Authors Notes.
Ok so it is no secret that I HATED the last TMNT 2012 episode, 'Apocalypse.' That is not the ending I wanted for any of them. This short story takes place before the events in that episode took place, and is helping me come to terms with the show's ending. It's also linked to my only other story on here, 'What Happened After.'
I just felt the episode had something missing... LIKE THE PLOT THAT GOT US THERE! :-(
Now for those older readers with the same taste as me, yes there are some scenes aspired by 'Buffy the vampire slayer.' My only other favorite TV show. But it's adapted so well, and the last tmnt episode was a rip off of that god-awful Mad Max movie, so I have no guilt. It's not like I own either of these fab shows... If I did tmnt would have ended very differently. Please just try to enjoy it.
I would like to give a big thank you to my beta's XxTurtletracerxX and TheMaskedTimelord for their help and input.
By coincidence my fav writer CjtheStoryteller also wrote an Apocalypse story to try and accept the show's ending. Although hers is set after the event of the episode. So I thought they might link up good. Thanks Cj. Hope you like.
Enjoy and like me, cry everyone!
…...
Warnings
Chapter 1
"Ok how does this look?" The oldest brother Leo said placing the final set of candles under the large Japanese Shrine the four brothers had just finished creating in memory of their late father and Master, Homato Yoshi. But to them he would always be Splinter, the mutated rat who rescued them from the Kraang , and raised them here in the sewers.
"I think it looks pretty darn good," Mikey said smiling happily as he finished frantically polishing the picture frame that held the human image of his father with his wife and baby daughter that they had all come to think of as a sister.
Leo snorted in veiled amusement at Mikey's response. Leo had rearranged these candles four times now, and had gotten the same answer out of his youngest brother every single time. At this point his opinion didn't hold much merit.
Donnie glanced away from the stream of ribbons he had been cutting and eyed the display critically. "I like it too Leo, and you were right, the candles do look better under the painting than to the sides. It helps light up the frame." Leo smiled gratefully at Donnie, happy for an opinion from the one person who probably actually gave a green turtle scale about the arrangement of his candles. Donnie nodded in acknowledgment and went back to his red ribbons, cutting the things into equal strands with a ruler and a knife. The ribbon was meant to wrap around the wooden Japanese gate that all four of the brothers had carved themselves in Donatello's lab only days before.
"And the final touch," Said the second eldest Raphael as he placed a drawing Splinter had done for him when he was five on the shelf beside the main picture. Each of the brothers had placed an item of sentiment of their father on the shrine in dedication of their life with him.
"Yep I think Master Splinter would be very proud of this," The third youngest, Donnie, said now standing back admiring their handy work. When his three brothers joined him, they all took a moment to look at the beautiful display before bowing in unison.
The four of them had started this project some time ago, but had not had the time to do anything until now. But now for the first time this year the ninja turtles had a little space to breathe. No need to go into crisis-evaluation mode towards threats to the human race. No apocalyptic disaster throwing itself at their feet, demanding attention. Simply reveling in the moment of stillness was a new feeling for the boys, and they knew of only one way to take advantage of it, by being in meditative peace.
…Mikey ruined the moment.
Raph wasn't surprised.
"Hey, you still don't think that maaayybe Splinter would have liked a picture of him as a rat and us in the middle instead of his old human fam-"
"Mikey don't be selfish," Leo sighed rubbing the bridge were a nose would be if he were human. "Splinter worshipped this picture. This is how he truly saw himself. He would want it this way."
"Yeah don't be dramatic Mikey, it was his favorite picture that's all. Besides all the pictures we have of him are crap. I mean Casey took half of them!" Raph chuckled at the memory of Casey fumbling his way through a proper picture using something other than his phone.
Mikey smiled a small smile, but it wasn't fake. "I guess you're right," The teen whispered. Donnie stopped cutting, and lowered his head.
Leo, with his infinite wealth of bro know and basic common sense, noted that the bittersweet mood had just taken a dip into a place still to raw for comfort. Time to split! With a flick of his wrist and the chemistry of matches Leo lit his newly placed candles and turned to his brothers, "That's enough for today guys. We'll finish the shrine tomorrow. It's starting to feel cramped in here."
It was a mutual feeling. Displaying different levels of agreement all three brothers followed their leader to their feet. Before any of them left the dojo each turtle clapped their hands together and bowed at the waist to a painting of a once man, once father, once human.
