A/N: Here's my first story in a long time. I hope it makes up for the long wait anyone's had to go through. It'll be different than normal, and it's pretty OOC and AU- ish. But I really hope you give it a shot! It was fun to write and I had Rosesythe Beta it. Hopefully it's all good. Please RR! i dont own tmnt

Summary: Mikey has worn a mask for 12 years for the sake of his family. For 12 years it stood strong until, at the age of 17, his brothers finally shattered his mask. As his masks crumbles, Mikey must face himself. And he must make a decision. One that is not going to be easy. Can Mikey make the decision to put himself first, for once? Or will he lose himself along with his mask?

AU: The Foot Clan is not a terrible clan. Karai is biologically Shredder's child. The Foot and Lotus clans are rivals, but not the killing type. They just push the other further.

TMNT: Shattered Mask

Mikey rushed over the wet and slick roof tops. He paid no mind to the freezing and painful torrents of rain slashing at his skin. His mind was on the event of three hours ago. On the pain he was going through at having his mask of 12 years finally shattered beyond his repair. For 12 years, he had put up with their abuse, their bullying, and their belittlement. For 12 years he hid who he really was, for them. And he suffered for that choice. Every second of every day. He had made it through so much. He never let on to his true feelings, because that would make it all for naught. He never gave himself a break from the mask and so everything piled on top of everything else.

He should've realized this would happen. That his mask could hold back only so much without consequences. And it took 12 years and a lot of BS from the world. But it had finally happened. His flawless, and perfect mask had cracked. His family didn't notice. Shell, he hadn't noticed until three months ago, when someone he never would have guessed, pointed it out to him. And then more cracks appeared, and while his family still didn't notice, he had. And he was desperate to fix them, unfortunately to no avail. In the past three months, other than LeatherHead and Slash, only five other people had seen it. And they tried to discover his true self more, and they accepted the real him. Something his own brothers couldn't even do.

He began to struggle harder to keep the mask from slipping. To keep his mask together. But now, he couldn't. And he had never thought it would be his own brothers that would destroy him like this. Mikey's pace sped up even more as the memories replayed again and again.

'All you care about is pizza and comic books Mikey. If you even cared a little bit about us, you would appreciate and respect us and the work we put into everything. Not just ignore us, then do your own thing.' -Donatello.

'You're a really selfish turtle kid. This was important to us, and you nearly blew it. Again! But do you care? No! So long as you don't get hurt and so long as you don't suffer for it.'- Raphael.

'The three of us sacrificed a lot for this to work, and because of you, Mikey, it was almost for nothing! But of course, you wouldn't understand the meaning of Sacrifice.' - Leonardo.

Mikey pushed himself dangerously faster across the rooftops as the rain came down even harder and colder. 'I don't care? I don't appreciate what they do?' Once baby blue eyes now turned an icy gray. 'I'm the one who's selfish?' The icy gray eyes narrowed dangerously. 'I DON'T KNOW SACRIFICE?' The 17 year old mutant flew over a dangerously large gap in the roof tops several stories up.

He remembered the pain he felt as he stared at them in disbelief. 'None of them, had seen the kraang on the side aiming their alien guns at the three eldest turtles. Mikey had known the only way to keep the three from getting shot was to bring all three down together. So he slid across the roof and knocked them down like bowling pins, easily catching the special canister of mutagen that the kraang had doctored so Donatello could look at it.' What had really broken him though, was what they said as they turned to leave him alone.

'Grow up Mikey. You're bringing us down.'

Michelangelo Hamato, in all of his 17 years, had never been so hurt, angry, and affronted at the same time. He remembered how his mask left him, just as they were. He remembered laughing a very cold laugh of disbelief. 'ME?! Bringing you down? If you were any good at being ninjas or brothers, you'd know it's the other way around.' and he was gone, leaving three horrified older brothers behind. Horrified at the true him. That cold they had never associated with him. He was brought out of his thoughts as he landed on the other roof top too quickly, too angrily, too unbalanced. Mikey slipped, and he tumbled down and forward, painfully rolling over the slanted and old roof that threatened to cave in under him. As he was sliced up on his arms and legs from the glass of broken bottles that were left behind from teens breaking the law. Sliced and bruised from old wire and sharp stones.

He finally came to a stop with a painful grunt on his plastron. 'Ow.' he sighed, trying to ignore the contrast of warm blood on his front, and cold rain on his back. He stayed silent for a moment, getting his barrings. With more effort than it should've taken, Mikey rolled onto his shell. Rain finally started to let up as hot tears left his tightly shut eyes. "If I didn't care about them, I wouldn't have put myself through the pain of wearing that mask in the first place. If I didn't appreciate all they did for me, I would never have done anything possible to follow the role placed on me."

