Hello everyone! I know it took me a while to finish this chapter, however, some reviewers have mentioned wanting more of our normal turtle adventures away from being human. So, I'm working on wrapping this up in the next two chapters.
Thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoy this installment!
In a trash strewn alley of New York, a punk clad in leather and sporting a purple mohawk slowly came to, his head giving a fretful toss as brown eyes fluttered open behind gaudy sunglasses. A groan drifted up from lax lips, while the hand clad in fingerless leather gloves twitched before clenching into a fist. Finally, with a hiss of pain and a wheeze, Morty pushed himself up into a sitting position, a growl of effort echoing in alley. The dyed head wobbled unsteadily as he slowly refocused dazed eyes, only for them to widen in shock as he remembered the circumstances that landed him, literally, in the gutter.
The man's head popped up, frantically looking from side to side, searching for the kid responsible for his current state of defeat. Unsurprisingly, the brat was nowhere to be found.
Morty snarled, slamming an angry fist onto the dirty concrete, biting out a curse when the impact made the bones in his hand scream. Shaking out the pain, the gang banger sighed, then began the arduous task of standing up. Trash rolled off his body, a rotting banana peel plopping onto the ground, while day old sour cream and melted cheese clung to his leather pants. Rolling his eyes in aggravation, Morty wiped off what garbage he could, profanity aimed at the kung-fu brat pouring from a furious tongue. He was going to get revenge, he didn't know how, but he would, and that kid better pray that he survives what Morty's got planned. Or, will have planned. Once he plans it.
Assuming he's able to find the kid in the first place.
An aggravated hiss slipped between bared teeth, even as his shoulders slumped half in defeat. How was he going to find some random kid in New York? This city was huge, coincidentally meeting the same stranger twice in one week, much less a year, was almost impossible. The punk stomped his foot, giving in to a fit of temper. He hated this, hated his life, hated how he was reduced to begging for scraps just to get by, hated everything that led up to this. He had had it made, he was going to be the top dog in the Purple Dragons, better than Hun could ever hope to be! He even had a plan! Not that it worked.
It should have worked though, he had the freaks at his mercy. They were chained up and helpless, so his plan really should have worked! However, not only did those ridiculous turtles manage to escape, but they completely humiliated him in front of his guys. Morty's clenched fist trembled with rage as he remembered the blue turtle, remembered his smug grin, the way he confidently turned down his generous offer in a needlessly cool way. If only that needle had worked. It had worked with all of Hun's enemies, so it should have brought that cocky mutant freak to his knees. The possibility that he'd used the wrong compound had been considered, however, Morty was sure he'd not made a mistake. There was no reason whatsoever for it to have not worked.
It SHOULD have worked!
Regardless, it didn't, and the freaks got away, plus they wrecked the warehouse making it impossible to use as a hideout. It was because of them that his gang jumped ship. It was because of them that he's had to go back to lifting wallets and mugging schmucks in dark alleys. As if that wasn't bad enough, as if he wasn't hating his life enough, he just had to come across yet another blue wearing freak that stomped him to the ground with freaky karate or whatever. Morty seethed, clenched teeth bared in the gloom as his fists twisted into tight balls, hard enough for his nails to leave bloody crescent moons in his palms. He. Wanted. Revenge! And if he couldn't have it against the turtles, then he'd make do with the brat!
It was in this moment that the punk noticed a small piece of paper fluttering on the ground. Morty paused, his previous ire dying down long enough for curiosity to force him to examine it. It had neat hand writing on it, efficient and bold, with a bullet pointed list. Crouching down to the balls of his feet, the punk snatched the paper off the ground, flipping it up so to read the contents. Morty felt a feral grin slowly stretch across his features, bloodthirsty and cold. The paper was a list all right, and he was willing to bet it belonged to the kid; because there written in black and white was a schedule of places he had apparently bought tickets for, complete with dates and times. This paper probably fell out of the book bag during their scuffle.
Morty gave a dark chuckle, oh, this was just too perfect. He'd get his revenge after all, he just needed to wait for the first item on the list, a wrestling match coming up this weekend. He'd find the kid there and make him pay for daring to mess with Muerte, and if he wasn't able to find the brat, then he had two more opportunities at the Zoo and later at the New York Hall of Science. Oh yeah, it was all coming together, all wrapped neat and topped with a pretty bow as if it were Christmas. He may not have his crew, but at least he'd stain the ground with the blood of the brat. He could settle with that.
Pocketing the list, Morty strode from the alley, uncaring of the smears of rotting food on his pants and in his mohawk. With his head held high, the punk disappeared into the bustling crowd, violence on his mind, and a taste for blood on bared teeth.
…..
"Leo, get a move on, we're gonna be late!"
The young leader chuckled at Raphael's impatience, heart warming with joy that his brother was so excited. Tonight was the night that they were going to an honest-to-goodness wrestling match, at Madison Square Garden no less! Raph had been bouncing off the walls all day with nervous energy, checking the clock every hour, and groaning when the day would pass fast enough for the hothead. The brothers drew a great deal of amusement out of the sight as Raphael wasn't normally known for this behavior. No, that was usually relegated to the youngest sibling. So, to see the brawler checking and rechecking the clock, face lit with the widest grin they'd ever seen, and even obsessing over what to wear? It did Leo's heart good, confirming that he'd made the right choice.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Leo shrugged a jacket on his shoulders, straightening his clothes before grabbing a pair of shoes and running out his bedroom door.
The lair was abuzz with anticipation, excitement crackling, making the air in the home electric and alive. Although Michelangelo sat playing video games, content to wait his turn for the next weekend at the zoo, the youngest couldn't help the occasional glance over to his family, grinning at Raphael's eagerness for the wrestling match. Donatello, though, hadn't been seen or heard from all week, as he'd been locked away in his lab trying to decide which invention he'd bring to the science symposium. Splinter merely watched with twinkling cobalt eyes, joy swelling in his chest that his boys would be allowed to enjoy a semblance of normalcy before inevitably changing back to their mutated forms.
Leonardo pelted down the stairs, grabbing a wallet and keys for the battle shell. True, it wasn't the most inconspicuous vehicle, but it would get them to Madison Square Garden for their brother's night. "Alright, let's go!"
