V. Shockwaves

A delayed temporal shockwave, Donny had explained in a tone filled with relief. It had been a delayed shockwave that had caused a brief reactivation of the time scepter and allowed Michelangelo to return home. There was a lot more explanation from Don, with a lot of jargon and diagrams, but after getting the gist of things Mike had tuned out most of the rest. The important thing was that he was home safe and sound. Besides, there were bigger mysteries for him to ponder than the mechanics of a temporal shockwave—mysteries like his three brothers.

Stationed on the lair's beaten-up old couch, Mikey played the latest Spy Sniper game and ruminated upon those mysteries. Ever since they'd gotten back from feudal Japan, his brothers had been acting a little off. Not off enough to go to Master Splinter, or even off enough to be truly worrying, but enough that it had gotten Mike's attention.

Leo had taken to watching National Geographic specials on public television. Suddenly the guy couldn't get enough of the documentaries—from the African savannah to the South American rainforests, Leo watched with rapt attention. He'd also become the lair's new trivia master, outranking even the former champion, Don.

"Hey, Raph! Did you know that New Zealand has three official languages?"

"Leo, I swear—"

"Maori, English, and New Zealand Sign Language."

"—if you don't knock it off …"

Meanwhile, Raph had all but permanently moved into the dojo. Night and day, he could be found in there, pummeling a punching bag, destroying a training dummy, or pounding weights. Once, Mikey had stood in the dojo's doorway, watching, as Raph worked over the punching bag so thoroughly that his knuckles cracked and bled. When Mike had asked his brother what he was doing, Raphael had only muttered, "Atonement."

Which was weird and didn't make a lick of sense. But Mike had thought it best not to point that out, at the time. He instead retreated to the main room, leaving Raph alone to his penance.

Then there was Donny. While Leo was geeking out and Raph was working out, Don had bunkered down in the little computer nook he'd set up near the train car. Mikey had tried luring him out with every trick he had in his arsenal—bad horror movies, skateboarding, pork rinds—but through it all Don remained unmoved, not even bothering to turn away from his computer screens.

So finally Mike had brought out the big guns, pouting pitiably while whimpering, "Aw! But we miss you, Donny!"

At that Donatello had whirled around and, for the briefest moment, Mike could have sworn that his brother was actually glaring at him. Then Don had blinked. And, just like that, any trace of hostility had completely vanished. Even now Mike still couldn't decide whether or not he'd just imagined the glare in the first place.

"Hey, Mikey."

Michelangelo gave a little start before turning around to see Leonardo casually leaning against the train car. Mike grinned. "Hey, bro. What's the haps?"

Leo's eyes immediately lit up. "Well, actually," he began, a slow smile overtaking his features, "Sensei just told me that I'll be going on a training mission soon."

"Oh? That's cool." Mike returned to his video game. "Where ya going? Up to the farmhouse?"

There was an uncomfortable pause. Then quietly Leo replied, "No. Actually, I'll be going to South America."

Mikey dropped his controller. On the television screen, his sniper was promptly gunned down in a hail of bullets and pixilated blood.

"Mikey …" Leo sighed, sounding tired. "It's only going to be for a while. And it'll help me become a better leader."

"Sure. I mean … wow. South America, huh?"

Leo chuckled. "I'll bring you back a souvenir."

"You better!" Mike retorted lightheartedly as he spun back around to face Leonardo. He took a moment to study—really, truly study—his brother. Leo looked happy. Happier than he'd been since coming back from Japan. Mike put on a smile.

"Well," said Leo, "I guess I better go tell Donny and Raph." Still glowing, Leo gave a somewhat embarrassed shrug and wandered off, heading to the computer nook.

Mikey let the smile drop off his face as soon as Leonardo turned away.

Then he reached down and picked up his game controller. He only played for a few minutes before he threw down the controller again with a frustrated sigh. Things really were weird because, as much as Mikey hated to admit it, he didn't feel much like playing video games. His thoughts drifted back to Japan. His thoughts did that a lot these days.

He and his brothers, they had been heroes. Kappa. The "chosen ones." Now? Now Mike was back to being just a shadow and a non-entity. And when he wasn't a mere shadow, he was a panic-inducing freak.

To make matters worse, the one brother who wasn't self-isolating at the moment … was now leaving. For South America. Michelangelo pulled himself off the couch and flipped off the game system and the television. Looking back towards the computer nook, he spotted Don stalking away from a baffled-looking Leo. Donatello didn't even so much as glance in Mike's direction as he stomped up the stairs, grabbed his skateboard, and left the lair.

"Uh … Leo?" Mikey turned to his remaining brother

But the only reply from Leo was a helpless shrug. Then, squaring his shoulders, Leonardo headed to the dojo, with the resigned walk of a man about to face his executioner.

Sadly Mike watched him go. He didn't know if he could handle this whole "Leo leaving" thing—with the way things were going with Raph and Don these days, he would essentially be on his own. And Mikey did not do well with alone time. At all. He thought again of Japan, of Mitsu's village. It had been nice to talk and laugh and just be around so many other people. Especially those kids who'd peeked in on him while he was locked up. Mike brightened at the memory. The kids had been awfully cute.

Sudden and spirited shouting came from the dojo. Mike ignored it with practiced ease.

Everything was going to be okay, Michelangelo decided. One way or another, he'd be okay. So what if Leo was leaving? So what if Raph and Don had their own things going on nowadays? That just meant that Mikey needed his own thing, too. Maybe something to do with kids.

From behind he could hear grumbling, unmistakably Raphael in origin, and glanced over his shoulder in time to see his red-masked brother storm out of the lair just as Donny had a few minutes before him. When Leonardo stepped out of the dojo a moment later, looking utterly defeated, Mikey gave him an encouraging smile. Leo smiled weakly in return before disappearing into his bedroom.

Michelangelo turned back around and stared thoughtfully at the blank television screen. Yeah. Maybe something involving kids …

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Author's Notes: I know Movie 3 isn't canon to the 2007 movie but, while I have no problems keeping different universes separate in my mind--I have no problem, for example, accepting that Image Cyborg Donny and New Toon Monster Donny occupy separate realities--I find it a lot harder to wrap my mind around the idea that stuff just doesn't exist. I mean, sure, the third movie was crappy, but it happened. I even watched it--I know for a fact that it happened. So this is my fan-wank that connects Movie 3 to TMNT 2007.

Ahem. Anyways. Thanks, as always, for reading! I hope you've enjoyed my updating of the third movie.

Update: Minor revision 9/13. Thanks for catching the typo, Rene!