's going to need to clean them off. 

 Though Blue continued, ether ignoring the clear discomfort of the twin, or felt he needed to say this. "Donnie... They clearly came from a universe very different from our own. Like they spend three months here and only ever left the our old lair to get pizza that I'm pretty confident they stole."

 The softshell, crosses his arms and tightly grips them. His nails digging slightly into his skin as his head scrunched a bit down. He still didn't turn to face Blue, but he listened. "We don't know what they experienced, nor what they had to go through and I'm disappointed you didn't think of that..."

 "But as I said, I get you meant well. Emotions aren't your strong suite, but I do believe you should explain things to other Mikey a bit more... neatly. He's probably not used to how you express yourself as we aren't used to him." Purple felt the tension building in his shoulders seem to reach its breaking point. He knew that his brother was right to a degree. Maybe Purple had jumped the gun on the new turtle. He hadn't been in the subway station lair for more than maybe twelve hours and he had just had an emotional outburst at the youngest of the new turtles. He hated it.

 Groaning loudly before allowing gravity to pull his arms down to his sides, his back hunching over. "GROOOOAN! Ok Leo! I get it! I messed up, and I'll explain myself to other Mikey!"

 Blue smiles at this, is posture going lax as he tilts his head. "Ok Dontron, but I have to ask..."

 Purple turned his tired and annoyed gaze to his brother, one sharp sharpie brow raised up in a questioning manner. "Did you get your morning coffee?"

 The softshell opened his mouth to scoff at the idea his brother had just presented, but then he realized he had in fact not had his morning coffee. He doubted that was the only reason for his sudden hostility towards the other turtle, but the lack of the chemical plus his increased sugar intake from the pancakes and the stress already building up in his head, it could be a reason. "No I have not..."

 Seeming satisfied by the response, stormy eyes turn towards the resting turtle before returning back to his brother. "Well lets get that black bean juice into your body, and join Red and I in studying the other uses fighting style! Nothing else to satiate that primal part of your brain than to see what dangers they can pose right?"

 Glaring a tad at his brother, Purple decides to stand and join. Maybe this would be a good way to reassure that itch at his brain. Other him would be ok for a little bit in the safety of his laboratory, and he seemed comfortable. Plus how could he refuse coffee?

 Blue walked into the training area with Purple following close behind, a mug of coffee in his hand. Red towered over four shorter turtles who each seemed to say something. Red's eyes seemed to sparkle as his head excitedly nods with what ever they were saying. Though his moss green eyes leave them to see his two other brothers.

 He raised his arm and gives a tentative wave, a beaming smile on his face. The four other turtles turned to face them, and Blue couldn't help but notice how other Mikey had his usual smile on his face as if he hadn't just been in tears. It was concerning and arouse many questions in the back of his head though he forced his eyes away from the turtle. Though instead his eyes landed on the flare of the smallest turtle there. He wore a ragged red bandana as his emerald green eyes seemed to glare holes through Blue.

 Other Raph's gaze seem to burn as his eyes stare harshly at them. His lip seems to twitch into a snarl for a moment before he quickly turns his gaze away from them. Leo stepping in between other Raph's body and Blue's own with a slightly excited look to his blue eyes. "Mikey told me you guys would be joining my family and I for training!"

 Blue couldn't help but feel his brows furrow together for a moment before nodding his head, trying to give his best confident smile. "Yeah! My fam and I don't really do the whole training thing often, but we thought it would be a good chance to learn each others fighting styles."

 Leo nodded his head, a hand raising to rest on his chin for a moment before closing his eyes. "This would be a great chance. Do you by chance have any complaints if we go first then since you guys don't train often? So you get the feel for how we do things and we can watch you guys train for a bit too?"

 The slider shook his head before giving a thumbs up. "No hay problema amigo."

 He gently places his hand on the shoulder pad of Purple's battle shell and guiding him over to the side of his other brothers. Red sat down with his knees pulled up to his chest as he stared excitedly at the other turtles who stood on the open cement ground. Orange took his favorite spot on top Red's shoulder and sending a glare at his two to other brothers. Purple sat to Red's side, taking a long sip of his coffee, looking anywhere but at Orange who was about to go Dr.Feelings on his turtle ass. While Blue simply sat next to Purple and forcing his gaze towards the other three.

 Leo stood in between Raph and Mikey who both faced their eldest brother with expectant eyes. The leader in blue closed his eyes and took a breath before reopening them. The once warm look to them seemed to have melted away to a more stern look, his eyes narrowed slightly more than before as he spoke coolly. "今日はフォームを練習します."

 (Today we will practice our forms.)

 His head turns to Raph before tilting his head to the side a little. "ラフはカタを1回から8回、それぞれ20回練習してから、30分間呼吸法を練習します"

 (Raph practice katas one through eight, twenty times each and then practice your breathing exercise for half an hour.)

 The turtle in red rolls his eyes and lets out a small grumble before walking away and taking a stance, though he didn't move as he stared at the wall. Leo turned his attention back to Mikey who had not moved an inch, earning a slightly concerned look from the eldest brother.  "マイキーはバッサイショウ、テッキサンダン、ウンスを練習するつもりです。あなたが何かを覚えるのに問題がある場合は、助けを求めることを忘れないでください、これはあなたのスキルを向上させることです。"

 (Mikey your going to practice Bassai Sho, Tekki Sandan, and Unsu. If you have trouble remembering anything don't forget to ask for help, cause this is to improve your skills.)

 Mikey grins and turns around his arms behind his head as he takes a few steps away. "You got it bro! Ask for help if I need it!"

 He smoothly slid into a form different than Raph's own, but it was just as firm. Once in position he too didn't move like his other brother as they both shared a look. Leo's eyes dart between his two brothers before barking out loudly, startling the four turtles sitting at the side. "始める！"

 (Start!)

 Blue wasn't sure how long he sat there staring, but he couldn't help but admire the flow of the other turtles. Each motion lacked any waisted movements and their breaths remained steady. Fists flew with power and blocks with clear control. Though each turtle had their own feel to the clear patterns they followed. 

 Raphael's blows held power behind them that clearly was lacking from Mikey's own. But Mikey seemed to flow with his steps smoother, more like he was dancing than practicing a  martial arts form. Leo seemed to be a good middle between the two of his brothers. His blows powerful but not as strong as the second eldest sibling, his steps smooth but more calculated unlike his youngest brothers own dance. Though one thing was constant between the three brothers.

 They had been trained by a formal master.

 Leo came to a stop and closed his eyes once more. Another bark leaves him, making both his brothers stop and enter a more relaxed position. "止める！"

 (Stop!)

 Baby blue and emerald green eyes turn to the eldest turtle with slightly confused looks. Though Leo seemed to return himself into a more relaxed form as he smirks. "I think thats enough of a warm up for us guys."

 A loud scoff erupts from Blue's side as he turned to see the shock on his twin's face. "THAT was a warm-up?!"

 Leo nodded his head before tilting it again with a clear look of curiosity. "Well yeah. I even cut us short since if we continued it would another hour before we got to using our weapons for training."

 The colorful turtles weren't sure how to respond to that. They trained like that for longer than what they had just seen? What the actual fuck?!

 Orange raised his hand, a slightly shocked look on his face. When he got a nod from the other turtle in blue his voice was clear with concern. "How long does your training sessions usually take?"

 Leo pauses and thinks about it, his eyes scrunching together as he tries to think his answer over. But a gruff voice comes from his side. Raph crossing his arms as he smirks. "The average is three hours, the longest is ten and the shortest is one."

 The turtle in blue nods his head in confirmation, giving his brother a proud look while their Mikey seemed to grimace in the background. "Yeah dudes. The sessions are ridiculously long cause these two are borderline addicted to it."

 Mikey throws a thumb to his side, his tongue sticking out in mild distaste. His eldest brother held a slightly offended scoff on his face while Raph simply shrugged, having nothing to disagree with that comment. His voice gruff but holding no malice behind it. "What can I say? We need to keep our skills sharp, and grow stronger than what we started as."

 Leo pats his brothers shell with a proud look. The turtle in red rolling his eyes before huffing, but he didn't shrug his brothers arm away. Mikey simple chuckled a bit before poking his smaller brother in the side, earning a burning glare. It was faster than most could expect, but his hand lounged towards were Mikey once stood who easily dodged with an amused smile. It was fast as Raph lunged again at his younger brother, though just fast Mikey slid away with ease. 

 The two seemed to play their game of chase, Leo shaking his head in mild amusement as he turns his attention back to the other turtles. Blue felt his breath catch as he instinctively forced his eyes to look at anywhere but his counterparts ocean colored eyes. He wasn't sure exactly why, but something made his brain itch when he'd look at the turtle right now. 

 Maybe he should have just tolerated the itch though, cause he jumped in surprise to Leo's voice being closer than before. "Normally we would start sparring each other, but I was thinking maybe you could join us after you warm up too?"

 Blue felt his tongue seem to shrivel up as his eyes dart over to his brothers. They all expressed diffrent emotions. Red was nodding his head with a wide grin on his face, clearly excited for the chance to spar. Purple's thoughts were clear that he wanted to return to his lab with the manner he kept pointing at his wrist. Orange's eyes kept darting over to the other two turtles still chasing each other and then back to him and Leo, the therapist personas seeming to bounce around behind his eyes. So this left with one option...

 "Nah we don't need a warm up! Lets just get right into the spars!"

 A crash could be heard. Raph having finally caught Mikey's eyes were wide as he stared at Blue, Mikey's own eyes wide and staring too. Blue wasn't sure what exactly he was seeing, but he could see the slight offense in the new turtles faces. Had he said something wrong?

 Three resounding slaps erupt from Blue's side drawing his eyes to see his brothers all with a hand firmly pressed against their faces. Did they just do a face slap cause of him?!

 Leo looked a bit lost and confused before his gaze hardened a bit. "Alright. So how are we going to divide us up? Normally we'd just leave it to rock paper scissors, but I think there are too many of us for that. Plus there is an odd number of us so ether someone has to sit out or fight twice."

 Blue nods his head before looking at his brothers. He opened his mouth to allow Donnie to leave, the words about to leave his mouth before a rough voice interrupts him. "I don't mind sparring two of them."

 All the eyes shoot to other Raph who was now standing up, Mikey at his side with a concerned look. "Raph, man you don't have to-"

 Raph rolls his eye before gently tapping the back of his fist against Mikey's plastron. "No. I seriously don't mind and we can do the usual tournament style we do. Everyone in pairs and winners go onto the next round. I don't mind fighting twice ether."

 Blue was about to say something in protest, but his counterpart was faster. "Sure. The first rounds can be Orange vs Mikey," The two turtles look at each other with slight looks of concern. "Purple vs Raph," A hard look crosses the turtle in red as he smirks, Purple feeling a shiver shoot down his shell. "Red can go against Raph after his match with Purple," The two turtles in red glance at each other before nodding. "And I will go against Blue."

 Blue felt himself sweat as he only nods his head, quickly taking a seat on the sidelines with the other turtles as Mikey and Orange stand across from each other with Leo standing in the middle. The turtle only had one thought on his brain.

 Did he just fuck something up?

Chapter Text

 Orange stood in front of his counterpart, the both of them looking slightly uncomfortable. Both of their blue eyes shooting angry glares at their siblings who were taking a seat on the sidelines. 

 Leo on the other hand simply clapped his hand once, drawing everyone's attention to him. "I'll go over the rules. First of all, no lethal moves obviously. No blows towards each others head with weapons and no maiming each other. You can use any weapons you want so long as their not secret weapons, this is a spar after all not a battle simulation. Finally, keep the damage to the minimum."

 Orange raises his hand a nervous smile on his face. "Uh... are we allowed to use mystic abilities?"

 Purple rolls his eyes before leaning against his eldest brother. "Of course not Orange. It wouldn't be fair since these guys don't have them."

 Orange's more nervous one fades to a more relieved expression. "Okey-doke!"

 But then Leo raised his hand. "No. You are allowed to use your... mystic abilities. Just because we don't have them doesn't mean you aren't allowed to use them."

 The colorful turtles seem to stiffen at this. A sound of protest about to leave their mouths before a low growl drew their attention. Raph sitting against the wall sends a glare at the more saturated turtles, his look could fry an egg upon a glance. "Do you think your better than us because you have magic abilities?"

 Purple and Blue's mouths open to say something before a larger green hand covered their mouths. "Its not like that Little Raph-"

 The flame in Raph's eyes seem to grow brighter as a snarl was about to rip from his lips. Though a more light hearted voice draws his attention. "Its all good dude! I don't think they're looking down on us, just underestimating!"

