The elevator doors opened to Donnie and Sadie's lab and Casey walked into the large room and looked around. It appeared empty. He knew Donnie wasn't here waiting on the machine that was searching for Leo because he'd programmed the machine to send him an alert to his T-phone when it found him. Casey knew this because he remembered how the alarm had gone off the last time Leo had gone missing. The whole family had been together at the time eating dinner at Mikey and Woody's place. Mikey had invited everyone over at least four to five times a week during those two months. And everyone went because they all wanted to be near each other. And because it was a good way to make sure Raphael was eating.
The alarm on Donnie's T-phone had sounded like a siren and everyone, even Master Splinter, had froze. Casey had seen the guarded hope on Raphael's face and swore he was going to pummel Donnie if that alarm happened to be just for some dumb experiment down in the lab. But Donnie had sent a quick nod to Raphael and Donnie's plate had even been knocked to the floor in his hurry to stand and get down to the lab.
And now they were waiting for the alarm to sound once again so that they could retrieve their missing family members. April had called him frantically the night before asking what to do with Woody's T-phone. She'd been sitting in Woody's hospital room when that fire alarm app had sounded on everyone's phones and she'd snatched Woody's T-phone, turned off the alarm and then ran down to the lobby before Woody returned in order to call Casey. And maybe it was irresponsible to steal Woody's phone and disappear, but so far Mike had been gone less than one day and no one had the heart to tell Woody that he was even missing. Although, they did all agree that they'd tell him that night if they couldn't get the guys back before then.
He walked down a row of lab tables covered in papers and equipment and finally found Raph sitting against the wall with his head and shoulders slumped. He sat underneath where the dimension-searching machine sat running. Raph nodded at him when he approached and Casey sat down wordlessly next to him.
"So what's new?" Casey asked in a lighthearted tone.
Raph slid his eyes over to Casey and scowled at him. "Why aren't ya at work?"
"Family crisis," Casey said, letting out a deep exaggerated breath.
"Again?"
"Yeah, dude, my family is super dramatic. Brothers missin. Another brother in the hospital. Another brother sulkin. I need a vacation."
"I better not be the sulkin one."
"Well yer not missing and yer not in the hospital." He grinned when he felt Raph elbow him sharply in his side. "Look, I'm not sayin you should come down to the garage and work with me, but are ya sure sittin here is a good idea?"
"I can't go another two months without him," Raph said in response. "I can't do a repeat of last time."
"Ya won't have to," Casey said. "That machine is gonna go off any minute." He paused for a moment and silently willed the damn thing to sound the alarm. Luck wasn't on his side though because the only sound was random beeping from some of the other machines in the room. He sighed.
"What if those mutants weren't really mutants but beings from another dimension? If they set the fire, expecting us to believe that our brothers were dead, then that means they don't intend to bring em back."
Casey nodded. He hadn't thought of that. But then, Raph had been sitting here with only his thoughts for hours.
"What if they're hurting them? What if he's scared?"
"Fearless?" Casey asked, incredulously. "You don't call him that for nothin. That guy isn't scared even when he should be."
Raph had to smile at that as Leo's fierce blue-eyed gaze sprang to his mind. His eyes rose to the machine again. "I'm just gonna sit here near the machine for a while," he said.
"Alright," Casey said, slumping himself further down against the wall to get comfortable since it looked like they were going to be staying.
Raph glanced over and watched as Casey shut his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. After a moment, he felt Raph's eyes on him and peeked one open to look at him. He watched as Raph nodded at him. Casey nodded in return and shut his eyes again.
"I was wrong. This is totally super creepy, dude," Mikey murmured over to Leo where they sat at the table.
Leo elbowed Mikey's arm to get him to quit openly staring at Lenape as he sat draped over Usagi, who didn't appear to mind at all, while they all ate.
"Leo that guy could be your twin," Mikey whispered urgently over to him before he poked at the food on his plate again.
Leo kept silent but he was beginning to wonder if this little adventure could get any stranger.
"Usagi said you were caught in a fire," a young turtle said, coming up behind Leo and Mike at the table. "This tea should help your throats."
"Thank you," Leo said and he and Mikey both greedily drank down the tea which did have an immediate soothing effect.
He and Mikey turned back to the table and were quickly caught up in a discussion with the turtles around them. Leo was thankful that despite his stress, Mikey was still willing and able to talk amiably with this group of turtles. He even thought he heard a sincere laugh or two out of his little brother.
"Leonardo," Nantego said, when the meal was over. "May I have a word with you?"
Nantego stood up and took a few steps away from the table and Leo understood that he wanted Leo to get up and walk with him. He glanced over at Mikey who gave him a quick nod that he was okay to be left alone.
Leo rose and joined Nantego who began to lead him away from the large group.
