My dumbass originally put this in the wrong story category. Wow. Way to go, self. I was wondering why it didn't show up in the search… xD Hey, it motivated me to write this second chapter on a timely basis.

I don't own TMNT. If I did… xD
Strangers in Their Own World is rated "T" for violence and Raph's language use.

I, Mutant

"Huh…?"

Raph groaned groggily as the room around his circled and swerved, finally coming into focus. Where was he? Sewage leaked from the corner of the small room. Raph hoped—it was a longshot, but hey, who faults a guy for tryin'—he was in a different part of the sewer and he was somehow miraculously saved, but he highly doubted it. No, the only one who could have saved him was his geriatric father…and his father may be dumb, but he wasn't suicidal. Donnie and Mikey had been knocked out cold, and Leo…

"Leo!" Raph jolted up, ignoring the pulsating migraine in his head. The room spun and went out of focus again, the lack of balance knocking him into cell bars.

Lovely. He was in a cell. So much for someone saving him.

…and if someone did save him, excuse him for being ungrateful.

Raph placed his hand on his head, closing his eyes and trying to ignore his throbbing head. It was if Mikey decided to use his noggin as a skate park. Raph frowned. He must be delirious, because it almost felt like he was shorter than he used to be. And that's not necessarily fair, since he was never a tall guy to begin with. Not to mention, his head felt…hard. And his skin…felt cool. And his hair…was non-existent. Great. The only thing he had going for him was his good looks.

Yep, Raph was definitely delusional, because when he opened his eyes he had three fingers and his skin was green. He certainly felt nauseous, but usually humans don't look that green, even while puking their guts out.

Raph stumbled over to the other wall, shocked at how stocky his body had become. It was almost as if his thighs grew to be the size of a cricket bat and his feet became soccer balls. You try walking like under those circumstances. Raph held out his hand to balance himself, able to make out the surface of the mirror even in his delusional state. He opened one eye cautiously, just so he could take a peek at his hallucinatory self…

Instead of a devilishly good looking blond, blue-eyed teenage human, he saw a short, awkwardly shaped dark green turtle with blue eyes—who knew turtles could have blue eyes?—staring straight back at him. Raph wearily touched his face, watching the turtle in the mirror do the exact same thing.

"Am…am I dreaming?" Raph croaked out, shocked at the sound of his own voice. He instinctively grabbed his neck, tiredly rubbing at the various wounds that scarred his body. In the right corner of his shell—it was really weird for him to comprehend having a shell of all things—a large chunk of it was missing. Raph vaguely remembered his chest getting mauled by a battle ax while he was draped over Leo's body.

Leo! Raph shook his head, trying to clear his vision. He didn't have time for this!

"LEO! MIKEY! DONNIE! Where are you…?" Raph coughed and gasped, unable to raise his voice. His throat felt as if someone poured battery acid down it. He strained his ears, desperate for one of his brothers to answer, but instead felt the sting of silence.

"You're awake," an unfamiliar, deep voice boomed. Raph stumbled forward as if drunk, desperately flailing around for his sai, even though he knew they weren't there. Looked like his captor/savior decided to show up. Raph managed to focus on the figure on the other side of the bars. Mutants. Why was he not surprised. This one looked like a dog, and not a little cute one that you'd want to take home as a pet. This dog was ugly. He stood about seven feet tall, if Raph guessed right—he could hear Donnie insisting a specific measurement in the back of his head—and was a dark purple/black color with oversized jaws, a large tongue dripping with drool, and half of his ear missing. His eyes were a deep, blood-red color.

"Where are they?" Raph gasped out. Normally, in any other circumstance, he'd have a few choice words with this mutant for daring to capture him, but this was a serious time. He needed to find his brothers. He had to make sure they were okay. At this point, he'd even allow Leo to lecture him, as long as that meant his brother was safe.

…well, he'd really rather not listen to Leo lecture him. Then he'd have to punch him and there goes the happy reunion.

