#krangifed leo

[anime-greek]

(Krang!AU) “The Target”

Finally got motivation to finish this

Close ups:

Bonus sketch and quick reference

More information on him:

-Raphael’s position is Admiral. His domain is the River/ocean that surrounds Hidden City. He often patrols with his fleet to make sure no outsiders get in. His fleet are all water breathing yokai and they lurk underneath.

-He has fins among his shell spikes. They can collapse or be withdrawn at will.

-Currently have been dating Cassandra the past 5 years

-He can grow bigger/smaller at will

-Mouth across chest is functional. He uses it when he wants to eat bigger things and lazy to grow himself.

-Is most reserved of the four and often is super blunt with his words

-Has least Krang influence on his body compared to his siblings

[mrabubu]

Will there be a chance for Ana to have a 2nd butterfly wing and fly?

I actually had ideas for it,

And even a dream...

I had an idea about how the Kraang flesh would spread more across Ana's body, and it's influence would mess with her head, driving her a little crazy. The Kraang would use her own complexes about how she feels useless and a burden, making her think that if she'll give herself to the Kraang, she'll become stronger and will be able to protect Leo. And, yeah, this would give her a second wing, more eyes and the second horn. But it's mostly just an idea. xd

About a dream... I once had a dream, where the Kraang saw Ana, noticing she's kinda a zombie, but doesn't respond to their commands. So they use their powers to make her go through second krangification. In my dream, it gave her TWO more wings, one looked like it was made out of bones, and the third looked like it was a bat wing. But the things was that even the second krangification didn't work, and she used her new powers to fight against the Kraang xd

"i can do anything", "I'll protect him", "I'll save him", "no more pain" "hurts hurts hurts hurts hurts"

[its-wabby-stuff]

Krang Will Rise

I have a couple theories, regarding the Krang.

There is such little evidence for it, that I don’t even think there’s evidence against it. But hear me out.

I think only Krang prime can abolish mystics. It’s not an ability tied to every Krang, only to him.

Thé Krang value strength above all else, putting no remorse into losing those deemed weak. As such, wouldn’t that make Krang Prime, their leader, the strongest? And what better way to deem yourself the strongest than carrying a unique ability that takes away your enemies greatest potential threat.

Another reason: it seems there are three types of krang. The biotech, the warrior, and the interrogator. I’m not sure how much they overlap, but I do think they carry specialities. Given krang brother is most often asked to- spread their krangness. He is responsible for krangification, domain expansion, and manipulating the technology they have (Nevermind how all these abilities make him the perfect match for Donnie)(also think Krang Brother is mute). Krang sister is the most skilled and best fighter. I’m sure she outclasses the boys in that regard. I’d go as far to say she’s second in command, leading the charge while brother krang stays behind (her role as commander matches as Commander O’Niels opposite in war, hence their quarrel). Leaving Krang Prime, who has the ability to dig into a persons mind, manipulate their captives, control the hive mind, and abolish mystic powers. Perhaps rare amongst Krang, this makes them the perfect leader (do I even need to explain why he’s Leo’s main antagonist, his opposite in every way?).

I mentioned how krang brother is likely responsible for krangification, which leads me to a second point. Clearly, from the start of the invasion to the end in the bad timeline, the krangs numbers increased 100 fold. From 3 lone survivors to hundreds if not more. Which has led me to wonder how krang are created. I have two theories: 1) in the bad timeline, the krang in the prison dimension didn’t die. Meaning that when Leo grabbed the key in the movie, and altered time, the resulting explosion caused the krang to be wiped out. 2) the probably more likely one- they repopulated.

Thé krang are clearly parasitic creatures. Meaning their reproduction is likely from a source, that source being humans. “Recreating this world in the image of krang.” Krang possession is simple, and any krang can do it, latch a bit of themselves to a human and start the battle of wills. Krang dogs are amother easier way to make more, a quick process that mangles the hosts body. We see this happen with the foot clan. But if you want powerful krang, with no chance to turn on you, and to truly become one with krang, you transform them.

Raph was found in a bubble. In a slimy krang cocoon stuck to the ceiling and filled with glowing yellow goop. He was going to be turned, transformed into Krang. And he was going to be powerful, his source material being stronger than most. He was- until the process was interrupted. Notice how the krangification didn’t come from the outside, it wasn’t attached, it was growing inside him. And, unlike the other krangified peoples we saw, his eye turned purple. It wasn’t just covered in hoop with the yellow hive mind eye, it was purple. Let it be a testament to Raphs inner strength cause he very well may have accomplished a feat deemed impossible to overcome. The process wasn’t supposed to be reversible, he wasn’t supposed to be able to break free, he was krang now. Krang Prime could feel his struggle, sense his resistance, and hear his thoughts as the turtle fought it off.

Once you turned, there was no going back. You were krang. Your old life didn’t matter. Your old friends didn’t matter. You had a new family. A new purpose to fulfill. New powers to explore. And given treasures for the hunt. The mark of a krang and a fucking massive piece of armor. This way of reproduction was useful when hunting new prey, as their knowledge of the species past through, truly allowing them to know their enemies and conquer planets. Krang can never die.

Then again. I could be wrong.

——————

Thanks for reading! Likes and Reblogs appreciated! Other related theories and stories:

Resistance to Krang; The Shredder armor; Emperym Life Blood

[cat-sithe]

risetober day 17: zombie

oh nawr... leo... the krangification!

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Double-Mutated Mikey

Chapter 8: Recollections

Continued from the short story written by @boots-with-the-fur-club

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Raph sits down on his bed, grabbing a stuffed bear and rubbing his thumb over its worn-down stomach.

The room is dim, but not dark. The main light is off, but the hanging lanterns he has strung along the wall give a warm red glow to the room.

Ever since his krangification, Raph's eye has been a bit sensitive. It waters easily, stings on occasion, and bright lights irritate him. He's started wearing sunglasses outside more often, even on cloudy days. Donnie offered to make an artificial eye to help, but Raph said no. He'd rather keep the eye, even with its attitude and quirks.

"I'm not ready to be a cyborg just yet," he'd joked.

He thought that much of a change would be too big for him, after all the changes he and his family have already gone through.

Now a mechanical eye doesn't sound so crazy or scary.

Raph hugs his teddy bear. It squeaks in his arms. He thinks of how similar it felt to holding Mikey before he got mutated...

He grimaces, scrunching his face up tight and pressing his hands against his head, trying to force the thoughts away.

Mikey is still Mikey! Just with a few new... he won't call them upgrades. Changes. Nothing that can't be reversed, of course.

But... what if they can't be?

Raph presses his hands even tighter against his head.

Stop it. Shut up. Shut up!!

He doesn't want to think about this. He doesn't want to think about Mikey. Not in this way.

He feels like he's betraying him somehow, thinking of him as a monster or a wild animal rather than a brother. But then, he feels like he won't be able to help him if he keeps thinking of Mikey as he was before, and not accepting that he is changed now. But then, he won't stay changed. But then...

"SHUT UP!" Raph yells to himself, slamming his fists against the bed frame.

His ninpo activates, giant red fists breaking the bed slightly and causing the edge of it to slip under his weight and crash against the floor. Raph yipes in alarm, looking down at the mess he's made.

"...Nice going, Raph," he grumbles, grabbing some boxes of dumbells from the corner of his room to prop up the extension on his bed.

He sighs, sitting down on the edge of the mattress again, head in his hands.

He tries to stay strong. He tries not to break down. His family doesn’t need that right now, they don't need a basket case or a worry-wart or whatever else they might call him. They need Raph, strong and brave and ready to take on the world.

But he needs Mikey... he needs his baby brother back, safe, sound, whole. Not broken, not bloody, not feral and confused. He wants Mikey home again. Home in his own body.

Raph starts crying. Although he's disappointed in himself for it, he is glad that he can finally get the tears out. He presses his face into his stuffed animals, trying to get it all out all at once.

Raph hates himself so much right now...

Because...

Because it is all his fault...

.

.

.

"...But I don't see WHY we have to wait!" Raph gripes, Mikey sitting beside him, drawing random doodles on his arm wraps while he listens to the rant. "If we know that the place is doing villain stuff, shouldn't we go in to stop em?"

"I mean, Leo's decision does make a little sense," Mikey counters, taking a big yellow marker out and drawing a smiling sun on Raph's arm. "It's a pretty big building, dude."

"I'm not saying we storm the castle," he responds, waving his arms in exasperation.

Mikey scolds him and brings his arm back down to continue his work.

"I'm just saying that we could scope out the place instead of ignoring it completely!"

"We're not ignoring it," Mikey corrects. "Donnie is gonna run surveillance on it. Leo's gonna have Cass and the girl scouts check it out. Besides, when did you become the go-getter? I thought you and your Raph-chasm would have preferred taking it slow and safe!"

"Raph-chasm?!" he sputters. "Is Leo spreading that slander around?"

Mikey giggles.

"You do know we've been calling it that for years, right?"

Raph growls angrily.

"Dang it, Leo..."

Mikey giggles again.

"But for real, Raph... why are you so antsy?"

"I don't know... just a gut feeling. There's been reports of all kinds of crazy stuff since the invasion, and most of it has something to do with that new organization Donnie and April told us about..."

"What did they call it again? ESP?"

"EPF," Raphael corrects. "Earth Protection Force, or some junk. But the building they're occupying is labeled Techno Cosmic Research Institute, or some junk."

"Doesn't sound so bad," Mikey hums, taking out a blue marker and drawing a mini version of Leo on Raph. "Sounds like a radio shack from the 90's or something!"

"Maybe, but it bothers me that this new weird mystery organization is everywhere." Raph shudders. "It's unsettling. What if they find us?"

"Find us...?" Mikey turns his head up. "What do you think they'd do?"

"I don't know. But I don't trust em. Something about it all just... bugs me."

Mikey is quiet for a second. He places the cap on his marker. He's managed to draw everyone in the family but himself.

"Well, if it bugs you, then... let's go check em out!"

"Wait, huh?"