He brought his hands across his face as the pain that had been hidden for 12 years finally was released. "If I was a selfish creature, I would not have held my self back, just so they wouldn't feel less than they were. I would not have to bear suffering for 12 years from hiding myself." His voice cracked as the sobs came loudly, despite his best efforts to stop them.

"If I didn't know the meaning of Sacrifice, I would never, have turned my self into a one dimensional being for them. I would never have hid all of my true talent, my true feelings, my true self just so they could feel better about themselves. If I didn't know the meaning of sacrifice, I wouldn't have risked my life and sanity, just to keep them going." Baby blues opened and watched as blood dripped from his wrists and arms from the glass caused cuts. His eyes became an icy gray as they hardened once more, his tears halted but for a moment.

"If anything they are the ones who don't know the meaning of sacrifice. They are the ones who are selfish. And they are the ones who don't care and don't appreciate what they have and what others have done for them! And now, after all that they have forced me through and done to me, I refuse to go back to that mask they cursed and scorned. The same mask, they wouldn't let me get rid of." he said, eyes and voice hard.

It was a couple minutes later that an overwhelming sadness never seen by his family before reached his eyes and face as he let his bloody appendages drop back down to work the knot of his orange bandanna "I love you bros, but I just can't do this any more. It's hard for me to accept, but I can't handle the pain and abuse. You never change. My self-esteem was ripped to shreds by the three of you since I was a tot. I can't take the pain and heartache any longer. I'm never good enough for you despite what I do." another, more heart wrenching sob anyone could have ever heard ripped itself from his throat as the orange cloth finally came off in his hand as it slid to the ground. "Losing everything I am and stand for, just for you. The pain and wish for death that you have caused me. I can not, will not, take it anymore. I'm sorry bros. I tried so hard. Succeeded for so long. But I just... You're just- not worth it, any more." Mikey's voice broke as he finally admitted that to the world. His greatest shame and greatest triumph. His prison and his freedom. As the last sliver of his mask, and what he had once been, left him for good.

"They were right. You three only hurt me." he whispered as the rain finally stopped.

"You're going to catch your death of either cold or blood loss out here Michelangelo." A surprisingly gentle voice said from behind him. He felt a true and content smile- the first one in years- reach his face. No one would think that the voice that showed him such care and gentleness in his most important moment in life, would belong to the leader of the Lotus clan's greatest rival.

"Would that really be such a bad thing, Lord Shredder?" Mikey's voice asked, wistful and just a hint bitter. He had, after all released himself from his chains; and his purpose in life.

"Yes, it would." Shredder replied, voice firm and confident. "It would be a waste of great talent, a powerful kindness, and a rare strength. One found only in those who truly know the depths of suffering. The heights of pain. And the weight of caring for others." the two were silent for a moment as the 17 year old thought of the older man's words.

Mikey gave a soft and genuine laugh, making Oroku Saki relax, relieved at what he knew would come next. "I guess it would, huh?"

"That is what I said." Saki's voice was full of amusement. "So Michelangelo. The offer I gave to you three months ago still stands. Will you come and join the Foot Clan? A place were you're mask will not be accepted? A place where you can truly be yourself, with out the expectations or roles that were once forced on you?" Saki asked, holding out his hand to the fallen boy.

Mikey looked at the hand before him as the sun rose before making his decision. With a true smile of hope long lost and contentedness, Mikey reached out and grasped Saki's hand. His damnation; His salvation. "Sure. Why not?" Saki pulled the boy up as four others joined them. Karai, Tigerclaw, Bradford, and Xever stood behind their master, each holding a rare smile.

"Welcome to the clan, Michelangelo." Shredder told the boy with a kind smile.

"Thanks. It's good to be here." Mikey replied, allowing the wind to carry the orange cloth from his grasp. The group watched as the strip of cloth blew over the buildings below and disappeared into the great city.

Mikey had worn a mask for 12 years for his family's sake; one they didn't know existed. His brothers scorned that mask, yet never allowed him to be free of it. And finally, they shattered the mask, and him by extension. Now, with those that saw the truth. Those that accepted him for what he was. Mikey knew the real battle was to come. And he would face it as he truly was. If his brothers didn't like it, if they couldn't accept the truth of both him and themselves, well... tough luck for them. He knew who he was and he would never hide it for them again. And if they could accept it. Then maybe they could work together to face the darkness coming their way. Because Mikey knew the threat on the horizon would take both the Lotus and Foot clan's strengths to defeat. And he'd let neither of his clans fall.

A/N: There we go. I hope you all liked it. It's a one shot for now, but let me know if I should continue it or add more, Thanks everyone and please review.