Raph gave a whoop of joy, "Finally!"
"Be careful, my sons," Master Splinter cautioned, "but more importantly, have fun."
"We will, sensei," The young leader couldn't help the grin that stretched across his face, as he slung an arm around his immediate younger brother, "You heard Father, let's go have some fun."
"Oh, I intend to," the brawler chuckled, following Leo out the door.
The drive to the convention center went quickly, the brothers joking and laughing, their conversation interspersed with exclamations of excitement. Raphael was practically vibrating, his muscular form bouncing in his seat as their truck made its way to their destination. In no time at all, both red and blue ninja had checked in at the ticket counter and were shuffling down the stairs towards the designated area printed on their tickets. Their eyes were bright, heads twisting this way and that at the sights and sounds of the event. Leonardo gave a nod of satisfaction when they arrived, allowing himself a small moment of feeling smug at having snagged a prime location for their seating. They were on stacked bleachers about three rows behind the manager and team for one of the wrestlers, and had a clear view of the ring.
"Popcorn!" Raph exclaimed suddenly, breaking his leader out of his reverie, while pointing out a snack vendor, "And hotdogs!"
Leo quickly lifted his fingers to his lips, blowing a shrill whistle, beckoning the vendor to their seats. The man waved at them with a smile, jogging to their area, "How can I help you boys?"
The blue clad teen smiled his thanks, rapidly pointing out their desired items, "I'll take an extra large box of popcorn, two hotdogs and two cokes please." Leo grabbed his wallet, rifling for cash before popping back up, "Oh! And a foam finger for my little brother!"
The hotheaded ninja blushed at the preferential treatment, but didn't argue, merely bonking Leonardo on the head with the foam finger after it was handed over. "Yer a dork, ya know that?"
Leo chuckled, sticking his tongue out at his sibling as the vendor gave him his change before gesturing to their seats, "You better eat your hotdogs, because I have a feeling you'll be too distracted to eat during the match."
"Yes, mom,"
Leo cackled at the reply, shaking his head fondly, as the brawler scarfed his meal. In two blinks of an eye, the hotdogs were gone, and the foam finger had made its way onto the younger sibling's right hand.
Standing up, Raphael lifted both fists into the air, releasing a bellowing cheer as multicolored lights strobed through the audience, a megatron tv panning across faces in the crowd. The room was filled with waves of chatter, broken by the occasional shout or whistle as the masses found their seats. Leo's eyes bounced, his neck giving a twinge of complaint as the teen ninja tried to look at everything at once, drinking in the excitement flowing around him. On the main floor, the manager of one of the wrestlers was looking over a notebook covered in hectic scribbles, showing what he'd written to a team member as they had a heated discussion. No doubt doing last minute strategizing for any unforeseen variables in the match to come. Leonardo stretched his neck, trying to hear what they were saying, but the roar of the crowd drowned out their words. A scantily dressed blonde woman joined the manager, probably the wrestler's girlfriend, taking a seat before fetching a compact mirror to check her makeup. The show was going to start soon.
"Leo, look!"
Sapphire blues eyes popped up, the leader's hackles rising instinctively at Raph's shout, but found himself looking in the direction of the red ninja's pointed finger.
The megatron was zooming in on different seats, with a large caption on the screen, "Give Your Best Dance Moves!", while the song "Shut up and dance" played on the loud speakers. A group of high schoolers were currently on the screen, each raucously doing their best to dance while on the screen. Blue and red ninja cackled as the teens, probably about their age, embarrassed themselves. Next was what looked like was a couple on a date. The duo waved their arms, plugging their nose as they swam downwards in the air, before leaning towards each other to make a heart sign with their hands. The crowd audibly aw'd at the sight, but they were quickly laughing again when a father holding his toddler in his arms was put on the screen. The man took the hand of his baby girl and danced in his spot with her, stooping forward to give his daughter a smooch on the cheek, making the child laugh in a gap toothed grin.
Suddenly, the camera shifted, and it took a moment for Leo to realize that now he and Raphael were on screen.
The ninja screamed, jumping to their feet. Though they didn't plan it, somehow they both had the idea to loop their arms around each other's necks. Swaying back and forth in the beat of the song playing, Raphael and Leo sang along, bobbing their heads and waving their free arms. Right at the climax of the song, the brothers released each other to stand back to back playing air guitar during the instrumental. While dancing, Leonardo caught a glimpse of themselves on the giant screen, and he couldn't hold back the laughter that bubbled up in his chest at the sight. Leaning his head backwards to rest against Raph's, the leader giggled at the absurdity of them dancing for a megatron at a wrestling match in Madison Square Gardens.
A year ago, Leo would have never imagined he'd be having this much fun with Raphael, much less imagined that they'd be here of all places.
It was no secret among the family that they took their responsibility in protecting the city seriously. Leonardo in particular. The young leader was well known, by both ally and enemy, for his maturity and cold tactical prowess. In another life, he very well could have grown up into a famous military commander. Although, to be fair, he had gained some notoriety during their inexplicable adventures, many holding great respect for their odd team. But if not for the caves, Leo would still be leading his team with his usual stoicism, and brooking no room for rest or respite for himself. Thankfully, the changes he'd adopted since that fateful experience had allowed the turtle to give himself a measure of grace, returning to the young leader opportunities to enjoy family time with his siblings again. That didn't change his outlook on their role in the city that never sleeps, though. The blue clad ninja may have loosened up a bit, but he still dealt harshly on any who would threaten the innocent. In that, he would never be lax.
However, being turned human, even temporarily, gave Leonardo an altogether different point of view. The insatiable wish to give his brothers unforgettable experiences, ones they couldn't enjoy while mutant turtles, had quickly burned bright in the warrior. Suddenly, the need to patrol, bash heads, and keep the evil remnants of the foot in check took a rather shocking back seat. Leo instead found himself behaving more as a teenager than a leader. Goofing off with his brothers, staying up late playing video games, and going for random ice cream runs. He couldn't help but indulge in the silly, childish behavior he'd once shunned, reveling in these fleeting moments, knowing all the while that he'd have to set it aside again after they were returned to their original, mutated forms.
