Saga of the Next Generation – By Red Turtle
A/N: As it's been quite a while, you all might want to take a minute and review some of what's happened so far. It didn't win most complex plot award for nothing, after all.
Michelangelo II
"…Honor."
If my ninja heart needed any more strength, it got it from hearing Master Splinter say that one word. For a moment I think back over my long life, almost forgetting the present until Shiitake squirms in my arms.
I open my eyes, which I had reflectively closed as Endrame had taken off. His mode of travel is very fast and dizzying.
That's when I see Master Splinter before me, in all of his glory, sun shining down on him and everything.
I want to rush up and hug him, and I would have if he had been alone, but he is surrounded by our family, not just my brothers and me as teenagers (Don too!), but Chris, Romea, Julian, Donatello and William, and two others I don't recognize. They look like more of Endrame's relatives, with dragonish faces and wings…wait…are those my kids? They have beaks, and feathers…but I thought there were three of them.
It's all too surreal; we stare at each other for a long time in silence. I realize that our sudden entrance here was probably quite a shock for the others, and I am just as shocked to see both generations together like this. I am awed by the sight of Don, and especially here with his two sons being almost the same age, they look like triplets, except of course Don is wearing is purple ninja garb and the twins are not wearing masks of any type. And Raphael and Julian actually don't look as much alike as I thought they would, seeing them at almost the same age I realized how much more muscular Raphael was, he was a lot bigger than Julian even here Julian should be at least a year or two older, I'd always assumed since they were clones they would look exactly the same.
I take another moment of silence when I realize that Jellybean and Michelob are not here. But these other two are technically my kids, perhaps its not too late to form a relationship with them.
I also noticed the flicker that went through everyone's' eyes when we showed up. Christopher looks genuinely happy to see me, but the others…damned if I didn't detect a hint of disappointment in their eyes. Even in those of my kids. Almost makes me want to crack open a beer.
As if on cue, Master Splinter quashes that sentiment.
"I am glad you have survived, Michelangelo", he tells me, with a slight bow. And my brothers, along my past self, as strange as it was, also bowed their head to me in respect.
The children all followed suit, regardless of what they thought of me.
TBC…
(Yes, I know, that was pretty short)
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