The four straightened and stared at their work so far. It was really starting to come together, the carvings, the added memorabilia. Someday it truly would rival the best of Japanese shrines. Feeling accomplished the four allowed themselves a moment of quiet, each lost in their own happy memories of their mutant dad rat, until finally the brothers slowly made their way out of the Dojo and towards the TV room. The shrine wasn't perfect yet, but for something like this, for someone like Splinter, it would've meant the world no matter how it turned out.
"So what now?" Raph asked, wasting no time looking for another project. It had become a common question for Raphael as of late. He was one of the few not enjoying the recent quiet as much as they were.
Leo stayed by the dojo doors, allowing the others to retreat calmly to the couch. Mikey flipped himself over and about the couch landing flat on his shell onto the plush cushions. By contrast Donnie walked pointedly around the couch before sitting himself down. With a completely manly chuckle at Donnie's 'mature' show of self-control Mikey snuggled himself comfortably into the material, contemplating just how blissfully everything had become the last few weeks. "Now we chill!" The youngest added.
"Oh come on there has to be something else we could be doing," The red clad turtle moaned looking longingly at his sai's.
"Nope. I don't think so. We beat everyone. There's no one left to fight." The younger, orange brother declared, proudly puffing out his chest. "The Shredder and the Foot clan? Dead! Purple dragons? Jail... mostly! Gangsters? Also jail. The Kraang? Secret alien jail. Robots? Gone. Dracula and the Mummy monsters? Dead! Oh, and the Time Master? Don't know when he is. And Drako? Who the shell knows." Mikey went through as though he was going off a check list. "It's not our fault we are so awesome at what we do. Oh, oh and remember the evil pizza that-"
"Yeah, Mikey, we get the point. Thank you." The red clad brother cut his hyper brother off, a familiar eye twitch twisted his face at the mention of evil pizza. There's no way that was ever a thing.
"You're not actually complaining, are you?" Donatello asked bemused. Leo turned to face them with an unreadable look on his face. Yes Raph was complaining, but personally he hoped it was true, that there really are no more villains this side of the US to catch. After all the fighting, the painful injuries, the close calls, and the pain of losing Master Splinter, they still made it. They had beaten everyone who had opposed them and saved the world, they were still together. That deserved enough peace to last a lifetime.
Even if it got boring.
Frowning slightly in his confusing mixture of worry and relief Leo caught Donnie glancing his way. The slight smile on Don's face was a direct reflection to his own frown, a difference face for a similar emotion.
Copying his brother's healthier expression Leo turned his frown around. Things were quiet now and moving at a slower pace, it was a strange way of living, but not such a bad price to pay.
Donnie in particular felt grateful. If only his brothers knew what he had given up to remain here with them after he had been atomized by a possessed April. But he had refused to say anything more on that subject, not since he had confessed to Casey on the roof, but seeing Heaven, being so close and then being….. So far. He would never forget. Thankfully Casey had kept his word and hadn't said anything to his family or friends about what had being bothering him. That was over 6 months ago. Enough time for him to comfortably put all those thoughts in a neat little box in his head marked Don't Open.
Apart from losing their father, this was what Donnie had always hoped for. Boring meant safe. So many times they could have lost one another. So many times they actually had, even if it was ever only for a short time. But by some mystery of fate, (or just pure dumb luck,) they were always brought back together.
But not everyone could feel so lucky.
"I'm not complaining, but don't you just feel a bit... well, redundant?" Raph sneered, not hiding his frustration.
"Whoa Raph, that's a big word for you," Mikey chuckled, looking up from his comic book. Normally that remark would have earned Mikey a back head slap courtesy of Raphael, but his red clad brother either couldn't be bothered, or his normal hot headed temper he was known for really has been deflating lately. Specifically since Sensei had been taken from them, that wedge he had always liked to push between himself and his siblings just didn't seem as appealing any more.
"Well redundant doesn't really work in this situation anyways Mikey." Donnie said with seeming indifference, "Redundance would imply a lack of meaning or purpose to what we are doing, and since Raph's point is based on the fact that we are essentially doing nothing, than we aren't doing anything to feel redundant about."
"Oooooooh!" Mikey awed in open mouthed wonder.