Sometimes, Leo felt a little guilty that he was enjoying being human, especially since he'd chosen that they not patrol as they normally would. Leo didn't want the purple dragons, much less their more powerful enemies, to find out that they were vulnerable. So, he decided that they'd lay low until things were back to normal. It weighed on the turtle turned human's heart that crimes were being committed in the city, and bad people were roaming free, while he was out dancing for a megatron with his brother. However, Leo shook his head free of that depressive thought. He wouldn't change even one moment, no way, not with how hard Raphael was laughing even as the brawler tried to keep dancing to song. They'd go back to protecting the city soon enough, and Donnie would no doubt track down leads they could investigate on who changed them human, for now though, he'd focus on enjoying a night out with his brother.
It was during this moment of introspection that Leonardo felt the air around him shift. Every nerve in his body, instincts that he'd honed to a fine edge over a decade, screaming that he deflect an attack. Without thinking, the ninja allowed his body to ripple with silky smooth precision.
Sweeping his right arm up to block what he discovered was a knife wielding fist, the unknown enemy no doubt attempting to slit his throat while Leo was preoccupied, the ninja quickly used his left hand to grasp a hold on his assailant's wrist. With the arm held, Leo then used his right elbow to pile drive directly into the attacker's abdomen. A throaty groan of pain exploded behind the teen warrior, the sound drifting towards his ear, alerting Leo that his attacker was close enough to grapple. Leonardo's lips twisted into a malicious grin, as he reached behind and grabbed a fistful of the person's shirt. With a mighty yank that was equal parts raw strength, and using the law of gravity to his advantage, Leonardo effectively flipped his attacker, sending them flying over his head. The leather clad figure landed on his back, crashing into the metal folding chairs of the manager and the wrestler's girlfriend.
The woman screamed at the man's sudden arrival, standing up with French tipped manicured fingers grasping her ample bosom in shock. Leo and Raph leaned forward and both felt their jaws drop as they realized they recognized the person flailing on the main floor, "Mohawk guy?" They asked in sync, "What's he doing here?"
Leo laughed, a short breathless guffaw, as he watched in disbelief as the man tried to pick himself up off the floor, choosing to believe that this had to be a crazy coincidence. After all, it wasn't that far fetched that he'd be at this wrestling match and just happened to see them, right? Shaking his head at the circumstances, Leo turned to his sibling, "Actually, his name is Morty," the leader remarked.
"Morty?" Raph chortled, his laughter quickly becoming a cackle when the gang banger's attempts to regain his feet resulted in accidentally grabbing the woman's miniskirt, only to pull it down resulting in the woman giving an indignant shriek, "what the shell kinda name is Morty?"
"Well," Leo began, offering the bowl of popcorn to Raphael, the brawler eagerly digging in to pull out a fistful of buttered kernels. Both brothers cheered around mouthfuls of popcorn as they watched the security guards arrive. Tossing the snack up in the air to catch in his mouth, Leo observed the team pick the man up by the back of his shirt, and then proceeded to march him away, "he said I should call him Muerte, but," the teen paused, giving the retreating form of the punk a judgmental stare, "I decided to call him Morty instead."
Raphael snickered, nodding his head in approval, "Good idea, no way a wimp like that should be called 'death', it just ain't right."
"Exactly," Leo agreed, cheering as the lights dimmed and a smoke machine filled the center ring with mist.
Soon the show began, and for a solid two hours, Leo cheered himself hoarse alongside Raphael. That night they would return home laden with more snacks, souvenirs, and plenty of stories. Mikey and Don listened with wide eyes about Morty attacking Leo from behind, and their big brother taking him down. However, that part was quickly passed over as Raphael began a dramatic retelling of the fight, often using his own body to reenact his favorite moments. Leo leaned back on the couch, hugging the foam finger to his chest, content to let Raph do the talking. His eyes drooped in fatigue, and soon the leader had fallen asleep, a gentle smile wreathed across his face.
…
Michelangelo was seriously fighting the urge to skip.
If it wasn't for the fact that he might as well be a member of the lollipop guild, the youngest would have gladly indulged. However, he already looked like the kid brother enough as it was, what with him being so much smaller and dressed as a superhero. Although, Mikey looked up at his eldest brother, a happy grin brightening his previous frown, it was turning out to be really fun since Leo had dressed up as Tortoise Boy for their day out. The leader was wearing his costume pretty well, all things considered, especially when Raph and Don teased him about how cute he looked back at the lair. Leo may be slightly embarrassed, but Mikey appreciated the eldest stepping out of his comfort zone in order to make their day all the more special. Thus the urge to skip.
The orange clad ninja was overflowing with positive energy, and the need to express his joy was almost impossible to stifle. He settled with a happy squeal when the gates of the Zoo came into sight, bouncing on his toes in eager anticipation, "This is gonna be awesome!"
Leo chuckled, readjusting his belt and pulling at the tight spandex adorning his torso, "You'd better enjoy this, because after today, it's never happening again," he stated, mischief twinkling in sapphire eyes.
Mikey gave an understanding nod, features serious, despite the mirthful twitching of his lips, "I will ensure to draw all possible joy out of our day, and then commit it to memory so I can relive it at my leisure."
"Good idea," the eldest stated with a fond shake of his head, "now, let's go check in."
Placing a guiding hand on the baby's shoulder, Leo pushed through the crowds, heading towards the ticket counter. Approaching the window, the leader presented their tickets, allowing the cashier to scan the barcodes. Mikey watched, eye sparkling with excitement. Just as their tickets were handed back, the duo flinched as they heard a sound they both had begun to dread. Namely, the sound of girls squealing. Michelangelo hunched close to Leo, his own ninja sharp senses alerting him that the females in question were about ambush them. And they had no escape route. Not that Leonardo didn't try.
"Oh, my go-osh! Look how cute!" Two girls, both looking to be in their late teens, and both grinning in adoration at Mikey's cherubic looks.
"He is adorable!" One gushed, reaching out to play with a stray blond curl.
The second girl was already taking a picture with her phone, loudly smacking on bubble gum, and eyeing Leo with a predatory gaze, "Is he your brother?" She purred, sidling up to the eldest, "it's so-o sweet that you'd take your brother to the zoo and dress up with him, isn't it Trish?"
