Epilogue
Renet watched the monitors that kept track of her favorite timeline, trying to understand what the last events had changed.
Granted, this timeline had almost been destroyed, but now that both April and Splinter were back where they belonged–and after a bit of cleaning on Renet's part–it shone as brightly as it was supposed to be, with the turtles staying heroes through and through.
Heroes she had admired so much even before she had met them.
So why had Lord Simultaneous told her that nothing was wrong with the Time Scepter, and it had deliberately decided not to work for Splinter? And what was worse, that it had chosen to lend some of its power to a random device, so the mutant rat would time-travel in the first place?
"I don't understand," she told the Time Master. "I thought the Time Scepter couldn't be cruel."
"Indeed, it's not," Lord Simultaneous answered.
He was standing behind her, and she could feel his piercing gaze on her back.
"But there is no difference between the timeline such as it is now, and the timeline such as it would have been without its interference!"
Renet ran the simulations again, just to make sure, but she got the same results.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
She could feel her teacher shook his head.
"Renet, how many times have I told you not to keep the default settings?"
"Way too many times," Renet muttered.
"Look." Lord Simultaneous made some quick adjustments in the simulations before running them again.
This time, the results did show a difference, and Renet frowned as she analyzed them. She took in the subtle alterations in the timeline, the possible paths that had opened.
"They'll be… happier? But they looked so devastated!"
"Beyond time, where we exist, short term and long term come together. But for those who live within the timelines, they're two very different concepts."
Renet glanced at the Time Scepter in Lord Simultaneous' hands. "It wanted them to tell their father goodbye," she whispered. "It knew it would do them good."
"Proper goodbyes have their importance." Lord Simultaneous sounded sad, and Renet wasn't sure why. "But even I can't say I know what the Time Scepter is thinking." He patted the item with affection. "Like I always say, it has a mind of its own."
"Thank you, Lord Simultaneous," Renet said. "I think I'll study the simulations a bit more."
"I have no doubt you will," her teacher said wryly, making Renet blush a little.
It was hard to hide anything from a Time Master.
Renet still waited until he had left to watch the replays of her new favorite moments in the turtles' timeline.
Especially the one when she and Mikey met again.
The End