Raph examined his splayed palm calmly, at peace with making an exception to his new gentler ways, just for Donnie. Only for his smart beaked brother to be saved by an even more appealing idea "Hey I got it... Leo let's go on patrol. Our luck might be in and we can catch a mugger or something. Crime fighting the old fashioned way." Raph smiled all hopeful.
"Oh! A good old fashioned mugging! How sweet...maybe we will see some bank robbers too!" Mikey said without tearing his gaze away from his comic. Despite all his groaning, whining, moaning, and loud declarations of conspiracies on the matter, Mikey actually liked patrols.
Leo sighed. "Alright, but in a bit. It's still early. I want to get some meditation time in first." He smiled, getting up and making his way back towards the dojo.
"If you don't want to go just say so." The hot head snapped on reflex.
"No, we will. We could use the practice... just in case." Leo nodded. "Promise we'll go out tonight. After all I'm simply ecstatic to find out what fresh hell could be laying in waiting for us."
"Well, when you put it like that, what are we waiting for?!" Don quirked a grin. "But first, I want to finish my notes. Metalhead is due for an upgrade and this time it really is going to take some planning." Donnie said nodding pointlessly to himself and putting his book down. He left silent as a ninja to his lab, leaving his older and younger brother alone.
"Casey said there was a good horror movie on tonight, and that left over pizza from last night has my name on it!" Mikey declared launching himself off the couch and in front of the television. The little mutant curled himself up close to the TV as though he wasn't planning to move again for the next year.
Raph sighed, clearly disappointed at his brothers lack of immediate enthusiasm for patrol, but at least they would get some fresh air later tonight. In the meantime, he looked around thinking of something he could be doing while waiting for his life to have meaning once again.
The garage.
His bike has been begging for a tune up. That sounded promising. "Fine. Give me a yell when we are leaving, will ya?" Raph stated loudly to Mikey. His little bro just nodded, not bothering to answer as he searched through the channels. Raph slightly smirked, shaking his head in wonder of what it would take for his little brother to focus on something that didn't consist of a pepperoni topping. Bemused Raph got up and made his way outside the lair. He would go through the back way so he wouldn't disturb Donnie.
…..
After everyone had left to go do their own thing Mikey made his way to the kitchen to retrieve the left over pizza box from the fridge. Even this small familiar action brought memories of his father. Fuzzed images forced themselves into his brain of Splinter catching him eating left-overs, only to make him eat something green after, the healthy leafy green kind, not the sugary gummy green kind. A sad smile made his way across the younger turtle's face. They all missed the old rat so much. At least they still had each other. Hopefully it would always be that way. He simply couldn't imagine his world with any of them missing.
A cold shiver ran down the back of Mikey's neck. It made him smile as he turned about munching on the cold pizza. The mutant made his way to the chilly freezer, swinging open the tiny door with gusto. "Hey there, Ice-Cream Kitty! You want to watch a scary movie with me?" Mikey asked raising his hand towards the mutant rainbow colored cat that lived in the freezer with his popsicles, but his finger was batted away with a wet paw and a hiss. Mikey jumped back a step in surprise, "Whoa, kitty cat! What's wrong?" His kitty hissed again, it was almost a snarl.
Mikey was taken aback by the normally affectionate animal, and the poor thing really was starting to kick up a fuss. "Okay, okay. I'll close the door. Sorry for disturbing you." Mikey closed the door, feeling a little pout creep across his face at the rejection.
BANG!
Mikey jumped a mile, dropping the pizza box on the floor.
'What was that bang? It seemed to echo from somewhere. Must be either Raph in the garage or Donnie in the lab.' He shrugged it off. Sometimes things echoed in the sewers, no big. Not that the self-reassurance was enough to stop Mikey from having a suddenly eerie feeling that he didn't have before. He made his way back to the TV so he could continue with his channel searching. Maybe he should call Casey for a bit of company?
…..
With a few huffs Raph made his way to the garage outside the lair. The lab doors were sealed shut, Donnie clearly didn't want to be disturbed with whatever he was working on. Which meant Raph had had to take the slightly longer side route to the garage.
Harrumphing to himself Raph scanned the garage, quickly spotting his bike waiting for him next to the van. The thing was missing a handlebar. It was an easy fix, and something useful he could do to kill an hour or two.