Mikey, meanwhile, watched as Usagi's eyes followed Leo as he walked away with this clan's leader. Mikey thought the look in Usagi's eyes was rather strange considering it was clear that Usagi had something going with Lenape. With Leo gone from the table, Lenape jumped up and headed off to get another helping of food. Mikey slid down the table towards Usagi.
"That guy looks a lot like Leo, huh?" Mikey said.
"There are only so many shades of green I suppose," Usagi said.
"It's weird, dude. Really weird," Mikey said as he glanced around the tables at the multitude of shades of green on all the turtles at the tables. "And I'm kinda surprised Lenape isn't pissed now that he can see that you're using him to try to replace someone else."
"What is your concern, exactly, Michelangelo?"
"I just want you to know that my gratitude for you saving my and Leo's life will never make it okay with me for you to make advances on my taken brother," Mikey said.
Usagi sat up straighter and really looked at the orange-clad turtle. His normally warm and mirth-filled blue eyes were a strange steely gray and fierce-looking in a way that reminded Usagi of Leonardo's eyes when he faced an enemy.
"I'm not making advances on Leonardo."
"Great," Mikey said. "Because if you continue to make Leo uncomfortable, I will be forced to throat punch you."
Usagi almost smiled at the way Michelangelo's blue eyes flashed with this threat. "Your brother is a big boy," Usagi said, emphasizing his words. "He can take care of himself."
"Sure can," Mikey said, "but that's not how it's done in this family."
Mikey stood after that and walked towards the tent that had been deemed theirs for the time being. He found Leo's eyes and nodded to him before ducking inside to sit away from the crowd. He wondered what Woody was doing at that moment. Hopefully sleeping. Hopefully he didn't even know Mikey was gone yet. He thought back to Leo's reminder that it had taken Donnie's machine two days last time to find him. Two days didn't sound like a lot of time compared to never being found and being stuck here forever in turtle world, but two days was too long to be away from Woody right now. He laid back on one of the beds and stared at the ceiling. And even if Woody somehow didn't already notice Mikey's absence, he would soon, which meant Woody was going to be worried and it was all Mikey's fault. Mikey wondered if worry could cause a brain tumor to grow.
He rolled to his side before his brain could start worrying about being here longer than two days and forced his eyes closed to try to sleep.
Leo had watched Mikey duck into their tent while he listened to Nantego talk. He wondered if he should excuse himself and follow him before deciding to let Mikey have some time to himself. If Mikey wanted company, he would've just dragged Leo in there with him. Mike wasn't subtle. He turned his attention back to the turtle leader.
"Usagi tells us that you are a great teacher, Leonardo," Nantego said to him, eyeing the muscular turtle. He watched Leo nod subtly and noted that the turtle was clearly not going to openly brag about his accomplishments or conquests. "He has also said that you are the leader of your clan and you have led your warriors through many impressive battles. Our clan's existence doesn't include battles, but it might be nice to have some strong warrior turtles help guard our home. What would you think about merging our two clans?"
Leo knew this was request was probably a great honor and he thought of the honor and manners instilled in him by his own father. He was going to do his best to be polite.
"I'll admit I'm intrigued to find a clan of just turtles," Leo said, "but not everyone in my clan is a turtle, and I'm afraid not only would I be unable to move them away from our current home, but I would not wish to leave our home either."
Nantego nodded, accepting Leo's answer as he had to admit to himself that he didn't have high hopes of talking the other clan leader into relocating. He lowered his voice and leaned in towards Leonardo, "Well, while you are here, I believe I have someone who would gladly keep you company."
Leo's eyes narrowed and he suddenly stopped walking.
"Maybe we could merge our clans in another way," Nantego said. "I have a very beautiful daughter. And my clan could certainly use some new, strong blood."
Apparently this adventure could get stranger, Leo thought with dread. First Usagi's ridiculousness and now this.
"I – I have a mate," Leo managed to say.
"I'm sure you do," Nantego said, seemingly unfazed by Leo's statement. "But your mate isn't here. And I will simply explain to my daughter that you are not staying."
"Leonardo, wait."
"Usagi, I can't. I can't handle you right now," Leo said, beelining towards his tent. He was going to collect Michelangelo and he was going to get them the hell out of here before they propositioned his baby brother as well. They could sleep in trees in the forest. It wouldn't be the first time. And when Raph showed up to bring them home, and his ass had better show up soon, maybe, just maybe they'd come back here and collect Usagi so he could be transported home as well.
"I haven't had a chance to explain to you what I was doing in your dimension," Usagi said, quickly following the speedy turtle. "When I pulled you from that fire."
Leo stopped in his tracks at Usagi's reminder that he owed him for saving his life. He glanced towards the tent where Mikey had disappeared before turning to eye Usagi.
"Come, I have an honorary tent here and I have some of that tea you like. I assure you you'll want to hear what I have discovered regarding those wolves you were chasing."