 His green gaze turn and blaze at his youngest brother who had an amused expression. "Thats the same thing Mikey!"

 Mikey chuckles and scratches at the back of his head for a second before turning his gaze back to Orange. "Honestly dude, just let yourself rip! I'm sure what ever you can throw I can take! I'm the more resilient of my brothers anyway."

 Orange nervously looked at his counterpart before nervously fidgeting with the chains at his waist. "But-"

 "Plus if any of you guys held back, Raph would probably hold a grudge against ya'll!" 

 Orange still looks hesitant, but his eyes seem to glow when he saw the excitement in his counterparts eyes. The way his cheeks seemed to scrunch up, pressing his freckles higher on his face. The youngest turtle wasn't sure why, but a name seemed to pop into his head in that moment. A wide grin splits across Orange's face as he slides into his fighting stance, pulling the chains out to reveal his kusari-fundo. "Alright Sunny! But you better prepare for some sweet mystic skills!"

 Mikey grins wider as he slides into his own stance, his chuckles pulled out from his waist as a loud laugh leaves him. "AW YEAH DOG! Lets get this show on the road!" 

 Both turtles stare at each other for a moment, the audience going silent for a moment. Though a loud bark erupts from Leo as he brings his hand down, slicing the line of sight between the two turtles. "始める！"

 (Begin!)

 Maybe it was the look Mikey was giving Orange, or maybe his body was finally getting a boost from the sugar he consumed that morning, but a sudden burst of energy coursed through his veins. His back foot pressed against the ground before he launched himself forward. He pulled his arm back before swiftly throwing the ball end of his chair forward towards the unmoving turtle. Its blades on the ball retracted as to not slice any skin as it swiftly flew through the air.

 As it neared Mikey, time seemed to slow ever so slightly for the two battling turtles. 

 Orange wasn't sure how, he swore it felt impossible and was surprised blood hadn't started to pool from the turtles mouth, but Mikey's grin grew wider. It was swift, but a chain wrapped firmly around Orange's own chain and stops the momentum of the ball from smacking Mikey in the face. 

 A single nunchaku was held in both hands, its own chain firmly wrapped around Orange's own. Mikey's baby blue eyes held an edge to them that felt more like ice as the two simply stare for a moment. Though as fast as the moment came it left. 

 Mikey quickly yanks his chucks to the side, ripping the chain in his direction and the handle slipped from Orange's hand ever so slightly. Though he was quick to readjust his grip, stomping his foot down on the chain to stop its pull. He grips the chain with his foot before backflipping from a harsh backwards kick, yanking the chain back into his own direction.

 Not expecting that reaction Mikey's eyes widen as one of his weapons gets ripped from his hands. It goes flying with the chain and ball through the air before landing in Orange's hand. The confident smirk on his face wavers as his hand suddenly drops with the new acquired weapons unexpected weight. "What the-?!"

 What was this?! Maybe it was because his counterpart was larger, but Orange wasn't expecting the new weight in his hand. But then his finger brushed a small bump he hadn't expected to find. Pressing down on it, the chain extended with the other handle hitting the ground with a loud thud, a melted looking blade shooting out the handle now on the ground. The weapon he thought to have been a nunchaku was now something very different. Orange couldn't help but stare in curiosity at the blade, but then he heard a sound.

 Oh fuck he was in the middle of a spar right now.

 His cerulean eyes snap up just in time for him to redirect a kick from Mikey swung at his head. Just as fast as it came a fist comes sweeping near his side. Orange stepped to the side and ducked around the larger turtles swings, but he felt something was lacking behind them. The moves were a bit lacking, and even one would say slower than they should be. The two turtles in orange followed this small pattern for a bit, eyes not leaving each other with a calculative gaze that their siblings didn't see often.

 Both turtles were adapt in the skills to dodge each others attacks, and at such close range Orange's weapon was not as effective. Though Orange didn't dare give Mikey a chance to draw his sister weapon from his hip. Orange freezes for a moment though when a gruff voice shouts over the sound of their blows. "MIKEY STOP HOLDING BACK, LITTLE BROTHER!"

 Holding back? Something about this set something off in Orange's head. He flipped several feet back and as his hands touched the ground each time, a orange pulse would leave his hands through the ground. Looking up, Orange was shocked to see Mikey too had put some distance between himself and Orange, an excited smile on his face. "Yo little dude! Thats so cool that little thing you just did while flipping!"

 Orange smiles a little, the praise sounding so genuine he couldn't help but feel pride. Though then he saw his counterpart pull out a set of headphones from someplace. His voice was just as light as before but there was something behind his eyes that put Orange on edge. 

 Mikey slid the headphones over his head and pressed a button on the side, music can faintly be heard as his foot started to tap along the barely audible beat. The mocking scoff of Purple could be heard, but Orange didn't dare take his eyes off of his opponent. "And you said we where looking down on you with our not wanting to use our mystic abilities but your brother decides to listen to music while in the middle of fighting?"

 "No that means he's taking him very seriously in a spar. Nothing is harder than beating Mikey in this state." Orange wasn't sure who said that, it was probably other Raph, but he didn't dare look away from his counterpart that started to dance. He watched as the turtle stepped on a spot Orange had touched, and the smaller turtle threw his hand forward.

 It wan instantaneous. 

 Bright glowing orange chains explode from the ground starting to curl in the air around the other turtle. But right before they could constrict and touch his skin, Mikey had slipped through them. The orange crash together where Mikey once stood coiling around each other as they rattled. The older turtle continued to dance, stepping on every trap Orange had laid and slipping through the smaller turtles grasp. It was like trying to grab a buttered Splinter at the Lair Games. But unlike his father, Orange felt it wasn't impossible to grasp the other turtle. If only the chains could just touch him! 

 Orange's eyes latched onto the headphones. Maybe if he grabbed those-

 His thought was broken when a dull gray chain goes flying by his head. Shit.

 Orange quickly summoned his own chains and wraps them around the other. The orange chains shoot up the grey ones like that of a snake. Just as they were about to wrap around Mikey's hand holding the weapon Orange had taken from him earlier, he released it. Gravity taking hold and pulling down on the weapon towards the ground. Orange felt his eyes follow the chains, a mistake he knew he made the second it happened.

 A faint click could be heard followed by the sound of more chains. Snapping his head up Orange could only gasp as a gray chain wraps around his arm just a bit too tightly and yanks him forward straight towards Mikey. 

 The gray chain wrapped around his arm seems to almost slither up his arm as more of the links wrapped snuggly around his body till his arms were pinned. Then the cold feeling of something against his neck made him freeze. With one hand firmly holding the chains wrapping Orange, Mikey's other held the handle with almost completely disintegrated blade towards his neck. 

 Baby blue eyes opened and widened in what Orange could only think was surprise. Though as quickly as it appeared a loud bark vibrates through the room. "Mikey!"

 The taller turtle in orange lets out a nervous chuckle before sliding the headphones off his head. "Whoops! Got a bit too into it didn't I?"

 Leo sends an annoyed glare at his younger brother before huffing. "Orange wins. I said no weapon attacks at the head Mikey and you currently have said weapon too close to his head for the rules."

 He nervously chuckles before pulling Orange back to his feet. "Yeah sorry man. I def got too into it."

 His baby blue eyes turn to Orange and quickly look over him as he undoes the chains. "Sorry Taiyō, are you all good?"

 Orange nodded his head before staring with beaming eyes. "How did you know where all my traps were?! You didn't open your eyes the whole time till the end there!"

 The taller turtle grins as he pats the smaller turtle on his shell. "I can't remember what exactly master called it, but its like a sixth sense. It allows me to kind of fight blind. I mainly just move and trust my guts and the feeling of the air. Which by the way, man did the room get hot when you started using you mystic mojo!"

 Orange couldn't help but give the turtle a confused look. The room got hot when he activated his mystic abilities? 

 That was something he never felt, nor did his brothers ever mention it. His eyes turn to the other two new turtles and see them not even breaking a sweat. The air did feel warmer, but not a since that the heat was from anything except internal. But then again maybe Mikey was a bit more sensitive to the feeling of mystic abilities?

 "Oh! That reminds me, its so cool how you can make chains out of thin air and control them so well!"

 Orange grins as he nods his head quickly. "I know right?! Its also cool how your weapon can extend like that! Plus it had blades so you can cut stuff if you need too!"

 Mikey nods his head before stretching his back. "Oh yeah! Donnie, my Donnie, and I got kind of tired of our weapons not being able to do any damage to the-" Mikey pauses for a moment before shaking his head. 

 "They weren't good at destroying the robots trying to take over New York so he installed a feature into my chucks were I can convert them into a kusarigama, and his bo-staff can turn into a naginata with a press of a button." He then does little karate chops in the air like he was slicing something. 

 The smaller turtle chuckled before pulling his own weapon out. "I still use my nunchaku sometimes, but I tend to use my mystic kusari-fundo more often. Its easier to control my mystic abilities with!"

 The taller turtle nods his head as he and the smaller one excitedly talked. Seeming in their own little world as the other turtles stare. None of them had expected the spar to escalate in the manner it had. None of them had expected the nunchakus they were used to seeing suddenly springing a blade from its handle, nor were they happy it was anywhere near their youngest brothers neck. Though the darker colored turtles acted like it was normal. Did they always spar in this manner? Or had Mikey simply gotten "too into it" as he said. 

 But another thing about the fight had drawn their attention. The blade itself looked melted and battered beyond repair. It wouldn't even likely had cut if it wanted too, but they doubted the turtle would have allowed his weapon into that state.

 Blue had wanted his family to join the training session to have some of his questions answered about these new turtles, but instead he was feeling his head swell with more questions. So many questions.

 "Raph and Red its your turn next." Blue felt his eyes dart over to his counterpart, the air of authority around him seeming to silence protest that was about to leave him. He needed to get answers, but for now he'll watch how the battle between the two red turtles would go...

Chapter Text

"Ok everyone knows the rules. We guess a number in between 1 and 100 and whoever guesses closest to what ever number Pops has in his head goes first. Then we follow the order of closest to farthest number. Got it?"

 Whoops of joy and head nods confirm the group knows the snapper's rules for the order of gift giving. Everyone held a glass in hand filled with eggnog, the white liquid sloshing around as some glasses move in directions of excited hand motions. 

 Sitting in his comforter love seat, Splinter wore a ugly red, green, and gold colored robe to match the festivities. His grin was wide, forcing his eyes shut from how high his cheeks were raised as he sits on a stack of pillows. His tail wagged slightly as he rested the side of his face on his hand as he looked at the rest of the party. A giddy giggles leaves his furry mouth as he leans farther back. "My number has been selected! Now come forth with your guesses in order of height! Shortest to tallest!"

 Raph glares slightly at the significantly smaller rat. His emerald green eyes seeming alight with the fact the rodent had found many ways to point out the fact he was the smallest turtle. The slightly too itchy red Christmas themed sweater he wore was a turtle neck (ironic, he knows) with a mug of hot chocolate on the front with weed shaped marshmallows flouting in it. It was the most r-rated sweater and he had to wear it to spite his counterpart in a humorous manner with him being such a rule follower. Plus the sweater was red, which he liked. He grumbled slightly as he shouted his number out. "68 YOU OLD MAN!"

 Splinter's ears flatten as he glares at the smallest turtle, a small growl leaving him as he crosses his arms. "I am not 68! I'm only 42..."

 Raph let out one loud laugh before raising his glass a smug smirk on his face. "We all know thats bullshit!"

 The red turtle laughed a bit more before taking another long swig of his drink. Red growled out a small warning at the smallest turtle, who simply growled back with less bite behind it. His eyes going back down to his drink with mild surprise. "Huh... this tastes pretty good."

 Leo rolls his eyes as he approached the rat, his dark blue sweater decorated with blinking rainbow fairy lights. "Raph shut up."

 He tapped his right leg ever so slightly as he quickly states his number. "89."

 Leo then turns around and returns to his spot standing next to Blue who wore a green striped sweater. His counterparts cheeks raised in excitement as he took a sip of his cup. "Man this is going to be good!"

 The smaller blue turtle smiles softly as he nods his head. Taking a smaller sip of his own cup as he leaned against the wall. Though his eyes narrowed as he looked down at his cup. He didn't remember eggnog tasting like this, but then again it was a new universe so maybe it just tastes different here. 

