#karais not good with talking but tried here best when she knew casey had a talk with thier dad ;3;

[ducknotinarow]

[Foot Clan AU] 2k12 Karai Casey - #

| send me “#” for cell phone headcanons about our muses including:        

   "And what makes you think you can just look through my phone? Fine. Not like you find anything it's not related to anything with the clan anyway."

- what your muse’s name is in mine’s phone        

 'Cae'

"Casey was annoying when we were kids" She pauses a moment and moves to change her wording. "Caseys always been annoying even when we were kids. He started to call me Rai so to get on my nevers why he thought it would I don't know. Not like it worked." It did. "So I figured if I was Rai, then he was Cae.  And well I guess it just kind of stuck for me to keep with the nickname? Sure I still call him by name, but i'll admit when Shredder and such aren't around or its just us, he quickly goes back to being Cae to me. Don't think much on it."

- what your muse’s picture is in mine’s phone                  

[image description] It's a quick shot taken just as Casey seems aware of a camera on him. There is an ice rink behind him, a few hockey players can be see in the distance. Casey seems to have a faint smile on his face even as hes catching Karai taking said photo of them. Of course she would deny it and tell him she was simply seeing if she had any bars. Claiming she was bored, but it wasn't a good lie for once.

"Sometimes the three of us just sneak out to get away from the compound. It drives Shredder mad when ever we do, claims he doesn't want anything happening to us. Which is why I point out I brought Casey along for a reason. In truth it just feel so damn cramped in that place at times. Like i'm suffocating. Don't get me wrong sometimes I get a kick out of how the foot soldiers seem to sweat and shake at the mere thought of getting on my bad side, because they fear" she gives a roll of her eyes "dear old dad." The word come out bitterly before she continues to talk.

"Not when I with them however, I don't get hockey in truth I can follow the basic rules at least but well. It makes Casey happy." She smiles a little "I know Casey got it pretty tough" She just never fully knew the extent "And well sure hes annoying, and a pest a lot. Always hanging around to annoy me cause he just can..doesn't mean I don't feel he should get a break himself time to time."

           

- what your muse’s ringtone is in mine’s phone                

Big by Betty Who            

If legends are loud and built to stand out Guess that's who I'm meant to be Ten feet tall and I'm proud of it

"Cause Casey's a gaint and take up space clearly." She wont say the real reason and normally for these one I have just been letting the charter talk. But I feel this needs explanation so imma expose her here today. When picking these ring tones its meant to be a song that makes the my muse think of your for one reason or another. I just really feel this song fits well for Casey in this AU. Because Casey in a sense is made to feel sorry for being who he is because of Shredder. Karai is one who sort of falls for how Casey portrayals himself though with this over bearing confidence hes hiding behind in part Karai isn't fully blind and knows its not the full case, seeing how she dose like to try and sneak them out to places that makes Casey happy. Reminds him of his real family and such. But this is very much how Karai sees and views Casey as well. As someone who should be loud and proud of who he is. After everything happens? She keeps the song because this is how she wants Casey to live after knowing the truth.

She wants him to live Big to be obnoxiously and unapologeticly himself.

- my muse’s last text to your muse

[text] look i'll cover for you so you can see Raphael but don't take forever again this time?

[text] if your staying out late with him just stay with the turtles so im not staying up to help you sneak back in

----

[text] I swear Casey if you took my eye liner i'm breaking all of yours!! and will sneak into your room to make your face look like more trash than it already is!

----

[text] hey

[text] I sort heard Dad getting after you eariler. So thought maybe

[text] well wanna sneak out?

----

[text] Casey, i'm going to find you no matter where you went I will find you.

#muse| karai #madamkezzie #[ you're weird and annoying but your still my brother -aflockoffeathers] #phone contact meme #meme answers #ic reply #stay queued #((sometimes I think about the fact Karai only has her brother in this au and low key makes me feel bad for her XD and then I make her be a #bitch to casey at times knowing fully well she would choose casey over shredder even if thats gonna cost her uwu)) #((context on text messages karai helping casey out with his whole dating raph #basicaly sibling threats #karais not good with talking but tried here best when she knew casey had a talk with thier dad ;3; #>:I shes not letting casey leave after his text to here ))

[singthebodyelectric-tmnt]

I Sing the Body Electric 4

Michael

Michael woke up a few days later in an unfamiliar place. Strangely, he didn’t feel the need to panic. “Oh. Hey, dude. Didn’t think you’d be able to visit us yet...Well, I mean, visit me”. Michael turned to see the older Mikey in a kneeling position. “Give me a minute. I’m finishing my prayers,” said Mikey. Michael knelt next to him. He looked at the shrine Mikey was praying to and realized with a sinking feeling...this was a shrine that looks like Gram-gram Karai’s shrine at home.

This one had incense burning in a small holder and had a single picture of a human man, a woman, and a baby. Whoever they are, they must be very important to his brothers in this dimension. Michael lowered his head and quietly said a prayer just like his father taught him. When he looked up again, his counterpart closed the shrine and held out a hand to him with a smile. “Thank you,” Mikey quietly said. “It means a lot man”. Then after a minute, he commented, “I didn’t know you spoke Japanese” Michael rubbed the back of his head. “I don’t. Dad just started teaching us after our Gram-gram Karai...well, he taught us how to care for her shrine” Mikey blinked, not sure what to say to that statement. He then led Michael out of what he assumed was a dojo. “Karai’s your grandmother?” “Technically she’s our ancestor. We only knew her for a short while but...we love her you know? She’s amazing...was amazing...I...I really wish we could have gotten more time with her” Michael’s eyes welled up with tears. It still hurts thinking of Gram-gram. He felt a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Hey, you know what? It’s not the same of course but...umm, our Karai? She’s our eldest sister here”. Michael brightened up just a little. “Your sister? That’s so cool!” Mikey chuckled, put on a helmet and pads, and picked up his skateboard. They headed toward the kitchen then Mikey put out a hand for them to stop.

They could hear arguing that was getting louder coming from the kitchen. Mikey sighed then looked at Michael and gave him a pained smile. “We can skip the kitchen for now. You don’t need to see that”. He turned a confused Michael around in the other direction. “Where are we going?” Michael asked. He noticed this lair was very somber, with a lot of grey tones. “To give Donnie the heads up,” Mikey replied. They reached an enclosure that was probably the entrance to Donnie’s lab. Mikey knocked on the door. There was no answer. Mikey sighed. He knocked again. “Donnie”. Nothing. Mikey knocked louder this time, “Hey, Donnie-” Loud footsteps came crashing and something violently wrenched the door open. “STOP IT WITH THE RACKET. WHAT DO YOU WANT!?” Donnie looked furious, eyes much more bloodshot red, and he was jittery with his mask off. Michael hid behind Mikey. Mikey’s eyes widened, hurt. Then he narrowed them and shot out a hand putting Michael firmly behind him. Donnie seemed to realize that it was Mikey that he shouted at and he shrinks back putting his hand up. “I-I didn’t mean...Mikey...I-,” sputtered Donnie.

Mikey looked away. “You might wanna avoid the kitchen. Raph and Leo are at it again”. Mikey turned and walked away from his brother. A hand shot out and grabbed Mikey’s wrist. Mikey didn’t bother to look back. “Mikey…Please…I’m sorry” “Are you really? Then what, the next time I come by, you’ll shout at me to ‘Get the fuck out’ like the last time I tried to talk to you?”, Mikey spat. Donnie shook his head, “No! I’m sorry about that time...I was stressed and-” “You’re always stressed, Donnie. Is that really an explanation or is that an excuse? You need help, man” Michael watched Donnie slowly let go of his brother. Mikey walked away without looking back. Michael stared at Donnie’s distraught and heartbroken expression. His eyes widened when he saw Donnie scratched at a scale on his arm then pulled it out making it bleed. Donnie didn’t seem to notice. Michael scrambled after Mikey, “Hey...um...Your brother… Donnie...he...his arm… his arm is bleeding” Mikey winced...then pushed on. “He gets mad when you point it out to him and does it some more. The best thing to do is ignore it”. Michael shook his head, “Dude, no. That’s not…” “I know. Just...just leave it. Please,” Mikey said quietly. Michael stopped and looked at his counterpart in concern. Mikey sighed and patted Michael’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s have some fun”

---

“Dude...Is--Is this safe?” Michael asked, eyes wide at the steep drop of the building. Mikey adjusted his helmet and pads. Then he positioned his skateboard over the edge. “It is! Think of this as a huge half-pipe, yeah?” Mikey said excitedly. Michael frowned. “Sure….but it’s made of glass…” “Plexi. It’s pretty sturdy. Here, I’ll do a run so you can stop worrying,” Mikey bumped shoulders with Michael. He positioned himself on the skateboard. But before Michael could stop him, their surroundings suddenly changed. “Woah!!!” They both landed on their bums and looked at their surroundings. It looked like they were inside the sewers again...except this time it’s spacious with lots of clear water flowing through. Mikey helped Michael up and looked around. “Oooh. It looks like the lair except it isn’t as colorful as your home but it isn’t...um...grey as mine” “You think this is Mike’s home? Let’s find him!” “Yeah!” “Race ya!” The two orange-clad boys ran off giggling and chasing each other. They soon found a large area and heard voices.