"You're gut says they're untrustworthy? Then that's enough for me!" he says, jumping up from his spot. "Let's go see how bad they are."

"But... Leo said..."

"Weren't you the one just complaining about how you didn't think we should stand still and do nothing?" Mikey challenges.

"I know. But Leo is the leader, and I want to show him that I trust him."

"We do!" Mikey exclaims. "We're not storming a castle, we're checking out the scene. Leo wants to wait until we can get some actual intel? Then let's help him along! Let's grab a few listening devices or something and place them along the windows."

"Well... that would help... but we leave at the first sign of trouble, okay?"

"Absolutely!" Mikey salutes. "Now, am I breaking into Donnie's labs to get the spy stuff or are you?"

Raph chuckles as he stands, cracking his knuckles.

"You get the spy equipment, I'll get the weapons. Meet you at the tank."

The two give quick nods before heading off in separate directions.

Raph rushes to the training room and grabs the weapons. It is only then that he sees Mikey's doodles.

Oh, he should change his wraps. He doesn't have time to clean them off, and besides, he knows Mikey prefers to take pictures of all his doodles before getting rid of them.

Raph quickly grabs his sai and Mikey's nunchucks before heading to his room, grabbing a spare roll of black bandages, and carefully but speedily removing the one on his right arm. He just needs to replace the one arm, Mikey hasn't gotten to decorating the left yet. Maybe when they get back he can finish it...

He races back to the tunnel, seeing Mikey leaning against the ginormous tire of the turtle tank as he waits.

"There you are! Ready to go?"

"Sure thing. Do you wanna try driving tonight?"

"Can I?" Mikey asks with excitement.

"Sure, why not? You need the practice."

Mikey squeals with delight as he climbs in, Raph following suit.

The two drive away, making plans while Raph gives Mikey impromptu driving lessons. They joke, they laugh, Raph clings to his seat when Mikey's turns come in too sharply.

"Park over there," Raph says, pointing to an alley closeby to the targeted building.

Mikey nods with an "aye-aye, cap'n!" as he makes another sharp turn and hides the tank in the alley, activating a cloaking device Donnie came up with recently.

"Okay, got the listening doohickeys?"

"Right here!" Mikey says, reaching out and producing several small, round baubles with purple centers.

"Alright, so all we're gonna do is ninja up there, ninja a few of these around the perimeter, and then ninja out."

"That sounds just like the time future Leo saved a war camp!" Mikey giggles. "Or whatever Casey Jr. said."

"Uh, okay?" Raph offers. "I'll pretend like I understood that."

The two exit the vehicle and slink around the block, coming up on the building.

It looks like a normal building. No more than 13 stories, small windows with frosted glass, a rotating door that leads to a small lobby, a few security guards and an intern behind a desk. Above the door is the acronym TCRI, bright and silver surrounded by white LED lights. There's graffiti on the side of the wall, with what looks like an artist's rendition of the 'New York Heroes'. Mikey takes a quick selfie with it before getting back to the unsanctioned mission.

"You take the left side, I'll take the right," Raph whispers. "We don't have a lot of listening gadgets, so use 'em sparingly. Got it?"

"Got it!" Mikey whispers back.

He takes his chucks out and swings them up. A long glowing chain activates, and Mikey starts to scale the wall, swinging to the opposite side.

Raph starts pressing the small devices to the wall, doing two for each floor. Once the gadgets stick to the bricks, the purple centers start to blink.

After about five minutes, Raph's phone buzzes. He pulls it out to see that he's getting a call from Donnie.

Uh-oh.

He declines the call.

He presses two more devices to the wall before Donnie calls him again. Raph groans and pulls the phone out, answering it.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Raphala, where are you?" Donnie asks. His tone sounds cheerful and fake. He can tell he's seething.

"Um, nowhere..."

"Nowhere? Really? Then, would you care to explain to me why I am getting bombarded with notifications about my spy tech being activated? And why when I checked the garage, the tank was gone? And why I cannot find you, nor Mikey, nor your gear anywhere within the lair??"

"Um... bad connection?" Raph tries.

"What are you doing."

"Nuthin'," Raph says, his voice squeaking. He clears his throat and tries again. "Just, y'know... ninja stuff."

"I can clearly see your location, Raph."

"Shoot, I forgot about that," he hisses. "I mean, uh..."

"Is that Raph?" Leo's voice comes into the call.

"Oh no," he groans.

"Let me talk to him."

"You had your chance," Donnie speaks into the phone, before handing it over to Leo.

"Raph. Where are you. What are you and Mikey doing with the listening devices."

"Okay, well, we were thinking," he starts, moving away from the alley for a moment as he talks with Leo on the phone. "We were thinking that maaayyybeee it would be a good idea to get some surveillance on the TCRI place before our next big mission, and so --"

"And so you ignore the fact that I said to wait?!" Leo yells angrily. "Raph, we TALKED about this! I thought you said you were gonna let me be leader without pulling these kinds of stunts behind my back!"

"I'm not pulling any stunt! All we're doing is setting up the devices, then leaving! We just wanted to try and see if we could get any intel on them to help! We're not stupid enough to just go in and mess around, ya know!"

"Where's Mikey?" Leo asks exasperatedly. "He isn't answering his phone."

Raph turned back to look at the building he's walked away from. He looks up, and can see Mikey standing on the roof, looking around.

"He's on the roof," Raph sighs. "I'll go and get him."

Raph puts Leo on hold as he runs back to the building. Once in the alley, he starts jumping between walls, doing impressive parkour as he bounces back and forth and flips off of fire escapes until he's at the roof.

But Mikey isn't there.

Raph walks to the other side of the roof and looks over the edge.

Mikey isn't on the ground.

He notices a vent panel has been jimmied open.

"Oh no."

Raph grabs his phone.

"Um, Leo? I think he went in..."

"WHAT?!" Leo screams at him, causing Raph to pull his phone away from his ear.

"Why would he go in?!"

"I don't know!" Raph whimpers. "I told him we were only doing the exterior--"

"You shouldn't be there at all!"

"Should I go in after him?"

"No, don't -- wait for a minute, call him, maybe he'll answer you."

"Okay, yeah, I'll do that," he says, trying not to panic. "Call you back soon."

Raph hangs up and quickly dials Mikey.

It rings once before he answers.

"Shello?" he whispers.

"Mikey? Where are ya?!" Raph hisses at him. "I thought we said no inside stuff!"

"I saw a weird van pull up," he explains. "They took a krangified person in through the back."

"They what?"

"Yeah, I know. I wanted to see what they were gonna do with him."

"Mikey, I think you should get outta there," Raph whimpers.

"I will in just a sec, I think I found the room where... huh..."

Mikey's voice trails off.

"Mikey? Mikey, what is it?"

"I'm not sure... hold on a sec, 'kay?" Mikey whispers, his voice soft and secretive.

"Mikey, get out of there, now!" Raph scolds.

Mikey doesn’t respond.

Raph waits for him to say something. Anything. He hears Mikey gasp quietly.

"Ohmigosh," he whimpers. His voice is weak and his breathing fast. "Okay, that's enough for me, I'm coming out now!"

"Mikey?! What did you see, what's going on?"

He hears a clattering sound, a stifled gasp, muffled shouting.

"I dropped my phone," Mikey whimpers in fear. "I think they heard me."

"GET OUT NOW!" Raph yells. He dials Leo, adding him to the call.

"Raph? What's going --"

"Mikey's been made," Raph says in a panic.

"Get out of there, now!"

"Leo?" Mikey whispers nervously. "Is that you?"

"Mikey, we're on our way now, just get out as fast as you can! Don't worry about whether or not you're seen, just get out!"

"I'm trying!" Mikey cries nervously. "I'm stuck in the vents!!"

Raph hears a loud clang, followed by Mikey's screams and a thud.

"There he is!"

"Get him!"

"Come'ere, kid!"

Mikey yells in protest, terrified screams as he shouts at them to 'let me go, stop, leave me alone!'

Raph yells out into the phone. He's not sure what he yells, only that he wants Mikey back. He hears Leo yelling, too.

"Raph! Leo!" Mikey screams.

"MIKEY!!" the two yell back in unison.

The line goes dead.

A blue light ignites besides Raph, and Leo jumps through immediately, gasping for air as he stares down at Raph, who is on his hands and knees, holding the phone like it was Mikey's only lifeline.

"Where is he?" Leo pants. "Where is Mikey?"

Raph can't do anything but shake.

Mikey got captured... Because of him...

.

.

.

Raph lifts his face from the army of plushies he has been confiding in.

He takes in a deep breath.

He stands, going to a drawer and pulling out the wraps from that day. Almost a week ago.

The drawings are still there. The sketches and doodles are all intact. The image of a family is there, with each member colour-coded. Red, Blue, Purple... but it's missing their Orange brother. He never did get to finish that portrait.

Raphael leaves his train car and walks over to Mikey's. The door is wide open.

Inside, he sees Leo, slumped over on a beanbag chair and snoring softly, his mouth fallen open.

He hadn't said anything about sleeping in here.

He must've wanted to check on Mikey, too...

Raph grabs of one the extra blankets and pillows and adjusts his brother so that he can sleep more comfortably.

He takes residence in another beanbag chair opposite him.

Once settled, Raphael watches Mikey, who is sleeping peacefully and undisturbed, his tail swinging from side to side and his claws twitching on occasion.

Raph sighs.

Tears silently streak down his face as he cries himself to sleep.

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[indieyuugure]

Okay um in your rise of parallel comic will rise krang find out that 2012 April is half krang and if he does will he use it to his advantage like let's say manipulate her

Hm, he might find her Psychic powers odd, but the Krang are familiar with the concept of mystic powers and her psychic abilities pass pretty well as strong mystic powers.

I don’t think he’d be able to manipulate her in anyway since she’s not Rise Krang, she’s 2012 Kraang. I do see where you were going with that thought, and I think if the Rise Krang and 2012 Kraang were more similar it’d probably work, but I think because of the way Krangification works, Krang wouldn’t be able to use her the way he did on Raph and Leo.