Despite the need for the fix and its promising fun when completed the red clad turtle felt the same feeling of boredom seep into his green skin. Raph frowned hard. He never thought he would miss the day when he didn't have something to beat the crap out of! He shook his head. He knew he shouldn't be wishing for more bad stuff to fall into their unlucky green laps. Shell only knew that they had lost enough through so many back to back wars. This was their rest time, or as Master Splinter would say, 'calm before the storm,' and Raph had no doubt that there would be a storm. For a storm always comes.
The boredom left in a wave of the usual questions that always follow this train of thought. Worries of what or who his family would lose next. Would he even make it to old age? Grow a beard maybe? The image made him chuckle. Him with a beard! Ha! But what about his brothers? Would he get to see them all to old age? Would he always be there to protect them?
Ignoring questions that have no answers the turtle grabbed his tool box and started working on his bike. But the worry remained. The thought of losing any of his brothers gave him cold sweats on a regular basis, though he would never admit it.
Just as the red clad turtle started losing himself in his task a cold shiver suddenly ran down the back of his neck, going under his shell. Was there a draft in here? He turned around towards the garage door that led out into the sewer, only to find it shut. Strange. He swore he came through that way, but he didn't remember sliding it shut on his way in...
The sound of the van engine coming to life made the mutant instantly jump up from his seat on the floor. Someone was in the van! But why hadn't they announced themselves when he came in?
Sai's in hands, Raph quickly made his way around to the driver's side, only to see that … that no one was sitting in the seat. There weren't even any keys. Yet the engine was humming. Was it on automatic? Donnie was the only one with the remote controls. Raph quickly made his way over to the main doors, the ones that lead into Donnie's lab, he banged on them. "What the shell's up with the van, Don?" He yelled. There was no answer. "Don!" He knocked louder. "Donnie, you've turned the van engine on!" Still nothing, nor did the door open when he tried. Nervously, Raph looked around as the smell of gas reached his nose. He tried yelling and banging on the door a few more times. For heaven's sake he knew that Donnie was in the next room, why was he not answering?
Quicker than he wanted to admit panic was starting to creep in. The lab wasn't sound proof. Why was Don not answering? Unless... unless something was wrong! Reeling back Raph felt tentacles twisting his guts, he quickly ran to the door leading out into the sewer, only to find that this door too was locked... from the outside. With a strangled moan the hot head realized that he was the one in trouble. His breathing was becoming short and sharp, and not just from the panic. The fumes from the gas tank were starting to get to him. The strong smell made his chest feel tight. He had to get out of here! Why could no one hear him?
…...
Now that Splinter was gone Donnie couldn't help but see the whole situation as a bad pregnancy. With his brother's as something, or someone, who Splinter didn't want, but learned to not regret saving after years of connection, or more accurately, after years of not knowing any better. That's why his father treasured that picture more than anything he or his brothers could ever give him. Because his humans are what he wanted, they are what he got, and perhaps deep down Splinter never really saw past that.
Donnie smiled only slightly sadly with the knowledge that if his sensei's spirit really could see his shrine today he would be more touched to see that old picture of a broken family left in his memory, than one of the children who actually made it.
Donatello sighed thinking oddly fond thoughts about his father as he sat at his desk going over his plans for his robot that lay in the corner of his lab hooked up to his computer. The little red light flashing was the only sign of life from the small machine. Currently, Metal Head was shut down while downloading data from the internet. It was a long process, but one that always made Don a little jealous, the ability of being able to download information straight into your brain without having to read or study it for hours was invaluable, oh if only he could!
Looking back at his plans he had to wonder what else he could be doing with his metal friend. He had learned a lot more about building and the construction of robots from his mechanical alien friend HoneyCutt. Donnie could more or less do whatever he wanted with Metalhead now.
The genius bit his lip, thinking about what marvelous new things he should add. The robot's fighting abilities were just as good as any of his brothers, but he could do with being more flexible. Donnie looked the mechanical marvel up and down again. Maybe taller wouldn't be so bad either... And one day, when he had the equipment, he could give Metalhead a new improved body. It was just a thought. Oh! Maybe even a voice box! That would be cool. Then he could have someone else to talk to who was mentally on the same wavelength as him. Don had to chuckle at that, but there was a twinge of sadness in the laugh. The fact that only a cold machine that he had made himself could be the only one around him that would understand what he was saying was...Well it certainly made a statement.