“So, can you tell us why you called us here? Is it because of the kids you guys said you have been “visiting” lately?” Mikey put up a finger to his lips and Michael nodded as they quietly sneaked closer to the group they now realize were the four Splinterson brothers and two humans. The lady with fire red hair leaned on a table and said excitedly, “And can you tell us what they’re like? Please? The last dimensional versions of us were older” Mike came out with beer bottles in both his hands and passed them around. Leonardo chuckled and nursed his bottle. “Really young. Although one Leo just turned eighteen, the other is just fourteen. Why do you want to know, April, Casey?”. “That’s their April and Casey?” Michael asked, surprised. Mikey tilted his head. “They look like ours….but a lot older”. Michael blinked, “Really!?” “Shh!” April took a swig of her beer, “Professional curiosity. Not like Donatello will tell us what he’s working on” Donatello was on a table, tinkering with something. “Believe it or not, a stable portal to each other’s dimensions,” he explained without looking up. “Don and Donnie are working on a portal on their end”. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Michael whispered gleefully. Mikey looked away thoughtfully. “I guess that’s why he’s much more irritable as of late”. Michael stopped hand waving and frowned. “You...You don’t mean that, right Mikey?”. Mikey sighed, “Yeah...sorry”. “Don and Donnie, huh? You guys gave them nicknames already?” Casey said amusedly. Raphael clinked their bottles together as he passed by. “Makes it easier to figure out who’s who,” Raphael said. He settled next to Leonardo who, to Mikey and Michael’s surprise, took out a cigarette and lit it. “Not in the lab, Leo,” Donatello reprimanded without looking up. Leonardo moved to an open window. “Sorry, Donny. Anyway, April, what were you asking again?” “You were talking about the other Turtles! Tell me about them, please guys? What do they look like? How are they different from you?”

Leonardo chuckled. “Well for starters, one set of turtles are different species and ages from each other” “Oh my gosh! Really? I'd love to see that!” “Same! Ah man, that must be awkward tho, huh? They probably don’t have that much in common with each other…” Raphael looked at Leonardo and smirked. “Actually, the kids are really close. Like their own Raphie is the biggest, the eldest, and their current leader-” “Oh my gosh!” “What, no way!” “Yeah- I know! But he’s such a good kid. His brothers are very protective of him and him of them. He’s a lot calmer too. Must be because all his brothers are different types of hyper-” “So he offsets them!” April finished, her eyes shining. “He sounds amazing!” “He is! He knitted sweaters for Klunk and Raph’s Chomper-” Mike put down his beer bottle eyes wide and a touched smile on his face, “He did? That’s--wow. What a sweet kid”. “I know! Let me finish. He also gave Leonardo his blessing to train Leon to take over as leader sometimes...speaking of which--,” Raphael, Mike, and Donny put down what they were doing and glared at their brother. “---Leo, I hope you didn’t give the kid a hard time. He was acting out at the table” Leonardo lifted his hands in frustration, almost dropping his cigarette. “It wasn’t me!” He sighed. “But you’re right. I didn’t do anything to stop Leon and Leo from fighting and it turned into a huge misunderstanding...I’m sorry”. He put his free hand on Raphael's shoulder. “Good thing Raphie was there, huh? You all should have seen it. Leon...Leon’s a good kid but he’s...he’s so carefree. But I can see so much potential in him, and Raphie confirmed it. The kid is a natural- it’s a shame I also see he doesn’t know how to follow instructions or doesn’t have that much confidence in himself--” Mike came over and nudged his brother’s shoulders. “He’s a teenager . An actual teenager living his best life. From what I see, their Splinter raised them as actual kids instead of ninjas”. He looked wistful, “I’m so happy for them”. Michael looked down, red in the face. He felt a pat on the head and he turned to see Mikey, also smiling wistfully, “Don’t be sad, man. That’s a good thing”. Michael looked confused, “But...what does that mean?”. Mikey doesn’t answer him. Leonardo smiled, “Heh. You’re right, Mike. I’m happy for the kid too. As for Leo...the kid is quite capable and knowledgeable but...something’s off. Like really off, I can feel it. I hope the two of them won’t resent me too much when I train with them”. Raphael leaned back and sighed, “Same with Raph. He’s actually a quiet kid but I could feel something’s wrong. I could feel the anger and frustration but I don’t think it was at me or Raphie. Like it was directionless and directed everywhere” Leonardo took a drag of his cigarette and smiled wryly at his brother. “Looks like you’ll have to guide him, Raphael”. Raphael rolled his eyes and chuckled. They all looked over at Donatello. Donatello continued working. April poked him. “Come on Donny, spill-” “No”

“What? Why?” “Patient-Doctor Confidentiality” Raphael frowned. “The kids aren’t our clients-” “Even more reason to not say anything. It’s not any of our business-” It was Mike who interrupted. “That’s all well and good, Donny, but as your brothers, don’t think we do not notice how your arm bleeds or your recent sliced thumb the last time we visited the kids”. Raphael and Leonardo got up in alarm. Mikey looked down and glared at the floor, frustrated. Donatello sighed in annoyance. “It’s fine. I’ll handle it”.

Mike frowned, “If you say so. But if you need help-”. This time Donatello looked up and gave his brother a fond smile, “Yeah, don’t worry. If it’s too much, I’ll ask for your help”. Raphael shook his head. “Or mine. It sounds like my area of expertise too”. Donatello went back to what he was working on. “It’s better if I handle it. They open up quicker and better to someone familiar. Even if that person is a different version of themselves” April tapped her chin, “I don’t want to diagnose without getting the full picture but...it sounds like sensory overload that is triggered due to...something. Stress is a factor but another could be trauma-” Donatello shook his head, “April, I’m sorry but what did we all agree on in early diagnosis?” April rubbed her arms sheepishly. “Sorry, Donny. I can’t help it. How about you Mike?” Mike turned his head and was about to reply… then he swiveled his head in the direction of Mikey and Michael and grinned. The boys gulped. “I could tell you, but I think it’s better if they can explain themselves. Boys, come out” Michael rushed out and hugged Mike. Mike gave out a laugh and a slight “Oof. Hey, bud”, while Mikey lagged behind. Mike put a hand on Mikey’s head and rubbed it. Mikey chirred quietly in response. Michael chirred back happily. “Woah, ASL, Japanese, and Turtle speak. You guys are really talented, you know that?” Mike commented, impressed. “Ooh! They’re here? How are they? Are they alright? How did they feel when they traveled here?” Casey asked intrigued. April rocked on her heels excited, “Hi kids! You probably have guessed but I’m April O’Neil and this is my husband, Casey Jones! You’re welcome to our humble home any day” “Wow! Casey and April are married here? Tell them I give my thanks, Mike,” Michael cheered and he hopped up and down excitedly. “Married...Woah...uh...um tell them thanks! I’d love to meet them face to face,” Mikey said. Mike relayed what the boys said and April clapped her hands excitedly. “I can’t wait to meet you all! When Donny finishes the portal anyway” “Actually-” “What’re your hobbies? I’d love to get to know you!” Mike grinned, “Little Michael here-” “Hey!” “who is a smidge smaller than me, is a really good cook. You should see him in the kitchen. He also uses a kusari-fundo instead of nunchakus, am I right?” “And saws! But I can use nunchucks too when I use ninpo-” “And Mikey here is a master prankster like me. He can dance and is really creative. Come on dude, own it! Also, you’re like what 5’6? I’m a 5’4 man. You’re tall, kid. And you’ll grow even more I bet” Mikey slightly retreated into his shell, embarrassed. Michael nodded enthusiastically. “They’re both good skateboarders. Must have gotten it from me-Hey, Raph, not cool!” Leonardo chuckled because Raphael had thrown a well-aimed grape. Michael kept bouncing up and down. “This is so, so cool!” Mikey put a steadying hand on Michael, “What were you guys saying about clients and diagnosis and stuff?” “Hey guys, the kids wanna know about our day jobs. Is that cool?” When Donny, Leonardo, and Raphael nodded their heads, Mike replied, “We’re therapists, and April and Casey work in the same field too. Analyzing behavioral patterns come out naturally to us” Mikey scrunched his nose while Michael let out an “Oooo!”. “That’s...cool? What do you guys do?”. Mike patted his plastron proudly and gave a huge grin. “I’m a certified youth and school counselor! I deal with kids from all walks of life regularly” Raphael collected his and Leonardo’s empty bottles. “I’m a physical trainer with certification in both exercise and trauma work. I handle physical and mental recovery from...er...really bad stuff”. Leonardo put out his cigarette and threw it away. “I’m a social worker. I handle displaced and marginalized people in the city. I also am sensei to….a bunch of rowdy mutant kids”. Donny put down his work to reach for something glowing. “I’m a behavioral therapist with some overlap in trauma. I deal with the rehabilitation of mental health disorders” Casey scratched the back of his head. “Mine is a bit complicated. Closest I can get is nutritional and exercise therapy. You...you cannot believe the things people do to their bodies,” he shuddered. “I’m a psychiatrist with a specialty in pharmaceutics. Anything that needs medicine, I supply” Michael was gob-smacked, but Mikey looked confused. “I’m surprised but...why would ninja need to do all that stuff?” Mike gave the boys a sad smile. “Because there is an influx of mutants in the city and see, there aren't a lot of people willing to help them or the humans lower in the social ladder who desperately need help”. He gestured to his brothers and sister. “So we did what we could and stepped up. We’re kind of all they have at the moment”. Both Mikey and Michael stared at their counterpart in a new light and deep admiration. Mike scratched his cheek in embarrassment. “And I have never been prouder, my dear children. The battlefield has changed, and so you all adapted in ways I have never expected,” said a soft voice. Out from the shadows, a grey rat hobbled towards them all. He took Raphael’s outstretched arm and sat in front of Michael. “From what I have gathered, you apparently have guests, Michelangelo” “Yes, Master Splinter. You can’t see them but Michael and Mikey are here. They are very young, father” “I see? How old?” “Mikey and his brothers are eighteen. Michael is thirteen and is the youngest of his brothers” April gasped and put a hand over her mouth while Casey sucked in a horrified breath. Splinter closed his eyes. “Each iteration gets younger and younger. I grieve for the innocence lost, and I am sorry” Both Michael and Mikey looked down solemnly. “It is a shame I cannot see or hear them-” “Excuse me, Father, but this is what I have been trying to say since earlier,” Donatello interrupted. He gave a grin and pulled out seven crystal wristbands and pointed to a floating, glowing, orb. Donatello looked to the side and chuckled as if he responded to something only he could hear. “The portals are done and stabilized on all our ends. We can now visit each other”