 The two orange turtles sitting near the christmas tree excitedly high threed before Orange left. He skipped over to his father, the orange sweater he wore was three sizes too large and covered most of his arms as he excitedly flapped his arms around. "Three!"

 The rat nodded sending the squealing orange turtle to return to his counterpart. The both of them excitedly asking who they thought would be their secret Santa. The two of them already on their fifth glass of nog, and a excited blush covered the smaller of their two's faces. A soft red hue on Mikey's freckled face himself. Orange took Mikey's almost empty glass and dashed off to get them both some more, both loving the sweat drink.

 Though then Mikey, Blue, and Purple all tried to approach Splinter at once. All three looking surprised before standing shell to shell with Red slowly lowering his hand to see who was tallest between the three. His hand lightly grazed the top of both Mikey and Purple, the two smirking smugly as Blue simply gasped.

 A gasp of indignation escapes Blue as he stares up at his biggest brother with a betrayed look. He shoots a disappointed glare at the two taller turtles before crossing his arms. His lip juts out in a pout as he walked past Splinter. "22..."

 Purple and Mikey smile for a second before sticking their hand out and doing a quick game of ro sham bo. Resulting with Purple letting out a whoop of joy as he jogs past his dad, the purple sweater seeming to flex with his small dance of joy. "1 dearest papa!"

 Mikey then approached the rat and gives a thumbs up, his orange hoodie fitting him perfectly as he smiles wide. "Lucky number 15 dude!"

 "I HAVE MORE NOOOOG!" With a loud laugh Mikey sprints to his friend and takes the second cup from his hands. The two of them excitedly continuing their conversations. 

 Splinter turned his head to the next turtle to see a slightly dazed but smiling Donnie sitting on the other couch. Both his hands were firmly wrapped around his cup as his pastel purple sweater with a little blue wreath on his chest hung loosely off his body. He looks up at the rat before smiling softly. "90."

 The rat nodded his head before turning his gaze back to the largest turtle. The gentle giant didn't wear a sweater, but a headset with dear antlers made of fabric stood proud on top his head. He smiled widely as his sharp teeth was revealed. "69!"

 Half the turtles spat out their drinks. Wheezes from laughter and looks of disgust was sent towards the giant who simply smiled. "Cause it looks like the yin and yang sign!"

 Raph was cackling wildly as he held his chest. Blue was laughing too while Leo and Purple held looks of disgust. Both Mikey's simply continued their conversation, not feeding the juvenile joke. Red simply was mildly confused by the laughter and shrugged his shoulders, taking a big sip of his drink.

 Splinter chuckled softly before raising his hand into the air. "MY number was 36! Blue first-"

 Blue fist pumps the air as a whoop of joy leaves his mouth. "-followed by Sunny-"

 The Mikey grins widely as he wiggles his hands in joy. "-then Orange, Purple, Chilli-"

 Raph huffs before rolling his eyes at the nickname. "- Red, Lilac and last Niccolo."

 Leo and Donnie both shrug, slight disappointment in their expressions but also mild excitement. All the turtles stood ready as Blue dashes out the room. When he came running back, his foot slips and he stumbles clumsily towards the ground. After a loud crash, the blue turtle was face down on the ground with his arms holding the present high into the air above his head. Everyone chuckled as he got back up, a slightly embarrassed red tinge to his face.

 He quickly approached the largest turtle and handes the gift to him. "Merry Christmas Big Bro! Hope ya enjoy the amazing gift from THEE Neon Leon~! The one and only!"

 The giant snapper smiles at his immediate youngest sibling before gently unfolding the wrapping. He barely ripped the paper that was a light shade of blue, putting it aside with neat folds. The box that was revealed was brown, and only a tad larger than Red's hand. When he pulled the folds of the box apart, his moss green eyes grew wide and seem to glows. His lips curled up into a toothy grin as a squeal of joy leaves him. In his hand was Sir Stuff-a-lot, Red's first and oldest teddy bear of his collection. "OH MY GOSH HOW DID YOU FIND HIM?!!!!"

 His giant hands reach into the box and delicately pulled out a small teddy bear. It was covered in patches of different red patterns. The brown fur was old but seemed freshly washed and soft, the ever faint scent of peppermint from it. Blue confidently stood tall but took a long sip of his cup of nog. Once done he casually slung his arm around the beaming larger turtle with a cocky grin. "I found him when we went to do recon at our old place! Decided to patch him up for you and give him back!" 

 The giant wrapped his brother in a tight hug and squeezed as tight as he could with out hurting his brother. A joyous, but deep churr rumbling from the back of his throat. Blue's eyes widen for a split second before he wraps his own arms around his brother, returning his brothers joy with a softer quieter churr of his own. Everyone loved hugs from Red, and that included Raph.

 Everyone wanted to enjoy the moment between brothers... but as soon as it settled a vibrant green hand shoves both the turtles out from the center of attention. His cheeks were a vibrant rosy red causing his freckled to pop out even more against his cheeks. "MY TURN!!!!"

 The taller orange turtle sprints out the room, energy seeming to explode from his body with every step as his feet thundered against the ground. As they faded away they quickly grew louder again as he slides into the room. His breaths seem to not stay in his body as he quickly approaches Purple and holds out a medium sized box wrapped in white paper with purple hand drawn items related to Purple on it.

 The softshell's face remained neutral as he peels the paper off, handing it to SHELDON (not to keep in his memory box of precious ideams, totally not that) to throw away. He'll pretend that he didn't notice how Sunny's eyes widened with glee, nor the excited gaze of his own orange brother excitedly bouncing next to his counter part. Both their eyes seeming to stare intently at the box, respecting the fact Purple himself didn't like being stared at too much. Though both brothers had to admit, the moment he had lifted the lid their eyes instantly shot to his face.

 They watched as the neutral façade instantly crumpled away to expose the pure excitement and joy on the softshell's face. His legs started to wiggle around as he danced in joy, holding a glass box that had a tiny stone in the center. The stone was a vibrant yellowish green color and was no larger than a pebble, but it was recognizable as all the other turtles scrunched back. "OH MI GOSH YOU GOT ME URANIUM!!!!"

 Mikey's hand shoots up in the air as he waves them around in his energized state. "YEAH I DID BOI! IT TOOK AWHILE TO FIND SOME GLASS THAT COULD CONTAIN ITS RADIATION BUT I GOT IT!!!!"

 A screech of joy rips from Purple as he continued to wiggle in joy. Mikey quickly following the younger turtle with his own stems of excitement. Everyone else scooted a few feet away from the turtles, trying to not risk getting poisoned. 

 Orange giggles before finishing off his glass. "I'm gonna go get another glass and get my present now. I'll be right back guys!"

 The orange turtle leaves, taking the other turtles cups with him as they stare at the two dancing turtles. Oh god someone was going to die probably today. The five remaining turtles send each other a glance, already knowing what had to be done to prevent any death. Blue slowly approached the two happy turtles and reaches out to snag the glass box away.

 Mistake 1.

 Purple's head whirls around fast as a loud hiss explodes from his mouth. He scrunches away pulling the box closer to himself before threateningly snapping his jaws, a loud crack heard through out the room. Everyone seemed to freeze at that, except for Mikey who's eyes simply widen more in admiration as he watched. Blue recognized this response and knew it was not a good idea to make any sudden moves. Something Leo, was not familiar with as he tried to sneak around Purple. 

 Mistake 2.

 The smaller blue turtle's hands brushed slightly on the glass case, it was enough. Purple's head whirled around and a resounding snap echoed as his face dove towards Leo's. The trained ninja quickly ducked and sprinted away, feeling the tails of his mask rip at one of the many seems. Standing next to Blue, Leo turns to see a bit of his mask on Purple's mouth who was still hissing. Though then a second passed and the taller turtle quickly spat the fabric out. A groan of agony seems to leave him as he sprints out the room gagging. "OH GOSH IT WAS IN MY MOUTH!!!"

 Mikey was just vibing, continuing his little dance as he waved bye to Purple. No one had any idea what was happening anymore. Though Orange comes back in with a whole tray of egg nod filled cups and a red case in his hand. It was as large as a tool box, but the heavy metal themed stickers stuck to its sides stood out. The second smallest turtle placed the tray down on the table before jogging over to Raph, a new sway to his steps.

 He holds his up excitedly to the other turtle who tentively takes it. He opens it to see an assortment of different art supplies. The smaller red turtle's eyes seem to sparkle as he gently picks up some of the brushes. "Wow... thanks man... I love them!"

 Orange giggles before turning away and chugging another glass. A whoop leaves him as he too joins the dancing Mikey, with some more sway to his steps as he hands a glass to his counterpart. Everyone goes and gets another glass and drinks for a bit, talking about bits and things as they waited for Purple to return. Though upon the taller turtles arrival he had a longer box alongside him. He swings by the tray of nog and takes two glasses before sitting next to Donnie on the couch. He slides both the glass and the box to the turtle who take them with a surprised look to his eye. 

 The older turtle, unlike the two previous turtles with wrapped gifts, simply rips the paper to bits to reach a box. Taking its lid off a tear filled smile covered Donnie's face. He reached down and pulled out a titanium bo-staff, words of thanks falling from his mouth with his tears. "Thank you so much Karasu I no longer will suffer the humiliation of my weapon snapping every mission!"

 A metal claw shoots out from the now bulkier looking sweater and pats the taller turtle. Incoherent babbling leaving him as he tightly hugged the weapon as tears seem to fall in globs as his mouth trembles. Mikey, not liking seeing his brother upset quickly joins him at his side and presses their sides together in a reassuring manner, the glass almost empty again. 

 Donnie' liking the gentle pressure, returned it by pressing back and placing his head against his youngest brother's. The two simply sit like that for a bit. Raph on the otherhand pulls a small box from someplace and throws it at Orange. Still dancing he quickly slides to the side and catches the package. Almost faster than light the wrapping was gone and so was the box revealing only a paper with multiple addresses on it. The orange turtle looked at it confused for a moment before turning to the small red turtle. His arms were crossed as he holds his glass to his mouth but didn't drink yet. "Their locations you can go paint with out worrying about getting in trouble, and that won't result with them destroyed."

 Orange gasped loudly as his tackled the smaller turtle in a hug. Raph sputtered a bit, no returning the embrace but not pushing the turtle away ether as he quickly took another sip of his drink. Leo felt amused as he finished off his glass, the heat behind his cheeks seeming to grow as he went to grab another glass from the tray. When he turned around he was surprised to see Red towering over him.

 The larger turtle handed him a rectangular shaped box. The leader in blue carefully opened it and felt his eyes widen. Sitting in the cushioned filled box was a tanto that radiated a dark blue aura. "Wow..."

 Gently taking the blade out from its sheath, Leo felt the blade absorb a bit of his own aura as it started to softly glow. He couldn't take his eyes off of it as he listened to Red's voice. "It's a mystic tanto I got from a black smith in the Hidden City. He said it would help you tap into your nin-"

 "I love it." Red stopped talking as he smiled. His eyes sparkled as he studies the pure joy reflected in the eldest turtle's eyes, almost similar to that of a child receiving a toy they asked for. Red was happy he could see such an expression on the turtle who acted too mature for his age among his brothers. Though Leo quickly snapped out of it as he carefully sheathed the blade and returned it to the box. He reached into his sweater and pulled out a card and rushed over to Mikey who was softly churring alongside his purple brother. Purple on the other hand was staring into space with a puzzled expression, quickly leaving saying he had to grab something.

 Mikey looked up at Leo with a content look, his eyes slightly drooping as he leans into the comfort of his brother. Leo holds out the card to his youngest brother who takes it and eyes widen. "How the fuck did you get a $500 visa gift card?"

 Leo shrugged before smiling. "Secret. Enjoy two months of pizza if you spend it right."

 Mikey looks like he wants to reach out and hug Leo, but he doesn't dare leave Donnie. So instead Leo sits next to his brother and joins their little cuddle fest. 

 "Well wheres my gift?"

 Donnie's eyes open a little as he mumbled something before nuzzling farther into Mikey. Mikey nods his head before grabbing something from Donnie's sweater and holding a piece of paper out to Blue who pouted in the middle of the room, face flush as he wobbled over to the couch. He took the paper and a wide grin crossed the slider's face. "Thanks Niccolo! Now I will be unstoppable! "

 Blue started to wildly laugh as his body started to slowly lower to the ground. Though Mikey heard the faint murmur of his brother in his ear. "...only good for two months..."

