Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles, much to my frustration Nick does.
Timeframe: Set just after "Bat in the Belfry" but before "The Super Shredder".
A/N: I know some of you don't care for the crossover I'm doing right now, so here's one I think you'll like. And for all those Karai lovers, she'll be in this one. (Personally, I still don't like her but I can stand her better than 12's April.) Oh and the cover arts mine. You can see all my stuff on DeviantArt.
Baxter buzzed around his lab, mumbling to himself. "At last, at last I have it!" He flew to where Shredder lay, being pumped full of mutagen. "Master, I have it! A way to finally rid us of those annoying turtles."
"Your loyalty is commendable, Stockman. You will be rewarded when I regain my strength."
"Oh, thank you, Master Shredder!" He buzzed happily and then flew to the Footbots waiting for orders. Turning the dial to slug, he handed over the ray gun. "This animalizer-ray will turn the turtles into helpless slugs. Go now, exact the Master's revenge!"
The team of turtles sprinted across the rooves followed closely by Casey and April. They'd been out on patrol for a while with little to show for it. Now that the Shredder was out of the picture and they'd taken care of that crazy crime-boss, things were pretty quiet. They stopped on a rooftop for a short break and Leo leaned on the parapet. As the others chattered behind him, he watched a young teenage couple stroll down the street holding hands. The girl pointed at an ice cream shop and the boy smiled, apparently agreeing with her. She rewarded him with a warm kiss. Leo felt himself blush at the scene, even as envy churned inside him.
It was unfair for them to have to hide in the shadows and yet that was their lives. They were ninja and they were turtles. It didn't matter how many times they saved the Earth from destruction, they could never be a part of human society. He could never stroll down the street with Karai, or go for ice cream with her. Donnie could never go on a real date with April or have the opportunities other geniuses such as him did.
He glanced over his shoulder at his brothers. Raph and Mikey probably didn't even think about what they were missing, having to hide all the time. But Donnie, he knew understood, probably better than any of them.
He sighed. "Come on guys, let's head back."
Mikey rubbed his stomach and licked his lips. "Good, 'cause I'm starved."
"Didn't you eat right before we left?" Raph commented.
"Yeah, but that was like three hours ago, bro. I'm a growing boy. And my tank's on empty." Mikey chattered happily.
Leo gave another sigh and turned in the direction of home, only to stop cold. Shadows moved across a rooftop nearby. When he drew his blades the others snapped to attention. "Heads up, guys. We've got company."
The others spun, weapons coming to the ready as the shadows sprang to life with Footbots. Dozens of them appeared, surrounding them. Raph smirked. "Finally some action. I was startin' to get bored."
"Man I was already bored." Casey's hockey stick connected with one Footbot's head.
"Aww and I was so ready for some grub." Mikey grumbled taking out a Foot with his nunchakus.
"Don't worry, Mikey. This won't take long." Leo sliced through three bots at once.
"Yeah, there's only three dozen." Don commented brandishing his staff.
April used her tessen to fend off another Foot. "Yep, ten minutes max."
Nearby, just outside the main ring of combat a soldier leveled a gun like device at Raph, who was the closest to him. Raph had his back to the soldier and didn't see him, but Donnie did. He used his bo to yank the katana from his opponent and throw it at the soldier. It struck the device first and then the Footbot. The dial on the animalizer-ray twirled as it slid across the roof. Unfortunately, Don didn't have time to focus on it as several Foot converged on him.
Across the roof, Leo saw what had happened. And he also saw when another Foot picked up the laser-gun looking weapon and aimed at his youngest brother. "Mikey!" Mikey looked up, but Leo was already shoving him aside as the weapon discharged. A bright light surrounded him and then there was darkness.
He was cold – really cold – and his head hurt. That blast must have knocked me out. Slowly he blinked, his eyes focusing on his brothers standing off to one side of the pit arguing.
"He can't stay that way!" Raph protested.
"I know that, Raph!" Donnie fumed. "But I can't do anything, until I know what exactly happened!"
"We know what happened. He got hit with that weird ray thingy." Mikey told them as if they hadn't been there.
"That's really helpful, Mikey. Thanks." Don said sarcastically. Behind him sat April with her head down, her hands covering her face. She seemed upset about something, but Leo couldn't figure out what. Other than the fact that he was cold and had a headache, nothing felt injured.