#tmnt michelangelo #tmnt 2003 #rottmnt #tmnt 2k12 #tmnt fanfiction #arc 1 done #therapists 2003 tortols #a bit of angst with 2k12 donnie and mikey #april o'neil #tmnt leonardo #tmnt raphael #tmnt donatello #chapters

[aurora-the-kunoichi]

Ok this is a little short story I’m writing for my friend @blossom-skies based on her rp with her OC Jen. This will be a 2 to 3 part story. I hope she and you enjoy it!

Meeting Ms. Jones

Part 1 

Jen lay at the bottom of her cold lonely cell, pain still ravaging her tired and worn body. The darkness seeped into her soul taking away the warm thoughts of the warm summer air somewhere outside these god damned walls and the slowly fading hope she would be saved. She had lost track of time as the hours and days drifted by endlessly as she stared at the ceiling of this hell hole. Was it days ago or was it months ago that she was taken from the comfort of her home?

Jen’s brother Casey had told her about Karai and the two criminals that Baxter Stockman and Oroku Saki had mutated into a giant rhino and a wart hog a few years ago. She thought the story was entertaining but when the female ninja and the two mutants showed up at her door for an unwanted house call Jen was no longer amused. But she was a Jones so like hell if she was going down without a fight.

In the end Jen’s street smarts and ability to kick some ass was no match for two mutated overachieving lumbering fools and a trained assassin. The next thing she knew Jen woke up strapped to a freezing examination table and the missing scientist from TCRI hovering over her with a syringe filled with some sort of florescent purple liquid.

Adjusting his glasses Dr Baxter Stockman leaned down waving the syringe in her face, “So Ms. Jones, it took us a bit to track you down but Karai always gets her man…well woman I should say. Since we haven’t been able to locate your brother Casey Jones and Ms O’Neil you were the next best thing.”

Jen had no idea what was going on? What did this idiot want with her brother and his girlfriend?  Testing the restraints that held her in place she started to struggle. “What do you want with my brother?”

“We just want to ask him a few questions that’s all, but I guess you’ll have to do for now.” Lifting the syringe up to his eyes he flicked the cylinder raising the bubbles to the top before expelling them from the needle with a single push on the plunger.  

Jen watched the purple liquid squirt from the tip of the needle landing on the table next her bound hand. “W-whats in that?” she stammered suddenly getting a little nervous. This was a world renowned genius who went off the deep end when he met the Shredder. Casey had told her what he did and what he was capable of and now she was at his mercy holding a strange looking substance.

“Oh my dear this ol thing?” he waved the syringe theatrically in her face again giving her a sickening smile. “This is liquid motivation. I need some information from you Ms. Jones and if you corporate you’re free to go but if you…..disappoint me this lovely purple ooze will transform you into something of nightmares. You saw our sweet and gentle Beebop and Rocksteady right? That could be you.”

Jen felt the knot coil in her stomach; this was not good, defiantly not good.

“The turtles bitch, where are they?” Jen heard a venomous voice call behind her. Twisting as much as her restraints would allow Jen arched to see Karai come into view, the scowl on her face contorting her feminine Japanese features.

“Turtles?” Jen felt the word roll from her lips in confusion. What were they getting at? What about turtles?

“Don’t play dumb with me Ms Jones, your brother is friends with those meddlesome mutant turtles and my master wants them and you will give them to me.” Stockman hissed positioning the syringe’s needle down aimed for her flesh.

Jen began to struggle again, fear fueling the hard snaps of her wrists. “I don’t know what you’re talking about? I don’t know anything about any fucking turtles? Jesus Christ please I don’t want to be a mutant!” the tone in her voice began to rise into hysteria as the needle lowered to the crook of her arm.

“Where are they?” he asked again looking up at Karai seeming to be looking for permission.

“I told you! I don’t know!”

“Is that your final answer Jen? Karai smirked resting her hands on either side of Jen’s head staring intently down into her frantic eyes. “Stockman here is very eager to see if the ooze he created is the same as the stuff that mutated Beebop and Rocksteady. And he needs a willing test subject to try it on and you my dear are about to volunteer if you don’t give us what we want.”

Jen’s eyes moved from Karai’s cool and collected gaze to the maddening dark pools of the scientist. Tears threatened to spill forth from her eyes, she didn’t want to mutant but she was a Jones and Jones don’t cry. She could hear her dads voice whisper in the back of her head, “You’re stronger then you know.” Gaining the resolve she needed from her father’s words she spat in the mad scientists face. “I don’t know about any mutant turtles but if I did I wouldn’t tell you!”  

Needless to say Stockman got his test subject and now Jen was moaning in pain on the cold cell floor, god knows where as the mutation reached its end. Jen didn’t have a mirror to see it but she could feel the changes. Her skin was no longer smooth but rough and from what little light that filtered through the bared window on her cell door from the hallway she could see blue and purple. Her skin wasn’t the most alarming change though, not by a long shot. Dragging behind her lay a long curled tail which she could control, that was sort of cool. Her five fingers were reduced to three and her toes down to two. Thankfully her hair still sat on her head and she could tell something was changing with her eyesight. The dark shapes of her cell were starting to sharpen and become visible and it wasn’t from her eyes adjusting to the dark. It was something more, something to do with her mutation.

The tingling in her body receded and the mind numbing all over ache faded as Jen let out a shaky breath curling up into a ball. As the numbing pain finally began to give her reprieve her worn out body relaxed letting her fall deep into blissful unconsciousness. She wanted to go home, but how was she going to get out of here?

A loud explosion rocked her confinement jostling her from her sleep.  Ignoring the dull ache in her limps Jen scrambled to her feet peering out of her cell door her new three fingered hands clutching the metal bars. Again another explosion rang out but this time the large door at the end of the hallway blew off its hinges. The repercussion from the blast sent her sailing backwards slamming into the makeshift cot.

“Jennifer!” a muffled familiar voice cut through the ringing in her ears. “JEN!”

“Cas?” Jen coughed trying to get to her feet. Smoke and flying debris clouded the hallway keeping her brother from her sight. “CASEY!” Jen managed to scramble to her feet and back to her cell door reaching out into the void grasping for her salvation.

“Jen! Where are you?” she could hear him coughing his voice getting closer.

“I’m at the end in a cell!”

“Hey Casey, is she in here?” Another voice came through the confusion and Jen tried to see who was with her brother.

“Leo, yeah she’s in here! Where’s Raphael we might need him?”

“Right here Jones.” A deep voice with a prominent New York accent came after her brothers.

