Leo

Raphael roughly slid the doors closed. His mouth tightened into a thin line, pupils shrunken, fists trembling from clenching them so tightly. This was a look I was all too familiar with—the look that told me I wasn't going to leave this room with normal blood pressure. He stormed in, past the tree, and over to Sensei and me with fire emitting from his emerald green eyes.

"Were you listening the whole time?" I demanded.

"Just long enough to hear that that nerd from the future lied to us!" Raph growled.

My heart soared into my throat. I held my hands up at my immediate younger brother. "Keep it down, Raph."

"Oh, I'm sorry. We wouldn't want Mikey to hear. Even when it's his right to know," Raph seethed, the sarcasm barely heard under the pure exasperation spitting out of him like embers from a fire.

"Cool it, Raph," I spat, shoving him. "We're protecting him."

"Since when did keepin' secrets from family count as protection?" Raph shoved me back. "If there's even a chance that Mikey will die, he should know. It's his future, his fate!"

"You saw how he reacted to being a mindless warrior," I said.

"You mean when your no-good future self lied to 'im?"

I tightened my eyes, pointing a finger at Raph's chest. "That's me you're talking about."

"Exactly!" Raph smacked my hand away, the veins in his head almost pulsating. "Five years, and you won't change. You'll always think of yourself! You say you're protectin' Mikey, but wait until he finds out his own family lied to 'im!"

I reached back for a katana at the sight of Raph guiding his hands to his sais, snarling like an animal.

"YAME!" Sensei roared and stepped between us. "That is enough!"

My anger diminished at the warning tone from our father. His ears were flat as he took turns shooting Raph and me a glare each.

"Sensei, you can't be serious," Raphael said. I could hear the little control in his voice that kept him from screaming at the rat. "I don't think this is right."

"Yes, you have spoken your piece; now it is my turn," Sensei said, raising a paw that stopped my immediate younger brother cold. "I see where your heart is at, Raphael. But Michelangelo's spirit is in a fragile state at the moment. It is attached to a dangerous weapon that has obviously affected his body. Your brother is also an emotional creature. I believe that telling him this unfortunate news will stall the healing his mind, body, and spirit desperately require. When the time is right, he will know. But for now, not a word, Raphael."

Raph's arms relaxed, dropping to his sides with a helpless frown that told me he still had so much on his mind, so much he needed to let out. Something was simmering under the rage, and I think I knew the source. To test my theory, I clapped a hand on his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Mikey's going to be fine. We won't let anything happen to him," I said.

Raph's arm tensed under my touch. He shrugged off my hand with a growl, stomping toward the sliding doors. "Whatever. I know he's goin' to be fine."

Ding, ding!

It had finally sunk in for Raph that Mikey was in danger; the concern flaring in his green eyes after Sensei silenced him made it clear. He'd never admit being overly concerned for a brother, especially the one who annoyed him the most, but he loved us despite everything. I knew the fear was consuming him now, worried we'll let history repeat itself, that we won't be strong enough to save our youngest from his fate, and when Raph didn't feel strong, his anger flared to compensate for any feeling of weakness.

After the rough closing of the doors, Sensei and I shared worried looks.

"The sooner we retrieve the Heiwa no Buki and be rid of it, the sooner this family can fully heal," he said.

I slightly inclined my head. "I agree, Sensei."

Master Splinter strolled to the tree's base, making himself comfortable, and closed his eyes. "Can you please fetch your youngest brother, Leonardo? I wish to have a word with him."

I acknowledged him and exited the dojo, quieter than Raph did before. When I found Michelangelo, he sat in the pit with my future self. The two were in the middle of an intense video game match, smack-talking and laughing without a care in the world. It was nice to see that Mikey was somewhat back to normal after a good night's sleep; at least, that's what he was leading on. He had a track record for pretending that everything was fine when it wasn't.

I felt the energy of the common room shift when I stepped into the pit. They paused their game, and Mikey looked at me almost nervously. It was evident he still wasn't over my scolding from last night and how it escalated quickly into an argument.

"Hey, Leo," he greeted with a hint of forced positivity. "I made you pancakes. They're cold, but they should still be good."

I allowed a small grin to spread on my face, thinking I didn't deserve his pancakes after our spat last night, but he made me them anyway. He noticed my look of gratitude and flashed me his famous beam, giving me a thumbs up. The warm flame I felt inside was suddenly snuffed at the image of blades driving through his little body flashing before my eyes, and I frowned.