 Blue didn't respond as a snore seemed to leave his body as he laid face down into the ground. With that done MIkey's eyes slid shut too as he softly churred in his sleep, earning softer responses from his two older brothers who also slipped into sleep.

 Four turtles down for the count. Purple slid into the room dragging a machine behind him with two mics attached. "I BRING KARAOKE!!!" 

 Raph and Orange's hands shoot up into the air so fast they both almost get whiplash. They both screech "DIBS!!!"

 Splinter simply watched in amusement. The gifts had been exchanged and four of the eight turtles had fallen asleep, entering a makeshift turtle pile. The rat took a quick picture with his camera before looking back at the other awake four. Raph and Orange both singing two completely different Christmas songs into the mics of a not on Karaoke machine while Purple and Red cheer them on. 

 The rat simply chuckled as he slid down from his makeshift thrown and walked over to the tray covered with glasses of egg nog. Though his ears twitched as he reached over and took a sniff of the drink. His eyes widened as he looked over at the other turtles still awake. How many glasses did they all have again?

 Splinter simply placed the glass back with a slight chuckle to leave the room and prepare for the next morning. He hoped they had enough Advil to help with the hangovers. Seems like they got into Splinter's special stash of the Christmas drink by mistake.

 Well the father now of eight will simply help them all through this possible new experience.

Chapter Text

 Red wasn't sure what he was feeling as he looked down at his counterpart. He was so much smaller than himself, and he couldn't help but feel baffled once more. This Raph was the smallest of the turtles that arrived, being only slightly shorter than Leo but taller than Orange by an inch or so. The two didn't speak the night before, but it was clear the smaller turtle was exhausted. Plus he and Red had come to mutual agreement to not speak on anything until they were in private.

 How did they get this agreement? The stare of the Raphael.

 Thats all he could say. The two shared a long stare down in Red's room before going to sleep with a content expression the night before. Though that was now replaced by a scowl on the smaller counterpart's face and a nervous look on the giant.

 The two stare at each other, unspoken words being passed around, though both Raph's understood it.

 Red's softer green eyes scrunched together as the ridge of his eyes lower. 'Do we have to fight? While normally Raph is more than down for it usually, you seem kinda angry though.'

 Raph's green eyes seem to grow brighter as his eye ridges lower. 'We will fight, and don't you dare think of holding back or else I'll pound your head in you rainbow ass turtle!'

 The larger turtle's eyes scrunch together, a slightly hurt look to his gaze. He saw how the clear showing of weakness seems to surprise his smaller counterpart, but it was quickly replaced with a harsher gaze as he flips the bird at Red. 'Your teddy bear collection is pathetic! I can do a better patch job than that with both my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my shell AND your sense of dressing them is absolute garbage!'

 Raph pounds his fist into his hand as he points accusingly at the larger turtle. Red gasps as his mouth drops in shock, an offended expression crossing his face. "You take that back!"

 The smaller turtle smirks as he draws out both his sais, quickly twirling them in hand before sliding into a stance. "Make me 紅!"

 (Kota- bright red or abundantly large)

 Red's eyes narrow as he pulls out his own tonfa. Slamming the flat ends together alongside his fists with a thundering crack through the air, drawing everyone's eyes to him. Reds sparks falling through the air.

 Leo raises his hand in the air before shooting a glare at Raph. "Remember this is SPARRING. Not an actual battle."

 The smaller turtles rolls his eyes before sliding deeper into his stance. "What ever Fearless."

 "Raph gets it!" Red glares intensely at his counter part who rolls his eyes again. "Could you not speak in the third person?! There are two Raphs here!"

 Red scrunches back a bit, his annoyance overcome by a apologetic look for a moment. "Sorry, I guess it is."

 A louder groan leaves Raph as he throws his hands in the air. "AND STOP APOLOGIESING FOR EVERYTHING! FUCK MAN!"

 Red's eyes narrow as he points one of his tonfa at the smaller turtle. "Language!" 

 Leo rolls his eyes already seeing how this would loop and drops his hand, a loud bark erupting from his throat. "HAJIME!"

 Red blinked. It was only for half a second. Though when his eyes had reopened, the smaller turtle that was originally seven feet away, was flinging his sai towards his shoulder a loud yell leaving his mouth. The giant raised his hands, the metal point stabbing into the wooden body of the tonfas. The wood splits as the points went deeper in, but red quickly swipes his arm to the side, launching Raph across the room.

 The smaller turtle rapidly flies towards the cement brick wall. Red felt himself panic for a moment, though only for a moment.

 Snapping around, Raph twists his body in a manner forcing the flats of his feet to land against the wall. His legs bunch, muscles flexing, and as if the wall was a springboard, Raph launches himself from the wall at Red. His sai gets intercepted by Red's tonfa, the goliath of a turtle quickly bringing his other fist down were Raph was. But the smaller turtle slid to the side, taking advantage of the speed his smaller frame provided.

 The snapper's fist collides into the ground, the ground shakes from the force, bouncing the sitting turtles on the sidelines that cheered. Mikey whooped and threw his arms into the air as he called out encouragements for his smaller brother. Orange laughing in excitement as his eyes seem to sparkle at the fight. Blue cheered as shouted taunts on the side as he laughs with excitement, his twin typing away at his phone, but occasionally shooting glances up at the fight. Leo watched with wide eyes but didn't dare interfere as his attention keeps snapping to the two red turtles, trying to see any signs of the fight going too far.

 The two battling turtles exchanged blows with thundering roars. Shouts and yelling leaving them both as nether backed down. At some point the cheers had died away and everyone simply watched in silence, the shouting and grunts of the red turtles the only thing heard.

 Slowly the time went on.

 And on.

 And on.

 And on.

 And on-

 "UUUUUUUGH How much longer till one of them just drops?!" Orange throws his arms in the air exasperated as he leans against his counterparts shoulder. Mikey nods his head in annoyance as he leans his head against his counterparts. 

 "I know what you mean dude! Like, come on someone get KO-ed already! Its been almost forty minutes!"

 Blue exhaustedly rubs his face as he rolls back onto his shell.  A loud groan leaving him as he rolled a little on it. Purple simply typed away on his phone, laughing every now and then at something. He doesn't bother to shrug his twin off who leaned against his shoulder to watch over his shoulder. Even Leo looked bored out of his mind as the two red turtles slowed down with each passing minute until they both just stood there panting but still throwing weak punches at each other.

 It was exhausting to watch at that point.

 Letting out a small huff Leo approached the two exhausted turtles. "Ok. I'm calling it a draw."

 Both turtles look at Leo with shock, one more angry than the other. Both their mouths open to protest, but Leo was faster. With practiced hands, he reaches out and tweaks the nerves between the red turtle's neck and chin, both falling into a twitchy spasming mess. "No arguing. Raph you need to rest since you volunteered to battle Purple, so stop this clearly pointless battle."

 The smaller turtle grumbles before dragging his tired body over to Mikey. He presses his shell against his younger brother, and slowly closes his eyes mumbles of annoyance still leaving his mouth. The younger turtle giggles a bit before leaning back, using his weight to support his brother.

 Red on the other hand slowly crawled over before laying down with his brothers, a slightly unhappy frown on his face as his long tail curls a bit around himself. Blue pats his brothers head in a reassuring manner, grinning before gently scratching under his chin. The older brother smiles at that before resting his head against the ground, but he doesn't closed his eyes.

 "Mikey you mind?"

 The turtle doesn't move but shoot a thumbs up into the air. "Got it Ani! Go kick some shell!"

 Leo gives a thumbs up back before going to stand at the center of the room. He bends his knees a little before straightening himself. Blue seeing it was his turn stood up and stood across from the other turtle. A cocky grin crossing his face as he casually unsheathed his katanas. "Lets get his done quickly unlike the slow pokes before us why don't we?"

 The smaller turtle reaches and draws the katanas from his shell, the silver blades seeming dull and melted just like the blade of his brothers weapon. Though since the blades were larger it was far more eye catching. But his voice remained calm as his eyes seemed to steal themselves. "I can agree with that, though don't make this too easy."

 The two turtles stared at each other for a moment before the cocky grin on Blue's face was copied by Leo, but slightly smaller.

 "I never planned too."

Chapter Text

 Blue  and Leo stared at each other, blades in hands as they wait for the signal to begin from Mikey. The turtle in orange having not left his sitting spot, shell supporting his older brother and Orange still leaning against his shoulder. The content grin on his freckled face was more than enough for Leo to knew his youngest brother wouldn't move. But he wasn't expecting to see the small round object in his brothers free hand.

 It was a small egg with the Hamato clan symbol inked onto a small paper on its top. "Ok broskies! Moment the egg hits the ground, the round begins! Got it?"

 Leo nods his head, his eyes not turning away from Blue. "Hai."

 Blue's own eye don't leave Leo as he twirls one of the blades in his hand. "Alrighty amigo! Lets get this-" He stopped mid sentence to raise a brow and turn to Mikey. "-wait an egg now?!"

 The egg flies from Mikey's hand, landing in between the two standing turtles. Blue felt his eyes widen as the egg exploded into a plume of purple and pink smoke. The slider hearing Mikey chuckle as the cloud engulfed the two blue turtles. "Rule One of fighting a Leo, don't take your eyes off of him."

 Blue felt a breeze near his face, the purple cloud swirls in a violent manner before parting to reveal Leo swinging his blade. Huh, was this familiar?

 Swiftly, Blue intercepted the blade closest with his own katana. A loud clang echoing through the air as the metal meets, small sparks falling to the ground. Another blade comes falling down, crashing into Blue's other blade, the chips and dents locking onto it. The faintest sounds of the metal clinking against each other as the two pressed against them, trying to push the other back. 

 Normally people would think the smaller turtle would be pushed back. The larger of the two having the most mass, but to almost everyone's surprise, Leo was pushing Blue back. Stormy eyes widened as they felt their feet slide backwards against the ground. Ocean blue eyes seem to stare into the stormy depths with a neutral but calculative glint as their owners pressed farther with powerful steps. 

 Blue's eyes dart at around his surroundings quickly before settling on something. But Leo's eyes saw the look in his eyes. He felt the rise in the air of static similar to that of their first battle, and noticed how the shoulder's of Blue seemed to subtly flex.

 Snapping his one of his wrist to the side, the blade in Blue's hand gets ripped from his grasp. Leo quickly uses the locked blades of the others to pull the younger turtle towards him as he swiftly throws several punches at his opponent's plastron. 

 The younger turtle felt the breath leave his body as his grip lessened on the handle of his blade. His eyes scrunch from the pain ever so slightly as he stumbles back, the weapon falling from his hand. By instinct, Blue felt his eyes try to follow his blade his hand twitching. But he barely had time to duck his head out of the way of a kick. 

 His feet stumble back as he entered a series of dodging the blows from Leo, the two katanas in his hands nearing Blue's soft green skin my millimeters. The younger turtle had no choice but to keep his eyes on the older turtle. He saw how clean every step Of Leo's was. The lack of waisted movement and smooth movements was a clear contrast to Blue's messier and more wild steps. It felt that the deep blue eyes of the older turtle would never leave Blue's face, the moment he would look away a swing would come particularly close to his face. 

 Blue wasn't sure how Leo knew. There was no way he could have caught on to Blue from a single battle casted mostly in darkness! Though there was no other explanation for how or why the smaller turtle wasn't giving Blue a chance to look away. 

 To say it upset the taller turtle would not be a lie. To think his trick was caught on so easily by someone from one battle, when he's had enemies he's fought hundreds of time to never seem to catch on. Maybe he hadn't cured his cocky attitude as much as he had hoped, or maybe the mundane battles have simply dulled his sense of urgency to improve his mystic abilities. His portals took him to jest about anywhere he'd like or needed to go to. With a flick of a wrist he could appear anywhere around his opponents and attack, so long as his eyes remained on his blades.

 But Leo wasn't allowing it. 

 Leo's movements had not only completely disarmed Blue, but hindered his ability to teleport. Or at least teleport safely that is. 

 Blue felt a smile crawl across his face as a wild idea popped into his mind. It would be a risk to say none the less, but hey this was sparring. No safer battle to experiment than this type of battle. Leo's eyes narrowed when he threw another swing close to Blue's leg. The static charge in the air seeming to grow more intense as the red and yellow stripes seemed to start glowing. The smaller turtle didn't stop his attacks, simply ensuring he knew where exactly the other turtle's blades were and forced him to keep his eyes on him. 

 But with the snap and sudden stillness of the air, Leo felt his eyes widen in shock as Blue disappeared. The slider sticking his tongue out before disappearing into nothingness. Leo's eyes snapped towards the two blades on opposite sides of the room to not see the turtle near them. The sister blades laying still on the ground.