As the dust began to settle Jen could see three silhouettes making their way towards her. One she could see was her brother but the other two were large with unnatural bulk, and they were definitely not human. Which brought reality slamming back reminding her she was no longer human as well. Her heart jumped into her throat as her tail uncoiled slapping against the cool floor, her brother didn’t know, he didn’t fucking know and he was about to see her. A strangled cry came from her throat unexpectedly as she retreated back into the corner, into the shadows.

“Jen!?” Casey cried out reaching her cell his body slamming into the metal.

“Wait!” Jen screamed wrapping her arms around her changed body.

“Jen, what are you talking about? We’re getting you out of there. Raph! Get this door off!”

Within seconds the door began to creak and moan under the pressure of this Raphael’s strength. Fear raced through her realizing Casey was about to see her in her new form and she could feel something happening with her skin. Instinct took over and she pressed back up against the wall as the door was ripped from its hinges and thrown to the side. A large shadow retreated as Casey came hurtling through the door his eyes searching frantically in the darkened room. His eyes passed over her never focusing in on her form. Did he not see her?

“Jen?” his voice was strained unable to find his little sister.

Again his gaze moved over where she was standing and still nothing. He couldn’t see her? Then two large green bodies came through the door distracting Jen from her distraught brother. They were huge and from what she could deduce they were turtles. Wait! Turtles?! These were the turtles Stockboy and Karai were looking for?

One was larger than the other; the bigger one had a tattered red bandanna over his head the tails dangling down the front of his chest. Wrapped around his impressively muscled body and massive shell was a harness that came over his broad shoulders and around his waist meeting at the lower center of his plastron. The only piece of clothing he was wearing was a grey pair of shorts held up with a white belt. On his left should was a lone shoulder pad for some sort of protection?  In his green three fingered hands he held sai dripping with blood. The one word that came to mind when she looked at him was brute.

Jens’ eyes drifted to the slightly smaller one just beside him but there was no mistaking he was equally as intimidating as the red brute. Around his green scalp was a blue mask highlighting his dazzling blue eyes, momentarily awe struck Jen needed to remind herself to breath. His body wasn’t as bulky as the brute but he was leaner and seemed deadlier. Sitting diagonal across his plastron was his leather harness and in his hands were twin katanas. He too had on black shorts with knees pads with some weird homemade Japanese sandals? This one made her heart race, this mutant turtle undeniably got her attention.

Her brother’s calls brought her back to the present and Jen swallowed readying her unsteady voice. “Cas, something happened to me. They changed me. Baxter Stockman injected me with a purple ooze.”

With the mention of the purple ooze Jen noticed the flinch in the two mutant turtles that turned their heads in the direction of her voice.

“What are you talking about Jen? I can hear you but I can’t see you? What’s going on?”

“Casey you have to promise not to freak out please. This is hard enough for me already.” She could hear her own voice trembling as she spoke.

Casey straightened his back preparing himself for whatever he was about to see and nodded.

This was her older brother, he would love her no matter what she had to remind herself. Jen took a deep breath and felt her skin scrawl for a few seconds and she stepped forward into the light. She watched her older brothers eyes widen in shock his mouth opening in a silent gasp but thankfully took a step towards her instead of back his hands outstretched for his sister.

“Oh Jen.” Casey whispered.

She could hear the two mutant turtles behind her brother breaths hitch and whisper at the same time, “What the shell?”

#TMNT #tmnt leonardo #tmnt fanfiction #TMNT TMNT fanfiction #tmnt fandom #tmnt fic #oneshot

[vivalatoons]

My Talk: TMNT 2012

Today, 6 years ago, a new TMNT series came into our lives again. Grab a slice of pizza and take a walk down memory lane in a TMNT 2012 reflection. Booyakasha!

During this time, I had finished watching all TMNT series (not including the live action one) and movies. There was one more series that I had to watch.

I admit, I was one of those people when I saw TMNT 2012. Yes, I complain that there was another TMNT reboot. I trashed and bashed it and stated this reboot is going to bomb hard. Understand this. I didn’t hear anything about TMNT 2012 till the year 2015. During that time, I saw bad reboots and Nickelodeon’s “great” cartoons. Seeing that this is a reboot on Nick, this was a recipe for disaster. People were saying that this reboot is better than Teen Titans Go, so I knew this version of TMNT wasn’t going to be horrible. What made me begin to watch the show was the cast of the Turtles and my Turtle nostalgia. I’ll get to that later, but I start to watch the CGI 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

January 11, 2016. I tried not to get attract to the show. I was excited to see these new Turtles, yet I had my doubts. After watching The Rise of the Turtles Part 1 and 2, I was instantly hook on these turtles. I hated myself for being against the reboot. These episodes were brilliant, and my Ninja Turtles love grow three sizes that day.

Flaws. Not every show is perfect, but there were some things that I didn’t enjoy in TMNT 2012. I didn’t like that some of the characters didn’t get their moment to shine at times. Some episodes were a waste of time, and could have been used to answer things TMNT hasn’t address. I also hate how the shippers would go full crazy when they see littlest of things when the ship does something. It got pretty annoying. My leader in blue would fall to the cliché of self sacrifice and going on crazy one man missions. I hated how Nickelodeon kept making random scheduling changes in season 5. This was a bad move in Nickelodeon, because fans missed something because of those random schedule changes and it was a marketing plan for PlayMates to sell those damn toys. Half of the season was pointless and the other half was awesome. Those flaws didn’t stop me from enjoying the series.

Characters. I don’t need to mention characters, but I’ll repeat myself again. Each TMNT series has the basic set of characters. There’s the Turtles, April, Casey, Splinter, Shredder, etc. Some characters are brought back from past TMNT series like Karai, Rocksteady, Bebop, Bishop, etc. In this series, there are some new characters like Tiger Claw, Fishface, Shinigami, and more. I love how the 2012 series have the Turtles be more like teenagers from other TMNT series. Some of the characters I find to be the best in this show.

Animation. 2012 TMNT uses CGI and a bit of 2D animation when it comes to flashbacks and storytelling. It’s weird at first. After awhile, it’s interesting to see. The CGI is incredible when the characters show emotions and action sequences. I’m impressed with the crew and their talents.

Voice cast. Oh yeah, my favorite part of this show. I said the voice cast is what made me decide to watch the show, and here’s why. The voice cast is outstanding and their voice director is Andrea Romano. This woman was a voice director for Batman: TAS, Teen Titans, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Voltron: Legendary Defender, etc. She’s a legend! Jason Biggs voiced Leo till season 2 episode 19, then Dominic Catrambone voiced Leo till the finale. Seth Green voiced Leonardo from season 3 till the end. Rob Paulsen, Sean Astin, and Greg Cipes voiced Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. Hoon Lee voiced Splinter. Kevin Michael Richardson voiced Shredder. Mae Whitman and Josh Peck voiced April and Casey. Kelly Hu and Gwendoline Yeo voiced Karai and Shinigami. There’s a ton of great voice actors including Eric Bauza, Nolan North, Clancy Brown, Phil LaMarr, Fred Tatasciore, J.B Smoove, David Tennant, Keith David, Corey Feldman, Tom Kenny, Roger Smith Craig, Charlie Murphy, Ashely Johnson, Minae Noji, Mark Hamill, Zelda Williams, and the list goes on and on. I adore the voice cast so much. All of them did a spectacular job.

How is it different from other TMNT series. The CGI is what tells them apart. Hamato Yoshi once lived in Japan with his wife and daughter. Tragedy stuck, and Yoshi goes to New York. One day, he gets four baby turtles. He bumped into someone, following him. Yoshi witness the men meeting, and decided to attack him. Yoshi defeats them, but a canister of mutagen splashes on Yoshi and the Turtles. Yoshi become a rat, and the turtles grew into little turtle tots. April, Casey, and Karai are teenagers in this reboot. The Kraang are a species of talking brain like creatures. Some references from the 1987 and 2003 series show up in this show from characters to arcs. It manages to be silly and dark at times, it’s a nice blend.

Ciro Nieli, Joshua Sternin, and J. R. Ventimilia. These wonderful people helped developed this remake. I thank them for being the right people to be in charge of this project. With great people running a reboot, it leads to the following.

TMNT 2012 is a great remake and best example of doing a reboot right. People can argue all they want about this version of TMNT, but you have to admit this…there was a lot effort put into this show. This show proves to that not all reboots are terrible. This series didn’t dumb down for kids. It manages to be a show for all ages to enjoy. Animation isn’t lazy, same for voice acting and writing. Ok, the writing had dip down at times, but most of the time it’s good. There is some heavy stuff in the show like violence, death, and more death. I enjoy how this show broke some boundaries at times, that makes the show more interesting and groundbreaking.