"Thanks, Mikey. Sensei wants to talk to you in the dojo," I said.

He shared a quick glance with my future self before getting up and leaving without a word. I watched him until the sliding doors closed, then sat beside Big Leo with a slouch and my arms resting over my plastron.

"We saw Raph stomping out of there earlier," Big Leo said, a hint of concern in his voice.

I met his gaze, holding it for a second. "He knows."

My future self's features froze, and his normal shade of green paled. I assured him that Sensei and I talked to Raph about the importance of keeping it a secret, but nothing I said seemed to clear that sick color on his face. Together, we sat with stress hanging in the air, and after stewing in it for a couple minutes, I hoped Mikey would come back just so the mood would evaporate.

Mikey

I curiously poked my head into the dojo, seeing Sensei sitting cross-legged under the tree. After carefully sliding the door closed, I sauntered over, sitting before him with a smile.

"Morning, Otōsan," I greeted with a bow.

Master Splinter mirrored my smile, nodding at me. "Good morning, Michelangelo. How are you feeling?"

"I feel okay. I finally got a full night's rest last night. But then there's the scrape on my arm and face; that really stings. But not as bad as Raph's arm, I'll bet his really hurts and—" I stopped myself before I could go on a tangent, eyes darting to the floor with a sigh. "I'm okay."

Sensei hummed, his gaze falling on my bandages. "Yes, I heard about the result of your mission last night."

I sunk in my shell a little and waited for a second reprimand for jumping in the ocean and almost dying, but it didn't come. What followed instead made my tenseness melt.

"But we aren't here to talk about that."

I held back a relieved sigh, then tilted my head at a realization. "Then why am I here, Sensei?"

The rat stiffened his back and calmly rested his palms on his knees. I mimicked him, knowing exactly where this was headed, but I didn't dare interrupt.

"I sense a disturbance in your spirit, Michelangelo. The power of the Heiwa no Buki invited itself inside you when you made contact with it." He stopped at the look of concern spreading on my face, then continued. "You are fine, my son. Although seemingly harmless, it is still a lot for your body to take in so suddenly. Meditation should help calm your spirit."

I looked down again, finding a sudden interest in my finger wrappings, and started to pick at them as I felt nervousness settling in. I remembered what Zilch had told me, that I couldn't absorb their power all at once, or it could damage me, thus the headaches and exhaustion. Maybe I accidentally sped up the process when I touched the Heiwa no Buki, and the orange glow and warmness throughout my body were really my spirit screaming at me. It was so frustrating that I didn't have all the answers.

"This is totally lame," I muttered.

"What is, sainenshō no musuko?" Sensei asked gently.

I puffed my cheeks as I felt tears prickling my eyes, looking away from Father meekly. "I don't want to be a junsuina mono, Papa. I'm too stupid to handle that kind of responsibility."

"Michelangelo," Sensei snapped, not harshly, but stern enough to make me look into his deep-set eyes. "Do you understand why the Heiwa no Buki's power gravitates to you?"

"Because I'm a trouble magnet?" I asked quietly, cringing at Sensei's serious stare.

"It seeks one who is pure, one who will have the best intentions to wield its power. It does not just choose anyone." His ears twitched, and his features softened at the sight of a tear running down my cheek. "Of all my sons, your aura has shined the brightest and led us out of darkness more times than I can count. No matter its reason, were are proud it has chosen you. I am proud."

I felt warm inside as I nodded at my father, my stomach fluttering and making me feel light. Yet doubt still consumed me, and I looked to the floor, muttering, "then why does everyone keep staring at me like I'm wounded, Sensei?"

His whiskers twitched at my question. He took a moment to answer while I watched what looked like pain flicker in his eyes. But it vanished in a literal blink.

"Your family worries about you, my son, especially our present Leonardo," Sensei said, his soft grin hardening as he watched me frown at Leo's name.

"Yeah, well, he's gotta dumb way of showing it," I grumbled, tracing circles on the rug with a finger.

"He is hard on you because he does not want to see you hurt, and the same goes for Raphael and Donatello," Sensei reasoned.

My eyes didn't leave the floor. I thought about how fun Leo used to be before Master Splinter started training us, how much he laughed and how he would even bend the rules. His relationship with Raph was the best it'd ever been, and they didn't stress me out with their shouting matches almost every day. Leo even laughed at my jokes once upon a time.