"Your brothers should be coming to their senses any moment now," Dog Drool said, tapping at his watch. How cute. The widdle Puppy Doggy could tell time. Maybe he should send that in to Mutant's Got Talent.

"They better be unharmed," Raph growled. To his surprise, he actually growled. Whoa. Talk about spooky.

"Relax, they're fine. We need you alive, anyways. We want to make sure the President is reunited with his precious sons…well, his precious turtles, that is."

As Raph's vision continued to become more and more steady and his migraine faded, he was able to make out himself more clearly. And much to his dismay, he was still a turtle. He couldn't get over how real this hallucination was. Normally, you just see things. But Raph could actually feel his cold skin, his hard shell, his awkward proportions…

Wait a minute. Man's best friend over there just referred to him—and more importantly, his brothers—as turtles. Could this all be a hallucination? Or…?

"Be very careful, my sons. You are ninja. You are strong. And because of that, if you are captured by the mutants, you too are certain to become mutants yourselves. They will never let such strong and capable warriors go to waste."

Master Splinter gave that warning at least twenty times a day, especially when Raph went out for his nightly exploring. Raph shook his head, everything starting to sink in. No…he never took Master Splinter seriously because he believed—rather foolishly—that he'd never get caught. That he'd never allowed himself to be captured. That he was simply too good to be captured.

Dog Boy continued to ramble about how ironic it was, the President's sons becoming mutants, but Raph tuned him out. He sunk to the ground, the gravity of the situation finally, finally sinking in.

He was a turtle. He was forever doomed to be a mutant turtle. He was one of them now.

Raph's scream echoed throughout the complex, a hollow, despondent wail.

Ugh. So this must be what hell is like.

"Leo?"

Leo blinked, the floor swirling until finally becoming solid. He felt a hand on his shoulder, heavy, but somehow reassuring. His placed his own seemingly large hand on top. His head throbbed and there was a searing sensation in his right arm where he stabbed himself with his own katana. His body trembled, weak from enduring so many electric shocks. He felt one of his brothers—he was so disoriented that he didn't know whether it was Mikey or Donnie—help him up, allowing him to lean on his weary body. As he woke up more and more, he suddenly remembered what had happened.

"Raph!" One of the last things Leo remembered before blacking out was his brother's voice. Although he was still disoriented, Leo vaguely heard some people—who he assumed to be Mikey and Donnie-talking, so at least they were all right. But where…where was Raph? Where did his stubborn, hot-headed brother go off to?

Leo was going to punch Raph into the next century when he saw him next.

One of the others restrained Leo gently, recognizing the young ninja was too weak to stand and gently guiding him into a sitting position.

"We don't know where they took Raph, but we're pretty certain that he's alive."

Seriously, even though Leo knew that Mikey and Donnie were with him, who kept speaking to him? The voice didn't sound anything like his brothers'. Yet, at the same time, Leo knew that one of his brothers—or perhaps both—were speaking to him.

"Donnie? Where are you?" Leo asked, reaching his hand out. The hand that had restrained him gently took his hand. Leo grasped it, holding him close to his heart. But…again, while Leo could sense it was Donnie, it didn't feel like Donnie.

"I'm right here, Leo." The pitch of Donnie's voice was normal, but his voice sounded…off. What was it? Gravely? Hoarse? Leo couldn't tell.

"Donnie…is Mikey with you?" Leo didn't trust his eyes, not with the swirling room and stuff. He felt weak and nauseous, lying his head against the rough wall.

"I'm right here, Leo," Mikey tapped Leo's shoulder gently, as it was him who originally woke Leo up. Mikey's voice still sounded youthful, but like Donnie's, it sounded as if he had changed somehow. It was almost if as if his voice became more mature. No. That wasn't possible, was it? Perhaps they were simply tired from the battle cries.

"You'll have to give him a moment," Leo heard Donnie telling Mikey. "He was hurt pretty bad, so he'll probably believe he is hallucinating for awhile."