I’m always impressed about how this series turned out. It has a unique spin in animation, wonderful voice cast, and a perfect example of a good reboot. It really makes me happy that this series will be a part of TMNT universe. I praise the 2012 Turtles for making a few changes and still holds. It’s still the Turtles we all know and love. I still miss TMNT 2012. What I will remember about this version of Turtles is the character growth that the Turtles have. I saw Leonardo from being a nervous leader who doesn’t want to let his team down. He would make decisions and be the best leader ever. Donatello would have fail at times from his creations or inventions. He improves to himself and it helps others. Raphael is still our hothead turtle, but he learns not to his anger consumes him. Michelangelo was seen as a dumb turtle who cared about pizza and made jokes. In the end, he shows the bad guys what’s he made of and he’s not a turtle you don’t want to mess with. These turtles has wowed me and they are the best ninjas in the city of New York.

#my talk #long post #tmnt 2012

[spectrumscribe]

Halcyon Days

For @tmntflashfic’s wonderful Spring prompt, a fic that is sort of a sequel to my ‘April-joins-the-Foot-clan-post-season-4′ fic, but can be read as a standalone.

Have some soft family fluff and mutual grieving between the murder lady trifecta and the four chaos brothers + Casey. Main focus is on Karai and Leo, enjoy them being adults and (mostly) stable individuals together.

---------------------------------

Karai leans her head back against her seat, idly watching the country side rush past her window. She blinks slowly, eyes feeling tired from the abrupt time change she’s experienced coming back to America. The sounds of April and Shinigami in the front seats chatting quietly further soothes her nerves, because their familiar voices have long since become staples in her life, and she can always depend on them to anchor her.

Karai feels their car turn, and shifts her weight as they begin the journey up the farm house driveway. April’s voice picks up a note of excitement, and Karai smiles to herself at the red head’s eagerness to see the other half of their family.

As they keep driving, Karai sees the car following them suddenly stop and then park in the middle of the road. It’s one of four in the area, with three or two Foot soldiers in each. Extra protection, just to ensure they aren’t interrupted during the celebration.

Karai’s men and women are good soldiers, now that they’ve served a solid ten years under her reign as clan leader. She made sure that none of them were anything less than perfect, and knows she can trust her chosen subordinates to guard the perimeter. She can let go of her constant vigilance, at least for tonight.

Karai eases the last of her leaderly stress from her mind, and finds herself grinning as the farm house comes into view at last. Just a fourteen hour flight from Japan, and then four hour drive from New York, and they’re finally here.

The hulking, nightmarishly sized bipedal crocodile and similarly giant, but still much smaller, bipedal gecko in the front yard are welcome sights. Even more so as they raise the alarm that Karai, Shini, and April have arrived, and a flood of impossible beings pours out of the house.

Before Shini has even parked the car fully, April is unbuckling herself and flying out the passenger door. Karai chuckles as her third in command runs across the lawn like she’s fifteen and not nearly thirty, and flings herself at the collection of turtle brothers and the lone human in their odd group. It’s always a sight to see, the six of them reuniting. And the obvious affection the boys have for April is always clear in the way they hug her, and in how they, very often, sweep her off her feet to be passed around for even more hugs.

Karai knows she’ll be getting a similar treatment, the moment she gets out of the car, and she smiles as her brothers catch sight of her setting foot on the grass.

She shuts the car door behind her, and catches Mikey as he barrels towards her. He’s always the first, because despite having grown taller than her, he kept the lightning speed he’d had as a teen. Followed quickly is Leo, then Raph, and finally Donnie, who is so tall these days, he has to stoop to hug her properly.

The Mutanimals, an even odder collection than Karai’s siblings are, begin to encroach on the reunion. Now that Karai is here, with April returned to her boys, and Shini’s arm winding around Karai’s waist, everyone is accounted for.

“Welcome back,” Leo says over the clamor of everyone talking, smiling wide enough his left eye’s scar crinkles.

“Good to be back,” Karai replies truthfully, returning a smile just as wide.

Mikey then exclaims loudly over the group’s noise “THE PIZZA-BURGERS!” and makes a mad dash back towards the house. Karai guesses that whatever ‘pizza-burgers’ are, it’s what she’s having for dinner. After spending months without tasting Mikey’s… curious cooking style, Karai figures she can handle whatever abomination her brother has created this time. If only for him to be happy.

Leatherhead lumbers after Mikey first, Mondo trailing along with him, and then their group disbands completely. Karai follows Leo back into the house, keeping her fingers laced with Shini as Shini chats with- or more accurately- teases Casey.

The house is loud, and too full of moving bodies, and smells like grit and dampness; courtesy of all the less than human inhabitants. Karai winds her way through the crowd, minding Slash’s spiky shell, and stepping over the ever growing, pit-bull sized Chompy who gallops between the legs of everyone. Shini’s hand doesn’t leave her’s, and when they finally make it to the couch for a breather, the farm house has returned to being packed to the gills with guests, and there is barely a chance of being able to hear one’s self think.

Karai drinks in the dissonant chaos of it all, relaxes with Shini as Leo goes to get them tea, and enjoys being with her strange family once more.

Later, when things have become a bit more organized, and Karai drifts from the party. She opens the backdoor of the house, leaving behind the lights and warmth of friends and family, and goes out into the late spring evening.

She approaches the gravestone, set in front of a shady tree, and kneels quietly in the grass. No moss or discoloration has grown on its surface, mostly likely due to upkeep and care from Karai’s younger brothers.

It’s been a full decade now, and Karai sighs as an old hurt rises once again. She bows her head for a moment, and closes her eyes as she kneels at her father’s grave.

After a soft, unspoken prayer, Karai lifts her head to look at the words carved into the stone before her. They still read the same as they had when she’d first seen it, but she reads them again regardless. There is always a chance she won’t be able to see it again for herself, living the life she does. It’s best to make the most of this moment while it’s here.

Quiet wind blows through the grass, rustling it as the world cools towards night. Fresh spring life fills Karai’s senses, and because she has spent the last months smelling only city grit, she darts out her forked tongue to properly taste the sweet air. A moment of inhumanity, accepted and welcome in the current company she’s keeping.

She hears purposefully made footsteps come up behind her, and Karai turns her head.

Leo stands in the low evening light, holding plates of food for himself and Karai, and he smiles down at her.

“Feeling hungry?” He asks, offering a plate to her.

Karai smiles, brushing away her years old sadness, and takes the plate of dubious food. “I think the better term would be ‘feeling adventurous?’”

Leo winces and then laughs, because Karai is right. There is always a fifty-fifty chance whatever Mikey has made will be near poisonous, and why they keep letting him cook is a mystery to Karai.

Of course, as she bites into the meaty, cheesy, saucy patty on bun, she remembers why they do, and enjoys her supper.

There are already offerings placed around their father’s grave, flowers and wreaths, and a lone picture frame with the single family photo they ever managed to take. Among all the chaos of wars and fighting, there had been an evening, once, where Karai had deigned to stay in the lair for more than a few minutes. Someone had found a camera, that someone being April, and had taken a photo of Karai, her brothers, and their father all together.

It’s a messy photo. Raph’s arms are half blurred as he wrestles with Mikey, and Leo’s face is a priceless look of panic as he dodges the sudden quarrel. Karai and Donnie, standing together to the side of the fight, have matching looks of unimpressed condescension, and she figures it’s an obvious sign of their relation.

Their father, in a rare moment outside his stoic nature, is smiling at them all in a warm, amused manner. It’s the only photo they have of him smiling so freely in, with Karai in the shot as well. It goes on the grave every year, when they all gather to celebrate Splinter’s life, and is taken home again when they part ways once more.

Karai has a copy of it, in her main sleeping quarters, in her main base, and she smiles every time she sees it. That doesn’t change now; looking at the original print, set against the grave of the father she never got to know.

Karai finishes eating with Leo on the grass in front of the grave, and they talk about their lives recently. How many dimensions Leo and his brothers have traveled to lately, how many misadventures they’ve had in those dimensions, how many clans have attempted to challenge Karai’s power hold of Japan, and how many of those she’s destroyed or taken into the Foot’s territory. Normal things, for them at least.

“So how has Pimiko been doing lately?” Leo asks, leaning back comfortably on his hands. “Last I heard, she’d caused a full scale revolt in one of your training camps.”

Karai rolls her eyes at the mention of her potential successor. “She didn’t succeed with that one, as hard as she tried. We managed to get her and her preteen army when they tried to capture the kitchens. And she’s actually been behaving really well lately. Though, I’m also suspicious of whether or not she’s planning another coup.” Karai grimaces to herself. “Who knew twelve year olds were such a handful?”

Leo laughs at that, voice filled with humor and just a hint of roughness. The scars on his neck and chest still stand out, even after time has dulled them. Similar scars had once crossed Karai’s chest as well, from the same blades, the same enemy, but she’s long since shed that skin. Literally. The perks, she supposes, of being a mutant snake woman.

“One of these days, she might actually succeed in overthrowing you,” Leo says, teasing quirk to his smile.