Good questions! :]

[abbeyofcyn]

If this was already answered or explained, I apologize, but I'm curious : Is Ralph infected or immunized after his Krangification? Could his (now slightly modified) DNA be a key factor to curing Donnie? Is this something Leo's big brain (if he hypothetically gets Donnie smart like he plans to be lol) plans to look into?

Personally in my comic it's a different kind of infection and Raph does not have any remaining Krang inside his body. Which does mean he could be hurt like Leo if Donnie were to bite him.

So unfortunately it won't be a solution to the problem even if Leo gets Donnie's smarts.

[nani-nonny]

Distorted Mirror throwaway snippets for trashed sequel: Broken Mirror

TLDR: Nonny is sharing the ideas originally planned for Distorted Mirror that was pushed into Broken Mirror, the sequel that will never be

Idk if I blatantly mentioned that originally had a sequel to Distorted Mirror or if it was just briefly mentioned in asks here and comments on ao3, but i never got far in actually planning it out. After all, Distorted Mirror was supposed to be a short oneshot lol, and was supposed to have a oneshot sequel but look where it brought me haha!

Anyways, Distorted Mirror was planned to be a oneshot, yes, and in its planning phase I had some ideas that didn’t really fit in the story outline. So I put the thought aside for a sequel and focused solely on plotting DisMir.

After finishing DisMir… ch.3? I think? I revisited these tossed ideas and tried plotting out how I could fit these and line them with some questions unanswered by the completion of DisMir, because I knew there would be some left since the final chapter’s summary and outline was already planned out.

For example, I pushed Leo’s possible Krangification out of DisMir entirely, hence the repeating notion of Leo’s cautious demeanor about the filtration masks and strike of fear after seeing what Michelangelo did to that infected person. This idea was moved to the “possible” sequel, which explains the snippets I have provided. vvvv (check the Read More)

Following that note, while struggling to fully write out the final chapter of DisMir, I was also struggling to plot out the summary, ideas, and outline for Broken Mirror. It just wasn’t hitting the same way DisMir did, and I didn’t want to force a sequel so I kind of pushed the idea aside to my little mind vault and finished up DisMir.

It would be a little bit of a shame to let these snippets die in my little mind vault, and since I’m not writing anything at the moment, I thought I’d share them. :)

First snippet: possible idea #1 @ 1.4K words

Leo rests his chin on the kitchen table as he stares at the wooden statuette. His eyes stare deep into the wood’s carving that resemble a pair of eyes staring back at him. He hasn’t been able to make sense of the strange markings engraved into the ends and the sides, nor has Donnie been able to make progress.

No matter how long he stares into the statue’s eyes, he still can’t make sense of how this small item is the key to the prison dimension.

This is what kept those… those things trapped for years? This tiny thing? He’d rather believe that the future brothers of his were lying, but he knows better. He witnessed how horrible the Krang are, he even has the scars on his carapace to prove it.

But how does this keep them locked away? And how did his future brothers let it slip away? What happened that they couldn’t retrieve it in time?

How long had Donatello been thinking about this key that he knew exactly how the key got to the Foot Clan’s hands?

What happened to them after he changed everything? Are they okay? How are they dealing with Prime?

A soft knock interrupts Leo’s thoughts, alerting the slider who looks over his shoulder to see Donnie standing in the kitchen doorway.

Leo sits up and turns in his seat to look at Donnie. He whips up a quick smile and picks up the key to spin it in his hand, “Hey, Donnie Boy, what do you need from your new leader?”

Donnie flicks with his thumb a small purple cartridge at Leo, who fumbles with the key before catching the object.

“Had your fun?” Leo asks as he raises a brow and shakes the cartridge lightly. It’s half empty. He sets the key back on the table as he watches Donnie pass by him.

Donnie plops himself at the seat adjacent to Leo and crosses his arms. From the look on his face, it wasn’t easy to decipher the contents of the cartridge, “It’s like… herbicide. I don’t know, it’s a weird combination. It’s got some strange ingredients in it—some I don’t even recognize—but overall it’s a herbicide.”

“That’s it?” Leo asks as he flips the unlabeled cartridge in his hand. An everyday herbicide can kill a possible Krang infection? That’s all he’s inhaling? “Then, can you make another?”

Donnie rolls his eyes and reminds, “I can replicate a herbicide, but this is a different story. Like I said, there’s some other components that I don’t recognize. I get nothing on my scanners but there are some mystic properties in it.”

Leo nearly jumps out of his seat, “Mystic? What kind of mystic? Did you check with Draxum yet?”

Donnie snarls and he narrows his eyes, “I’d rather gouge out my eyes than work with him.”

“Come on, Donnie, we have to know what are in these inhalers,” Leo asks with a smile. He knows Donnie can replicate the serum. He only needs the assurance of having the antiKrang substance.

Donatello told Leo to let Donnie watch over his vitals upon returning. Nothing has come up since he left the future, and Donnie told him that there aren’t any traces of the Krang infection in his system.

But just knowing that there are extras will ease his mind.

“Then you talk to Draxum. If he has the time to research the mystic properties in this inhaler in between the hours of ‘Mystic Class for Mikeys’ and ‘Warrior Lessons for Raphs’,” Donnie says as he crosses his arms over his chest and narrows his eyes at the reminder.

Leo nods but doesn’t say a word in response.

Ever since the initial scare when he was gone, as retold by his brothers when scolding Mikey, the box turtle has been attending lessons with Draxum to properly use mystics. And as excited it makes Mikey, it really takes up a majority of the box turtle’s time. They’ve hardly seen Mikey outside of leadership training, only spotting the box turtle in passing or eating alone at the table before zooming off to Draxum’s lessons.

Although Leo isn’t certain whether anyone else has noticed or if he’s imagining things, he noticed a small hair beginning to sprout on his little brother’s head.

Raph, on the other hand, has been fueled by the fiery passion to become big and strong like his future counterpart. He’s taking fighting lessons from Draxum, usually when Draxum isn’t teaching Mikey.

Donnie rolls his wrist, “But besides that, who’s to say they’ll actually be able to figure it out? Mystics are a finicky source that fails to follow any sort of rules. We can’t even bullshit our way to a solution.”

Leo sighs and leans back in his chair, staring at the key that stares back at him.

Donnie’s right. They need a plan. He can’t go back to the future for a reason that isn’t absolutely necessary. He’s fine. Donnie said so many times.

But the way the key is staring at him doesn’t ease his anxiety.

He clears his throat and asks Donnie for the umpteenth time, “Am I really clear? —of the infection.”

Donnie nods, his voice clear and without hesitation, “I’ve checked every morning and night. I haven’t seen any foreign bodies in your lungs. You’re clear, Leo.”

Leo nods. He feels a little better. Just a little. He never told the specifics behind the Krang infection and what he saw Michelangelo do to that Infected. Donnie is only aware of the infection’s ability to “Krangify”. The softshell doesn’t know the stage where there’s no going back, where Michelangelo burns the body to a pile of ashes. But Leo’s just glad Donnie’s willing to reassure him again and again.

“Thanks, Don,” Leo responds and turns the key away from him.

Donnie nods, “It gives me an excuse to record your—.”

It happens too fast for Leo or Donnie to comprehend.

In one blink, Donnie is about to finish speaking. In the next blink, a blinding light bursts into life on the kitchen table. Then the light becomes a cracked, golden ring. It widens until a figure shoots through the broken opening before disintegrating. The figure, consumed in a multi-colored flame like a meteor, crashes into the stove.

Donnie is quick to grab a ladle from the rack above the kitchen table and point it at the crash site. Leo reaches for a sword that isn’t there.

And the figure sweeps an arm over its body before revealing a teenage, human boy. A boy wearing dystopian clothing, armor plating his chest and shins and elbows, a hockey stick thrown to the ground, black hair held back by a hockey mask, and smelling like iron and smoke. The boy looks up at Leo, eyes wide and beginning to tear up.

His scratchy voice croaks softly in pure disbelief, “Dad…?”

Before Leo can respond, the boy’s eyes flicker to the purple cartridge and they narrow immediately. The boy’s gaze is hardened and he launches himself forward, tackling Leo to the ground.

“What the—,” Leo begins but stops short when the boy’s knee presses on his plastron. He tries to push the boy off with his hand but the boy snatches the cartridge.

The boy breaks open the top of the cartridge and shoves it into Leo’s face. His voice comes out hoarse and demanding, “Breathe it!”

Donnie cocks his hands back, ready to swing a frying pan straight to the back of the boy’s head. But the boy is quick, a metallic arrow is shot from his forearm, revealing a grappling hook. The arrow hits the side of the frying pan, knocking it out of Donnie’s hand and making it fly to the sky and fall directly on the softshell’s head.

Leo glares at the boy for Donnie’s sake, a smile creeping on his face as his foot reaches for the same frying pan. But he stops when a stray tear drops on his cheek.

The boy’s holding back his tears as he demands, “Inhale the medicine, please. I can’t lose you again.”

“Again? Who the hell are you? Where did you come from?” Leo asks as he gives up on reaching for the frying pan.

The boy swallows but doesn’t pull his hand away from Leo, “I’m from the future. I was sent back to stop the invasion, starting with you and the key.”

Leo’s brows furrow in confusion, “What invasion? The Krang? They couldn’t have come back, we have the key.”

The boy shakes his head. “No, not the Krang.”

“Then who?”

The boy doesn’t speak but the answer reflects in his eyes. The blue mask and red streaks stare back at Leo, giving him his answer.

So, Casey Jr would make his appearance not as the baby that played an Easter Egg roll in DisMir, but as the boy we see in the rottmnt movie. (Did anyone notice the little movie throwbacks and Easter Eggs in DisMir?)