"Somebody should have nabbed that ray-gun." Casey said absently. He looked a bit upset as well. Leo noted he wasn't wearing his hoody which was odd.
"Why didn't you? You were closer than the rest of us!" Raph snapped.
"I was busy tryin' to keep those Footbots off you guys!" Casey snapped back.
Leo decided he should let them know he was awake before a brawl started. "Uh, guys…what's going on?"
He started to sit up, but Mikey practically tackled him, pinning him against the couch in a crushing hug. "Leo! You're awake!" Leo noted that the hug felt off. Mikey was colder than normal and his plastron was hard against his chest. Mikey sat back with large sad eyes. "I'm sorry, Leo. How are you feeling?"
Leo did a mental body check as the others gathered around. "Nothing feels injured, except I've got a bit of a headache."
Don and Raph exchanged a look. "You mean you don't feel odd?"
Leo blinked at Donnie's strange question. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Don frowned. "I'll be right back." He disappeared into his lab and returned with a small mirror. He paused, a bit nervous about how his brother was going to react. "Uh, now Leo this could be a bit of a shock."
Leo sat up just a bit. "What?"
"Here, take a look." Donnie handed him the small mirror.
Leo frowned. "Did Mikey paint my face again?"
"No, just look." Raph huffed.
Leo complied. He stared at the image in the mirror for a long time. At first he thought it was a prank that Donnie had gotten involved in, because there was no way the human teen staring back at him with blonde hair and pale skin was him. But then he noticed his hands holding the mirror. They were human too. He had five slender digits, instead of three thick ones.
Slow panic overtook the image in the mirror. His blue eyes grew wide and his human mouth hung open. He dropped the mirror on the couch and scrambled away from it. "Holy shell! What the-!"
April gave a small gasp and covered her eyes, her cheeks burning bright red. Mikey frowned. "Dude, you're freaking April out!"
Leo felt like the room was spinning. "W-What?"
"You're naked." Raph pointed out, not looking directly at his brother.
Leo glanced down at himself and grabbed the blanket covering himself up. His own cheeks turning scarlet. "Sorry."
"You're sorry. I had to cover you up with my hoody on the way here. Man, I think I'm gonna have to burn it." Casey glanced at the discarded clothing on the floor not far away.
Leo pulled the covers up higher on his bare chest. His gaze shot to his brother. "Donnie, you can fix this right?"
Donnie frowned. "Well, uh…"
"Right?" Leo was desperate. "You've just got to fix this, Donnie! I'm a turtle not a human!"
"Well, you see, Leo….The thing is….we need that weird laser the Foot shot you with." Don started to explain.
"And we don't have it." Raph interjected.
"I can't even begin to guess what they did to you, until I have it. Maybe the device itself can change you back." Don hypothesized.
"Then we need to find the Foot and get it!" Leo stood up forgetting he was naked again. April let out a small squeal and turned away from him. Leo blushed again, yanking the blanket up around him again.
"I think you might need clothes to do that with." Mikey teased.
"Yeah, 'cause we definitely don't want to see you walkin' around in your skivvies." Raph told him.
Leo looked around. "Where's Master Splinter?"
"He was asleep when we got here. That was only a few minutes before you woke up. We haven't had a chance to get him yet." Don explained.
"I'll get him!" April hurried out of the room, the tinge of red still tinting her face.
"Um, Casey, do you think you could get Fearless here some clothes?" Raph asked.
"Sure, no problem. I'll head home now. Be right back." Casey's gaze shot towards the dojo and Splinter's room. "Hang in there, Leo. But, uh, try to keep it covered. I think Red's gonna turn permanently red, if you don't."
Leo blushed again and Raph let out a low growl. "Casey!" The teen took this as his cue to leave. He snatched up his hoody and sprinted for the exit.
When he was gone, Mikey sighed. "I really am sorry, Leo. You're like this because of me."
Leo frowned as he settled back on the couch, pulling the blanket around him. He sighed, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's okay, Mikey. I'm just glad this didn't happen to you."
Mikey grinned. "No way, bro. I would've thought it was cool! Think of all the neat stuff you can do as a human. Like go to a pizza parlor and eat pizza. Or go to the mall and eat pizza. Or go to school and eat pizza." Mikey licked his lips. "Mmm, yeah, pizza."