Trish, apparently, nodded enthusiastically, braids and hoop earrings bouncing as she did so, "Totally!" She agreed, batting caramel brown eyes at Leo, "it's really nice to see that there are still some guys out there that care about their family like that."
Mikey looked up at Leo, baby blue orbs silently pleading for a patented, tried and true, Leonardo Hamato level escape plan. The leader did not disappoint. Face growing deadly serious, sapphire eyes narrowed, Leo met the challenge with the same determination he displayed every night on patrol. Summoning every last drop of his acting ability, Leonardo widened his eyes, feigning fear and concern as he pointed a pale finger towards the street, "Look, what on earth is that?!"
The girls turned around, their gaze frantically searching in the direction Leo had pointed. A little over a minute passed with the teens trying to locate what had apparently frightened the older male, but upon finding nothing out of the ordinary, turned back towards the object of their desire. Only to find he, and his baby brother, had inexplicably vanished. Groans of disappointment accompanied by pouts quickly replaced the girl's earlier flirtatious attitudes, but the boys were long gone and out of earshot by that point.
Michelangelo tried not to cackle and thereby blow their cover as they ran away, however, it was proving difficult. Even Leo was fighting the urge to snicker, a fist muffling the occasional giggle that would escape, until they reached a safe distance. After pulling the ninja vanish, the brothers had stuck to the shadows and used the crowd as cover, to essentially ghost their way into the zoo. Countless people would leave that day asking if the gates were haunted, as many would describe a cool breeze sweeping past them, with a dark figure flitting by in the peripheral of their vision, only to disappear. Eventually, Leo pulled Mikey through a gate announcing the African Mammals district of the park, and the duo flitted down a somewhat abandoned stretch of trail, before coming to a stop in front of a large pasture enclosure holding giraffes.
Leaning against the hand rail, Leo and Mikey melted into snorting cackles, bending over double as their frames shook with mirth, "Dude," the youngest giggled, "I'm so ready to be back to my ruggedly handsome, green self. I'm over being cute, like, way over!"
"I don't blame you," Leo gasped, bracing his hands on his knees before straightening up, "but seriously though, we should honestly weaponize your face. Maybe I can ask Donnie to find a way for us to turn human ourselves, then we could use you as a secret weapon."
Michelangelo shook his head, making an X with his forearms, as he vetoed Leonardo's suggestion, "Ain't happening," the orange ninja stated firmly, "while this has been fun and all, I'm perfectly happy as a mutated turtle. Yeah, we may not have everything humans do, but with how we get around in space and through dimension hopping, we still have plenty of great options. I'd rather go back to normal, or our normal at least."
Leonardo gave a soft nod of understanding, his mouth quirking into a tender smile, "I agree," he murmured, turning so to lean his elbows on the wooden hand rail, sapphire eyes not really focused on the enclosure beneath them, "I'm surprised at how relieved I was when Donnie said this was only temporary. I had expected to feel some regret, this could have been a chance at a new life for us, but I didn't. All I've been able to think about is getting back to normal. The only good thing coming out of this is Don having the opportunity to win a college scholarship. With that, he'll be able to chase his dream, and become the respected scientist that he deserves to be."
The small ninja returned his sibling's smile, empathizing with the leader's feelings, about Don and their current circumstances, "Yeah," he shrugged, "I agree, but enough with the heavy topics, today we're supposed to be having fun!"
…
Hours later, Leo looked down into their bag of souvenirs, smiling at how much they were able to get. Michelangelo had managed to receive the signatures of all his favorite comic book artists, much to the youngest's glee. Apparently, the zoo had even set up a memorial for the late great Stan Lee, someone even Leonardo had heard of. Mikey had approached the memorial with respectful solemnity, giving a bow towards the man's picture and adding a candle of his own to the shrine. Despite not being the type to follow celebrities, Leo could respect his little brother's wish to honor the memory of someone who'd made literal history in the world of comic books. What made the day even better was the fact that several people recognized who Mikey was dressed as.
Leonardo was kicking himself for not taking picture of the first time someone complimented his Turtle Titan costume. The kid's eyes almost popped straight out of his head. Truthfully, Michelangelo looked almost about to cry, he was so happy, because the person in question mentioned how the Turtle Titan was one of their favorite members of the Justice Force. Not that Leo was unaffected. No, his chest swelled with pride as the older brother of a genuine superhero. Pretty cool, if he could say so himself, and he did. Mikey did actually tear up then, small hands swiping at his eyes, as he received his big brother's praise. Leo had only smiled, slinging an arm around Mikey's shoulders, and giving the orange ninja the space to compose himself.
Now that they'd finished visiting all the booths, the brothers were enjoying simply meandering through the park. So far they'd seen all the big cats, the African and oriental mammals, Michelangelo had gotten a kick out of seeing the pandas, and they'd even toured the birds of paradise exhibit. All that was left was the reptile habitat, and while Leo wasn't sure why they'd put it off till last, he couldn't deny an odd sinking feeling in his stomach. Sure enough, as they walked through the turtles of the world building towards the larger outdoor enclosures, the leader couldn't help but wince at the tanks the large tortoises and snapping turtles were kept in. Leo suppressed a shudder as his worst fear, of being captured and put on display by humans, seemed to be before his very eyes. Fighting down a sudden bout of nausea, the older ninja directed his brother out of the building.
The reptile habitat eventually led to a large enclosure, terraformed into a swamp for the comfort of the alligators swimming placidly in the murky water. A wooden walkway had been built in a zigzagging trail across the habitat. Leo leaned his head back, breathing in the fresh air, the turtle building having fostered a sudden feeling of claustrophobia that the leader couldn't explain. Despite the warmth of the day, a shiver slinked down his spine, like an errant ice cube slipped down the back of his shirt. If Mikey noticed his older sibling's grip on his shoulder tighten to almost bruising levels, he didn't say anything. However, even the youngest seemed relieved to be back out in the open.
Coming to a pause on a lookout section of the wooden walkway, the brothers leaned against the railings, faces turned towards the breeze. Michelangelo sidled up to his big brother, dropping his blond masked head onto Leo's shoulder, "Thanks for this," he breathed on a contented sigh, "it's been awesome getting a day to ourselves."
Leo dropped his head to rest on Mikey's, gently nuzzling the soft hair, "Agreed,"
A companionable silence fell, the teen ninja content to simply enjoy the view. However, it was not to last.