CJ Jr returns with a similar mission as the movie, but with a twist. He comes back to prevent and stop a death and catastrophe from the future. The future is overrun not by the Krang, but by the Krangified Future Leonardo Hamato, whose death reignites the flames of war with an unknown enemy (I couldn’t decide on whether to bring a new enemy or bring in the Triceratons, which become a huge predicament in plotting Broken Mirror)

And then we have the other possible time traveler, which follows a near similar plot to the previous snippet. Present!Leo is pinpointed as the beginning of the end, whose abrupt infection ignites a new war. (Again, couldn’t decide if I wanted to bring back the Krang or not)

Second snippet: possible idea #2 @ 414 words

Leo shields his eyes as a blinding purple light bursts from the cracks in the walls. Almost reforming, the walls crumble and bulge before a new shape takes place. It’s like his portals, but purple and reminiscent of Donnie’s mystics.

A large figure collapses through, a cape covering the entirety of the stranger’s body.

But the mystery of the stranger’s identity doesn’t stay for long before they lift their head, revealing a dirty purple mask.

“Donnie?”

Leo’s beating heart from the sudden scare doesn’t slow, as this Donnie is nothing like any of the Donnies he has met before.

This Donnie is large, larger than Donatello. And for a brief second, he believes it truly is Donatello. The same Donatello from the future that believed in him from the very beginning, broke the rules of time travel and warned him of the key.

But one look straight into this Donatello’s eyes tells him it’s all wrong.

This Donatello isn’t missing an arm, replaced by a purple prosthetic. But he is missing an eye, a leg, and a piece of his plastron. He is covered in endless scars, but not a single one reaching his back. He has abandoned the metallic shell, replacing it with a mystic shell. His staff is caked in dry blood and pink guts.

And worst of all, he glares at Leo. A deadly glare that nearly threatens Leo’s life.

“Donatello” rises slowly, using his staff to hold his weight before grabbing the cartridge and shoving it near Leo’s face. “Take it properly,” he orders coldly.

Leo can only stare at this new Donatello in shock. He’s nothing like the Donatello he met. Who is this guy?

“Donatello” nearly growls out, his patience running thin, “I won’t say it twice.”

Leo takes the cartridge carefully, trying not to touch Donatello. He rummages through his non existence pockets before shrugging, he smiles to defuse the situation, “Oops, I don’t have my inhaler.”

“Leo, I don’t have time for your games. Take the your medicine, and give me the fucking key,” Donatello demands angrily, clearing his throat with a painful cough.

“Are you okay?”

Donatello glares again, “Yes. But you won’t be if you don’t take your fucking medicine. You still have it in your system.”

“That can’t be, Donnie said I’m clear,” Leo corrects as he closes his shaking fist over the cartridge.

“Listen to me, you still have it in your system. And you will be the end of us all.”

I kind of liked this idea more as it contrasts how kind and more welcoming to Leo DisMir F!Donatello was to the new timeline-branch F!Donatello who is immediately threatening and hostile upon first meeting.

Imagine being Leo in this position. Reuniting with, at first glance, the future counterpart of your twin who helped you not only accept the heavy responsibility of being a leader but also broke the rules of time traveling to make sure you don’t face the horrors of an—at the time—ongoing war against an alien race. Not to forget to mention who hid the secret of the true reason behind the invasion and the lost key, because that’s how much your twin loves you…. Only for it to be a completely different future counterpart who pins all the blame of a worse future on you.

Sad stuff, but also wasn’t enough to get my writing gears gearing, you know? I needed a struggle for them to go through that wasn’t shallow or easy to wade through. The ideas I had weren’t “enough”, per say.

Anyways, hope you liked these snippets and my little rant. (Definitely not little, but a rant nonetheless) A lot of thought goes into the writing process and sometimes it just doesn’t work out, sadly :(

I think that if I had more inspiration or more of a writing feeling or fuel, this could’ve been done. Maybe I could’ve gotten a plot line started for Broken Mirror. Maybe. Oh well~

[the-lavender-clown]

I cannot for the life of me decide on which of the three routes to go with for my rottmnt future au “Love and War”

Like there’s the OG plan where Donnie is Krangifed and Cass ends up having to kill him as he kills her and I love it because that scene would be so gut wrenching! And then in the last moments of life Donnie would come back to himself as his life flashes before his eyes and they die in each others arms, able to have just one last moment to love each other. I adore it and it’s so beautifully angsty.

But then there’s the second option I came up with later where instead of being Krangifed the Krang want to use Donnie for his brain but at this point the turtles have built up very good mental walls and they can’t get through them like they did Raph’s in the movie. Him being completely uncooperative they decide to throw him in the Prison Dimension for the time being while they wait to figure out a way to break through his mind or he goes insane and his walls crumble that way. Later Cass is on a mission to get the key and fails to do so, resulting in her ending up in the PD when a Krang (not sure which yet) shoves her in, only saying to say hello to her little friend and they hope he hasn’t lost his mind yet for her sake. Donnie has gone feral from his time in there but Cass is able to snap him out of it eventually even if he never really loses all of that savage aspect of him. Because of *insert PD hcs and random thoughts* they’re in there when present Leo is and play a hand in saving him and escape with him so Casey gets both parents back in the end after thinking both were dead for years.

The last one is Donnie still being Krangifed but he and Cass don’t kill each other like in the first one so they’re both alive when Casey is sent through the portal. A moment after he is Donnie comes in and tackles both accidentally sending them through the portal and because of the time that passes between Casey going in and them, no matter how brief, they get spit out a few weeks after the invasion and Casey and the present gang go to see what the random mystic energy surge was only to find an old Leo and Cass fighting and trying to subdue or kill a frankly terrifying looking Donnie. Maybe it’s a tranquilizer shot by present Dee or something else but F!Don is knocked out and they keep him under containment after that to see if they can cure him. Because he’s no longer flooded with the thoughts and orders of the future Krang hive mind and the one that exists in the present is so quiet and weak Don’s consciousness is able to actually fight back again and he occasionally has moments where he successfully breaks through for a moment to say something to his family. They can’t release him however because he’s still very much not cured. They do find a way to cure him eventually thanks to Draxum but it’s a very painful procedure where they basically burn the parasites, and consequently him, alive to get rid of them. It’s a gamble on if he’d live or not but it’s that or nothing and Cass refuses to let him live like this for any longer even at the risk of killing him. He wouldn’t want that and they all know it. They do it and he does live but it’s a long road to recovery and he’s never the same of course but really none of them are after all the trauma and at least they’re together again.

In the second and third options F!Don would find away to bring back all his brothers and April too. In the first everyone stays dead for simplicity’s sake.

They all have such good angst potential and I love them but I just can’t decide!!

[millylotus]

So I reblogged a lot of your stuff as you probably saw. I love how everyone acts in your idea of the rise verse but I always wondered this. Since it’s the same voice in both the scroll and shredder. I think saki was feeding information on how to defeat him to his family hoping someone would free him and now his ghost hangs around as benevolent grandfatherly ghost.

Imagine if he and karai could inhabit suits of armor maybe donnie and Draxum made together and Inter at with everyone. Like someone announces grandpa is coming to visit and it’s a soft looking shredder coming to gift toys and snacks to CJ and Sheldon while 2012’s jaws are on the floor.

Yes I did notice the reblogs and kudos, thank you so much for them!!! :D

I can't say that everyone works in my version of canon, I just tend to have pretty general headcanons, flattered that you think so though :)

Anyway back to your absolutely wonderful headcanon!

The idea of Oroku Saki fighting back against the Krang's corruption to help his daughter and remaining family. Just for the slim chance for the world to survive his impending Krangification. A tragic sort of last recorded message that Karai had to have gotten, having to listen to this fragment of her father try to guide her to kill the rest of him. It's heartbreaking really.

But also the idea of Saki and Karai going all fmab and staying by their descendants and protecting them. Karai getting the chance to have her dad back, uncorrupted and happy. And for Saki to fully become a father and his own person outside of the Shredder, doting on his grandchildren like he always wanted to, when things where normal.

Now they walk the world again possessing suits of armour to be there for their family. Maybe even Atsuko[Splinter's mom] and Sho[Splinter's granpa] show up every now and then in little toy armours made to be taken over every now and then.

The fam can learn about the Hamato family history and stuff.

Angsty moments between Raph and Saki as they bond over both being Krangified.

Karai and Leo getting through their very suicidal self sacrificial tendencies together.

Things like that would be nice.

-🐢-

Course all that is like a lot to explain to the 2012 gang and all they really see is a supposedly smaller and less dangerous Shredder who never took off his armour.

Or even the 2003 gang, cause their Shredder was Krang so not completely filled suits of armour as like really bad for them. And 2003 Karai betrayed them a few times if I remember correctly.

-🐢-

But also like soft and oblivious Rise gang not noticing the others discomfort right away.

Splinter talking happily with Saki, Saki pats him on the back and 2012 immediately tense.

Everytime Mikey goes to hug Granpop Saki, the others would pause and watch waiting for something to go wrong.

CJ and Shelldon hanging out with Granpop alone and 2012 is confused and concerned with the Rise gang just letting their youngests members be alone with him.

-🐢-

Just Gosh all the subtle discomfort of the other turts about the Rise fam. Ya just love to see it.

[anime-greek]

GenisysAU doodles

Second half (when MT Krang appears) is the bad timeline

I got CSP on my iPad so I can doodle more cause brain goes whee (only first two was on it though)

[mrabubu]

Genuine question, but what is Krangified Reader's relationship with the others? April? Casey Jr.?

Oh, I actually had a little discussion about this on the discord server just yesterday.

So, with people they knew before Krangification they're pretty calm, tho, with Leo they're most comfortable and controlled. Well, Leo was after all the reason they were able to escape the Kraang mind control, even if not completely and they tend to go into "feral Kraang" mode when provoked.

With Casey it's more interesting/complicated, since he came into Leo's life after reader was gone, and I was given a thought (hi @souperwritesthat) they could be aggressive towards Casey. And since Casey is basically like a son to Leo.

Yeah.

Leo is going to have a really hard time.

Yes, I love angst.

[fearthetallman]

Krang Pie Chapter 10

Warnings: general horror, gross squishy things, mouth invasion by said gross squishy thing, alien possession, mentions of vomit, krang in places they shouldn't be in, it's a very gross chapter y'all

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Chapter 10

The sewers were darker than usual. The lights were on in the living room but nowhere else, like the only living people were in this one room. A rat, a human and a mutant. Michelangelo led them into the kitchen, flicking on the light. The electricity hummed like a porch light on a summer's night. It was the only sound in the room that wasn't organic.