 Dark blue eyes dart around, trying to see where the other turtle was or where he could appear, but saw and sensed nothing. The once charged air was now as still as the void of space. A minute passed, and the turtle still hadn't reappeared. Leo's eyes dart around as the faintest gasp seems to leave the turtles on the sidelines. Orange's shaky breath seeming to leave him with a soft voice. "Blue..?"

 Leo's eyes turn to the other turtles and felt himself stiffen at the look to their eyes. Red had sat up, his eyes wide and the green seemed to have drained from his face. Purple was typing something on his wrist, eyes also wide as his fingers seem to almost bash into the device. Orange's hands started to wildly tremble as his eyes dart randomly around the room, searching for his older brother. The fear was clear as they all started to scramble around, searching and calling out their brothers name. 

 Blue lowered his blades before sheathing them completely, no longer seeing this as an attempt at a surprise attack. Instead his eyes turn back to his own brothers, noting how Raph had drowsily gotten up, looking around confused while Mikey reached out towards his counterpart with reassuring murmurs. This was not supposed to happen.

 Leo quickly started to search for the other turtle too. But when he took a single step, the air exploded with the buzzing of static before a distant crash could be heard. Everyone's eyes snap towards the entrance to the room before everyone sprinted from the space. 

 The group comes to a stop at the kitchen. There laying on the ground a dazed glaze to his eye was Blue. The glow of his stripes faded away as his eyes drooped, the air seeming to still with the fading lights. Though a smirk quirked on the edge of his mouth as his head rolled to the side. His voice slurred as he looked between all the turtles. "Howsh the neww trick Big Blwuee?"

 His eyes roll back before he crashes into the ground, his brothers rushing to his side. They hovered over him, panic clear from their gaze and motions as they cautiously picked him up. Leo could only watch, knowing his family wouldn't be able to do much. So he simply watched from the side. But Leo noticed how Mikey seemed to stick by his counterpart's side, still softly saying words of reassurance and giving a comforting hug that the orange turtle seemed to melt into. The eldest blue turtle wasn't sure how or when his brother got so close to his counterpart, but he wouldn't stop it. It was clear it was needed by the younger turtle.

 But Leo felt the air shift. He twists around, ripping the sword from its sheath as he points the blade at the figure that had appeared behind him. A tall purple goat looking man stood in a robe. His hair tied in a topknot as his yellowish eyes narrow at the sight. But his deep voice said a few simple words.

 "Now what happened to Blue?"

Chapter Text

 Purple couldn't help but let out a small sigh of relief at the sight before him. Standing tall at the entrance of the kitchen, a withered katana help to his throat and yet still looking like he could kill everyone in the room with a single whip of his vines. Or at the very least maim them all pretty badly. 

 A loud whine draws the softshell's attention, his eyes turning to see Orange rushing over towards the goat, ignoring the blade and wrapping his arms tightly around his waist. "Dad, Blue disappeared and reappeared in the kitchen! He then fainted!!!"

 Yellow eyes widen for a moment before narrowing and shooting over to the passed out turtle, though Draxum didn't move. His voice seemed to rumble ever so slightly as his eyes trail back down to Leo who's eyes seem to have widened significantly. He quickly retracted sword and bowed before flubbering with his words. "I-I'm so sorry Master Splinter- I didn't realize- I mean I-"

 Draxum's furry brow raised before a snort leaves his nose. Mikey looked confused at the turtle while Purple pulls down his goggles to scan Blue. Everything gets coated in a purple coloring. The usual glow of the blue flames snapping around Blue was dimmer than usual and lacked that familiar spark. It was softer, or weaker would be better term for it as it slowly flickered around, seeming to grasp at the stronger and larger neon purple of Purple's own ninpo. He hated how weak it was. Purple would have to say, his ninpo was far smaller than all his brothers. Red was third largest, and Blue's second largest with Orange's being almost so large it would drown everyone in it. But in a manner it was good since the only time their ninpo gets smaller, and not larger, was when they actively use it.

 "Michael its all good. Seems he's only used too much of his ninpo." He quickly stood up and flicked his goggles up, eyes darting over to the wheezing Draxum and panicked looking turtles. Leo was a blubbering mess as his hands flapped wildly around the air a sweat beading down his head, which certainly wasn't from his earlier spar and tears bubbled up near his eyes. Mikey looked like he was about to start sobbing at any second as he stared at Draxum. Raph looked conflicted, his brows knitting together as his fists tightened. It was clear something was up with their meeting of the goat man, but Purple didn't need answers for that right now.

 "Blue will be fine, but he certainly needs time to recover his ninpo, so if someone can take him to his room I need to take Barry dearest with me for some mystic counsel." The softshell ignored the itch that snake across his shell as he passes the other turtles, noting Red picking Blue up easily with a thumbs up, before using a metal arm to grab the yokai by the scruff of his robe. The much taller demon rolls his eyes before following after, slapping the metal appendage away. The hooves clack on the cement ground as they made their way to Purple's lab, the slowly shouting from the kitchen fading away.

 Nether of them spoke, the white noise unpleasant to Purple's ears as his eyes narrow a bit. So he did what his twin did best, talk. "Honestly I'm surprised your taking the sight of a dimensions alternate version of us so well. I honestly would have expected you to see them and turn around and leave, grumbling about how you didn't have enough tea for this, quotation marks shit quotation marks."

 A small grunt is heard from behind, the doors of Purple's labs seeming small compared to the goat's stature. "We have a eighteen year old teenager from a apocalyptic future where an alien species destroyed everything and everyone, seeing versions of you turtles from another space is the least surprising."

 Purple's back straightens. His brows scrunch together as he slowly turns his head around to face the taller man. His eyes were narrow and the snarl on his lips made it clear for Draxum to shut the fuck up. The yokai rolled his eyes before placing his hands in his sleeves. The goat man was used to stepping on the tails of the turtles, so the glare sent his way didn't bother him as much as it probably should have. "Though I must say, it was a surprise you not only reached out to me, but actually asked for my assistance."

 The soft shell rolled his eyes as he slid the door open, the faint echoing beats of soft lofi-pop faintly heard from a corner. "Scoff. If this wasn't a semi emergency I wouldn't have thought to get you."

 Purple lead Draxum over to the corner where the nesting and dazed Donatello laid. His eyes were open but still gazing out into open space, not focused on anything in particular as his long lanky arms were gently wrapped around his knees. Seeming to have barely moved since Purple had last left him. 

 "I need your help with getting my alternate out of his head. Now normally I would simply give him time to come out of his head, but he's been like this for three months and clearly is dehydrated and malnourished from lack of eating and drinking. So I was thinking using mystic what ever you do best would help with time efficiency." 

 Purple would not tell Draxum part of the reason he wants the other turtle to be grounded. It was irrelevant at the moment anyhow.

 The goat man crouches down and hovers over the turtle wearing the lavender mask, his furry hand stroking the fur on his chin as a small hum leaves him. His eyes flashed orange for a split second before an amused grin crosses his face. "And how long have these guest been in our dimension again?"

 A sharp sharpie brow raises up as Purple crosses his arms, the tip of one of his fingers tapping against his arm. "Three to four months now, but I don't have an exact number. They've been with us for a day and a half now though."

 A small hum leaves the goat man who sat up. His hand continues to rub at his chin before a grin crosses face. "Well I do have a possible solution. Though it would require some reworkings of the spell I used to send you and your brothers into your fathers mind. After all this would require some more interaction than just watching though it shouldn't be too difficult. Give me a day or so, and we can perform it. But I also must ask, how many people would I be sending in?"

 Purple stiffens for a moment. That was a good question. How many of them would go inside a single turtle's fragile mind? While as much as the softshell would love to see everything in his counterparts head, and possibly get information on what exactly caused the other turtle family to get here, he clearly remembers the beating he and his brothers got from their fathers subconscious. He also remembered the state the spell had left his father in. The almost unending tears that confused the older man who seemed to be unable to stop. How it took the brothers an hour to help him reground himself in reality and not think of themselves as illusions formed by his brain.

 So the turtle turned his gaze down to the figure laying in the nest of pillows. "Just three. We'll send his brothers in since that would probably be the safest option."

 The goat man nods his head before opening a portal with a snap of his fingers. "All right. I'll go make the preparations then."

 Mikey felt like he was going to have a panic attack. This day has been to much for him. First he gets into an argument with other Donnie. Then he spars Orange, which he did not want to do, but didn't have too much a choice. Then he meets his father from another dimension that is not a six foot tall rat and not dead, but alive and seeming to be a six foot tall goat man. Plus Blue was currently unconscious, and Orange too destressed for Mikey to feel he could ask questions. So instead he did what he did best, suppress the sadness and confusion and go to comfort the panicking Leo.

 Leo's eyes were shrunken as a cold sweat seemed to pool down his head as he mumbled incoherently to himself. His hands twitching as if any second he would sprint after the alternate version of their father to grab onto his robe. A habit he used to have when they were tots long ago. It was an adorable habit that lit a small spark of glee in the youngest brother, but it was too small a joy. "Leo bro its all good! He's here and we have plenty of time to get to know this Splinter!"

 The deep blue eyes turn towards Mikey's softer baby blue ones. He didn't have to say the words clearly reflected in them. Mikey could only smile as he wrapped his arms tenderly around his brothers shoulders. "We're more prepared this time. We can stop them from going through that like us..."

 The leader in deep blue seems to relax ever so slightly, his head nodding slowly and slowly picking up speed. "Yeah... yeah your right Mikey..."

 Feeling his oldest brother was calm enough, he turned to his second oldest brother. Mikey recognized the clear conflicted crashing of emotions in those blazing green eyes, and knew he didn't have the option of the best solution he'd normally use. So that left Mikey's least favorite option in that moment. 

 Mikey quickly approached his brother, making sure to approach from the front in clear view before tapping his shoulder gently. Green eyes snap into focus and seem to glare at Mikey. But the younger turtle simple smiles in reassurance. "Wanna go spar?" 

 The red turtle nods his head before marching out the kitchen, Mikey quickly following with a muted sigh. A single thought in his mind as his smile faded for a moment. 

 'He was so tired.'

 Leo took a deep breath before letting it slowly out. He hated how easily he was shaken up, but Mikey had helped him to calm down a bit. So instead he turned around to see Orange. He... he looked cartoonishly confused was the best thing Leo would get to describing him. "UUUUh... why'd you call Barry, Splinter?"

 "Uh... was that not... your Splinter?" Leo felt his cheeks warm up ever so slightly. Did he and his brothers just have a break down over a person who was not in fact Splinter?

 Orange shook his head before tilting his head a bit. "Nooooo... That was Baron Draxum. He's our other dad and we call him Barry sometimes. Pops is currently on a cruise."

 Oh god they did have a breakdown cause of a stranger! Leo felt almost dizzy from how embarrassed he was, his hands shooting up to cover his face as his neck lowers a bit into his shell. Damn the fact he didn't think of the many differences between their universes. Why had the fact, first of all this guy was a fucking goat not tell him enough that it wasn't Splinter?! Oh cause Donnie had shown them the other universes where they were all humans or other things. Do not get Leo started on the insult of the universe where they were frogs. 

 "We... don't have a Draxum back at our old home... nor another parent figure so you called him dad and we just thought-" Orange's eyes seem to light up in realization.

 "Oh! Sorry I guess that would be confusing for you guys. But yeah we have two dad's." Orange grins, revealing a small gap in his teeth that reminded Leo a lot of Donnie. Oh how Leo missed the tallest of his brothers.

 Feeling himself smile softly, Leo felt himself reach forward and gently rub the top of Orange's head. The turtle scrunched his eyes shut for a moment as a small whine of complaint left his mouth, but he didn't push the blue turtle's hand away. Instead he seemed to lean farther into the touch, but Leo took his hand away almost a soon as the weight pressed into his hand. 

 Turning his eyes away, back towards where his brothers went, Leo couldn't help but step away. "I'm going to go explain to my brothers then..."

 "W-wait! Why..." His cerulean eyes seem to burn into Leo's own as the two stare at each other. Leo knew what question was going to be asked, or at least a variant of it. It wasn't a question he wanted to answer. He didn't need to answer this question surly?

 But then Orange closed his mouth and instead gave a smile. Leo felt his heart sink, recognizing the smile as a similar one his Mikey would wear when he decided against saying something. "Never mind. Its not anything of importance right now."