Once again, right when he was enjoying himself by spending quality time with his family, Leo's instincts began screaming. Mikey too, because both tensed, and sprang apart just as a bat flew between them to smash the wooden railing. Like the well oiled machine Master Splinter had trained them to be, Leo and Mikey whirled into action. The youngest ducked low, his foot a heat seeking missile aiming for the back of their attacker's knees, causing them to buckle. Leonardo was quick to accompany the action, grabbing the assailant by the collar of his shirt as he fell backwards, only to swing him face first into the railing, the satisfying crunch of a broken nose making the teen give a cold smile. As one, the duo picked the moaning bulk up, and flipped him neatly over the railing, watching as he fell into the enclosure and splashed down into the algae filled swamp.
Leo watched for the man to resurface, a sinking feeling in his gut already telling him who it would be. Sure enough, a neon purple mohawk popped out of the water, followed quickly by the punk attached to it, "Aw, come on, Morty, again?!"
Mikey's jaw dropped, his baby blue eyes wide in disbelief, "Seriously, dude?" He whined, "you really need a new hobby."
Morty, however, did not respond as he was too preoccupied with running away from the alligators gathering around him. With a shriek that could not be described as anything except girly, the man splashed across the swamp in sloppy, albeit desperate, strokes. Mikey shook his head disapprovingly, "His form needs serious work," the youngest remarked.
"No kidding," Leonardo agreed with derisive snort, "look at him flailing around, wasting energy, and barely covering any distance whatsoever. There's much more effective ways to swim."
"I've always been partial to the backstroke, myself," Mikey demurred, giving his chin a casual scratch, "but in a situation like this? I'd probably go freestyle, or forward crawl."
Leo shook his head, digging in his bag for the candy bar he'd bought in the last gift shop, "Nah," he disagreed, opening the wrapping and offering a bite to his baby brother, "breaststroke would be better. Yeah, it's more movement than the forward crawl, and requires more energy, but there's no wasted effort. Providing you give yourself a strong enough push with each stroke, you're cutting through the water at a much faster rate, so it's ideal for an escape situation that requires you cover a longer amount of distance at high speed."
"Good point," Bracing an elbow on the railing, Mikey passed the candy back to Leo allowing him to take a bite, both chewing thoughtfully as their attacker finally made it to the shore, and quickly scaled a tree, "well, at least he escaped, bad form and all."
Taking another bite out of the candy bar, Leo hummed an affirmative, "This is getting stupid," he stated dryly, "I don't know how he keeps finding me, and why he's bound and determined to take me out, but it's gone past the point of irritating and surged into downright ridiculous."
"You don't think he's put a tracker on you?"
The leader gave a vehement shake of his head, "Impossible! He didn't lay a hand on me during our fight, and as you can see, he's not exactly skilled enough to slip one on me without my noticing."
"True, but he's also the one that managed to capture us out on patrol, so it's not out of the realm of possibility," Mikey shrugged.
Leonardo released an indignant scoff, as he rolled navy eyes, "He only succeeded in that because he wasn't alone, he had the advantage of an army of purple dragons, if not for them he wouldn't even register on our radar as a threat. Simply put, we were outnumbered, not outmatched! Even the best warriors fall in the face of an oncoming flood."
"Hm…How very poetic of you," Mikey murmured, before plopping his chin into his palm with a teasing grin, "but Confucius called, and he wants his one-liners back."
The older sibling couldn't hold back the laughter his baby brother was so skilled at creating. Normally he'd try to scowl, or give a disapproving look, but today was not a normal day; and to be honest, Leo was feeling too good to be a stick in the mud, "Last I checked, Confucius be dead." He grinned around his mouthful of chocolate.
Baby blue eyes sparkled as Mikey was quick to accept the challenge, opening his mouth to counter his brother, but unfortunately, their banter was interrupted. "Hey! Hey, kid!"
The teens felt their faces fall from mischievous grins, to disappointed frowns. Heaving a sigh loaded with thinly veiled tolerance, Leonardo turned back to Morty, who was precariously settled on a thin branch of questionable integrity, "Yeah, what is it?"
The mohawk man frantically gestured at the gap between him, the tree and the walkway, eyes wide behind the sunglasses he somehow managed to keep despite the fall, "Ya gotta help me!" He cried, "I don't wanna be gator food, man!"
"I don't know," Leo pondered, copying Mikey by bracing an elbow on the handrail, then placing his chin in his palm, "this is the third time you've tried to kill me. The smart thing to do is just leave you there."
"Aw, come on, man!" Morty wailed, "If ya help me, I won't try ta kill ya again, I promise! Cross my heart!"
"Assuming he has one," Michelangelo muttered bitterly.
Leo snorted at his little brother's statement, but continued addressing the punk, "The word of a criminal," the leader grimaced, raising his free hand to move up and down like the balance on a scale, "doesn't hold a lot of weight with me."
"Maybe he can prove it to you?" Mikey suggested, making the eldest nod, tapping his chin ponderously.
"He could," Leo mused, "I think I know how, too."
"I'll do anything!" Morty was on the verge of tears, most likely due to the fact that there were four alligators snapping just below his feet, "Just give me a chance!"
"Ok," Leonardo gave a grin that was lethal, "that book bag you ruined was a gift from my sister."
Morty stomped his foot, trying to scare away the deadly reptile that was crawling up the tree by standing on its back legs, "Yeah, so?"
"So, you owe her $57.50," the blue clad ninja spat, "throw me your wallet, and if you have enough on you, I'll consider saving your life."
Michelangelo burst into uproarious giggles, his face disappearing behind the wooden railing as he shook with mirth. The youngest knew Leo would never intentionally leave a person to die, enemy or not, but Mikey had never seen Leo play with his prey the way he was now. He obviously found the whole thing hilarious, which was making it difficult for Leo to keep a straight face. The young leader was an expert when it came to having a poker face, however, and with valiant effort, he maintained his cold stare at their attacker. Morty was not nearly so composed, he was practically dancing on the tree branch, though he was clearly weighing his options.
"Tick-tock," Leo intoned, waggling an index finger to mime a clock's pendulum, "I don't have all day."