“She can try,” Karai says with a hint of dry humor. When she’d picked Pimiko up off the streets, brought her into the folds of an ancient ninja clan in hopes she’d become more than a street fighter, Karai hadn’t been expecting just how difficult or strong-willed she’d turn out to be.

One of these days, Pimiko likely would overthrow Karai’s reign of the Foot clan. And when that day came, Karai would lower the kabuto onto her head willingly, and feel utterly proud of the spit-fire she’d raised.

But, that is not a day coming soon, because Pimiko is small and reckless still, and Karai can beat her six different ways in as many seconds.

“How’s your side of things been, then?” Karai asks, shifting the subject.

“Oh you know, same old same old,” Leo says with a shrug. “Three brothers to keep track of, plus Casey, dimension hopping every second day, negotiation of non-terran supplies with our space duplicates. The usual. Space Casey and Donnie blew up a small moon the other day. It nearly caused the destruction of a whole ecosystem.”

“Sounds hectic,” Karai comments in an amused tone. She leans onto her knees as she draws them up, and tilts her head. “You five planning on going up again any time soon? I have some material requests for space Donnie.”

“I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to provide,” Leo says, closing his eyes and sighing. “Sometimes, I wonder about those six up there. I can’t imagine what led them to being space pirates of all things, as interesting as that sounds.” Leo pauses for a moment, and then says, “Maybe I can get space me to switch places again. I want a vacation.”

Karai scoffs a laugh. “You’re nearly thirty, and yet, still such a space nerd.”

Leo tilts his chin upwards in a haughty motion, and replies, “I’ll have you know I’m a very serious leader fifty percent of the time. I’m allowed to use the other fifty percent for space enthusiasm.”

Karai elbows Leo, and he elbows her back. It’s a nice exchange, since skype calls will only communicate so much of the back and forth affection they want to express. You can’t elbow your brother through a screen, after all.

Leo notices then, the ring on Karai’s finger, and his eye ridges move upwards behind his ever present blue mask. “That’s new. When did that happen, exactly?”

Karai puts her hand over the smooth metal on her ring finger, and smiles fondly. “Two days ago. Shini wanted to wait for our anniversary, but Pimiko… might’ve gotten into things she wasn’t supposed to, and spoiled the surprise.”

“Congratulations!” Leo says happily, moving over enough to put an arm around Karai’s shoulders. He gives her a tight squeeze as he holds up her hand to see the ring better. “You promised you tell us right away when it happened, though. I’m disappointed in you. Mikey will be disappointed in you.”

Karai rolls her eyes, and gives Leo’s side another elbow. “It was two days, you nosy busybody. I was going to tell you all tonight.”

“I’m surprised April didn’t spill to Donnie and Casey,” Leo remarks, releasing Karai’s hand again. “It’s hard for them to keep anything from each other.”

“April is a full kunoichi, she can keep a secret for at least a few days.”

“And yet, everyone always knows what they’re getting for Christmas anyways.”

“Touché.”

There’s a comfortable pause after that, during which the muted sounds from their family inside is all that’s heard. It’s a nice sort of pause, though. Familiar because of how long it’s been since they were children, and how long they’ve now known one another.

A gentle grief wells in Karai suddenly, and she sighs as she looks at the photo of their family. “I wish I’d gotten to spend more time with him. I only knew him for a year and a half maybe, and I only got a handful of days with him, really.”

Leo’s arm tightens again, and Karai puts her own across his shell.

“I know,” He says, quiet and tinged with grief. “I wish that too. I think you two would have had a lot in common.”

“Oh yeah?” Karai asks dubiously, looking at the rat man in the photos. “How so?”

“Well. You’re both terrible about confiding your fears in others, and about asking for help, and about being stubborn, and-”

“Oh shut up,” Karai groans, shoving Leo off of her. He falls sideways, laughing, and she responds to his mockery by getting larger than him.

Her second form, sleek and powerful as always, glides over her human body to elongate it. In a mere second, Karai is twice Leo’s size, and can comfortably flop over him so he can’t escape.

“You always do this,” Leo grumbles from under Karai’s coils, sounding like his younger self had whenever Karai would beat him at something.

Karai hisses a laugh, and shifts her long body enough for Leo to sit up again. She stays coiled around him though, comfortable to have the security of the position. There are so many mixed and crossed wires in her brain, courtesy of her mutation, and somehow, even in this reptilian form, she feels even more protective of those close to her.

Karai tastes the sweet air of the evening again, and lowers her head- heads- to lie on her top most coils. Leo settles, apparently resigned to being captured, and pats the closest snake head/hand to him. Karai shuts her eyes, and enjoys his company while she has it.

With sea and continents between them, it’s rare for her to see her brothers more than a few times each year. Running an empire requires so much attention; Karai can’t afford to take many vacations. When she does though, they’re always either to France, because her fiancée is a huge fashion fanatic, or back here. To her first real home, with her first real family.

“So when’s the date?” Leo asks after a while, still absently stroking Karai’s scales. “I’d like to know when I have to corral everyone and drug them long enough to ship overseas.”

Karai hums, thinking happily of the event coming soon. “In a few months. It’ll be quiet thing, on the Hamato estate. No fuss, probably no assassination attempts. I’ll send tranq darts and the times for a private jet flight when I get back.”

“I’m happy for you two,” Leo says, a warm smile in his voice. “It’s good to see you getting to be happy, Karai.”

Karai hums again, and thinks the same. “You’re happy too, Leo. Gallivanting across space and time with your brothers and friends still. Obviously a very satisfying career of heroics.”

“I’d like to think so,” Leo replies. “I’m not sure what else I’d do with my life if we weren’t.”

“You’d find something.”

“Probably, yeah.”

They sit in silence for a while after that, enjoying the spring air and nighttime sky. Enjoying being able to let down their guards completely for a night, and be close to someone who won’t potentially stab them in the back. And, the chance to share mutual grief and love for someone they’ve lost.

Karai opens her eyes for a second, to look at Leo, who is slouched in a relaxed manner against her coils. His eyes closed and breathing even. She looks at the scars he’s gained over the years, and though some carry hardships, most carry assurance that they’re all still alive.

After Splinter had passed, and especially after April had chosen to join the Foot clan, Leo had become withdrawn. It’d been a hard fight to bring him back to himself, but now, years after that fight, Leo’s complexion no longer has sallow grief, and he carries himself strong and proud.

They’d had their fights during his darkest period, during which Karai wasn’t sure how to help him, and it had been a few years before they found easy ground again. But, they had, and now they are here. Content with how their lives have gone, and content with being close to one another once more.

Karai closes her eyes, and smiles at how well they’ve both grown up. The first months of running over rooftops together seem far off now, and yet like they’d only happened yesterday. Karai thinks she might be getting a bit old and sentimental, but here, with her brother, she thinks that’s just fine by her.

The cooling evening air isn’t cold enough to drive them inside yet, so Karai settles back into a pleasant drowse. At peace beside her father’s grave, and more than comfortable with her younger brother.

Then, in a complete disruption of the quiet atmosphere, something goes crashing out the backdoor of the house, and causes both Karai and Leo to startle out of their comfy pile.

Raph and April shriek at one another as they spar across the lawn, and Casey plus Donnie are hot on their tail as they encourage the brawl. More spectators follow them out; Slash and Leatherhead carefully extricating themselves out the door, with Mondo, Pigeon Pete, Dr Rockwell, and Chompy tagging along behind. Shini and Mikey rush out after them, both of them looking all too pleased with themselves, and likely being the original culprits of the erupting chaos. Mr. O’Neil wanders out last, after the group of insanity clears the way, and watches the procession from the porch step with a resigned and mildly anxious expression.

There are throwing stars and flying cutlery being tossed through the air, bets being placed on which red colored fighter will win, and an air of excitement and good-natured fun. Also hollering for blood and gore, from Casey, Mikey, and Shini, but that’s beside the point.

Karai huffs softly, watching her fiancée and commanding officer make fools of themselves, and thinks that this is why they should come home more often.

“We should probably break that up,” Leo says calmly, watching his brother and April attempt to beat each other into paste.

“Probably,” Karai says equally as calm, as April starts to get the advantage, and flips Raph off his feet in a sweep of psychic power. Bets are yelled over the ruckus of Raph’s cussing, and it seems the favor of the crowd has turned to April.

“I’m putting ten on April,” Karai says.

“I have five on Raph.”

“What, no equal bet?”

“He’s Raph, and she’s April. I’m not losing money I don’t have, because he’s definitely going to lose.”

April flips up into the air, eliciting a wave of cheers from the crowd, and narrowly misses driving her heel into Raph’s chest as he rolls away.

“That’s fair,” Karai says, smiling with her thin silver lips. “I’ll call her off when he knows he’s been beaten.”

“Raph never knows when he’s beaten, though,” Leo points out.

“Exactly,” Karai chuckles.