The memory of the first night he let me sleep in his bed played like a movie behind my pupils. I was brought back to that sense of protection and warmth he provided, how he held me close until I fell back asleep. I'd never feel that warmth again.

I hated it so much. I missed him.

Sensei took my silence as an end to this topic and cleared his throat. "Shall we begin?"

"Begin what?" I heard myself asking before I took the time to think. "Oh! Right, about that…"

"What is it?" Master Splinter asked.

I bowed my head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I can't seem to focus long enough to meditate. I'm not good at it like you."

"It is necessary we heal your spirit, my son. I will do it with you." Sensei patted the space beside him with a warm smile, and I scooted over next to him.

I felt better sitting there at his side. It was as if his calm energy emitted from him like a heater, and the closer I sat next to him, the more relaxed I felt. I followed his lead, sitting up straight and taking deep breaths, holding them, and then letting go with my eyes shut tightly. Now and then, I would feel the urge to twitch my fingers and toes or let my mind wander off to think about the latest episode I watched of Crognard the Barbarian, but Sensei told me that with every breath I released, I let out distracting thoughts until my head was emptier than my pizza boxes.

Okay, he didn't quite say it like that.

After what felt like forever, I felt a sense of tranquility wash over me, and my limbs went loose like a rag doll. I felt frozen in place, but I struggled not to think too hard about the fact, or I would pull myself out of the meditative state I fought so hard to reach. Sensei's presence was still there; somehow, I knew he had also slipped into this state.

We remained this way for… I don't know how long. And guess what? I felt no different than I did when we started.

I hate meditation.

Leo

When the sun sunk beneath the city, I gathered a meeting for my brothers and me. I stood in the center of the pit, eyeing each of them, including my older self, who stood strapped with his gear. Raph punched his punching bag in the background, Donnie sat in the bean bag chair with his beak buried in his T-Phone, and Mikey poked his shoulder, giggling at Donnie's side glares.

"Guys, pay attention," I ordered.

Donnie and Mikey looked at me while Raph landed another punch on the bag, his gaze unmoving. He was still angry about our talk this morning, and there was no way of talking him out of a temper tantrum until he was calm and ready. Tonight's patrol was going to be good for him, although I doubted he would like the conditions I had in mind.

"Alright, team. I think we could all use some fresh air tonight." I flinched when Mikey leaped from his seat.

"Awe, yeah, son!" he offered a high five to Donatello, who awkwardly smiled and returned the gesture with not even half the energy as the smallest.

"We'll patrol for a couple hours, but only a couple. Given our current situation," I struggled not to look at Mikey, "I think we should keep our outings to a minimum until we can come up with a plan to get back the Weapon of Peace."

"I think that sounds fair," Big Leo agreed to my right.

Raph chuckled to himself, this time giving a swift kick to his punching bag. "Figures you'd agree with yourself."

I tightened my fists, but after meeting my future self's warning stare, I decided to shake it off.

"No splitting up tonight; we go as a team," I said.

"What?" Raph asked mid-punch. He hopped into the pit, invading my space. "We cover more ground splittin' up. We've been doin' it for months!"

"What's the matter, Raphie? Don't want to spend some quality time with all your bros?" Mikey teased, poking Raph's cheek. The older grabbed the finger and twisted it back until he heard a yelp from Mikey.

I didn't want to say it out loud, but I didn't think it was safe to divide into teams. With Shredder having the Heiwa no Buki, there was no telling what he had planned, and with Mikey's cover blown, it'd be careless to let him go off with just one family member. He was safer with all of us.

"We go as a team, or we don't go at all," I declared, receiving a growl from my immediate younger brother. "And no interactions with the Foot. If we see them, we come straight back to the lair. Is everyone clear?"

I got two approving nods from Donnie and Mikey and an averse one from Raph. A hand clapped my shoulder, and I looked up at Big Leo.

"I'm going solo this time, team," he said, and I cocked an eye ridge.

"Why?" Donnie asked before I could.

"No offense, but a moment to myself is much needed. Don't worry, I'll stay in the same vicinity," Big Leo offered with an assuring grin.

Though at first hesitant, I didn't feel the need to argue. My older self was probably the only one I trusted to go off alone, and that wasn't patting myself on the shell. He was five years ahead of us with his training, not to mention much stronger.

"Oh sure, he gets to split off," Raph complained.