If Mikey laughed any harder he was gonna rupture something, but the eldest couldn't deny the swell of pride that, for once, he was the funny guy. Morty released a snarl, shoving a shaking hand into a pocket and digging out a leather wallet. Pausing for a moment to aim, the punk flung it across the way, a wince decorating his face as the object flew through the air, and mercifully landed in Leonardo's waiting hands. The teen dug through the billfold, his lips pursed as he counted out the cash, before giving a despairing shake of his head, "Look, is it alright with you if I owe you $2.50, you don't have anything in here but twenties and I don't have any change on me."
"Keep the change!" Morty shrieked, "Just get me outta here!"
Leo sighed, handing the sixty dollars to Michelangelo, "What do you think? Should we save him? I'm still not entirely sure he'll keep his word."
"He probably won't," Mikey shrugged, grabbing the wallet and taking out another twenty dollars, snickering at how the eldest quickly pretended he didn't see, "but he did pay you back for the book bag, plus compensation for pain and suffering. So, it's the right thing to do."
The youngest reached down to his belt, removing a rope and grapple from a loop, before handing it to Leo. The young leader quickly secured the grapple to the railing, then proceeded to throw the other end of the rope to Morty, "Catch!"
The punk stretched out as far as he was able, barely catching the rope as it flew close to his perch. "What do I do with this?!"
"What do you think?!" Michelangelo scoffed, "You climb it!"
"Aw, come on, ya can't expect me ta do that?!" Morty shrieked, "That's impossible!"
"It's only twenty feet," Leo dismissed, pushing himself off the railing and beginning to saunter away, "swing from where you're at, and it's only twelve."
Mikey rushed to follow his brother, shoulders shaking with giggles, but sparing a moment to wave at their would be assailant, "Bye, mohawk guy!"
"Morty," Leo corrected.
"Morty?" Michelangelo asked.
Leonardo nodded, "His name, it's Morty."
"What the shell kind of name is Morty?" The youngest snickered, ignoring the furious shrieks of the man in question.
"It's better than the one he told me," Leo sneered.
"Oh, you came up with the name, that answers so many questions."
"Watch it, kid,"
…..
This time Leo was ready, he was even wearing sunglasses so he could scout their immediate area without arousing suspicion, analyzing the face of any who came near. Morty wouldn't get the drop on him this time.
They were standing in line at a coffee shop Donatello had always wanted to see the inside of. Something about the café atmosphere that drew the young scientist like a moth to a flame. Ever so soft to his brothers wishes, plus the fact that it was only across the street from their destination, Leo had figured they would stop in for his younger sibling to get a cup of Java, then head to the symposium. Donnie carried his invention in a cardboard box, some kind of battery that ran on clean energy. Leo wasn't an inventor like his brother was, or knowledgeable in science and engineering, but he was pretty confident that the project would be a slam dunk with the judges at the symposium. The purple clad ninja, though, was practically vibrating in nervous energy, and Leonardo could only give a fond smile at the genius.
"Calm down, you're going to do great," he chuckled.
Donatello rolled chocolate brown eyes, readjusting his grip on the box, "Says you," he sighed, "but you're my brother, you're contractually obligated to think I'm great."
Leo blinked slowly, opening his mouth and then closing it, before he turned back to Don, "Does that go both ways, or is it just expected of me? Because, if it does, someone really ought to inform Raph."
The genius' jaw dropped, even as a strangled laugh of disbelief erupted from his mouth, "Ok," he snickered, "first, we both know that he's gotten better since the caves; and secondly, what did Mikey put in your cereal this morning?"
"Nothing," the eldest shrugged, giving a lopsided smile, "I don't know, but hanging out with my brothers, being human, has made me feel more laid back for some reason. It feels easier to loosen up, I don't really know why, though."
"Hm," Donnie paused, the gears clicking in his clever brain, before his eyes widened with the answer, "You feel safe," he breathed, "that has to be it, you feel safe!"
Leonardo felt like the world came to a stop around them, the familiar feeling of being floored by the genius' words overwhelming his mind, "I think you're right," he spluttered.
"I know I am," the scientist nodded, warming to his answer with every passing second, "our whole lives we've been on the run because we're so different, and there was no way to escape except to hide ourselves away with minimal contact with the outside world.
"Now, we look like everyone else," Donnie continued, face and eyes full of wonder, "and none of our enemies know who we are, you could walk in front of the Shredder or Bishop, and they wouldn't even blink, because we blend in. We're safe. There's no pressure to keep our guard up, so you unconsciously loosened up because there's no danger. Or, at least, no danger on the level that we're used to."
The eldest shook his head, a sigh he didn't even realize he'd been holding in, exhaling through his lips, "That….actually makes a lot of sense," he murmured, shaking his head softly, "count on my genius brother to figure it out something I've been puzzling over for weeks in ten seconds."
"And he's humble, too," Donatello grinned, wiggling his eyebrows for effect making Leo laugh, "so, does solving your big mystery mean I get an extra shot of espresso?"
"Don't push your luck," Leo replied dryly, "you're jittery enough as it is!"
Stepping up to the cashier, the duo were finally able to order their drinks, Leonardo ordering a London Fog latte (his brother was impressed until Don found out it was still tea), and Donnie getting a Breve Latte, slipping in his extra shot of espresso with a cheesy grin. Leo heaved a disappointed, albeit tolerant, sigh, but chose to indulge his little brother. It was their special day after all.
Moving over to the side, the siblings waited as their drinks were made, both watching the baristas work in awe. "I need to build us an espresso machine," the genius remarked, brown eyes drinking in the complex levers and knobs, "or at least something that can make gourmet coffee and lattes."
Leo quirked an eyebrow, slowly turning to his brother, staring in silent skepticism, "You already have the Keurig that April got you for Christmas," he stated, "do you really need another coffee maker?"
"Well, yeah," Donnie whined, not even put off by Leonardo's reluctance, "but the Keurig can't do gourmet stuff unless there's a k-cup for it. I was thinking about experimenting by ordering whole beans, and roasting them myself to create my own brews of varying strengths."
Once again the blue clad ninja was knocked speechless, overcome by visions of an over caffeinated Donatello bouncing off the walls of his lab, with half finished projects scattered all over the lair. Sapphire eyes widened in horror, as his features paled in abject terror. "…..No….." he gasped, voice barely heard above the noise of the café, "That is not a good idea."