"Wow. Looks like you guys didn't burn this place down." April joked, trying to ease some of the tension and unease she felt brewing in her stomach.

Michelangelo stared at her like she had something unusual. Splinter and April laughed nervously. The turtle did not laugh. "Of course, I didn't. I'm not incompetent."

April cringed. "Yeah. Of course, you didn't."

"So where are your brothers?" Splinter asked, looking around the kitchen in hopes of finding one of his sons. Any others.

"They're busy right now but we'll all be together soon enough." The turtle opened the fridge door, selecting a few ingredients and closing it again. His body movements jerked every so often like he was an animatronic that had a few kinks to work out. A glass jar full of pickles slipped out of his arms when he had one of those spasms, shattering onto the floor.

It was dead silent as everyone stared at the broken jar. With his back turned to them, it was impossible to read Michelangelo. But something shifted. The air changed, the tension growing and something close to snapping.

Splinter put a hand on April's shoulder. "How about you go and get the broom, April? It's okay, Orange. Accidents happe--"

"No." His voice was cold, and he turned around to face them. His face was utterly blank, but the tone made it clear there was a threat behind his words. "I'll get the broom. Stay right here."

A stiff smile warped his face and he disappeared into the darkness, almost melting into the shadows. As soon as he was gone, Splinter turned to April. "Something is very wrong."

She nodded. "I don't know what's wrong with Mikey. I've never seen him act like this. Do you think it has something to do with the krang Leo warned us about?"

Splinter sighs. "I don't know. He shows no sign of krangification. But we have no idea what those monsters were truly capable of. I think it's very likely that Orange has been replaced with a clone."

April's stomach dropped. She hoped that the real Mikey was alive and well. He had to be. She couldn't stand the thought of anyone hurting him. "Then what do we do, Splints?"

"There's only one thing we can do." The rat's face turned grim. "We must kill the imposter and hope it's not too late for my boys."

"What about us?" Michelangelo asked as he suddenly appeared behind them. Splinter and April jumped, terror seizing their voices. He hadn't even heard the turtle approach him despite his years of training.

"We were just talking about, um, we hope it’s not too late at night! I know you and Red get very sleepy if it's too late." Splinter stammered, going with the first thing he could think of.

Michelangelo stared at him, face twisted into a smile but his eyes were devoid of any warmth. He took a step closer. And then another. The turtle looked at him without blinking, almost without breathing, leaning closer until their faces were almost nose to nose.

April watched, body tense. What was she going to do if the imposter attacked? As much as she knew she had to, she wasn't sure if she could try killing a creature that looked so similar to her friend. She wondered if the creature knew that.

As the staring contest went on, something strange happened with Michelangelo's hand. It jerked and shook, slowly trying to raise up towards Splinter's face. But it looked disjointed and awkward as it moved, almost like it was an independent move from the rest of the turtle's body. As soon it moved into the peripheral vision of Michelangelo, he turned his head and snatched his own wrist, forcing it back down to his side. He stepped back, the moment broken.

"Why don't we all go sit down and have some supper together?" The smile stretched across his face again, his head tilting but body still twitching and jerking.

"Oh. No thank you. April and I had a hearty lunch before we came here so I don't think we should--" Splinter started before Michelangelo cut him off, grabbing the rat's wrist in an iron grip.

Splinter wasn't sure if he could break the grip without starting a fight, one he wasn't sure he could win. He needed to buy time for April. He had to wait this out just a little bit longer.

So he let the turtle drag him out of the kitchen, past the jagged glass pieces he still hadn't cleaned up. It was still dark in the rest of their home, but Michelangelo's steps were sure like he knew where everything was. Splinter was placed in a chair. At first, he couldn't tell what room they were in. But feeling the arms of the chair, he recognized this was his chair in the TV room. It was a bit stiffer than he remembered and he realized his seat cushion was missing. Michelangelo stepped back, lost in the shadows.

There was the sound of metal hitting something solid and a hard splat. A terrible stench, like some spoiled meat left out too long invaded his nostrils. Footsteps returned. Something cold and flat was placed onto Splinter's lap, the darkness still obscuring his vision.

"Here. I made something for you to eat." A long pause and an awkward tacked on “Dad."

"Oh, thank you. But I'm very full and I can't--"

"Eat it." The tone was angry and harsh before he cleared his throat. Even without seeing, Splinter could hear the forced smile. "I made a new recipe and I want you to be the first to try it!"

The creature was getting better at imitating his son. He still had the anti krang vial on his person but he wasn't sure he could fight in the dark or what this creature was capable of, but Splinter still felt that itch I'm his fingers to do something.

Something squelched on the plate and suddenly the weight on his lap lightened. His relief was short lived when he felt something crawl across his stomach. His eyes desperately searched the dark, but it gave him nothing. The warmth and left a trail of slime across his clothes.

"Just relax, Dad." Michelangelo tried to croon.

The entity moved along his stomach to his chest, moving in a jagged pattern, sideways before turning around and moving up to his chest. The creature might be just as blind as he was. Splinter tried to wait as long as he could to figure out as much about this creature as possible before his attack. It made no attempt to hurt, only crawling up along his clothes. But once it got to the top of his robe, it slid a slimy tentacle under his collar.

The small invasion was enough to cause him to jerk, clutching the creature in his hands and throwing it off. Instead of letting go, however, it sank its tentacles deeper, digging into his skin. It let out a screech. It was definitely krang. The creature held fast to his neck and face. A pair of hands grabbed at his mouth, opening it wide as they could. Flesh slithered past his lips, a thick layer of a grease-like texture slid over his tongue as it moved. He gagged but the hands held fast.

He snapped his teeth down, jaw clenching. The creature didn't expect that and let out a screech when his teeth bit off a tentacle. Michelangelo let out a curse as he yanked back his wounded fingers. The arm in his mouth squirmed and he nearly gagged and threw up again before he could spit it out. He jumped up, stumbling and tripping but never stopping.

"Find him!" The turtle roared as Splinter escaped. That's when he realized that it couldn't see in the dark either. He ran into the first doorway he could, bashing his hip against the door frame. He was going to feel that in the morning. He thought it hadn't caught up until he heard a chair scrape as it stumbled into the leg.

His home was a dark and confusing maze, every bash of furniture alerting where the other was. He scrambled on all fours, hands outstretched and searching. He stumbled, tripping over a rough, sandpaper surface. It rolled away noisily. Skateboard. The creature let out a screech that was close. Too close.

The next time he passed by a skateboard, he stopped. He grabbed the board and shoved it as hard as he could in the direction of the krang. He didn’t wait as he started running again. An unearthly sound erupted. A cry of pain. He hoped.

Light blanched his vision and he closed them, stumbling into a dark room, hitting the floor hard. Michelangelo was at the other side of the room, flicking on the lights. Something sharp stabbed his side and he realized he had fallen on the serums. His last defense.

Breathing heavy, he crawled until he hit a wall. His eyes still burned but he carefully watched the only lit room. A tiny krang crawled alongside Michelangelo. “Dad? Where did you go?” The creature’s voice was sing song, a mockery of his son.

The creature waltzed around, footsteps distant but inching closer. “Are you in here?”

He heard the click of another light switch. It hadn’t seen where he’d gone. But it was narrowing down the places he could be. Keeping his phone light blocked as much as possible, he texted April. Another light switched on.

“Stop hiding, Dad!” It laughed. Another click. There weren’t many rooms left.

Splinter steadied his breath. He needed to do something. He couldn’t just hide like a coward. This thing had impersonated son. He would make it pay.

He watched it get closer, its gait unbothered. It disappeared. Another click. It reappeared, the back of its shell facing him. His body tensed. He jumped out, sending a flying kick to the creature’s head.

He was suspended midair, the wind knocked out of him. The tentacle wrapped tighter around his waist as Michelangelo turned around, pink fleshy mass extending from his mouth.

“I do love it when they put up a fight.” The voice was nothing like Michelangelo’s this time. As he watched in horror, Michelangelo’s eyes glazed over, his mouth contorting unnaturally wide as a mess of squirming extremities bulged past his lips. That’s when he saw the krang erupt from Mikey’s mouth.

“Your body is a bit used up,” the krang said with a halfhearted shrug. “But we can still make use of it.”

Before he could even answer, the tentacle holding him up slams him into the ground, pain exploding in Splinter’s body, immobilizing him for a moment. He groaned, trying to gather enough strength to get up.

“Go. Claim your new host.” The krang encouraged its smaller counterpart. It crawled closer to him.

An explosion of glass erupted over the creature and it let out a haunted scream as its body melted. A long war cry he had never been happier to hear surrounded the air.

“Apriiiiiil O’Neal!” she cried, jumping onto Mikey’s shoulders as the krang retreated inside his mouth. “Hold still little guy! This will hurt a lot.”

Concern for his son overwhelmed his rational thinking. “April, no! He’s not an imposter!”

“No problem. I saw where the little bugger went.” She threw her weight, wrestling him to the ground as she pulled off the cork of another anti krang vial. “A little of this down his throat should—”

“No! That will kill my son!”

April faltered, realizing acid might not be good to swallow. That was enough for the creature to throw her off, scrambling to get away. It ran off, flicking the lights off as it left. They were temporarily blinded, precious seconds slipping away as they stumbled to the light switch.

By the time they got it back on, he was nowhere to be seen.

April gave a frustrated groan. “I hate those krang. What even was that thing?”

Splinter shook his head. “I don’t know for sure. But I think it turned him into a krang on the inside.” He gestured to his own stomach. “I don’t know if we can separate it from its host without killing Michelangelo.”

April’s face crumpled into concern and she tried to search for a positive. “I found where Raph and Donnie were. In some weird krang nest in Mikey’s room. I came back here as soon I realized what happened. I think they’re okay. Just unconscious.”

They walked into the room, pink flesh stretched along the room, Donnie and Raph ensnared like bugs in a web. They cut them down, nearly being squashed when Raph fell.