 Guilt hit Leo hard. He wasn't sure how much he heard those words from his own Mikey, but he knew that it was enough to be concerned about. But he really didn't want to have this conversation with someone he's only known for a day. So instead he nods his head before leaving to go to his brothers. He ignored the faint curses being mumbled behind him as he leaves the kitchen.

 Fuck he hated this whole situation.

Chapter Text

 Donnie stared at the mirror in front of him. The lights of the bathroom was dimmed and the window had the shutters shut tight, not letting an ounce of light in. The faintest hiss from the old toilet could be heard followed by the occasional drip of water from a faucet. Sometimes from the sink being gripped by Donnie's hands or the tub behind him. The sound of electricity buzzing somehow louder than the sound of water. 

 He stared at his reflection that blinked at him. He looked so much older in the mirror than he felt. Scars seemed to litter across his reflections body, seeming almost like someone splattered him with chemicals that left his skins three shades lighter in areas. Deep slices seem to mar the once soft green that had grown darker and duller in color with age. His normally vibrant cinnamon colored eyes looked so dull in his reflection and the large black and purple marking on his plastron right above where his heart would be of the Hamato clan's symbol. Something Donnie didn't have. Or at least not in this physical form.

 The terrapin stares at his reflection that looked so foreign. Looking down at his hands, he didn't see the scars that littered across his reflection. Nor did he see the symbol painted on his chest wear his heart was oddly silent. His skin was smooth and undamaged. The light speckles pronounced in contrast to the more faded ones in the mirror. "So it seems your finally ready to face me..."

 Donnie's eyes snap open as he looks back at his reflection. The reflection blinks at Donnie, sending a shiver of fear down the younger turtle's spine. His reflection just spoke to him.

 The mirror turtle's eyes seem to soften for a moment before returning to a cold indifference. "Do you remember why your here?"

 His voice was oddly monotone, the complete opposite of Donnie's normal inflections and tones that expressed his emotions with each of his words even when his face doesn't. "W-what do you mean..?"

 "Do you remember why your here? What caused you to shut down?" An image seems to flash behind Donnie's eyes causing him to jerk away from the mirror. A pained cry seeming to tickle the back of his ears but he quickly blurs it out, focusing more on the electric buzzing of the lights. His breath remained steady, but he noted how his breaths became deeper.

 What did the mirror turtle meant by why was he here? He was at the farm! What reason would he need to be at the farm with April and Casey?! They came here to get away from it!

 His reflection tilts his head. "Get away from what?"

 "Just to relax! What other reason do we need to come here?!" What did this turtle want from him?! It clearly was looking for something from him, but the monotone voice and the clear blankness of his expression scared the younger turtle.

 "Are you younger?"

 "STOP THAT! I'm only 15-" His mouth slammed shut. That wasn't right... 

 His hands released the sink's edge to raise to his face. He felt the shape of his cheeks, how they held softer flesh than he remembered it being. His eyes go down to his legs and he noted how far more gangly they looked, no longer the most muscular feature of his body. He looked back up at the mirror and noticed how his reflection was taller than he was by a few inches, Donnie having to actively look up at the terrapin. How old was he supposed to be again..?

 Wasn't he 15 still? Why did he feel like he should be older now?

 Another image flashes through his mind. His brothers and him standing taller, and older around a blueprint of what looked like a door frame. As fast as it came it disappeared, alongside it any control the turtle had of his breaths. The air hitting his lungs like chunks of ice was being forced down into them and refused to leave. It was coming in too fast and leaving even faster as he forced himself to go as far from the mirror as he could. His eyes darted around the dim room, looking for something to defend himself from what ever it was in the mirror spouting out lies.

 "What lies have I said? All I have done is ask you some questions. Do you fear whats outside that much?" He hated it.

 He hated how this THING just seemed to read all his thoughts. He hated how its eyes seemed to lack any semblance of emotions. That they were completely blank of any intention, both positive and negative as they stare down at Donnie. Picking apart every little thing about him to weaponize against his being. He needed out.

 His eyes shoot over to the door. He needed out.

 Donnie lunged for the handle, but right as he was about to rip the blockage off hits hinges, the contraption dissolved into nothingness. The handle gone like dust in the palm of his hand, soon followed by the door fading to match the walls entrapping him. The window following suite leaving the turtle trapped. 

 A loud whine leaves him as he curls into himself, barely holding back the urge to hide away in his shell completely. He felt his tail quivering as his knees raise higher up to block add another layer of protection between himself and the mirror. He hated this! Hated it! Hated it! Hated it!!!

 "It seems I was wrong... you were not ready to face me..." A sigh leaves the reflection and Donnie couldn't help but scrunch farther into his fetal position.

 Another sigh was faintly heard. "Look up at me, I will ask one last question and depending on your answer I will release you."

 Donnie seemed to feel a calm soak into his fear ridden body. Cautiously, he peered up. He couldn't see the reflection, the counter seeming to have blocked most of his view. Slowly standing up, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. With still shaky breaths, he kept his wobbling knees steady by pressing his hands firmly into the counter. Taking one last painful breath, his head snapped up to face the thing in the mirror.

 It didn't change, no expression on its face as its cinnamon colored eyes bored into Donnie's own. The two stared into each others eyes for a moment, Don feeling more uncomfortable by the passing of seconds. No words were exchanged, only thoughts being read one sided. He wanted his brothers and he wanted this thing to leave.

 The reflection blinked. "If that is your wish..."

 Donnie felt himself still, his eyes widening. It was that easy?!

 "But-" Of course it wasn't. Nothing is ever that easy for the mutant turtle.

 The reflection's eyes seem to spark with something for a moment. Its words were just as monotone as always, but they seemed to hold something behind them. A meaning Donnie couldn't comprehend when he heard them. "Do you still want to be here, not seeing reality?"

 The two just stare at each other for a moment. The turtle didn't respond, unable to form words as he simply stare at the other. Just silence and white noise for what felt like ages. Words didn't form, and Donnie's throat seem to clench in a attempt to end his suffering. The reflection closes its eyes the room growing dark as it does. "It seems this is your answer... I will return once you are ready once more..."

 "Wait- What?!" The air returned, making him dizzy as the two words left his mouth. His eyes fluttered as he felt the sink disappear from under him. His body falling forward as he drifted downward into a black void that seemed to fill his head with more cotton as he sunked farther in. The reflection's last words seeming to boom into his scull. 

 "You can not stay in your head forever... The dead are not as important as the living, do not let them drag you farther down with you taking others with you..." The voice faded away and with it Donnie felt himself melt into sleep.

 Something was different. Donnie opened his eyes, noting how he for once was sleeping in bed and not at his desk in the lab. But that wasn't what was throwing him off.

 Slowly sitting up he gently rubbed the bridge of his snout, feeling like his head was nothing but cotton as a dull ache pulsed behind his eyes. His head felt warmer than it should be, and his limps heavier than previously what they were. An almost overwhelming exhaustion begging for him to lay back down and sleep. And he was tempted to do just that. 

 To allow himself this one day of nonproductivity and bask in the warmth of his body under his bed covers. But he heard the excited voice of three people coming from downstairs. With a heavy heart, he forced himself to awkwardly stumble out his room, his grip tight on anything to help prevent him from falling as he slowly went downstairs. He had to pass the living room when he froze. 

 Looking in, he saw April and Casey excitedly talking to two familiar figures. He couldn't believe it.

 Sitting on the recliner was Raph, his crimson red bandana less jagged than he remember it being the last time Donnie had seen it. Do not think of why it was like that. Laying on the love seat was Leo, his right leg raised on a small pile of pillows as he smiled gently. But like his eyes were enough to give himself away, the oldest turtle turned and faced Donnie his warm brotherly smile. 

 "Hello Don... It's been awhile."

Chapter Text

 Mikey was miserable.

 Mikey couldn't even muster a smile as he stared in pure shock at the turtle who stood in front of him with a chalkboard covered in words and small images. His brothers sat at his side, eyes wide but a look of hope aglow in their eyes. Purple had a smug grin on his face as he held the pointer in hand at a drawing of his counterpart in a group hug with Mikey's brothers and himself. Purple's brothers looked contemplated and seem on board with this idea. But a sick hole seemed to form deep in his gut.

 Purple's plan was the magically send the remaining quadruplets, into their genius brothers mind to pull him back into reality. It was a good plan. One that Mikey would have normally jumped behind but this pit of anxiety seemed to sink deep into his stomach. Curling around inside the organ nearly overwhelming the turtle the urge to throw up but at the same time not allowing him too.

 He should be happy and thrilled at the fact he could have his brother back. That the piece of his surviving family would be back to its rightful place. They'd be more whole then they have been for the last three months. Now it wasn't the fact they'd be entering their brothers mind. It wouldn't be the first time for the turtles, but it was still a very sensitive matter. 

 Leo stood up, a small wiggle in his fingers most wouldn't notice as he studies the plan. "Wow! This is so much more convenient an option over being telepathically projected into someone's mind!"

 Raph stands by the eldest's side with his arms crossed. A crooked grin was on his face as he looked at the plan. He looked to a stranger like he was going to enjoy what was to come, but Mikey could see the nervous flexing of his leg muscles though the appendage didn't move. "Plus we're going into Donnie's mind this time not Mikey's. I'm sure it won't be nearly as weird-"

 He cuts himself off, his eyes darting over to Mikey who was very silent this whole time. "No offense little brother, but your imagination was filled with some pretty weird stuff. Nothing wrong with that though."

 Mikey doesn't even acknowledge what his brother says, his arms going up to wrap around himself. "I'm going to get some air. Before you say anything bro's, I just need to sort some stuff. I'll be back... sometime soon."

 And faster than the others could blink, Mikey left in a sprint. Leaving behind three baffled turtles and two saddened brothers. Purple looked confused over all by the situation. Was it something he said? Or was his plan just overall bad? He wasn't sure what happened to warrant the response the older Mikey had. "Uh was it something I said?"

 Orange looks out after his counterpart. "I think I'll go with him. Just so he doesn't get lost." 

 Receiving a nod from both Red and Leo, Orange left to follow his counterpart out the lair.

 Purple could only watch in confusion at the sudden leaving of the Mikeys. Its been a whole day since he and Purple's argument, so maybe that was why he reacted this way? Was he still upset with Purple and thats why he didn't like the plan? No that didn't sound like something a Mikey would do. Or at least his Mikey wouldn't disagree with a plan just because of his personal feelings if it was related to his family. But then again, upon farther studying the taller orange turtle didn't disagree with the plan. He simply left the room with what his brothers would call, a stressed expression.

 A few seconds passed before a sigh left Leo. "Apologies for... that. Mikey hasn't been taking the whole, dimensional travel too well. Nor the fact Donnie, our Donnie, has been in his state..."

 That... was quiet the contradicting conclusion the turtle in blue had presented. Purple had only a few interactions with the other version of his brother, but the few he had has painted a very different image. Their Mikey seemed almost identical to his own brother, other than physical traits, if not with a few contradictions easily chalked up to simply age and experience.

 Both orange clad turtles wore an optimistic grin most of the time, but older Mikey's grin seemed far more off though. It lacked a certain warmth Orange's own smile had and felt more tired. The slight bags under his eyes didn't help, even the masks not seeming to hide them that was under the new turtle's eyes. The orange turtle even seemed to be excited by the interactions between himself and Purple's own brothers, having grown almost attached to Orange's hip. It was a feed back loop if anything. The two turtles seeming to feed on each others positivity and amplifying it in a way their brothers couldn't. 

 Their Mikey wasn't taking the dimensional travel well? Other than the outburst during him and Purple's argument, he felt it hard to believe it. 

 His face must have given how he was feeling away, because the shortest red turtle's eyes seemed to narrow. A snarl curling his lip as his stare makes Purple hot in a uncomfortable way. "He's been stressing over us for the past three months and fucking Donnie! Barely taken anytime for himself so get what ever thought in your head making you confused out of that large forehead of yours!" 

 Purple couldn't help but gasp at the sudden and unexpected insult. "How is my forehead of any relevance at the moment?!"

 "And how is the way my little brother reacts to the situation any relevance to you?! Huh?!" The shorter turtle steps closer and bares his teeth. The tip of his nose almost touching Purple's own as a low growl left his throat. It was a challenge. One that almost got a hiss out from Purple that he held back, holding back that primal part of his brain that wanted to bite at the threat invading his space. 