Donnie rolled his eyes, "What, you think I can't do it?"
"Oh, I believe you could do it," Leo said slowly, "but I don't think the rest of us would survive it."
The scientist threw back his head, a ripple of laughter floating gaily up to the ceiling, "Aw, poor aniki," he teased, "you have no idea how terrified you look right now."
"If I look how I feel, then I have an idea," Leo could only nod, eagerly taking their drinks when their names were called.
The leader sipped his latte, humming in pleasure at the mix of earl grey, and chamomile lavender tea with creamy foam topping it. Strolling out to the sidewalk, Leonardo once again scanned their surroundings for any signs of his new friend. This time, however, he was rewarded for his diligence. Idling on the side of the road was a dirty looking junk heap of a van, something that Leo had noticed some odd twenty or so minutes ago. At first he'd taken note because the van was left running in front of a bank, and that clearly said bank heist to the former turtle. However, nothing happened. No group of men jumping out armed with weapons, or anyone really, leaving said van. So, Leo just kept an eye on it just in case he needed to intervene. This proved fortunate, because when he and his brother changed their position from inside the café to the sidewalk, this was when the teen ninja noticed the unmistakable neon purple mohawk through the driver side window of the vehicle.
"I knew something was funny about that van," the ninja grumbled.
"Funny ha-ha, or funny strange," Donnie asked while sipping his drink.
"Definitely, funny strange." Leo scowled, "This is getting old,"
"Don't tell me, it's Mohawk guy," Donnie muttered, typing on his tablet, double checking the presentation he'd prepared.
"Yep,"
Leonardo assessed the situation, noticing that the man hadn't noticed their presence yet, and was apparently doing the same as them. Killing time before the symposium officially began. Which meant, that this time, Leo had the drop on him. The turtle turned human couldn't stifle the malicious grin that spilled across his features. Donatello glanced up at the odd silence, only to gape in shock.
"Leo," he stated, tone heavy with brotherly concern, "you're looking really evil right now, and I'm scared."
"Don't be scared," Leo reassured in a purr, "you have nothing to be afraid of, but Mohawk guy? That's another story."
Taking a deep draft of his tea, the leader held the drink out to his brother, "Hold this,"
Donatello scrambled to put his invention safely on a nearby table, before grabbing the proffered cup, "What are you going to do?"
Leo's grin grew impossibly wider, while sapphire eyes turned cold and predatory, "Just watch," he replied with a dark chuckle.
Tea safely stowed with his brother, Leo sauntered across the street, steps confident as he directed them towards the sidewalk behind the van. Dark hair bobbed as he glanced around, then with a decisive nod, approached decorative metal poles with chains stretched between them, meant to keep the general public from stepping on the flower beds. Leonardo detached the chains from a section of poles, leaving one end still firmly attached to another section, then proceeded back to the van, stopping to crouch just behind it. Donnie watched with wide eyes as Leo laid down on the road, scooting himself under the van, and wrap the chain around the back axle, his evil grin still firmly in place. After ensuring that the chain was secure, and wouldn't come loose, the young leader jogged back across the road to stand next to Donatello.
Fishing his shell cell out of a pocket, Leo dialed 911, waiting for the dispatch to answer.
"911, What is your emergency?"
"Hi," Leo began, making his voice sound nervous and hurried, "I'm standing outside of Bean Town near the New York Hall of Science, and there's a grey van idling right outside of First Choice Bank. There's a guy inside, with a purple Mohawk, he has a gun and I think he's going to rob the bank."
Donnie spluttered, almost spitting his coffee out all over the sidewalk, immediately choking on the giggles crawling up his throat. Leonardo gave him a playful glare, holding a finger to his lips in a silent request that he stifle his laughter. The genius clapped a hand over his mouth, desperately trying to obey, but struggling to follow through. Leo returned to the conversation, occasionally nodding, throwing in bits of information before giving their street name and hanging up. Don, removing his hand from his mouth, leaned towards his brother, poking the leader's cheek with a slim finger.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my brother, Leonardo?"
Leo melted into a round of belly laughs, turning sparkling eyes on his sibling, "Come on, Don, I'm not as bad as all that, you guys know I can be fun when I want to be."
The scientist rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to shoot back a retort, but was cut off by the arrival of a police car. The blue clad ninja gave another menacing grin, reaching out to Donnie for his drink, who blindly handed him the cup in his hand, "Looks like it's show time."
"What do you expect to happen?" Don asked, watching as the police officer jumped out of the car and begin to walk towards the driver side door, "And what was with you wrapping a chain around the back axle of his van?"
"You'll see," Leo waved dismissively, "it's all part of my master plan."
The scientist snorted, choosing to remain silent as the cop had finally made it to the van. Raising a fist, the officer knocked on the window, his voice a bellowing bark, "Open the door, and come out with your hands where I can see them!"
Leo and Donnie stretched their necks as far as they could to see the reaction of Morty, both smiling as the man visibly panicked behind the glass. Revving the engine, the punk took the vehicle out of park, and slammed a foot on the gas. Leo watched, unconcerned, as the van took off down the street. His smile becoming, once again, malicious as he watched the length of chain unravel and then, grow taut. With a deafening shriek of twisting metal, the back axle and two back tires were ripped from the undercarriage, to lay smoking in the street still attached to the chain. The rear of the van fell heavily on the asphalt, sparks flying as the front tires worked overtime to pull the vehicle down the street, screeching all the way and leaving deep gashes in the road.
In the brief moment that the van drove past them, Morty looked out the window at the gawking crowds, and that was when he made eye contact with Leo. The blue clad teen gave a wide grin, twinkling his fingers in a small wave, before lifting his drink to the criminal. Morty's features twisted in rage, but the man didn't react beyond that, choosing rather to continue his escape from the authorities. The police officer gaped at the carnage the van left behind, then seemed to collect himself enough to run back to his car, shouting into the radio attached to his shoulder. Soon the cop was back in his vehicle, and with sirens blaring, chasing the crippled van.
Leo immediately doubled over in helpless giggles, one hand slapping the side of his thigh, "That was awesome!"