The snapping turtle woke up first, body still weak and limp as his scratchy voice spoke. “Dad. Mikey is…You need to make us throw up.”

“What?” Splinter was a bit caught off guard.

“We ate…the krang. Make us throw up.” Raph’s breathing was labored, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Splinter sighed. Sometimes being a father was more disgusting than he liked.

When they managed to get the two to vomit, the stench of bile was almost enough to make Splinter throw up. But in the fluid, something twitched. A small pink wad of skin that convulsed before falling still. April wrapped her hand around a towel before picking one up, hand pinched over her nose.

“It looks like a stomach. The krang must be trying to replicate you from the inside out.” She dropped it in a plastic container, handing it to Donnie who was still lying on the ground. “Donnie, get this nasty thing analyzed.”

Donnie groaned. “The Great Donatello needs at least another twenty minutes before he—” He sat up, looked at the parasite and threw up again.

April and Splinter placed the two turtles in their bed as they recovered. They stood outside their rooms, faces grim.

“April. We know where three of them are. But what about blu—Leonardo. What happened to him?” Splinter tried to keep his nerves out of his voice but it still shook.

She looked away, guilt contorting her face. She sighed. Reached into her jacket and pulled up a smashed blue phone. “I’m sorry. It’s all I could find.”

The grief settled deep into their hearts.

[next]

[lizzylucky]

Thoughts and Observations From The Movie, Part 2/4

Welcome to part two of the silly things and fun details I picked out from the Rise movie!

My sister and I often pause the movie here to reread the options on this whiteboard for destroying the key, and it never fails to make us laugh. My one question: when and how did they test Donnie’s stomach? He wasn’t even there!

Also, feels like a callback to TummyTello, somehow. It also leaves me wondering why Donnie’s Stomach was an actual idea for destruction, regardless of whether it involves TummyTello. Guy must eat some crazy stuff XD

Further content below the cut!

“So… You’re Running Out of Ideas.” by Syr E. Piphany.

Okay, okay, bear with me- I actually have a little theory for this one.  This is a screenshot from when Leo asks Donnie to locate Raph. Donnie tells him that Raph is practically- and then that he actually IS- on top of them. What I noticed here is that on this visual locator he has, none of the little character icons are oriented the same way their real life counterparts are. All six characters are in the same area and standing pretty close to each other, and I would assume that, kinda like google location sharing or snapchat location maps, you have to zoom in further on the map to get more specific locations.

This kinda sounds like it’s going nowhere, but what I’m getting at is the idea that when multiple people are in the same location, given that we know the icons will not be oriented perfectly to the people they represent, they’ll probably appear in the same orientation every time. 

Which would mean!! that Donnie has intentionally designed his tracker app to have icons show up with this orientation when people are close together, furthermore meaning that he chose to put his big brother in the center of them all on purpose. As an artist myself, this could be coincidental, but very rarely are things like this done without purpose, and I like to imagine it’s a subtle way to represent Donnie thinking the absolute world of his big brother; that he would turn to Raph for guidance even before Splinter, whose icon is on the other side of the circle from Donnie’s. 

I also love that the icons for Donnie’s best friend and Donnie’s “twin” are on either side of his.

And, as one last afterthought, I think this could also be a subtle nod to how Raph’s krangification becomes the center of the story and main motivator for all the characters for a huge chunk of the movie.

Does ANYONE ELSE SEE THIS?????

That absolutely looks like a masked face in the biogrowth at the top of this building. In truth, it actually looks a lot more like one of the paper ninjas than it does the Shredder, but the similarities are still there, and it works as further evidence that the Shredder and the goals of the Foot Clan were all hinged around the Krang.

Is anyone else floored by the size of this skull that Krang 1 or whatever is sitting on? I always would forget about it pretty immediately given Leo’s cheeky “surprise!” here, but this thing looks like the head of a freakin’ dragon or something. I wonder what it is? And how it got to, let alone died in, the technodrome.

 One genuinely non-serious theory my sister and I occasionally talk about is the idea that the technodrome is actually a massive egg, and this was the incomplete embryo of whatever it would have become. Further non-serious evidence, which can be seen in the next images, is that the technodrome, in spite of being extremely technologically advanced, is clearly… alive, not just pure tech. Actually, everything the Krang use seems to be bio-mechanical in nature, to some degree.

It will probably be made pretty clear here that Donnie is my favourite character, just a fair warning XD But man I love this scene- one, because of the Autism-ADHD solidarity shown between PB&J immediately previous, and, two, because it’s actually a seriously incredible show of strength from Donnie. 

Many fans of Rise, and of Donnie especially, also have Autism (like Donnie is confirmed to have) and/or ADHD (including myself) and understand that sensory issues mixed with New Things You Don’t Understand can be absolute hell. Like, ruins your day, renders you inactive, unfocused, nonverbal, made to be a shaking ball of anxiety, hell. Not always, but the point still stands.

Additionally, and as much as I am all for Donnie’s softshell not being seen as a big weakness because it’s natural and still more protection than any normal person has (not to mention the advantages it offers him in terms of swimming and flexibility (also probably feels really nice for scritches and sleep piles)), it actually does seem a relevant point here that this is, technically speaking, the most vulnerable part of Donnie’s body. So actively choosing to expose it to an unfamiliar and highly advanced, invasive and living technology on top of the difficulties that come with the above described neurodivergent tendencies goes against his nature in so, so many ways, but he does it anyway. 

Mikey being worried about his vulnerability here, in spite of feeling out of place before, makes a lot more sense from this perspective. Knowing all that, honestly-- it just never fails to impress me.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Double-Mutated Mikey

Chapter 9: Ethology

Continued from the short story written by @boots-with-the-fur-club

Prev || Next

Raph is awoken by a buzzing and quiet jingle of music under his thigh.

He groans as he reaches down and pulls his phone out, quickly answering it before the ringing can wake up the other two.

"Hhheello?" he mumbles sleepily.

"Ah, Raph, good morning. Casey Jr. gave me the list of Krang attributes to look out for, so I was wondering if Michael would be up for another round of tests and scans?"

Raph groans slightly, rubbing his hand down his face. His fingers catch the dried mucus left over from when he was crying last night.

"Donnie, what time is it?"

"7:30AM. Good morning, by the way."

"Mornin'. Why so early?" he complains. "Couldn't this have waited until a decent hour?"

"April is coming over later today, and I wanted to get the examinations out of the way before she arrives."

Raph yawns and stretches.

"Fine... Sure thing, Dee; I'll wake the guys and meet you in the lab. Though I assume you already knew we slept in Mikey's room..."

"I would have joined you, but I was busy..."

"You didn't stay up all night, did you?"

"No... I passed out sometime around 3:15."

"Donnie," Raph scolds. He is all too familiar with Dee's tendency to overwork himself when he has a big important project.

"I'll have a nap or something," Donnie half-heartedly promises. "But Mikey is first priority."

Well, Raph can't argue with that. He'd probably do the exact same thing.

"Fine. But just make sure you're not gonna kill yourself over this, okay?"

Donnie hesitates before humming out an answer.

"Mhm. See you in a few."

He hangs up before Raph can address the hesitation. He rolls his eyes and yawns again before standing up. He wonders who to wake first. Leo is probably the one to get ready first, since he can help corral Mikey if the zoomies kick in again. And two heads are better than one. He's the better choice to wake up first.

And yet, Raph finds himself going to Mikey's hammock instead, rocking it gently and rubbing Mikey's back.

"Heeyyyyy, bud, time to wake up..."

Mikey hums at him, soft and quiet moans. His throat vibrates, and he twists his face, scrunching it up as he buries it into his pillow. Something about the expression and tone sets Raph off. It sounds tired, but there's something else in the sleepiness... he sounds scared. Sad.

"Mikey? Big man? Are you okay?"

Mikey's eyes snap open.

He sits erect, glancing around the room, trying to gather himself and take in his surroundings. His breaths are shaking, rapid. His eyes dart back and forth, settling on Raph and peering at him.

"Mikey?" Raph asks nervously. He reaches a hand out for the little brother.

Mikey gives it two sniffs.

His expression changes. He relaxes, relieved. His eyes get glossy with tears, and he mews at Raph, who presses his hand against his cheek.

Raphael knows what happened. He's seen himself go through this so many times after the invasion, during the weeks recovering from krangification. Mikey just woke up and forgot he was home and safe. He woke up and thought he was back at the TCRI labs.

Raph sighs and rubs the tears from Mikey's cheek. Mikey leans into the touch and hums.

"Hey bud, wanna help me wake up Leo?"

Mikey's eyes light up as he looks to where Leo is lying on the beanbag. Mikey chirps with enthusiasm as he jumps down quickly and runs over to his brother, pouncing on Leo and knocking the wind out of him. Leonardo gasps and coughs and hacks, arms flailing around as he struggles to gather himself.

Raph has to muster all his strength to keep from doubling over in laughter.

"Okay, well, good morning to you too, Mike," Leo coughs, patting Mikey on the back with a groan.

Mikey beeps in response, a big and bright grin on his face.

Raph clicks the lights on, Leo and Mikey groaning at the sudden brightness. Leo covers his face as his eyes dilate, though Mikey grunts in discomfort for a moment before he seems to adjust.

"What time is it?" Leo asks, turning to Raph.

"Seven thirty-sumthin'," Raph says. "Donnie wants to do some more tests with Mikey."

Mikey's head spins at the word 'tests'. He whinges nervously.

"It's just an eye exam and saliva swab, if I remember right," Raph assures him. "Donnie ain't gonna do anything to make ya uncomfortable or hurt ya."

Mikey squirms a bit before nodding with a deep exhale. His shoulders relax. He slowly climbs off of Leo, who yelps in discomfort as Mikey steps on his legs with all the grace and tact of a newborn ostrich.

Raph leads the way to Donnie's labs, though Mikey groans again and squints once they get to the dim halls. Leo follows after them quickly.

Donnie is waiting for them at the lab doors, smiling with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Ah, hello dear brethren," he says with a smile. "Mikey, I hope you slept well."