 A snarl started to curl his lip, but a large hand reached over and picked up the smaller turtle by the lip of his shell. Almost like second nature, the turtle went limp, his emerald green eyes wide in pure horror as he stared at the ground. "Now stop that! Do NOT get in his space and insult my little brother." 

 The snapping turtle growled himself, the deep rumbling sending a spike of fear through everyone. But Raph didn't respond. His eyes seeming glued to the ground as his limbs hung limply. It was silent.

 But when more than two minutes passed and the silence went unbroken, Red started to look concerned. Raising the turtle higher, Red looks at the still face of the other turtle. "Uh... are you ok?"

 No response.

 Red waved his other free hand in Raph's face who had yet to blink. "Raph?"

  Still no response. 

 Purple feeling the anger fade to be replaced by curiosity. None of his brothers have ever react to being picked up like this. Orange would retract into his shell, Blue sometimes would bite at Red's fingers, and the giant never tried to pick up Purple since his shell was softer. It was similar to when a mother cat picked up a kitten by its scruff. Its body just instinctually goes limp as to allow ease of transportation, but this one seemed more fear based. Like a rabbit that's frozen when getting suddenly scooped up by a hawk.

 "Could you please put him down."

 Red and Purple turn their heads away from the frozen turtle and look at the other one. Leo stood next to them and held his arms up, a motion as if he'd catch his brother if he was dropped. His own ocean blue eyes glittered with concern but still held a otherwise calm façade. 

 With a small nod of his head, he gently places the turtle on the ground, Red's face morphing into one of concern. Once his feet touched the ground, what ever paralyzing fear had incased the turtle disappeared as fast as it appeared. His eyes sharpened as he jumped behind his older brother, a loud angry hiss erupting from him. 

 'A cat.'

 It was a shared thought between the two taller turtles as they looked at the aggressive turtle. But the clear look of relief and gentle head pats being given by the blue turtle, this was something they weren't used to. But after a few more pats, Leo's eyes turn back to the other turtles. "Please don't grab us by the shells... we've had some bad experiences with it..."

 Red nodded his head, a small look of regret on his face as his shoulders hunched up. Giving him a smaller appearance. "Sorry, I won't do that again. Its something I normally do to separate my brothers when they are fighting."

 Leo nods his head before giving a soft smile. "Its ok. Raph is normally aggressive when he's worried, so don't take anything he says right now to heart." 

 Red nods again, but Purple simply rolls his eyes. The softshell turning his back to the angry turtle and reaching upward to write some more on the board. A bitter tinge plaguing his throat as he held back the urge to hiss back at the other turtle. This was not worth the mental work right now with out the turtle himself there. He just needed to get the plan in progress and then things will be fixed to a degree. He could move onto his next project with a new resource to make this process easier.

 Eventually the hissing stops and the calm voice returns. "Thank you for everything you and your family has been doing for us... I know its not easy meeting versions of yourselves from a different dimension, but we truly appreciate everything you've done for us."

 One part of that sentenced made Purple freeze. He turned around and stared with his eyes wide, an excited sparkle to them. "Excuse me but from what you've said it sounds like you have experienced meeting other dimensional versions of ourselves before?!"

 Leo's head scrunches down with a nervous grin. "Yeeeeeaaaaaah..."

 What have these turtles experienced?! It was something Purple felt he needed answers too!

 Orange felt the blast of cool air hit his face. The echoing sound of cars speeding down roads alongside horns blaring occasionally. The sky was painted a soft orange bleeding into purple that bled into a dark blackish-blue. The clouds a soft lavender as they dragged across the sky. It smelled like trash and oddly enough hot dogs, the youngest turtles least favorite scent combination. By least favorite, he means he borderline wanted to vomit at the mere idea of the combination.

 But he persisted.

 He lowered the manhole cover before climbing up the nearest fire escape feeling the faintest tug upward. Orange wasn't sure why he felt this was the right way to go, but the tug was growing stronger as he got higher and higher, only stopping when he reached the top. His heart seemed to speed up as he saw the silhouette of the other orange turtle.

 The taller turtle sat on the edge of the building, his long legs hanging loosely over the edge with his hands resting at his sides. His head was tilted upward, seeming to be looking into the sky. The faintest tremble could be seen in his shoulders. That was all Orange needed to see to quickly join his counterpart by his side. 

 But words weren't shared immediately. The two youngest turtles of their brothers simply sat in silence as they watched the sky's colors grow darker, the stars slowly fading in at the lack of harsh light blocking them away. The crescent moon rose higher casting its blue glow upon the city that illuminated with lights of pink and purple and soft yellows. The car horns grew softer, and the wind whistled as it passed the towering buildings.

 "Do you think my brother hates me?"

 The words were so sudden that Orange felt his neck stiffen when his head whipped around to face the older turtle. The freckled cheeks of the turtle were stained with tears as he stared at the sky. Bags the younger turtle had never noticed before were far more pronounce. The almost unending energy that had radiated from him seeming to have simmered out completely. Leaving behind a shell lacking any positive emotions.

 He must have been silent for too long. Because when Orange felt his tongue go dry, his mouth opening to respond he was shocked to see the saddest smile on his counterparts face. "Sorry little dude... you don't have to answer that. It was more... rehorical than anything."

 "Rhetorical you mean."

 Mikey's smile wavers for a second, but it was barely noticeable even for Orange. Though he did catch it. "Yeah thats what I meant..." 

 Their voices died after that last exchange. Silence clinging to the both of them once more as they continued to watch the sky. 

 What was he supposed to do?! Orange was typically the one to solve emotional problems with his family, but he didn't know these other turtles well enough yet to get a read on them. His own counterpart seemed to be the emotional solver of his family too, having been quick to help the younger version when he had a moment the first night they met.

 Mikey had so fast knew what Orange needed at the time and was quick to accommodate him even though that was their first ever proper interaction one on one. How had he found it so easy while Orange was here struggling to simply give the same support?! Why couldn't he give that same quick response back to him?! It was clear something about Purple's plan had upset the older turtle and his brother's comments clearly had not helped, but maybe they were the reason for this response? But that couldn't be because Mikey was fine till Purple-

 "Your version of New York has a better view of the stars than we had..." 

 Once more Orange felt his head snap back to the older turtle. There he saw it clearly now. The freckled turtle wore the same smile as he had since he met Orange, his blue eyes seeming to sparkle with something as he stared at the sky. He looked happy. But the younger turtle could tell it wasn't genuine. It was the same type of smile Orange wore when he was trying to keep his family together. When he for once wasn't taking his own advice and shoved his emotions down for his family's feelings. 

 "Is that so?"

 Mikey nodded his head, eyes never leaving the sky. "Yeah. On Earth we didn't get to see the stars this clearly except on the farm, and we didn't really have a lot of good times there. But nothing is more amazing than swimming among the stars in space... Its other worldly to be surrounded by them."

 Wait had he heard that right? Orange felt excitement bloom in his chest as he turned his body to face the older turtle. "YOU WENT INTO SPACE?!"

 A soft laugh leaves Mikey alongside a firm nod. "Oh yeah bro! My bro's and I went into space and got to see a ton of cool stuff!" 

 And like that the older turtle told the younger one about some of the smaller adventures he and his family had in space. About how his brothers and him battled against alien threats. About their robot/cyborg friend named Fugitoid guided them through the foreign cultures and experiences. It was enthralling to the younger turtle. His counterpart had experienced things similar to that of he and his brother's favorite sci-fi hero had gone through in space. 

 "That is so cool!!! We've never been into space before!!!" Orange couldn't help but shake his fingers out in his excitement, his eyes sparkling. Mikey's face seemed to hold a nostalgic look to them, seeming to age the turtle even more than he was already. The two enjoyed the moment a bit longer, but as Orange's hands stilled he felt something was off. But then it clicked.

 Almost seamlessly, the older turtle had dragged Orange's attention away from the issue at hand. Narrowing his eyes ever so slightly he held back the pout from crossing his face. He needed to be direct, or else Mikey will dance around the issue like he had done during sparring yesterday. He needed to strike fast.

 "What would make you think your brother would hate you?" Mikey chuckled softly before looking back at the stars.

 "I can't say too much... but he would have every reason to hate me. I mean, its my fault after all." This only confused Orange more. What could be Mikey's fault that would result with one of his brothers hating him?

 "It's my fault he's like that anyway... UGh! I always screw things up..." The older turtle lowered his head into his hands as he gently rubbed his temples. 

 The younger turtle couldn't help but feel angered at this. He had heard similar things from Blue on occasion, but this felt different somehow. The way he said it felt like someone other than himself had confirmed his statement. Though one thing had cleared up. Mikey was talking about his Donnie. He blamed himself for some reason for Donnie being in the state he was in.

 Words of reassurance wouldn't help right now. Orange needed more details. "You mean your Donnie? What would you have done?"

 "I took away one of the two most important things from him, and failed to protect the other... They'd be here with us if I hadn't..."

 Oh.

 Orange wasn't always the smartest turtle in the room, but he easily could piece together what details he had. This was something Casey had gone through shortly after the Kraang invasion ended. It was something they had actively been working together to work through. To lesson the pain he inflicted on himself with the thought process that Mikey clearly was feeling. Certain words didn't have to be said for the younger turtle to know where he was going.

 In all honesty, Orange didn't know what to say. It was clear nothing he could say would reassure the turtle's worries, that could only be changed by the turtle involved himself. Donatello was the only one who could help the youngest at the moment, and he was too out of it to do it. Though that was clearly something that worried the other turtle.

 "Are you scared to have your thoughts confirmed?"

 Mikey gives a small nod. "I don't think I could take it if Donnie... if my brother..."

 He took a deep but shaky breath, his eyes shutting tightly as he hunched over. "I'm scared to have my fears confirmed."

 Maybe he shouldn't have done it. A decision made with impulse more than actual thought behind it. But before Mikey could get more words out of his mouth, the smaller turtle wrapped his arms firmly around the older turtle in a tight hug. He squeezed as snuggly as he could with out hurting him. Arms, far more hesitantly, wrap around his smaller frame and gently squeezed back. The larger body trembled as Orange felt a new weight pressed against the top of his head. A silent sob echoed in Orange's ear as he gently rubbed circles into the larger shell of his counter part.

  The two simply sat like that for what felt like hours. No more words were shared. Nether could say anything in the moment, so they simply stayed there. Not caring as the hours passed.

Chapter Text

 When the two turtles separated from their hug, the moon that was in front of them was now high in the sky. Mikey couldn't help but feel the heat of embarrassment on his cheeks burn under the mask. He understood that Orange was his counterpart, but the kid was... well still a kid. He shouldn't have put that kind of baggage on the kid. Mikey knew what he was thinking was just his new anxiety amplifying his already existing anxiety related to his brothers which was fueled by his guilt.

 Logically (a word Mikey does not use to refer to himself too much. He wasn't the logic turtle that was Dee), it was obvious that Donnie wouldn't hate Mikey over this. What had happened back at their home dimension was like a natural disaster that was unavoidable once on its course. There wasn't anyway to avoid it after it was triggered, fleeing was their only option after... the incident. To have tried to fight against it would have been the equivalent of an ant fighting a hurricane. Impossible odds that would result with death. So not all of them making it was a high probability to happen. Of the 20 people in his life only his brothers and himself had made it over, and that was a small probability too!

 He should be grateful and joyful his brothers had made it at all! That any of them had made it to this safe haven that will remain so long as his brothers and him are careful. He has the three longest and most trusted relationships he's held in his life with him! Splinter had long since been dead, and so there was no lost over him (Mikey will not acknowledge the grief of losing their father's presence that was like a warm blanket coating his family after his passing). He still had his brothers! 

 He still had HIS brothers!

 But emotionally he couldn't help what he felt. The ripping anxiety chewing into his heart that the moment his brother opened his eyes, truly back that Mikey would be cast off a cliff to fend for himself. That he would be all alone again like all those years ago when another of his brother had returned to the world of the waking. Like when the storm that was the war they had fought had settled into a lonely cold. Mikey was nothing with out his family. Nothing.

 "I..."

 Mikey blinks and he's back in the world. Orange's vibrant blue eyes stare up at Mikey with a look of concern, seeming to see straight into the older turtle. He nervously fidgeted, a twitch to his fingers the older turtle could recognize to be not be of conscious choice. Though the smaller turtle reached up and gently, but strongly held Mikey's larger hands. He blinked, and like someone opened up the blinds blocking the sun, Mikey felt the warmth of care and empathy radiating from the younger turtle directed at him. His voice was soft, but clear. 