"You're telling me," Mikey responded. "Heck, I thought I was halluci—hallucinawhatsit—screw it, seeing weird stuff when I came to. Maybe that's why he doesn't recognize us."

"Can you blame him?" Donnie gave a hollow laugh. "You wouldn't recognize your brothers either if they turned into turtles. Heck, you didn't realize it was me. You punched me in the face!"

Okay, now Leo really was going crazy. Did Donnie just say they were…turtles? That was impossible. They were humans. The sons of the President. If they were really giant turtles, that meant they became mutants. And if they became mutants, that meant that they were captured by the mutants and deemed to be worthy. One was only deemed to be worthy if they were a warrior, like a soldier…or…

… a ninja.

Reality sunk in. Fighting off dizziness, Leo focused on his hands, shocked that he now had three large fingers instead of five. Instead of shirts and jeans, he was clothed by a massive shell. His skin was a light green color, smooth yet rough to the touch.

He was a turtle. He was mutant.

As Leo came to the realization that he and his brothers were now mutant turtles, a piercing scream penetrated the air. Both Donnie and Mikey shot up, as the three brothers cried out in unison:

"Raph!"

Leo winced at the sound of Raph's scream. Thankfully, it didn't sound like his brother was in pain. Rather, it seemed like Raph had just come to the same conclusion Leo just did. He just realized he was a mutant turtle. That he'd never be human again. That he now was the enemy he oh-so-despised.

"We're turtles," Leo breathed, unable to recognize his own voice. His vision finally becoming clear, he saw a large, lanky turtle who offered his three-fingered hand to him. He allowed the sight of that turtle to sink in, because that turtle wasn't just a strange mutant.

That turtle was his brother.

"So, uh, Mr. Fishface guy, do you wanna explain what we're doing on a freakin' lab table!? I thought you were supposed to keep us alive!" Mikey cried exasperatedly to the giant mutant fish that was holding some sort of vial above the young turtle's—it was still weird for Leo to think of them being turtles, and it probably would be weird for awhile—head. Mikey winced, bracing himself to be covered in some sort of goo.

Leo opened his mouth, trying to break free of his restraints but found himself unable. All he could do was flail around like a fish. Leo glanced up at their interrogator. He must love the irony of this situation.

Filet O'Fish, or Fishface as Mikey usually called him, was about to drop the vial on the young turtle when suddenly he winced, dropping the vial on the ground and grabbing his prosthetic, lanky legs. Donnie and Leo gasped in surprise. Sure enough, being restrained by a giant dog mutant (who obviously wasn't doing a good job at restraining) was a dark green turtle. The turtle had broken free from his restraints and kicked the big fish before he could inject Mikey with whatever goo that was. Doggy didn't like that too much, whacking the turtle on the ground. Based on the circumstances, Leo knew who that turtle was.

"Raph," he said. "Raph! Are you okay?"

"Swell," Raph muttered sarcastically, rubbing his head. He struggled while it took about ten mutants to restrain him. Raph's blue eyes narrowed into a glare, unable to move an inch as he had ten times as many restraints as the other turtles. One of the mutants placed a sign on him that said "Beware of Turtle" using simple scotch tape. Doggie Boy laughed, pointing his finger at the angry turtle. He howled with laughter, almost falling on the floor when Raph bit him, hard. Now it was Donnie and Mikey's turn to laugh, although they quickly shut up when Fishface held a large needle in their general direction. Doggie groaned, licking his finger gently and forcing Raph's mouth shut with duct tape, only to rip the duct tape off a moment later. Raph winced, but made no sound of pain. No way would he give the mutants that satisfaction.

Doggie boy whined, insisting to Fishface that he needed a widdle bandaid for his poor widdle finger. Fishface groaned, only agreeing to leave the turtles for a moment while they got more torture supplies. The mutants left two guards at the doors, laughing away as they relished in their victory.