Raph rolled his eyes, while Don face-palmed. Leo just smiled tolerantly, but his eyes held worry. "I just hope I can change back." He rubbed his bare arms. "I never noticed how cold it is down here."
"You're warm-blooded now, Leo. You're going to be more sensitive to temperature." Don explained.
Leo looked up as Splinter entered the room. The rat's ears turned back, a pained look in his eye. "Leonardo?"
"Yes, Sensei, it's me." For some reason, Leo felt ashamed sitting there in human form, exposed from the waist up.
Splinter frowned. "Donatello explain."
Donnie fidgeted. "The Foot used some type of strange ray on him. It turned him human. I won't know how to change him back until we get the ray-gun and I can examine it."
Splinter looked over his sons with another frown. "Very well, but for now I suggest we all rest." He met Leo's gaze again. "It has been a long and trying night."
April yawned. "I think I'll head home. I could use some sleep too." But she paused before leaving, her gaze falling back to Leo. "Let me know you guys need anything – anything at all."
"Thanks, April." Donnie told her.
As she left, the others turned back to Leo, who was staring at his pale fingers. Splinter frowned again. "Leonardo, I suggest you get some sleep."
Leo frowned. "But Casey is supposed to be bringing me some clothes."
"We'll wait up for him, bro." Raph assured him. "Just go on to bed."
Leo looked at each of his brothers, before pulling the blanket up and wrapping it around his waist. He stood, walking away forlornly. He hated this. He needed to fix it as soon as possible and if that meant he had to get that strange ray-gun thingy, then that was what he'd do. Leo closed the door to his room as a plan began to form itself in his mind. He couldn't allow his brothers anywhere near that thing while their enemies controlled it. Even though no one had said it, he knew they were all thinking the same thing. It was possible this was permanent. He'd have to retrieve the weapon alone. It was the only way to keep them safe.
Leo settled on the side of his bed as there was a soft knock on his door. "Come in."
Don opened it a bit. "Leo, do you mind if I take a sample of your blood before you go to sleep? I'd like to analyze it. It could give us some clues to what happened to you." Leo gave a small nod and his brother entered. Don's hand was strangely cold to Leo as he drew the vial of blood. Neither spoke until he was done. Donnie squeezed his shoulder. "It'll be okay."
Leo just gave another small nod and Don left. Leo crawled under the covers, feeling completely odd in doing so. This body was strange to him. It was soft where his was hard. It was lighter too, because of the lack of the hundred-pound shell on his back. It simply wasn't his.
He dozed only slightly, his mind wrapped up in the varying possibilities and issues involved in him being human. Finally, he let out a frustrated groan and sat up. He couldn't lay there any longer. He had to be doing something – anything. He started to get up, but the chill in the room reminded him that he was still nude. Wrapping the blanket around himself, he opened the door to step out into the living room again. No one was awake.
Spotting the pile of folded clothes on one of the benches, he grabbed them and headed back into his room. The clothes were old with holes in varying places, but they smelled clean and freshly laundered. The underwear and socks seemed new with a tag still hanging off them. After some initial fumbling, Leo managed to get them all on. Then he sat staring at the tennis-shoes that looked like they were about to fall apart. Footwear had never even crossed his mind. They wrapped their large feet and had all developed a thick layer of callused skin that protected them from minor injuries. Looking at the pale feet he now had, he understood why shoes were a necessity. He struggled with them for a moment. They were a bit too tight. As a matter of fact, all of Casey's clothes were a bit too tight. Which made sense when he thought about it. Casey was slender, lacking in the muscle department. But Leo still retained his own muscle tone, large biceps and wide shoulders.
He strapped on his katana, pulling the belts tight around him. Then he examined himself in the small mirror that hung in one corner. He sighed at the teenage human staring back at him and ran a hand through his ruffled blonde hair. This is just too weird. I need my body back and now. And the only way to do that is to find that laser.
Grabbing a piece of paper, he scribbled a hasty note to his family. There was no need to worry them after all. I'll be back soon. Don't worry. Leo.
He left it on his bed as he crept back out of his room and headed for the exit. He had to do this on his own.
A/N: Don't forget to review!