Mikey signs 'good morning' at him. Dee's eyes expand. Raph forgot he hadn't seen Mikey communicate yet.

"Well, let's get this started, shall we?" Dee says with a smile, ushering them inside.

Mikey crawls into the lab and jumps up onto the examination table from the previous night. His tail taps nervously against the side.

"Now, Mikey, before we begin, I want you to know that I'm not going to do anything that makes you uncomfortable or upsets you," Donnie explains. "Think of this as like... a yearly physical, or a check-up. Not that we ever had those before... but the process is the same. I just want to make sure you're healthy and see some of the changes you've gone through so I can get an idea of how to properly take care of you. Okay?"

Mikey nods with a churr.

"Okay then. I'm going to start with an eye exam. We didn't really get to do that last night, after discovering the tapetum lucidum."

Donatello grabs a small pin light and shines it in Mikey's eye. Mikey hisses at the light before reeling back, holding his head and groaning.

"What? Is it too bright?"

'Vision,' Mikey signs. 'Vision changes when light. Head hurts.'

"What does he mean, 'vision changes when light'?" Leo asks.

Donnie scratches his chin as he inspects the eye he just shined a light in. The pupil doesn't dilate to accommodate to the darkness, but shifts from round to a slitted oval.

"Mikey, describe what you see. Not so much what is in the room, but how you perceive it."

Mikey looks at Donine, and he notices that he doesn't look him in the eye, but stares directly in the center of his face. After looking around for a second, he signs to him.

'Shapes, blurry edges, no details. Silhouettes. Heat. Mikey sees heat.'

"Mikey has infrared vision now," Donnie proclaims. "That's probably a result of the boa DNA. Snakes have heat-seeking vision."

"Wait, so if he can only see temperatures, then that explains why he didn't immediately recognize Splinter or Casey," Leo realizes. "He couldn't see their faces?"

"Precisely," Donnie says, Mikey nodding along. "But Mikey, what happened when I shined the light in your eye?"

'Vision changed,' Mikey answers. 'See things better. Colours, shapes, light.'

"So, the infrared only activates when it gets dark?"

Mikey nods.

'Hurts head when switches. Headaches. But Mikey prefers normal vision, easier to see. Sometimes vision blurs... mix, and gets confused. Can't switch right when light not dark enough. Hurts bad then.'

"Does it hurt now?" Donnie asks.

'Just a little. Computers shining.'

Donnie pauses before going to the wall and flicking the light switch on. The three groan at the sharp brightness that follows. Mikey blinks and hisses, but soon his pupils round out again. He glances around the room, and he smiles when his eyes settle on Donnie.

'Purple! See colours now!'

Donnie smiles, then grabs a tablet to take notes down on.

"I'll let Papa know to maintain proper illumination in the lair for you to keep the headaches at a minimum... Anything else eyesight-wise?"

Mikey shakes his head.

"Very well. On to the next thing..."

Donnie goes to his desk and grabs a swab.

"Open wide for me, okay?"

Mikey obeys, his teeth not quite so long and sharp as they were the night before during the fight. Donnie makes a mental note to ask about them.

Dee hands the swab to Leo, the designated medic, and he gently scrubs the inside of Mikey's cheek. Once he's finished, Donnie hands him a tiny vial to store it in.

"I'll be studying this later," he says, taking the sample from Leo and placing it in a storage compartment by his computer. "Thank you, Michael."

"And Leo," the slider adds.

"And Leo. Although, I would also like to do a blood test if possible..."

Mikey whimpers at this, and starts scooting away from Donnie.

"Only if you agree to it, Michael," he says quickly. "I promised not to do anything that would upset you. The saliva will suffice for now. I'll only ask for a blood sample if I really need it, okay?"

"What do you need the saliva for, anyway?" Leo asks.

"His DNA."

"I thought you had that?"

"I have a virtual scan of it," Donnie clarifies. "And all it does is tell me what's not him inside him. The saliva isn't for that, it's to help reverse-engineer the mutations and come up with an anti-mutagen."

"You can do that from just some spit?" Raph asks, intrigued.

"...We'll see," he mumbles, turning away from them and typing on the computer.

Raph notices the hesitation again. But Donnie gets back to work before Raph can bring it up or think about it anymore.

"Mikey, do you mind if I do some small inspections of your person?"

Mikey tilts his head, furrowing his brow.

"I want to look at you closer," Donnie tries again. "See what physical changes you've gone through."

Mikey chirps in understanding and bobs his head 'yes'. Donnie starts walking around him, lifting Mikey's arms as he flips his goggles down.

"Nardo, can you take notation while I inspect our brother?"

"Sure thing," Leo says, quickly grabbing the tablet for him.

"Write down exactly what I say, okay?" Donnie orders. "I won't be able to understand your dum-dum gibberish otherwise."

Leo gawks in disgust at Donnie's accusation, which entertains Mikey to the point of giggles. Leo smiles and winks before writing down Donnie's observations.

"Make a note: Michelangelo's shell is rougher, the scutes more pronounced and rigid. Part of it looks like scarring, but it also looks as though the breakage may act like an armour for underside of his shell..."

Donnie moves down the line, carefully taking Mikey's long whipping tail and tracing his fingers along it.

"His tail has grown as well... previous size was, in general estimation, three inches long. I don't have the exact measurements currently. His post-mutation tail is now..." Donnie pauses to measure. "...65 inches, or just over five feet."

Leo whistles in astonishment as he writes down Donnie's notes.

"What did they feed you to make you grow like that, Miguel?" he jokes.

Mikey exhales, a soft huff through his nostrils. A pity laugh. Though, Leo realizes that the mention of the labs has made him a little uncomfortable, and he starts squirming under Donnie's intense gaze. He should have thought of that...

Go hold his hand, Leo telepathically says to Raph, who jumps slightly at the unannounced use of mind meld. He nods and goes to Mikey, taking his hand and rubbing it gently to soothe him. Mikey starts to relax again.

"Make a note," Donnie continues, "Mikey's tail is covered in special scutes and scales that lift up and act as barbs or spikes."

Dee gently tucks his finger under one such scale and raises it. A series of other scales lift up in company with the first. He checks to make sure it doesn't cause discomfort for Mikey, and when it doesn't, he goes to the very tip of the appendage.

"The scales at the end are more elongated then the rest. And sharper. And it appears --"

He pries the scales up. A series of them lift in unison with the ones he has fiddled with, surrounding the tail in a circular pattern.

"-- it appears that they are also in a different arrangement than the rest. My hypothesis is that the scales on the majority of his tail are for protection and defense, but the scales on the end are for offense and attack."

Donnie smoothes them down.

"Are you doing alright, Angelo? Can I keep going?"

Mikey doesn't respond.

"Angelo?"

Donnie circles back to the front of the table, looking at Mikey's face. His eyes have glossed over. He looks bored, almost asleep. His expression is one of resignation. Donnie quickly waves his hand in front of him.

"Mikey? Anybody home?"

Mikey blinks and comes back.

'Sorry,' he signs. 'Zoned out. Habit.'

"Habit?"

'We don't like tests, zone out to not get scared. Did a lot of tests before. They poke and pull. Hurt. Make Mikey sad and scared. Zone out helps.'

"You mean you disassociate," Donnie clarifies. "Okay. I'll try to finish up as quickly as I can..."

"Mikey," Raph interjects. "What kinds of tests did they do?"

Mikey's face scrunches up again, his gaze goes past Raph to an empty corner of the room as he tries to focus, think back. After what feels like an eternity, Mikey responds.

'Can't remember.'

"Whaddya mean?" Raph asks anxiously.

'Blur,' Mikey signs. 'Can't remember things. The other place is hard to think in. Mikey likes this place better, helps head to think more. Helps to remember.'

"Do you remember how you got mutated?" Donnie asks.

Mikey waves his hand on a tilt back and forth. Sorta.

'Just remember hurts. Too bright. Bad people, they scare us. Scared a lot. Sleepy after. They do lots of tests.'

Raph whimpers quietly.

"Mikey... do you remember how you got captured?"

Mikey thinks about it.

'Remember falling. Remember scared. No more after. Not much before.'

Raph swallows. He wants to say something, wants to apologize... but then he locks eyes with Leo, who raises his brow at him and shakes his head, knowing exactly what Raph is thinking, even without the mind meld.

Not a good time.

Raph sighs and chokes down what he wants to say. He'll have time later.

"Mikey, can I ask you why you keep referring to yourself as multiple people?" Donnie asks.

'Voice,' Mikey signs.

"You... hear a voice in your head?"

Mikey has a look of frustration as he tries to explain as best he can. It's hard, he doesn't have all the words he needs.

'Word missing... don't know sing for it... stink... inside stink...'

"Inside stink?" Donnie asks, raising an eyebrow. "Does something smell bad, or --"

'No, inside stink... inner stinks... in stinks...'

"In stinks...? Instinct!" Leo exclaims. "You're saying there's a voice in your head that sounds like an instinct?"

Mikey nods, chirping happily that Leo understood.

"So, this 'Instinct', does this sound like your own thoughts? Or a separate personality?" Donnie asks, slowly spiralling in possible diagnoses. "It could be DID, or schizophrenia, or auditory hallucinations, or..."

Mikey shrugs.

'Voice tells Mikey what to do. Instinct takes over when really scared or danger. Instinct in charge a lot in other place. That why no remember much.'

"Kinda like 'Savage Raph', huh?" Raphael interjects.

Mikey beeps in response, nodding and pointing at Raph as if to say 'Yeah, what he said!'

"Alright, so Mikey has a form of dissociative identity disorder," Donnie diagnoses. "Leo, write that down. In the meantime, Mikey, I'm just gonna look at your hands, feet, and teeth, and then I'll stop for now, okay?"

'Okay' Mikey signs, ready to be done.

"Great."

Donnie takes Mikey's claw in his hand and turns it over.

"Hey, look! Mikey has beans now!" Raph exclaims, pointing to the small squishy, leathery, heart-shaped pads on Mikey's palms.