"Well, at least we're all together again," Donnie said. "We have to think of a plan to get out of here. Who knows what they'll do to us? Maybe they'll blast us with subatomic nuclear lasers. Even worse…what will Dad do when he finds out?"

"I'm going to pretend I understood what you just said," Mikey replied. He was still breathing hard, sweating a little from almost being slimed.

Leo wanted to respond, but the bright white lights made it difficult for him to concentrate on anything except his throbbing migraine. He managed to focus on Raph, checking his brother up and down for injuries. He didn't know what happened to Raph after he blacked out. He wasn't an expert on turtle physiology—although he probably should be, now that he was a turtle—but he figured most healthy turtles didn't have a gaping chunk missing out of his shell. Raph's entire body was covered in gashes and scars. Still, the meat head was squirming around, desperately trying to break free.

"Raph…are you all right?" Leo repeated his earlier question.

"Oh yeah. I'm great. I just discovered that I turned into a mutant turtle. Now I'm about to be held for ransom. This has easily been the best day of my life."

Leo frowned. Now wasn't exactly the best time for sarcasm, Raph. Still, Raph sounded a bit like his former self. At least it meant that he couldn't be too hurt. Leo wished all of the fighting would alter his personality, too. Well, in a positive way. Still...(Leo blamed it on the migraine) after the initial wave of relief, he couldn't help but feel angry at Raph. Sure, Raph likely the reason hordes of mutants came to their doorstep, but Leo couldn't help but blame Raph. Raph put them in danger everyday by leaving them and going out in broad danger. Raph wasn't there when they were attacked. Maybe if he was…they would have been spared. Maybe…

Irrational rage, fueled by the severity and gruesome nature of the situation, bubbled within Leo, threatening to explode. Ignoring the playful banter between Mikey and Donnie, Leo glared at his rebellious brother, saying words he knew would start a fight.

"This is all your fault."

Mikey's eyes widened. Donnie groaned. He would have smacked himself in the face if he could. Raph growled, a low, menacing sound, blue eyes narrowing furiously at his brother. Leo could tell that his words hurt Raph, and while he did feel some guilt, good. It was intended to hurt him. Maybe now he could see the error of his ways.

"And how the hell is this my fault, O Fearless Leader? Because I'm the one that led the mutants to your doorstep. Because I'm the one that totally got my ass kicked. Because I always wanted to become a mutant turtle. Didn't you know? I wanted to experience the amphibian life."

"It's your fault for running out on us! You deliberately put our family in danger by constant showing yourself to the mutants in public. You deliberately put us in danger by disappearing all the time. You weren't there when they attacked us! You weren't there to help! Would you stop being so selfish! If you had just thought about your family for once, none of this would have happened!"

Leo screamed that all very fast, surprised at the hostility behind his voice. He truly didn't want to start a fight now, not during these grave circumstances, but angry thoughts were all that came to mind. His world imploded in on itself and he needed someone to take it out on.

"The mutants were after Dad, not me! They followed him! I am not responsible for this," Raph snarled. The hurt swirled around in his blue eyes, the angry tone of his voice giving way to depression. "It's always my fault, isn't it Leo? Because I'm the angry rebel brother who goes against the rules. Because I'm the only one who refuses to be your little soldier."

"You put our family in danger by showing yourself to the mutants," Leo said angrily. "By showing yourself, you made our existence known. That is all I need to know in order to know that you're guilty."

"I'm sorry for saving you then," Raph yelled despairingly. "Next time I'll just let you be slaughtered by mutants."

"How the hell did you save me? Why, as—"

"STOP IT!"

Both Leo and Raph froze in their tracks at the sound of Mikey's desperate yell. The young ninja, now looking even more innocent and youthful in his turtle form, sighed, tears welling in his enormous green eyes. Mikey's lips trembled as he struggled with his own personal fight, torn between his two quarreling brothers.

"I just…I want us to be a family again. The second we're finally reunited after almost dying, you two start arguing. Can't you just be happy that we're alive? Can't you just be happy that we're together?"

