Author's Note: A persistent plot bunny.
2012 turtles. Everybody in here, but Leo-centric with lots and lots of Mikey, for reasons which will become obvious at the end of this prologue.
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Prologue
Everything was silent in the lair. It was well past everybody's bedtime, and even Donnie had left his current pet project for the time being and found his way back to his bed.
Yes, everything was silent, peaceful and quiet, which meant it was the perfect time for Leo to implement his plan.
With a grin, the blue-masked turtle silently reached for the flashlight under his pillow and switched it on. The door was closed and if he stayed under his heavy quilt, the light would be invisible from outside.
Leo grabbed the scroll that he had borrowed from his father's shelves and looked at it lovingly.
There, written on the parchment, were the symbols that Splinter was teaching him - the symbols which, when whispered and signed, could help a body to heal.
He began reading the title - a title he already knew.
Fracture Fixation Mantra
It was such useful knowledge to have, he didn't understand why Splinter hadn't wanted him to learn it at once. His father was helping him to develop his healing skills, but he had refused to teach him this particular mantra. And he had given no explanation for that decision.
Leo hadn't dared to insist, but his curiosity had been too strong.
I'm just getting ahead, he thought, fighting his feeling of guilt.
He didn't like going behind his father's back, but it was an important matter.
If he had known about this mantra sooner… If he had known that he had healing hands when he had woken up in a bathtub after months in a coma…
Maybe his recovery would have been faster. Maybe he wouldn't have felt so helpless, so useless, when each step was slow and painful, and he could see the concern he was causing his family…
It made me stronger, he reminded himself.
Nevertheless, he was going to do everything in his power so it never happened again.
Taking a deep breath, Leo began following the instructions written on the parchment, his three-fingered hands moving in rhythm to match his words.
Rin… Pyo…
So far, so good.
Zen… Rin…
The scroll was long, and Leo kept reading it stubbornly by lamplight, even as his eyelids grew heavier and heavier and his movements became sloppier. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all, he had been very busy tonight - training, watching TV, training again, patrolling… - and he needed his rest.
Keep going…
Rizen, Pyotushai, Kiorin… Leo obediently went on, before shaking his head. Urgh. No, that's not it. Do it again.
No, keep going, his mind insisted.
His mind?
Pyorizenkio… I'm barely awake, Leo protested.
Somewhere in his fuzzy brain, a red light had turned on.
Just a little more. Kai…Shah…Toh…
Kai, Shah, Toh, Leo obediently repeated. Before he snapped awake and spoke aloud.
"Wait a minute! Who are you?"
It won't matter to you anymore, the voice whispered joyfully. Thank you. It has been a long time.
Leo wanted to protest, but excruciating pain coursed through his body, and he felt torn apart - literally…
"Leo, are you awake?"
Mikey, Leo thought. He held on to the familiar voice, and the pain receded.
Somebody laughed softly.
"How does it look like?"
"Leo, I had a nightmare about Karai," Mikey said shyly. "She was coming back to hurt us."
Leo immediately wanted to reassure him, but he couldn't talk. He tried to inhale deeply, but he couldn't breathe. And what he could see made no sense… What he could see was…
"Ridiculous. Go back to sleep."
"But Leo!"
If he focused, he could feel his brother's emotions - lack of understanding and hurt, why was Leo dismissing him?
Mikey, no! Mikey, I'm here!
But his brother wasn't hearing him.
"Goodnight, Mikey," the voice - his voice - said, and Leo watched helplessly through Mikey's eyes as his own body winked, turned over and switched off the flashlight.