Leo laughs, and stands up slowly from their pile. Karai unwinds herself, and follows him towards the jostling crowd of mutants and humans. She shifts from slithering to walking as she does, and wraps her arms around Shini’s midriff when she reaches her. There’s barely a pause to quickly kiss Karai’s cheek, and Shini goes right back to encouraging April to demolish Raph. Karai rolls her eyes, and grins as April and Raph keep fighting.

The fury of two trained ninjas, and the cheering of too many over-enthused observers, fills the air of what most would consider a somber event. But ever since the first time Karai visited her father’s grave, none have been that. With her family, there is always life, always insanity. Never a dull moment, and hardly a pause for real sadness.

It’s a warm and familiar feeling, being with them, and with her fiancée held close, Karai wouldn’t have it any other way.

#my writing #in which i write two people more stable than they are in canon #and give them a good relationship as i do #i am weak for sibling relationships #they speak to me on a soul level and i love them dearly #i am also weak for my murder ladies #and for shinirai #because those are both awesome things #(tbh i'm still personally pissed with splinter #but i'll let these kids grieve for him anyways #they deserve that at least) #tmnt #TMNT 2012 #Karai #Shinigami #April O'neil #leonardo #michelangelo #raphael #Casey Jones #Donatello #Splinter #but he dead lmao #tmntflashfics #tmntflashfic #i almost didn't find an idea in time #but i whipped this up last night just in time #ta da #shinirai #<otp tbh

[brightlotusmoon]

A little more Spirit And Oxygen

Here’s another sneak peak at my TMNT fic, “Spirit And Oxygen: Across The Universe” which is part of my “Mikey The Lifegiver” fic series. It chronicles Mikey’s adventures in major depression, brain damage, and being the actual heart and soul and light of the team. http://archiveofourown.org/series/599863 This will probably be the final story, which means it might as well be a chapter fic, which means that this is officially Chapter One. Yes. I feel good about this. Stuff that is my heacanon here:  1) Shinigami is in a polyamorous relationship with Karai and Michelangelo, and the ladies have their own bedroom in the lair. 2) Raph has taken a shine to Shini and her attitudes on life and is so proud his little brother has such an awesome loveperson who is also banging his awesome sister. 3) April has finally decided to try dating both Donnie and Casey, although she’s spent more time with Don, and Casey doesn’t mind. 4) Splinter and Shredder are dead. Shredder killed Splinter and then the boys teamed up with Karai to kill Shredder, and Leo decapitated Shredder after Karai punched Shredder in the heart after Mikey knocked out Shredder with a kick to the face. Shredder’s henchmen have teamed up with Purple Dragons and other gangs, and have recreated robot Foot ninjas. Splinter appears as a spirit to the Hamato family. 5) The Mighty Mutanimals are very involved in the turtles’ lives. Mondo has learned first aid from Dr Rockwell and engineering from Don. 6) Leo and Karai have been duel sensei-ing and still argue over who gets to be Actual Sensei. 7) Abandoned military bases are turned into hide-outs for the more vicious, feral, and angry mutants in every borough. Mikey, Mondo, and Shini like to try and find them to befriend the tamer, friendlier ones. Karai and Raph wind up getting angry out of love and fear. 8) Mikey is Donnie’s assistant in the lab and is a field medic who uses his emotional empathic reach to comfort the injured; he can be telepathic when he tries hard, but it gives him migraines. 9) Mikey has developed epilepsy following a brain injury, but it also boosts his spiritual powers. He and Raph share an empathic connection. ...I really got attached to Deanna Troi and Jean Grey when I was a teenager, okay? Also, I am happy to discuss where the rest of the story might go and how and why. I’ll often switch to several perspectives in one chapter, like April (Storm) or Karai (Iron) or Ghost Of Splinter (Wind) or Shinigami (Magic). Mostly I’m just in love with writing Donnie talking about Mikey.  (PS, Mikey is Oxygen, duh. Don is Earth, Raph is Fire, Leo is Water. The Tumblr post for Mikey The Lifegiver is the second most popular blog post I’ve written so far. The first one is me waxing pagan about winter gods) Also, for my regular readers: You knew this sort of thing was gonna happen again. It’s all I write. Apparently, though, since 1999, I’ve had the most  wonderful contemporaries and competition. You hardcore Mikey fans, you’re the best, I love you all.

Donnie’s dreaming hard again, and he cherishes it. Usually is dreams are soft and quick, minnows in a stream, full of chrome and rust and the scent of oil, and there are tiny things in his hands, beeping and whirring, and there are giant things in front of him, clicking and rumbling; and the scars all over his hands reminds him that these are his, he made them, and they make sounds at him as though they are praising him.

Almost a year ago, shortly after Splinter died and Shredder died and Karai moved in, things began happening that challenged every science imaginable, but Donnie learned to be completely fine with it. Aside from Leo and Karai in a constant subtle battle over who would be sensei, Raph mellowed out and Mikey stopped pranking. Donnie was the only one who recognized Mikey as the catalyst: after enduring a series of traumas that they wouldn’t wish on their enemies, Mikey had become quieter, softer. His odd hyperfocusing moments turned on books without pictures and science documentaries and Donnie spent three weeks spying on him; it was no surprise when Mikey caught him each time, because Mikey had changed the most. Donnie and April ran every single test, and Mikey endured them with a strange fidgeting patience, but Rockwell in the end explained that Mikey’s Dimension X brain had finally caught up with him. He was almost like April. Don stopped being surprised when a beaker full of An Unusual Chemical dropped from his hands and floated back up to the table, despite it only being him and Mikey. Mikey, who folded his arms and grinned cheekily, and that was the day Donnie went to the closet and handed him a lab coat with his name on it.

Between their rotating autistic traits and interests, Donnie with engineering and physical science and Mikey with social sciences and cultural studies, they managed to create Things that made the lair easier to live in. With Mikey around, it was easier to navigate the entire city and study humans’ patterns, so certain stores, warehouses, junkyards, and clinics would stay their “borrowing” targets. With Donnie around, they had vehicles and cloaking devices to move further and deeper in.

So Donnie dreams heavily, about jumping from roof to roof in Staten Island, looking for that one military facility that up until now always had staff. Mikey is right behind him, ready with both kusarigama and grappling hook. Donnie stops and signals, and Mikey presses right against his carapace, wrapping one arm around his waist, extending the other to aim the grappling gun. Don signals again, and Mikey pushes off and practically flies – scratch that, he literally glides – and Donnie feels perfectly utterly safe as he casually throws an arm around his little brother’s shoulders. Mikey wouldn’t let them drop; they’d only hover. That’s how good he’s gotten. The grappling hook keeps catching on roof edges and Mikey lets it hover and glide to the next and the next, and they keep going.

They’re on the roof of the facility, over a mile from where they started, and Donnie pries open the secret door and they move in, and their flashlights roam. They remove their backpacks when he finds the correct room, and collect the items he’s already listed on his T-Phone. It’s silent, it’s swift, and the only thing that warns him is Mikey’s hiss and his voice in Donnie’s head: Donnie, get DOWN—

And Donnie flattens himself on the floor and the creature grazes him with a long metal toe as it leaps over him, and his right shoulder and bicep both rip open wide and his body spills blood rapidly. But it’s not the pain that makes him scream. It’s the strangled screeching gasp, full of pure agony and horror, that Mikey makes from somewhere behind him. No living creature should be making a sound like that unless it’s about to die...

There is precious seconds of heavy silence, and he hears Mikey make that familiar, inhuman growl that all the turtles make when enraged, when their human sides shrink and their literal reptilian brains take over with crushing power. The creature howls in pain and shock, and Mikey lets out a roar that contains Donnie’s name scrawled into it, and then there is crashing, there is stabbing, punching, shrieking, snarling, bones cracking and flesh squelching and liquid spurting and other noises that Donnie will hear in his post-traumatic nightmares. Donnie crawls forward, collapses on his back, turns around and forces himself to stand.

The creature has Mikey pinned to the ground, and shadowed blood is pooling everywhere. And then Mikey kicks and flips the creature over with a furious shriek, and through the darkness Donnie sees his teeth flash in a savage grin, you do not want to see that kind of smile on Mikey’s face, and Donnie sees him coated in shadows, launching again at the creature, smacking his nunchaku again and again…and then the creature stops moving, stops making noise; and Donnie hears his own harsh, pained breathing, and his brother’s harsh, pained breathing, and he manages to call out, “Mikey, are you okay?”

There’s a pause. “I’m always okay, Dee,” comes a breezy reply, but it is thin and strained. “Hey, Dee, what’s hurt on you?”

“My right shoulder and upper arm, but I can patch it up. You?”

A longer pause, much much longer.

“Can I take a raincheck on answering that?”

Donnie feels his gut turn to ice. “Mikey?”

He sees the dark figure of his brother hold up a finger. “Just…gimme…a sec.”