Leo sighed, mentally cursing at himself for starting the fight. The entire argument with Raph he knew was irrational, yet he hadn't tried to stop it. It was just, sometimes, under extreme mental and emotional distress, Leo found himself acting like a completely different person. He would become angry, violent, and…hostile. He hated it. He hated that part of him.

"Leo started it," Raph growled.

"Mikey's right," Donnie added calmly, ignoring Raph's last comment. "We don't have time for this now. Let's find a way to get out of here. Once we're in a safe place, you two can hit each other as much as you'd like."

"How do we get out of here?" Leo asked wearily, eager to change the topic. He wanted to regain control of himself. He didn't know what it was…the mutation…the stress…the sight of his brothers in trouble…but he just wanted to be himself again.

"This is a metal alloy composed of…" Donnie started.

"In English, Donnie," Raph groaned. "Remember, Mikey has to understand this."

"Hey," Mikey protested, although there was a sense of glee in his voice. He was undoubtedly happy to end the fighting and for their family dynamics to return to normal.

"Hmm…I wonder…" Donnie raised an eyebrow. If they were in a cartoon, Leo could almost picture a little light bulb going on over his head. "Raph…if you move your head roughly ten centimeters and four millimeters forward and move your head approximately eleven centimeters to the left, you should be in position to chew your restraints."

"Chew?" Mikey asked. "Like…a dog chewing through a bone?"

"You could put it that way," Donnie said.

"Uh…Donnie…not to discredit your theory or anything, but chew through the restraints? Do you have any idea how much power that would require and…"

Leo was cut off by the sound of metal snapping and clanging to the ground.

"You know, I kinda like being a turtle."

To Leo's surprise, Raph had just chewed his way through one of his restraints. One by one, powerful snap by powerful snap, Raph managed to bite his way through most of his restraints. Leo wished he had a camera, because watching his brother maneuver around his restraints in order to get his jaws around the metal was freaking hysterical.

"Good thing you were always flexible," Donnie said with a smile. Finally, Raph bit through all of his restraints and collapsed on the ground, grimacing for a moment and flexing his weary body. Raph groaned, tenderly making his way over to the computer system behind the tables with his right arm slung limply around his chest.

"Now what do I do?" Raph asked. "It's asking me for a password."

"There isn't a physical key?" Leo asked, a bit puzzled. He didn't know mutant technology was that advanced-or that stupid, for that matter.

"This complex seems to be wired through the same mainframe," Donnie said. "So, if we are able to hack the main system, we may be able to shut down all of the security systems, not just our restraints. Naturally, if you disconnect the auxiliary cable and then reroute it…"

"English, Donnie," Raph sighed tiredly, his breathing slowly becoming labored.

"Hey, Donnie? Why can't I chew through?" Mikey was attempting to gnaw at his restraints.

"Hey Donnie, do you think…" Leo started to ask before getting cut off by an agitated Donnie.

"I can only answer so many questions at once," the intelligent brother grumbled. "I really think you stooges would be doomed without me. Unfortunately, this isn't the time or place for me to test that hypothesis. Mikey, uh…no offense, but Raph is a teensy bit stronger than you," he said almost sheepishly as Mikey stuck his tongue out at him in retaliation. "As for you, Raph, umm….maybe you should chew through my restraints because I don't think I can explain this simply."

Leo, seeing that Raph's injuries were beginning to take a toll on him, attempted to chew through his own restraints. There was no denying that even despite their powerful turtle jaws, only Raph was strong enough. He may be reckless and hot-headed, but when it came to power, no one even came close to being as strong as Raphael.

Raph started to walk over, his strength suddenly giving out. The wounded turtle collapsed to the ground, his arm still limply hanging over the gaping wound in his chest. His brothers gasped in terror.

"Raph!" Mikey cried.