Donatello shook his head in disbelief, gasping for air in between breathless cackles, "No, aniki," he disagreed, raising his cup in the air as if to toast his brother, "you are awesome! I have the coolest big brother ever!"
Giving a humble bow, Leo raised his own drink to meet Donnie's, both taking a slurp in celebration, only for both to immediately twist their faces in disgust, "Ugh," Leo groaned, "how did I get your coffee?"
Don shook his head in disappointment, "I must have accidentally switched our drinks during all the excitement of the moment."
"Here," Leo held the beverage out, happily taking his tea back, then slung an arm around his brother, "now, let's go impress some really old nerds with your whatchamacallit."
"It's a battery," Don corrected.
"It's awesome," Leo agreed, "let's go prove it."
…..
"You should have seen it, it was awesome!" Donatello exclaimed at the dinner table, "The way the axle just ripped off the van, it was genius!"
"Definitely sounds like a plan Fearless would come up with," Raphael snickered.
Leo raised an eyebrow at his brother, spooning spaghetti onto his plate, "I'm choosing to take that comment as a compliment."
"As you should, my son," Splinter remarked, "I'm very proud of how you handled yourselves today. Well done."
Leo and Donnie shot each other pleased smiles, before both gave small bows to their father at the table, "Thank-you, Sensei,"
"Do you think the cops caught up to him?" Mikey asked around a mouthful of pasta and cheesy garlic bread.
"Chew yer food, short stack," Raph reprimanded, "then talk."
"Like sea food, Raph?" The youngest asked, "Then here, all you can eat."
Michelangelo crossed his eyes, opening his mouth and sticking out a tongue full of half chewed pasta. Leo flicked the baby's head, making Mikey yelp, "No playing with your food at the table," the oldest warned, "now eat, and stop goofing around."
"Fine," Mikey muttered, though hardly offended, this was an old argument after all.
"Who knows if the cops got him, I hope they did though, but cool as that was with Mohawk guy," Leonardo picked the conversation back up, "I'm really proud of Donnie, the other projects couldn't even hold a candle to his. The judges were so impressed! I'm sure we'll get a letter in the mail saying he's the one who won the scholarship."
"When do ya find out?" Raph asked, piling spaghetti onto a piece of garlic bread and shoving the whole thing together into his mouth.
Donnie chewed his mouthful in rapid bites, swallowing enough so he wouldn't get scolded for talking with his mouth full, "In about a week. We gave them April's address, so she'll let us know when it comes in."
"Sweet," Mikey grinned, "so if you win, you'll really be able to go to college?"
"Yeah!" Donnie exclaimed, "While I was waiting my turn for Leo's and my day together, April helped me create paperwork that would pass inspection at any university. Birth certificate, shot records, and I even took a GED test at a local school district stating that I've been homeschooled, and I passed the test with flying colors. Meaning I have a high school diploma! The rest I can do online, and they won't require me to show my face, or even attend classes at the university. I can do it all right here in the lair."
"That is wonderful, my son," Splinter smiled gently at his genius child, pride shining in the cobalt gaze, "I'm certain you'll do well, but be mindful that your studies do not hinder your ninjutsu training, or cause you to lose more sleep than you already do."
"Yes, Sensei," Donnie replied with a sheepish smile.
The table went back to tucking into their meal with gusto, however, Mikey looked between his fellow younger brothers, baby blue eyes looking pointedly at Raph and Don. The duo didn't take notice of the youngest, both happily slurping the spaghetti down. Michelangelo cleared his throat, trying to catch their attention, but drooped when no one reacted. Trying one more time, the baby cleared his throat more forcefully, but was once again rebuffed. With an aggravated huff, Mikey finally resorted to kicking his brothers under the table, making both Raphael and Donatello to give a startled jump.
"What the shell, kid!" Raph growled, though without any real heat.
"I've been trying to get your attention so we can give you-know-who, his you-know-what!" Mikey hissed.
"Seriously, Mikey, now?" Donnie groaned, "Can't we enjoy dinner first?"
Michelangelo responded by giving a dissatisfied wiggle in his chair, whining a guttural incoherent sound of complaint, before huffing, "I don't wanna wait!"
"Sheesh," Raph scoffed, rolling topaz eyes, "is it just me, or has shrinkin' made ya more immature than ya already are?"
The youngest's shoulders dropped as he shot his most deadly glare across the table at the brawler, which considering his current appearance, wasn't deadly at all. "Come on," he whined, giving a dramatic flop in his chair, "I've been keeping it secret for the past week! I can't hold on for much longer, or I'm gonna explode!"
The table burst into laughter, while Leonardo cast a suspicious glance on each brother, "Ok," he asked, tone light and playful, "what are you scheming?"
"Nothing much," Donnie shrugged in seeming carelessness, "we just figured that, because we appreciate that you went out of your way to give each of us unforgettable days with our big brother, that we'd return the favor."
"We're gonna take ya on a trip of yer own," Raphael continued, liquid gold eyes twinkling in barely repressed joy, "all four of us together, to thank you fer bein' our leader and the best big brother in New York."
Mikey wiggled in sheer happiness, finally springing out of his seat to tackle their leader in a rambunctious hug, "We already bought the tickets and everything! It's gonna be awesome!"
Leo pulled in a shaky breath, tears stinging his eyes as warmth, gratitude and incomprehensible amounts of love washed over him, before settling in his heart like a warm golden bonfire, "Guys," he rasped, a smile spilling across his face, "I-I don't know what to say,"
"Just say thank you," Donnie snickered, "and forget patrol or training tomorrow night, because we're going out."
The leader wrapped his arms around Mikey, returning the tight hug with an embrace of his own, "Do I get to know where we're going?"
"Nope!" Mikey replied brightly.
Leo chuckled, hugging the baby tight. He wasn't expecting his brothers to plan a trip of their own, hadn't asked for one, because he was more than happy blessing his brothers with various tokens of his affection. However, he was overwhelmingly grateful for the people he called family. Releasing Mikey to go back to their meal, the blue clad ninja barely tasted it from that point on. Excitement thrummed in his heart like a hummingbird's wing. Tomorrow night, he would get to have a blast spending time with his brothers, wherever they were going.
He couldn't wait!
Thank you for your patience with me! Please feel free to leave reviews, I love reading them!