The smart turtle turned back to his desk only for his eyes to land on another machine across the room he had made. The helmet he had created for April when he had wanted to measure how fast her powers were growing. They hadn't used it since that first time, when April still had the crystal around her neck and was slowly being taken over by, that alien. The memory of that day still made Don shudder. The day he had been torn apart, the day he had essentially...well...died. Then come back, but not before he had seen a peek of the after-life.
Once again Don shook his head, trying to force that memory out of his brain. The pain he had felt, the horrid acceptance that nothing here was the same now after being so…happy… for just one second. But time had passed and things had gotten better. His brother's needed him, just as much as he needed them, and he hadn't regretted his return.
The truth was he didn't actually have to of come back at all, not if he hadn't wanted too. He only opened up to Casey about what had happened because he needed to drop some of his mental load and talk about the mind blowing secret of the afterlife onto someone who wouldn't judge him. But he hadn't told the young teen about his choice to return. April had brought his body back together, but he had been told by… something… that the choice for his spirit to return to his body was his alone.
Don sighed again. He was happy he had come back because he and his brothers couldn't be apart. He would gladly give up paradise every time to stay with them through... through the Hell they were living in!
It was only then that Don looked around, realizing just how quiet it had gotten during his musing. He even wondered if his brothers hadn't already set off on patrol without him.
He looked at the helmet device again, trying to jump onto a less depressing train of thought. However, the only other thoughts who seemed willing to stay were very strange ones... He wondered if that mind reader would work on him and Metalhead? With some adjusting could... could it be possible for Don not to just be able to control the robot, but also be mentally connected to him, too? To look out through the eyes of his creation? Gosh! That would be a whole new ball game... But sadly the machine wasn't ready for such things by its self. No. Mind transfer technology was more Rockwell's department. Well maybe that would be worth a mention next time he saw his mutant monkey friend.
Oh come on! Don moaned to himself. He wasn't so bored that he'd start trying something that had a major danger of brain damage. His brothers would never let him try it anyway...
Don dismissed the idea getting back to his work when -
"Hey, Donnie." The turtle almost jumped out of his shell, his notes dropping all over the floor.
"April! When... How... Where did you come in?!" He yelled, jumping up to greet her. It had been so quiet in the lair, Don could've sworn that he was the only one here.
April smiled at him, but he noticed her smile had a filter of sadness over it. "I sneaked in earlier... I've been waiting for you... Dozed off on that cot in the med bay. Only just woke up. I... I wanted to see you." She explained.
"You sneaked in?" Don hadn't thought to check the med bay when he came in. Had he have known the pretty red head had been waiting for him he would have come to the lab much sooner. But why has she been hiding until now? "You...you've been here the whole time...? Why didn't you come to say hi to everyone? I mean, why are you here...?" He repeated looking at the lab doors completely confused as to why she wouldn't want to see all of them. "April is everything ok? I mean NOT that I mind you being here." He stuttered nervously like the love sick idiot that he was around her. "You're always welcome, any time... and I love seeing you... I mean I like seeing you, I just -" Don was suddenly cut off from his rambling by the red head walking up to him and wrapping her arms around his shelled waist, pushing her head into the crook of his neck... She was crying. Why was she crying? "April, what's wrong?" Donnie asked, forgetting everything else as alarm took over.
"I had to come... I had to warn you... Just you... Donnie, it's terrible!" She sobbed.
"What is it? What's wrong?" The red head was shaking, almost violently. Donnie led them both to some chairs. He sat himself down in front of her and held her hands. They were like ice. Where had she been to make her so cold... Her eyes were red and puffy. Her soft lips were trembling. She looked like she had been crying for hours not seconds. To see her so broken yanked hard at the turtle's heart strings. He would do anything to stop those tears.
"I had a vision, Donnie. I felt it... and then, I... I saw it. I saw it all!" She continued to cry.
"Saw... what?" Donnie asked.
"The end." She said simply.
…...
Leo sat in the Dojo, cross-legged with just the candles burning for light. The lair was so quiet. He couldn't even hear the TV any more. He must be in a very deep meditation, and yet his thoughts were troubled. Like a pin constantly stabbing him in the back of the head. It had been quiet for too long and his senses were telling him that even though all their enemies were defeated something would go wrong soon, he wanted to ground himself, ready his spirit for the next battle. So they've had victories, but he couldn't become cocky, he knew it could all be taken away from them at any time. He had to be ready. He had to protect his brothers. He couldn't let anything happen to them. He had promised his father and himself that he would always do whatever he could to put them first, and yet this feeling of dread was lining his stomach.