"He was wounded…protecting me," Leo said, ashamed at himself for arguing with Raph earlier. Leo closed his eyes, tuning out Donnie and Mikey's worried attempts to encourage Raph to stand, focusing inwardly on his own power. Fueled by the desire to protect his brothers and help Raph, Leo bit down on his restraints, this time powerfully snapping the restraints in two. Raph dragged himself over to Leo, helping Leo with his bottom restraints. Leo ignored the numbing pain in his teeth. A toothache was nothing compared to the pain they could be in for. As he fell to the ground, finally unrestrained, he gently laid Raph against the table so the weary turtle could rest.

"Sorry Mikey, but I have to get Donnie out first," Leo said. He calmly closed his eyes, focusing on his mental strength and allowing it to be transferred into physical prowess. Concentrating on his spirit, he clamped down on Donnie's restraints, his powerful turtle jaws snapping the metal restraint into two. Leo grimaced from the pain; making his way through Donnie's other restraints. He wasn't sure if he would have any teeth left if he chewed Mikey out.

"Great work, Leo," Donnie patted Leo on the back. "You know, ice cubes are great things for toothaches."

Leo smiled. "Thanks, Donnie. Now let's hack this system and get the shell outta here."

"What the…" Raph grumbled in disbelief. "Get the 'shell' out of here? We haven't even been turtles for a day and you've already started making turtle puns. Unbelievable."

"I thought it was punny myself," Leo grinned, relishing in his brother's groans.

Donnie just chuckled, about to make a witty scientific retort before deciding now probably wasn't the last time. He focused the computer ahead of him, his large amphibian fingers stumbling clumsily on the keyboard as he focused on hacking the computer system.

"Well, I've located where we are," Donnie said. "It looks like we're in the former town hall building. We may be able to escape through the building's sewer system. If we do, we can navigate back to the lair and see if we can find any clues regarding Master Splinter."

"He's not here with us?" Leo asked dejectedly. He sighed. Although he didn't expect their ninja sensei to be here, there was a part of him that hoped. What did they do with his sensei? Was he dead? Was he alive? What happened?

"Leo," Donnie said quietly, seeing his brother's internal struggle. "No, I'm sorry, I've checked the prisoner list and Master Splinter isn't on there. Now, there is a way to get to the sewers…if we go through tunnel B subsection C, but this section of the sewer is completely underwater, which is why there is the lightest guard."

Leo sighed, trying to get his aching body and mind thinking. He was about to respond when suddenly Mikey burst out in a hysterical fit of laughter.

"Uh…Mikey?" Donnie asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Leo's funny," Mikey said between giggles. "Get the 'shell' outta here. It's funny because we're turtles and we have shells! Get it? Isn't it hilarious?"

"Well that was a delayed reaction," Donnie stated matter-of-factly.

Leo chuckled, shaking his head to focus on the task in hand. Focus, Leo. Focus. They'd be able to get Mikey out as soon as Donnie found the code to his restraints, and due to the extensive floor plan they'd at least have a good understanding of where the guards will be, but how do they account for an entire section of the sewer underwater? Their ninja breathing techniques could only take them so far. To swim such a large section would be suicide. No human could hold their breath that long.

Wait a minute.

"No problem, Donnie."

Donnie raised his eye at Leo, puzzled. Leo could tell he was considering a thousand possibilities in his head to explain Leo's strange behavior. Finally, the brainy turtle sighed, unable to reach a conclusion himself.

"So, how is it not a problem, Leo?"

Leo grinned.

"I love being a turtle."

A/N

I had no intentions to stop that early, but that was just such a perfect ending that I had to. So, the boys are now the mutant turtles we know and love. Next chapter they'll attempt their escape, but they have a few things going against them—namely, a battered Leo and Raph. Looks like Donnie and Mikey have their work cut out for them. ;)

I hope you are enjoying the story! I don't normally update this fast (I'm admittedly a slow updater) but I really love writing this story. Please leave a review! Reviews make my day. :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you in the next one!