I ignored his gripe. "Gear up, and let's move, ninjas."


New York was getting colder with each night. Winter was coming, which was a tough season for us to endure. Not only would we have to start cutting nightly patrols short due to our cold-blooded nature, but it would be difficult to keep the lair warm. The end of my cloak soared under the chilly breeze as I traversed the streets with my brothers; it helped slightly, but not enough.

We'd been out for at least an hour and had nothing to show for it. There were no Purple Dragon thugs about, not even the common petty thief. Raph was getting anxious the longer we traveled, making me anxious. If I had to hear one more wise crack out of him for not splitting up, I was going to lose it.

"This is so stupid," he griped as we rested in the shadows. "Not a single head for me to bash. We came out too early, Leo."

"Coming out too late could make us run into Foot traffic." I paused to catch my breath. "This was the best I could do."

"At least let us scope out China Town before we call it quits. We have a better chance of catchin' some Purple Dragon losers there than here, or anyone, really," Raph offered, practically begging.

I nodded, and we slipped up a fire escape and continued our travels through the rooftops. We dispersed a little once we hit the high ground, each doing our own thing but remaining in a V formation. Mikey whooped and hollered from behind, bounding off a water tower and landing a full twist. I was glad I had found a way to get him out of the lair without throwing him into danger. At least he was happy, unlike someone.

Raph leveled my speed. I felt his glower from my peripheral vision and stared right back. Huffing, he sped up to challenge me, and I took the bait like always. Within seconds, we were in a fiercely competitive race.

"Whoa, dudes, are we racing? I got you all beat, suckahs!" Mikey taunted from behind. A flash of orange zipped between Raph and me, and suddenly he was leading the formation. He was completely oblivious to the tense air between his brothers, unlike Donatello, who had kept his distance this whole time to stay uninvolved.

I let the kid lead the way, claiming his victory when we reached our destination. We stopped to rest in the alley beside Murakami's restaurant. The second I stopped running, I felt my chest tightening with every huff, forcing back a wince. Raph did the same, hunched over his knees and nearly wheezing from exhaustion. Meanwhile, Mikey hopped up and down with an exciting beam across his face, happy he had made it there first. I couldn't believe how much energy he had.

"Ha! You punks are slacking," he practically sang.

"Shut up," Raphael panted, though I caught a little smirk on his face that vanished as soon as it appeared.

"Alright, we're running out of time, team. We'll sweep China Town quickly, and then it's back to the lair," I said.

"You know what would make this go by even faster?" Raph asked. Before he could finish that thought, I exploded and threw my hands in the air.

"Ugh! Fine, you want to split up? You and Mikey can sweep the north while Donnie and I do the west. It'll get you off my shell for five minutes. Circle back here when you're done," I ordered.

Raph smirked, getting exactly what he wanted. "You're the leader. C'mon, Mikey."

The youngest hesitated momentarily, looking at Raph and me with his baby blue eyes as if wishing to protest. But the farther Raph walked north, he shook it off, sprinting to catch up with him.

When their bodies faded into distant shadows, I could finally hear my own thoughts without my hotheaded brother shouting in my ear and raising my blood pressure. I took in the moment of peace, resting against a wall with a relieved sigh.

"Shouldn't we be scoping out the west?" Donnie asked.

"One second, let me have this," I said with a half-smile.

Donnie flashed me a gapped-tooth grin that told me he felt the same. He plopped down next to my feet, looking up at the sky and taking in a deep breath.

Ten minutes later, we never left that spot. We took in the chilly night as New York's orchestra of car alarms, beeping, and helicopters played in the distance. It was as peaceful as possible, and we relished it in silence.

I was glad to spend this time with Donatello versus my other brothers. Hanging out with Raph always turned into some kind of competition, and all Mikey wanted to do was goof off. But when I was with Donnie, it felt like we were always on the same wavelength. It was rare we came to a disagreement, not to mention how nice it felt not having to repeat myself all the time.

At that moment, even though we didn't speak, I could feel that we were both okay with skipping our half of the patrol. Raph and Mikey didn't have to know. Raph got what he wanted regardless. Why would he care?

"Do I want to know why Raph's in a mood? I know it doesn't only have to do with tonight's patrol," Donnie observed.

I thought about his question carefully. Everyone knew—except Mikey, obviously—about Big Leo's lie at this point. If Raph was going to know, I'd guessed it wouldn't hurt to tell Donnie, especially when I knew he wouldn't blab about something so important.