 "I know we've just met not too long ago, but I want you to know... I have your back."

 Mikey felt his eyes widen. The smaller turtle continued.

 "I don't know your family yet, but no matter what happens... No matter what your brother says or what will happen after this point. Always know I'll be there to support you." 

 Orange nervously shrugs his shoulders, his lip curling up in a nervous grin as the trembling in his hands pickled up in consistency. "Normally if you were one of my immediate brothers, I'd have said something like, 'We could never hate you!' or I'd cast my never ending (to my brothers) optimism so that they'd feel better and to shut down all their horrible self-hating tendencies. But I feel you don't want to hear that stuff right now, so I'll let you know and remind you for as long as it takes. I'll be there for you even if you don't want me to." 

 The older turtle felt a something swell in his chest as he gave a small nod of his head. The words seeming to not leave his mouth as his lips curled into a small smile. Was this what it was like to have... well himself there? Mikey had done this many times with his own brothers standing where he stood, and here another version doing the same for himself. Though Mikey knew what that meant too.

 Gently bumping his forehead gently against the smaller turtle, earning a surprised chirp. "Thanks little dude... but know that you can do the same with me. We're both Mikeys, so nothing in our heads can be understood better than by ourselves, so come to me if you don't want to go to your own family. I'll have your shell like you have mine."

 Orange's eyes watered for a moment as he felt his grin widen. The two turtles collide once more in a tight hug. The air seemed to vibrate happily in the air. Small golden sparks seeming to bounce around them unnoticed, as they both enjoy each others hold. But a familiar ring-tone quickly ripped through their ears.

 Both quickly broke apart and reach for their phones. Raising the small device up they both stare at each other for a moment before giggling. Orange clicked the answer button on his screen and raised to up. "Yellow?"

 Mikey turns his eyes up, once more looking at the stars high above them. Orange's words faded into the background as Mikey's thought honed in on a particularly faint star in the sky. He didn't know why, but his eyes studied its soft flickering. He swore the star was a soft shade of lavender, its whimsical twinkles slowly growing stronger as the seconds passed. It grew brighter until it was as bright as the other stars around it. 

 Maybe... maybe things will be ok. 

 "Hey Sunny!"

 The taller turtle broke his gaze away from the star and turned to Orange. The smaller turtle's face had a concern glow to his eyes, and a softer turn to his lips. "Purple wants to start the ritual soon... are you ok with that?"

 Closing his baby blue eyes and taking a deep breath, Mikey slowly nods his head. "Yeah... Lets go get my brother back!"

 Mikey changed his mind. He was not ready yet to get his brother!

 The orange turtle sat in a circle on the edge of a larger circle. There were four more smaller circles on each point, the final one in the center. White lines connected and curled around each individual with what looked to be runes lining them. Leo sat in a circle to Mikey's left, Raph sat to his right in a circle, and Donnie was hunched over in the center circle.

 The goat yokai from the other day sat on the ground directly across from Mikey. His hands held a piece of white chalk as he wrote more runes into the magic circle with a wide grin on his face. Purple stood next to a computer, typing away quickly on it. Red stood behind Draxum with a cautious look to his face, his eyes darting from the circle to the turtles sitting in it. Blue wasn't there, but he was probably resting in his room still. Orange was next to Mikey and giving reassuring squeezes of his hands. It was helping a tiny bit.

 But then Purple's voice entered the fray. "So one last time. Draxum is going to send you into your brothers mind. It will be your job to pull him back into the real world. Simple as that."

 Raph gives a thumbs up while Leo nods in confirmation. Mikey feels himself want to retract into his shell and die. Why was this so hard?! How were his brothers not nervous doing this to his own brain?!

 "Hey Sunny-" the familiar soft whisper near his ears snatches Mikey's attention away from his inner turmoil. His eyes looking at Orange's own. The smaller turtle giving a reassuring smile. "Once this is done we can continue to disgust about how we plan everyone to talk, is that good?"

 The idea Orange and Mikey had digusted on their trip home was still fresh in his mind. It brought a small calm to his stomach. It was something both Mikeys agreed would have to be done, and the sooner the better. It would help both turtle groups with-

 "DONE!"

 Wait what-

 Before anyone could process what was happening, Draxum slammed his hands into the circle, it exploding into a blue glow. The four turtles sitting in the circles eye grow wide and radiate a white light as the whole room is engulfed. Once the light had cleared the other wake turtles stare at the yokai in shock. "Draxum what the heck?! You need to give them a heads up before just hurling them into someone's mind?!"

 The yokai shrugged his shoulders, his hands remaining firmly on the ground as he lets out a small huff. "Well I thought it would be better before the orange one got cold feet to just throw them in it. Now do you wanna see whats happening or not, cause I added some runes to the spell that will allow us to project what's happening to them in the air."

 "DRAXUM!!!"

 It felt cold. Opening his eyes. Mikey wasn't surprised to find himself surrounded by tall shaded trees. The sky was black and the only source of light was the faintest orange glow from himself. The grass under his feet felt like small thorns tearing into his feet. Though he didn't acknowledge it as he stared down at his shockingly lighter body. He ignores the greasy feeling rising around his body as he studies the lack of scars on his arms and legs. The harsh slices gone to be replaced by soft baby like scales. 

 He felt smaller, but he recognized he wasn't a child. Or at least, not any more of a child than his imaginative self. Sliding the elbow guard on his left arm down a little, he sees the familiar scar in the shape of a vine curling around the joint. The oldest, and most prominent scar the turtle had, but only received before the invasion. He must be in his body back when he was seventeen. Before... before...

 Mikey shook his head and began to walk. He ignored the pain exploding in his feet as he searched for his other brothers. He needed to find one of them at least before confronting Donnie. He couldn't do this alone...

 Its been a few days since Leo and Raph had joined them on the farm. Leo's knee was healing well, Raph and Casey did the farm chores together when their not rough housing. But oddly enough, the two eldest brothers took to showering Donnie with affection when ever they could. Donnie was doing a safe project in the barn? Raph was there by his side reading a comic, just basking in each others presences. Donnie was watching the nature channel on the tv? Leo was at his side practically cuddling the younger brother as the two watch in blissful silence.

 But was weirdest about the whole thing was the fact April nor Casey seemed to acknowledge the change in his brothers. Casey certainly would normally already be ragging on both Raph and Donnie for such expressions of softness but the punk seemed to not care in the slightest. If anything when ever he walked in on it, he would smile happily at the sight. April on the other hand, when ever she entered a scene, she quickly did or said something redirecting everything away from the moment.  

 Everything was perfect!

 Well not perfect. Donnie noticed a shift in the forest. The tree's shadows seeming to grow darker since his brothers joined and the wind cried when ever it blew threw it. It's darkness seemed to reach towards the farm, ignoring all logical physics as it stretched and reached. Clawing at the grass trying to reach the people residing in the safe walls of the old building. The faintest scent of wood smoke wafting from the trees, familiar but still too faint occasionally drew Donnie near. But he would quickly wake up and rush back into the safety of the farm.

 The woods were terrifying and filled to the brim with monstrosities. Things that will rip and tear the peace Donnie found himself safely cocooned in. He needed to protect it. He needed to protect his family.

 So Donnie knew what his next project would be.

 "Dee!"

 Donnie's head snaps up. The blowtorch in hand quickly was turned off, the heat radiating from the tool cooling. His cinnamon eyes look through the lens to see Leo standing at the barns entrance. The leader in blue had a soft smile, but the ridge's of his eyes were quirked in a questioning manner. The glimmer of amusement bounced around his ocean blue eyes alongside the faint concern that was always there as of late when he looked at Donnie. The crutch under his arm almost completely useless as Leo's injured leg rested easily against the ground. The hand gripping the crutches handle slowly fidgeted, a habit Mikey pointed out in hopes to help Donnie notice when the leader was nervous. Don't think about him. What was making Leo nervous?

 "Whats up Leo?"

 Leo's mouth quirked up in a grin. "The roof."

 Ok forget it. Donnie turned on his stool and turned his torch back on, about to go back to the task at hand. But a familiar hand lands on his shoulder, the soft amused chuckles of his brother almost getting a smile from the taller turtle. Almost. 

 "Sorry sorry! Please I have something important to ask!"

 Turning the torch back off, the purple turtle placed his goggles on top his head. His eyes were narrow as he gave his brother a disbelieving look. Though the faintest tilt of his head showed he was listening.

 The older brother stifled his laughter, giving a slightly lopsided grin before it returned to the cool familiar demeaner. "What are you working on?"

 Maybe it was a little brother thing, or just the fact his family was asking (Casey and April never asked what he was making) but Donnie felt a swell of joy at Leo's question. "Well dearest eldest brother, this piece of genius-"

 He makes a sweeping motion with his hand over the contraption before him. It was made of multiple pieces of scrap metal being welded together into a round shape. Three long jagged prongs stuck out the end facing the back of the barn, a antenna stuck from the center of it towards the roof, and the front narrowed to a cone like point. An orb was attached the pointed end of the cone front. "-is a laser cannon that will shoot at any dangers that comes out the woods. So say bye bye to the threats!"

 Leo's smile faded away to a concerned frown. "Why would we need this? The woods aren't that dangerous..."

 "Not dangerous?!" The squawk of his voice painted a look of surprise across Leo's face as they both stare at each other. Donnie's own face morphs into one of pure shock and slight anger as he stood up off the stool. His oldest brother's eyes follow the younger brother, seeing him pace around the barn with his arms whipping around with gestures of frustration. "These woods are drowning in danger! Don't you remember the damn Creep? Or the Toad society that tried to kill us? How about the chimera that ripped myself, Raph and Casey off the ground and into the mountains? Now Leo, with all do respect older brother, what the hell do you mean 'not dangerous'?!"

 Leo's eyes narrowed for a moment, seeming to freeze Donnie in place. "Wasn't Mikey with you guys when that happened?"

 Donnie stiffened. Don't think about him. 

 He turned around and went to continue working on the cannon. "Anyhow, I need to work on this so we're safe."

 He was about to lower his goggles back over his eyes, but his arm was quickly intercepted. A slightly softer hand catching his own and pulling it away from his head. Leo's eyes were still narrow with concern though there was a more intense emotion to the deep blues. Donnie wasn't the best with emotions, so he couldn't tell what exactly it was but it sent a chill down his spine. Why was Leo looking at him like that.

 The oldest brother gently rubs the back of Donnie's hand with his thumb, a soothing gesture he used to do to Donnie when they were younger. It did its job, the taller brother feeling the tension slowly leave his shoulders. His brother's voice was soft, but firm in a familiar manner. "Dee... I know your enjoying your time here... but you haven't asked about Mikey at all since Raph and I got here."

 "Who?"

 Leo stiffened at that. His eyes widened before a look of dread bled through. His mouth hung slightly open as his hand rips away from Donnie's as if touching the turtle had burned him. "You... You don't remember Mikey?!" 

 Donnie rolled  his eyes, turning his back to the turtle. "I don't know who this 'Mikey' is, but if you want to bring them to the farm you need to make sure April is ok with it."

 Two hands grabbed Dee's shoulders, turning him around as his space got invaded by Leo. His oldest brothers beak almost touching Donnie's own as he shook the taller terrapin a little. "Michelangelo? Michael?! Mike?! Mikester?! You don't remember your immediate youngest brother?!"

 The pure panic shredding through his brother's voice seemed to stab into Donnie's chest. You didn't forget you're just choosing to not remember. His eyes turned to look anywhere but the frantic panic eyes of his oldest brother. He wasn't the best with emotions. He didn't know what to do. 

 He didn't know what to do when the tears started to fall from the ocean blue eyes of his brothers nor what to say to the pleading bleeding from his mouth. It was unlike his oldest brother to break down this much. To be so raw with his sadness.

 Donnie knew how to handle Raph with his unfiltered rage. He knew how to deal with balls of energy that-. But he didn't know what to do for his emotionally controlled older brother. Anger from the blue terrapin was familiar, not sadness. His mouth was clamming up, the spit in his mouth seeming to stick more to everything as he tried to form words. Though words failed him.

 With a sudden wave of calm overcoming the purple turtle, he reached forward and gently held his brother by his shoulders. "Leo."

 Why was his voice suddenly so calm?

 His brother looked up at him confused. The confusion grew when Donnie's grip grew firmer, not causing harm but a struggle to escape from. "I have a solution for your... conundrum..."

 Leo seemed to pale slightly as he tried to step back, but was unable to. Donnie had a solution for his brother, and he's sure he will appreciate it.