The blue clad turtle found himself having to take some long deep breaths to find his center and appreciate this place, for its memories of both good and bad. In his mind he had the random and odd sense of watching his brothers slowly, very slowly, fall away from him, and disappear into darkness - A sudden ice chill ran across his neck. A few seconds later, the same chill blew out the candles. A sudden gasp escaped the teen mutant as he felt the second presence in the room.
Before his eyes were even open Leo had drawn his swords ready to strike the intruder. His vision only revealed complete darkness, even outside the dojo doors.
He quickly scanned the dojo, searching for a threat... He didn't have to look too far. The figure was standing at the other side of the room under their tree, looking at him. The outline was of something with a large build, much larger than him. The figure appeared quite relaxed as it looked the young mutant over. Leo's sense of dread filled him. It was the kind of dread that trickled down your spine like ice water and pooled in your gut until all your blood ran cold... because he had just realized who it was here in the dojo with him... in his home... but it couldn't be! He was dead.
The Shredder!
…...
"Oh, come on, Casey! I know my movies. This is not a Steven King!" ... "No, I'm telling you, it's not. Steven King's films weren't in black and white." Mikey argued over the phone as he watched the monster on the screen tear apart the innocent woman. Even in black and white, the blood was still graphic. Her screams made Mikey cringe and wince. "No there is nothing wrong with the TV, it's the movie that's black and white." … "What did you say happens in this movie again?" … "No, there is no tree woman in this. It's a monster thing with teeth eating people"... "Oh, it's gross... he just ripped her arm off."... "I can't look." Mikey looked away. Normally he wouldn't watch things like this, and he really wouldn't watch things like this on his own, but his brothers were just in the other rooms. "What are you talking about, Casey? This isn't set in the 30's... what...? Wait, what channel are you watching?" -
Mikey dropped the phone just as a particularly loud scream from the screen echoed around the room, but that was not what made the young teen jump. It was the louder banging happening at the same time, and this bang Mikey was sure it was coming from just outside the lair, echoing down the tunnel. The turtle gasped trying to stop his heart from coming out of his throat before he could pick up the phone again. "Casey, I think I am going to have to go." ... "Yeah, it's fine, but someone is knocking." He hung up before psyching himself up to a suitable state of suspicious to make his way across the lair. The room was suddenly a lot darker than he remembered. Only the TV screen acted as a source of light. Its flashing cast shadows around the room that made it look like the horror movie was leaking out, infecting the real space with its fear factor.
To anyone else, this would have seemed like a resoundingly bad idea. But for someone like Mikey, and this being his turf, the idea was perfectly logical. Just as Mikey made it to the entrance he found himself grabbing hold of his weapons. His heart thrummed in his chest, drowning out everything else. To his relief there was no one there, just a dark tunnel both ways. His imagination was really running away with him tonight.
"Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"
His nerve promptly shattered by a huge clatter and a scream so loud it could have been outdone a fog horn. Mikey yelped, jumping from the loudness of the movie. How was that woman still alive? This actress had a pair of lungs on her that was for sure. Mikey made his way back to the TV screen grabbing the remote to change the channel, only to find the same show was on the next channel... and the next one... and the next. Okay, this was some serious voodoo tension. The volume seemed to be going up with every flicker of the channels, and with it Mikey's heart rate vastly went up. What was wrong with the TV? Mikey was surprised that his brothers hadn't come out complaining about the noise. He wished they would!
The young turtle found himself becoming more and more frozen with fear as he flicked through the channels, not finding anything else but the same blood and gore. Think it was time to go fetch Donnie!
Or anyone for that matter.
Mikey quickly reached behind the screen, yanking out the plug. With that done Mikey stared at the wire in his hands while doing an impression of a blank slate. Finally he turned his head slowly as he realized that the movie was still playing. Another painful scream was followed by another loud knock! This time right outside the lair entrance!
"Oh, hell no!" the orange clad yelled leaping to his feet and sprinting towards the Dojo. As he ran he yelled his big brother's name obnoxiously. Not that it mattered he'd sprint to the door faster than Leo can open it, gravity's got nothing on these feet!
"Michelangelo!"
The use of his full name wasn't what made the young teen skid to a halt, it was who had said it. The youngest turtle turned around back towards the TV. "Father?!"
…...