Within that second, Mikey falls to his knees. Donnie feels himself lurch forward. His eyes strain. The shadows on his brother are not shadows. They are too shiny. He’s covered in it.

No. No. Please, no, not again, I can’t handle this again.

It’s not the blood loss making Donnie feel so dizzy. He struggles to move, and watches, in slow motion, as Mikey falls over completely, smacking the floor, and it is a wet smack, and liquid is still pooling around him. And Don starts to hyperventilate, because he’s not sure where the light switch might be in this room and where the first aid kits are, and suddenly the darkness is too dark and the floor opens up and he is being swallowed, and he cannot reach Mikey, and then he falls, and as he falls his T-Phone rings, and something presses its energy button, and it’s blaring in his ears, louder and louder, calling MIkey’s name.

Donatello bolts up screaming, and it is too dark and he can’t see. A door crashes open. A body launches at him, and before he can take another breath, a pair of arms are wrapped around him and a plastron is pressed against his, and his chin is on a broad muscley shoulder, and the scent he breathes in is pure Raphael.

“Raph,” he squeaks out. “Hey--”

“Sshhh, Donnie, easy,” the hoarse voice murmurs. “It was a dream. You’re okay.”

He finds himself awkwardly patting his older brother’s upper carapace, trying to politely pull away. “Raph…Raph, I realize that…can I breathe? Please?”

Raph pulls away, green eyes serpentine in the darkness of his bedroom. The way his head tilts, too.

“I’m fine, Raph. I promise. I know it’s a nightmare.”

Those eyes and that head tilt remain fixed on him.

“Donnie, this is your fourth nightmare. Do you realize that?”

Really?

“Um. No?” He’s been so busy between his lab and the sectioned-off infirmary that Rockwell and Slash and Casey helped build that he sometimes doesn’t remember going to bed.

“Well, it is. And I’ll bet it’s the exact same one. Yours are weird.” Raph sits back, agura style, and Donnie draws his knees up to make room. “They’re like clockwork. Once a week. And, y’know, this is the fourth week since--”

“I know. And you guys dragged me to my own bed when you knew I wouldn’t stay here.”

“You did this time,” Raph points out.

“True. Wait, I did?”

“Congratulations on a full twelve hours of sleep, bro. It’s ten in the morning.”

Donnie feels his eyes grow wide. He throws the covers off and jumps off his bed. “I’m missing work, I--”

Raph’s strong hand slaps against his chest. “Remember what we all agreed on? Until your shoulder and arm is fully functional, you don’t do anything complex without someone helping you. I hope you were planning on asking someone.”

Donnie narrows his eyes. “Do you know how to handle the complex alien chemicals I need to work on? Plus the newer components of the retromutagen?”

“If not me, you have April. Or Rockwell. Or Shini.”

Donnie sighs, looks at his immobilized arm, and sighs again.

“You’re a stubborn bastard, Hamato Donatello.”

“You’re worse.”

“I am a paragon of complacency, little brother.”

And Donnie winces. “Try not to call me that?”

“Oh. Right. I forgot. You’re right. Sorry, Don.”

Donnie sighs and gets dressed.

“Um.” Raph rubs the back of his head. “So, nothing’s changed this morning. That’s…like, good, right? Kinda?”

“Kinda,” Donnie says. “It means that Mikey is continuing to heal. Which is the best we can hope for in this situation.”

As he heads out of his room and toward the lab doors, Raph catches up. “You should eat something first.”

“I need to check his vitals and change his IV bags.”

“Karai did that.”

“Even the GI tube?”

“Yeah, that one too.”

Donnie pauses. “I just need to see…”

“Donnie.” Raph is impossibly firm, and very soft. “Donnie, everything you could do has been done. We’ve watched you and learned from you for a whole month. It’s a routine. And part of the routine is that those of us who aren’t doing the routine help ourselves first. It’s your turn.”

Donnie is very silent as Raph steers him toward the kitchen. Leo is finishing up a plate of eggs, toast, and tea. Shinigami is making two more plates.

“Oh, you got him up! Good morning, Donatello. Did your nightmare complete itself?” The witch’s smile is knowing and polite, and he has gotten used to her specific brand of sass. She is, after all his little brother’s girlfriend and his sister’s girlfriend.

He mumbles “yes” because shrugging his shoulders still hurts. He eats mechanically, even as he is poked at to make conversation. Raph has started giving him daily protein shakes. There is one next to his plate. He drinks it and crushes the bottle, casually proving how fine he is. Sometimes the others forget how strong he is.

He misses having Mikey around to defend him.

“I’ll be in the infirmary,” Shinigami says, and Donnie startles. When he looks at her, he sees dark, deep circles under her eyes. Her fair complexion is blotchy and even paler than usual. And he wants to slap himself. She loves him. She has so much love, she loves Mikey and Karai so much. And Karai, to see her baby brother like this. Abruptly, he stands up, wraps his arms around Shini, and grips her like one of Mikey’s famous octopus hugs.

She simply buries her face in his neck and holds him tight.

 * * * *

Donnie is at his computer. As he’s reading and copying notes, he can’t help but hear her from the infirmary corner, and after a while he gives up trying to ignore it. He stretches his neck to catch a glimpse.

Shinigami has been sitting by Mikey’s bedside for fifteen minutes, and she only started speaking a couple of minutes ago. Don sees her hand tighten around Mikey’s as she talks.

“…keeps insisting nothing hurts, of course, but I refuse to believe her. Even when she shifted back and forth to her snake form, I could tell her arm was giving her trouble. Even the snake looked sad!” A small laugh, humorless. “Oh, sweet Mikey, you should see the looks she gives me when I point out her pain. She thinks I don’t see it. I see everything about her.” A pause. “I see everything about you too, you know. I see the subtle shifts in your facial muscles when you slip one of your behavior masks on. You know what I mean. When you fake smile, or your laugh is not real? I see it. You should not ever be sad, my Mikey. I told Karai I would do anything to protect her. Now that promise extends to you. Therefore, you must recover from this. You must hold me again so I can tell you I love you. You must hold me tightly, like an octopus, and laugh into my hair, and spin me around, and talk about your comics and your television shows. Tell me about Hamato Yoshi and how he adored you. Tell me about your brothers and your adoration of each of them, how they are your heroes. You and Donatello are very close. I know you wish to have so much knowledge and skill the way does.”

Donnie bites his lip and blushes a little. He almost feels like a sensei, in a way, the way Mikey looks at him while he works or while he is showing Mikey a project. He pictures the last lesson they’d had. April was there. She and Mikey were side by side, chins in their hands, looking at him lovingly, freckled faces and blue eyes alight, looking like mischievous twins.

He wants Mikey to wake up and look like that again.

He doesn’t know when Mikey will wake up. That hurts him most of all. This coma is different, deep and frightening. Mikey lost a lot of blood, and the mutant hit him in the neck, and Donnie knows how bad that can be. Concussion. Oxygen loss. Brain function compromised. Brain damage. Mikey already has enough. Donnie is worried.

Shini’s voice startles him.

“We miss you, Michelangelo. I miss you. I…need you. You must come back soon. Please.” And Donnie watches as Shinigami leans forward and presses her lips to Mikey’s, and smiles. She squeezes his limp, broken hand again. She stands up and begins to walk toward the door, then changes course, coming toward the lab. Donnie blinks at her.

She smiles at him. “What you working on?”

“Oh, um…” he glances down. “Taking notes on neurobiological function in humans and reptiles. I believe our brains are almost fully human, but we probably have neuronal and hormonal responses similar to diamondback turtles, too.”

“Mikey will sometimes make little noises,” Shini offers. “They’re not human.”

Donnie nods. “Yes. Chirping. Cooing. Growling. A kind of purring growl, like churring. Hissing.”

He shifted through the pages, wrote down some more notes.

“You aren’t going to do that all day, are you?”

Donnie glances up. Shini has leaned her hip against the table and is smirking. “Leo wants everyone in the dojo for training. Is this very important?”

He bites his lip, looks at his screen. “I guess it can wait until later.” He saves the file. Shinigami takes him by the elbow and steers him out of the lab. Interestingly, Raph is waiting there, arms crossed. He smirks and nods. “Good. Good Donnie.” Shinigami giggles, as if the two had planned it.

“How’s Mikey?” Raph asks, automatically.

Shini just shrugs. “The same. Karai wonders if I can use my witchcraft to find him in the astral plane. It is a thought.”

Raph raises an eyeridge. “Damn straight, it’s a thought. He’s been healing pretty well. Maybe it’s time to try reaching out to him instead of waiting for him to wake up.”

Donatello sits up straight and snaps his fingers. “It can be a family effort!” That seems to light a fire in Raphael, and he joyfully reaches out to fistbump Shinigami, who has a wide smirk on her face and a glint in her eye. Donnie feels stronger and happier than he’s felt in weeks.

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