Hey you guys. This is a weird alternate universe that came to me that I had to just type out. I'm probably not going to take this story any farther than this though... It's basically if Splinter didn't find the turtles and Leo became their father figure instead.
I suddenly had this weird feeling come over me. My legs, my arms, my body it tingled; it burned. I looked around and as I turned my head, my head began to ache and sent a shooting pain down my neck all the way to my toes. I realized in that moment I must've fallen from a high height. I looked around and decided I must be underground. How did I know all these things? I suddenly felt so aware of the world around me and it frightened me. I didn't like this feeling, all this brand new knowledge I could hardly comprehend, but yet at the same time I understood it so clearly. I searched my mind trying to find answers to what was going on, but the throbbing in my head and aching in my body clouded my thoughts. I just wanted it to stop.
I glanced around in the darkness, hardly able to see, until I saw light shining down on the ground; it called me towards it, like my hero come to save me. I crawled towards the light, hoping maybe it would give me some answers as to what was happening. As I got under it I felt warmth and it comforted me. I hadn't realized how cold I had been until I stood under the light. This light, sunlight I realized it was called, saved me. It seemed to want to let me know that everything would be ok. I wasn't sure if it was lying or not, but either way I decided then I was going to stay there under the light; forever. I squinched my eyes at the light as it shined down on my face and my face turned into a scrunched up smile. I had never smiled before, never felt this strange feeling, happiness, but it was contagious.
I heard a muffled rustling noise: something moving, off in the distance. My body jerked back and my heart began to race. I realized then that I was now standing on my two feet. I had never done that before, but didn't have time to react just yet. I needed to know what was coming towards me. I felt my body aching, screaming at me to stop moving, begging me to lay down, but I couldn't. I knew that my life was potentionally in danger and I just knew somehow that I needed to do something. I was aware of the world around me, I could feel things, I could think, I was no longer just a turtle; an animal. I was alive in so many more ways than I ever thought possible.
I stood there staring into the darkness as I heard the sound growing closer and closer as my eyes widened in terror. I heard my breath get heavier and my heart begin to beat faster, like it was trying to escape my chest. I was relieved to see a fellow turtle crawling, no walking. He squinted his eyes as he came towards me, his little hand rubbing his freckled cheek. He looked scared and I felt a sudden need to protect this creature. I felt this strange connection to him, like something was dragging me towards him. I had to of been attached to him in some way in my old life, but I couldn't think of how. I couldn't remember anything from then.
His body trembled as he stood in the bright, blinding light staring at me. His lip quivered and he cowered away from me. I wanted to let him know he didn't need to be frightened of me, I didn't want him to feel like I had before. I reached my hand out as I slowly walked towards him. I looked right into his eyes, trying to show him nothing but kindness and comfort. He looked at me and I watched the fear disappear in his eyes and suddenly he threw himself at me. I grabbed him in my arms and looked down at the animal in my grasp, squeezing on to my forearms like his life depended on it. He was so small, so fragile. As he leaned against my arms, believing I wouldn't ever let him go, I could feel as his body relaxed. I could tell he felt safe, comfortable. And I realized the scariest thing of all: he trusted me. I could feel his trust moving through his body as it entered mine where I touched him and filled me up with anxiety and fear. This animal, this living creature, who was just like me, frightened as I was, am, trusted me with his life. He needed me to protect him, keep him safe, let him know he didn't have to fear anymore. The thought scared me away. I wanted to just walk away right then and leave him there. I needed to take care of myself, I was just as lost and confused as he was. How could he expect me to just help him, I needed help myself. And yet, something inside of me kept bringing me closer and closer to him. Something was telling me that taking care of this turtle was what I needed to do. I needed to be strong for this innocent little creature. I didn't want to, but I knew I had to.
I pulled him up by his arms so that his face was looking at mine. I saw a tear trickle down his cheek and realized then he had been crying. He was so afraid and confused and the poor little thing had just broken down. I nodded my head at him, letting him know I would protect him. His face burst into a smile and his eyes lit up with more joy than I thought was ever possible. I had never seen anything be so happy before. I looked at the turtle in confusion, with my mouth tilted up to the right and my eye moved as if my eyebrow were cocked up. How had I made him so happy, filled with so much joy? I wanted to do it again. It felt nice. I made it my goal to try to always make him feel this way. To make him light up so he was brighter than the sun shining down on us. I needed to feel that feeling again, by any means possible.
I motioned to him to let him know we needed to start moving and he follwed me like my faithful servant. We walked about 5 feet until we bumped into two more turtles, each one looking up at us with the same fear the two of us had shown. I wanted to see if I could make these turtles happy too. So I reached out my hand and let them come towards me. I watched the freckle faced turtle copy my movements and I smiled at him in amusement. The two turtles, one with a crack on his middle and the other with a gap in his teeth, accepted us with the same amount of complete and utter happiness as the smaller turtle from before. I felt the feeling again and it made me feel stronger. I felt strong enough to protect these turtles from danger, and make them happy.
I motioned to the group to follow me. We began to walk through the sewer. The freckle faced turtle would stray behind sometimes, examining the water, the walls, the ground below. I would have to stop a few times to find him and bring him back to where we were. The one with the crack walked with such power, such intensity, and yet I could see how frightened he was. The turtle with the gap was very calm, walking the closest to me and looked like he was trying to understand everything that was going on, much like I was.
I had no idea where I was leading them, but they didn't know. They trusted me so much and didn't even realize they were being lead by a clueless leader, a leader who looked for someone to lead him. I would never let them know how scared I felt. I needed them to believe that I was strong, that I knew what I was doing, that I would protect them. Because I knew that I needed to do this, I needed to keep them safe, and I will stop at nothing to do it. From now on they belonged to me, they were my faithful followers, my obedient students, my loving sons.