"At a better time," I said, my gaze unmoving from the moon.

Raph and Mikey were expected to come back any minute, giving me little to no time to explain something so serious. They should have been back five minutes ago, but I expected nothing less from my brothers who goof off the most.

"We should gather them," Donnie said, somehow reading my mind like always.

As he said that, my stomach tightened with pain. That hadn't been a good sign as of late, and suddenly, I was in panic mode. I stood up and reached for my katanas, the blades singing in my ears and drawn before me.

Donnie gripped his bo with a concerned look stitched on his face. "What's wrong, Leo?"

"I just got a bad feeling," I said quietly.

"About Raph and Mikey?" Donnie asked nervously.

I turned around fully, narrowing my eyes as I scrutinized the alley. "No."

There was a sudden war cry bellowing above us, and I looked up to find a massive silhouette under the moonlight plummeting on top of me. I didn't get a chance to make out the figure as I was too busy jumping out of dodge and crying to Donnie to do the same.

A thud shook the concrete where we stood. I turned around to see the heavy mass that had landed between my brother and me. A gigantic mutant rhinoceros in cargo shorts: Rocksteady! He punched his fists together and released a roar that shook my eardrums before charging for me.

With the element of surprise on his side, I hardly had time to grasp the predicament in which I found myself, jumping to the side too late just before Rocksteady's horn tore through my cloak. He threw me down with the force of his head, pressing the horn down on my body and releasing an animalistic snarl.

Donnie cried my name, twirling his bo and preparing to run to my aid, but he was knocked down after a zap of purple hurtled at his head, his slender body crumbling to the ground. I could hardly see his condition over the massive rhino horn that had me pinned down, gritting my teeth as he applied more force.

"I have turtle!" Rocksteady shouted into the night, his gravely Russian accent dripping from his speech.

"Steranko, you big jurassic fool!" a voice squeaked in the darkness. A mutant warthog sporting a bright purple mohawk materialized out of nowhere: Bebop. "Are you colorblind or something? That one is wearing blue!"

Rocksteady's eyes darted from his companion and back to me, his brow furrowing. "I am not the colorblind! So, we crush this one, da?"

My hand twitched toward a strewn katana at my side, but the rhino was quick to notice. He slammed an enormous paw over my wrist, crushing it until I screamed.

"What do you want, Bebop and Rocksteady?" I growled.

Bebop strutted over, crouching and gawking at me through his goggles. "Shredder wants the orange turtle, ya dig? Where's ya boy at?"

Mikey…

My heart thrashed in my rib cage. Raph and Mikey may have been out of the danger for now, but they would be back any second, and when they showed up…

Sudden pressure in my wrist forced me to cry out through clenched teeth.

"Tell us, turtle, or I shatter arm to tinny pieces," Rocksteady threatened.

I held back the pain in my face, tightening my eyes at the rhino. "Forget it!"

These guys really must have been messed up in the head to think I would sell out my little brother so easily. With my free arm, I landed a swift punch across Rocksteady's snout, but I may as well have been striking a wall. He held down that arm too and applied full pressure with his horn, my plastron creaking under the weight.

"Now I shatter both," the rhino growled.

I struggled under him, growing lightheaded as I endured the crushing pain in my chest. Then I suddenly had an idea, hope sparking in me.

"Okay!" I wheezed. When Rocksteady dialed back on the pressure, I let out a nasty cough, my lungs screaming at me. "I know where he is, and I'll take you to him. Just please stop!"

I looked at the two for insight, praying they'd buy my plea and let me lead them out of the area. That way, when Raph and Mikey returned, they could take care of Donnie and be out of harm's way. It was easier to devise in my head than to follow through. My brothers would go after me the first chance they got, so I needed to escape on my own before they got said chance. If I could just get Bebop and Rocksteady out of this alley first…

After a moment's silence and stares between the duo of criminals, Bebop opened his mouth to speak, but what came before he got the chance made my blood run cold. A little cry ripped through the alley before a familiar nunchuck latched around the horn that held me down.

"Booyakasha!"


Hey! Sorry that this chapter took a while! It's been a long week, and I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't a major part in this chapter I had to scrap and rethink the direction of the story. I'm still happy with the progress made, and I hope you are too! Thanks for your continued support, and I hope you have a great day!