"They are paw pads," Donatello corrects. "Another quirk from the jaguar mutation..."

Mikey's eyes go huge as saucers when he hears that. Apparently he didn't know about that animal trait.

"Leo, make a note... Mikey's fingers are much more pointed now, his nails seem sharp and shaped. Unsure yet if that is by nature or nurture... As for his feet, there is some webbing between the toes, possibly a trait from the basilisk DNA. Oh, and a dewclaw; see this curved nail here?" Donnie says, pointing it out. "Fascinating. Alright Mikey, smile for me real quick?"

Mikey bares his teeth for Donnie.

"Hmm. Not as sharp or elongated as they were last night. Mikey, do you know if your teeth can retract on command?"

"You mean like Toothless?" Raph asks, getting just the teensiest bit excited.

Mikey nods, and signs again.

'Happens when angry or danger. Threat. Teeth grow big. Aches after.'

"Got it. Leo, write down that his teeth can extend and retract when Mikey feels threatened. Also, Mikey, seeing as how your teeth are sharper now, does this affect your diet in any way?"

Mikey taps his fingers against his knees as he thinks it over.

'Mikey gets hungry for meat a lot. But likes other foods still. No cold. Cold hurts. But definitely hungry for meat.'

"Got it. I'll instruct Papa to add more beef and proteins to the grocery cart."

Donnie leans back with a proud smile.

"I think that's all for now, Angelo. You did very well."

Mikey smiles brightly and makes an eeeeee noise in response.

'Thank you, Purple!'

Donnie's smile wanes.

"Purple? Why'd you call me Purple?"

Mikey's happy expression falls. He looks embarrassed, afraid.

'Purple... is name?'

"N-no... not, not really," Donnie stammers. "You called me that earlier... but I thought you meant you could discern my mask -- Mikey... You do remember my actual name, right?"

Mikey is silent. His lip quivers softly as he looks in between his brothers nervously, asking for help. But they look just as scared and helpless upon the realization.

"Mikey... do you... remember who we are?"

Prev || Next

[thegodovereverything]

TMNTober

prompt: masks

gen: rise

ao3

@tmntober-2023

cw: angst, off screen death, on screen death, major character death, way too little editing

----------------------------------------------------------

The first mask was when he was ten. Raph had already gotten his own on his tenth birthday, which all three brothers called unfair. But then Donnie and his tenth birthday approached, and Leo couldn’t stop bugging his dad about it. 

“C’ mon Dad! Raph already got his own mask, now it's my turn! For mine, can you make it blue and less bandanady? I wanna look like Lou Jitsu! And Lou Jitsu has these glasses that look a bit like upside down masks. But can it be in blue? You don’t even need to make Donnie one! Please? ”

His dad always chuckled and said, “Maybe, Blue, if you’re good.”

Leo always pouted and left for a bit, only the next day with the same requests.

Dad had worked a couple days sewing Donnie and his masks. Leo had pretended not to notice when Dad had snuck into his room and tried to sneakingly mark Donnie and Leo’s eyes on the fabric.

He had placed them in their christmas stockings and the tails poked out playfully. Leo had instantly fallen in love.

He put it on and admired himself in the mirror. They reminded him of Lou Jitsu’s glasses, a revelation that made him squeal. Dad had listened to him! He showed off his mask to his other brothers.

“Look! Dad made me a different type of mask ‘cause I’m cooler than you!”

“Did not!” Donnie protested.

“Did too!” 

______

The second mask was much later. It wasn’t blue and it wasn’t his. Raph had, without Leo’s permission, gone on a mission with Casey Sr. and Mikey to investigate reports of a nearby village that had found a cure for krangification.

Leo had looked at the live footage their communicators broadcasted in the days that followed near obsessively. 

There were times where April would come into Donnie’s lab to get his brother to bed, only to find a different brother staring intently at the monitor. She would nudge Leo gently. He’d barely glance her way. The monitor at most showed one of his brothers or Casey Sr. walking steadily through the barren wasteland that their home had become, but Leo started to believe that if he didn’t watch them then something terrible was going to happen to them. Something he can’t control. She seemed to understand that mindset, as she asked Donnie to get Leo’s monitor in his room hooked up to the footage. She was certain that once Leo was in his own bed willingly, he might actually fall asleep. 

After three days, she was proved right. Leo unwillingly slept that night. It was something he regretted for the rest of his life. Donnie had recorded the footage, which Leo watched so many times that every miniscule moment was ingrained into his mind. 

First Raph, Mikey and Casey Sr. come into the village. It was surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs, with only one slim path for them to squeeze through. A red fog had draped over the ground, only allowing the slight outline of a village through its misty grasp. 

Raph signaled for everyone to proceed with caution, and they all stepped trepidatiously into the village. The only noise was from what looked like a community center. It was quiet, almost so quiet that Leo didn’t notice it on his first watch through. Raph told them to wait while he went to investigate.

Casey Sr. and Mikey waited impatiently for three minutes before deciding to go inside. Leo wished they didn’t. Mikey was never the same after what he saw. 

Raph was holding an unconscious person, who had krang pulsating underneath their skin. He has smiled, assuring and comforting and everything he will never be again.

The person had woken up before anyone could say a word and screeched out wordlessly. Everyone in the world knew that sound. It told them that the infected were close and would all be moving towards that screech. They were not equipped for a hoard. They all knew it. 

“Run!” His brother yelled. Mikey and Casey Sr. were wired to his orders. Like a switch for a light, they didn’t question or hesitate. They ran. Raph had yelled a battle cry, the light from his ninpo reflected in the damp fog. 

Then Raph screamed, and the camera shook as Mikey stumbled. His younger brother steadied himself and turned. Then Mikey wailed. Chains rose up and blinded the cameras, striking through the chest of the krangified person Raph had been holding. The chains rose and used the still attached person as a makeshift Kusari-fundō, plowing through the fields of krangified beings that approached. It was the first time his younger brother had summoned the chains in combat. 

Casey Sr. ran to Raphs side, yelling her war cry. His plastron was completely cracked through where his heart laid and his eyes were without life. 

She called Leo, who instantly shot awake at the sound of his ringing phone. The monitor in front of him stalled his every thought. All he could see was his brother. Dead. 

He didn’t have time to mourn right then. He made a portal and got them home, including his brother's corpse. Mikey had instantly collapsed, exhausted. Leo tucked him into his bed, then faced Raph.

He took the mask off of his brother's face and wrapped it around his sword. No matter where he went, he’ll take his brother with him. 

_____

The third mask was much too soon. Donnie had gotten obsessed with revenge, with hunting down the Krang and making them pay . When he left, it was silently. Leo only noticed he was gone by the mask draped over his keyboard, with a note for Leo to go to the ‘Leo’ file on the computer. 

Donnie popped up on the screen.

“Leo, if you're seeing this I am either dead or you noticed my absence too quickly. In order to keep your attention on this very thoughtful recording, I have attached my vitals In the upper right corner of the screen. Please focus on what I say more than my heart rate,” Leo's eyes instantly looked up at the vitals that were on the upper right. His brother’s heartbeat pumped at 160bpm. Leo tried to pull up Donnie’s coordinates.

“And don’t think about trying to get my coordinates. I have deactivated that feature of my tracker.”

Leo sat back, horrified. Just what was his twin doing? And where the heck did he go?

“Now, I’m sure you’re wondering just where I’ve gone. I can easily assure you that I have made this decision with a clear mind and pure logic. My emotions do not cloud my judgment so easily. However, emotions have nothing to do with the fact that they killed our brother and that I am making them pay .” A strangled gasp escaped Leo's throat, “Although my projected chance of dying is only at 60%, I felt it better to prepare just in case. As you carry Raph’s mask around with you always, I thought I’d also give you the comfort of mine in case of my passing.” 

Donnie’s recording continued to talk in the background. Leo brought his legs up and wrapped his arms around his knees. The world became blurry as tears budded up. He had to do something, right? 

A shaking hand brought his phone to his face. The phone rang. His brother never picked up.

The heart rate that had been going so quickly suddenly stopped. Donnie’s voicemail lines and the still talking recording overlapped each other. His hand went limp and the phone dropped to the floor.

“I have taken care to keep instructions on how to continue to run the base in the ‘Instructions’ folder. And Leo, I love you. I’ll see you soon.”

He sat there for hours. Mikey had been the one to find him, staring at the still vitals as Donnie’s recording looped. His younger brother had collapsed, sobbing into Leo’s shoulder. Leo mechanically picked up Donnie’s mask and wrapped it by Raph’s. Another brother he wasn’t with when they died. Another brother to keep by his side.

______

The fourth mask was during an argument. Leo and Mikey were camped a bit away from the rest of the rebellion. Their campfire was at a gentle flame, at odds with the intensity at which both brothers were talking.

“I refuse to be kept to the sidelines! I am a mystic warrior , Leo, and I can’t be a warrior without fighting!”

“Mikey, please, you’re too important to just go out there! I can’t let you get hurt or…” Leo trailed off, rubbing the masks wrapped around his sword subconsciously. Mikey scowled at that.

“I will not be another mask on your sword!” Mikey tore off his mask and stomped over the campfire. He hovered the mask over the flame, holding it by the short bands. It dangled tauntingly over the flames.

“Wait, Mikey, wait–”

His little brother, his only remaining brother, didn’t wait. His mask went up into flames instantly. 

Little flakes of fabric rose up with the smoke, resting on the rocky floor. It felt like a sucker punch to Leo’s gut. He watched as something that in his mind has defined his family for so long got destroyed so easily. 

“Mikey,” He said his brother’s name softly, mournfully. 

Mikey gave a quiet sob as he swept away his tears roughly.

“I’m not planning on dying anytime soon, ok? So stop being such a mother hen and let me do what needs to be done. We both know that without my mystic prowess we will fall. I’m the only mystic left, so let me do my thing.”

Leo opened his arms, a silent offer. Mikey rushed into his arms. Both of their shoulders shook from their sobs as both brothers collapsed on the other. The mask went up to flames, but Leo’s brothers were still with them. And they always will be.