Part 1
A gentle breeze blew through a forest as cheering was heard. "Come on guys! The last one back hatched from a rotten egg!" A joyful voice rang out. As Mikey leaped from bushes, running through the forest. Then his older brother Raph appeared beside him, softy shoving Mikey's head playfully.
"You can try Otōto, but I'm the UNDEAFTED KING OF RACES!" Raph shouted his red Haori flowing behind him. As he leaped to tree tops, yelling and cheering along the way.
"Raph, you have a win ratio of 50.68%," Donnie said, as he joined his big brother in the trees. But that's when a singing voice was heard.
"So many new adventures just around the bend,
Plenty of mysteries to unravel,
Tons of mistakes to not regret
So much to see, and to do and to be,
A whole life to spend!
And it doesn't end!"
A lock of golden hair wrapped around a tree branch as Leo, the eldest of the turtles, swung up. The sunlight blocked his figure but eliminated all his 70 feet of hair glow as he continued his song.
"And I got the wind in my hair!
And a song in my heart,
And the fun's only starting
I got a skip in my step,
And I haven't a care~
A beautiful breeze blowing through,
It's gonna carry me who knows where,
I'll take any dare,
With the wind in my haaaaaaaaair!
I got a smile on my face,
and I'm walking on aaaaaaaaair!
And everything like ought be,
But I know that it's waiting for us out there,
We'll find it, I swear~
With the wind in my haaaaaaaaair!"
Throughout his song, his brother's smiles grew at their onii-chan's song. They all loved his voice growing up, it always claimed them when they had nightmares. Leo continued using his hair as a rope to grapple the trees and swing up into the air. But then he and Raph collided and fell onto Mikey and Donnie into one big turtle pile.
Even throughout this Leo continued his song, when they rolled to a stop at their Sensai's feet. Tangled up in Leo's hair, and all the brothers happily laughing and hugging each other.
Hearing such joyous laughter and smiles on his son's faces. Splinter also chuckled, the joy being shared with the family of five. "Now, now my sons. Let's get you all untangled it's almost time to train" Splinter then helped his sons get unraveled out of Leo's hair. Then helped his sons brush out Leonardo's hair as the eldest shortened his hair to his usual length at his back and tied it off at the ends with his favorite ribbon.
The Hamato family walked into the dojo. "Today my sons, this lesson will be self-improvement." Splinter began with his sons sitting before him. "Leonardo, you will face Michelangelo." The eldest and youngest nod to their Sensei. "Donatello you're facing Raphael." The last two turtles also nod at their father. As all turtles face each other. Splinter watched over them as the training began at his command "Hajime!"
Leo unsheathed one of his duel ninjatō as Mikey grabbed both of his Nunchucks, the two brothers started each other down for a moment. Leo then charged with a war cry.
"Oh yeah! Michelangelo is on the move." The youngest dodging the eldest swings. "You don't know what to do!" Mikey then rolled out of the way of Leo's strikes. "I'm here, I'm there, I could be anywhere!"
Leo smirked finding Mikey's banter indearing, as the youngest always brings a smile to his brother's faces. "How can you fight what you can't even see!" Leo fixed his grip for a backhanded one. As Mikey charged, Leo hit him right in the gut with the handle of his ninjatō. Mikey had the air knocked out of him from the force as he fell to the ground.
"Like that?" Leo quipped as Mikey held a finger that was twitching from the pain.
"Good one Leo."
With Donnie and Raph, Donnie was twirling his Bō. Raph unimpressed by his little brother's tricks, just cracked his neck. "Alright Donnie, put down the staff, and no one gets hurt," Raph warned.
"Uh, you said that last time Raph, and then you hurt me!" Donnie retorted.
"Yeah, but less than I would have," Raph answered.
"Yeah right." Donnie rolled his red-brown eyes. He then charged at his older brother. Raph dodged the strike, as Donnie continued with the trust's of his bō staff and swings. Raph dodging each one.
Donnie then did an overhead strike, but when he opened his eyes. His staff wasn't in his hands but with his older brother. Raph smirked as he twirled the bō before snapping it in half over his knee.
Seeing this Donnie asked."Should've dropped the staff?"
"Should've dropped the staff," Raph answered before charging at Donnie, hitting him over and over with the two pieces on his head. Not enough to hurt but it still stings a little.
"Okay, Okay OW! I'm down!" Donnie tapped out, as Raph noticed Leo readying his Katana. Donnie then walked over to where Mikey was sitting observing the fights. The littlest sticking his tongue out, annoying the second youngest.
The two eldest dropped down on a knee facing each other. "Onegai shimasu," Leo said.
"Same to you." Raph replayed, as the two got into readying stances. Leo with his blade and Raph got his two twin sai's. The eldest then charged the two steel weapons clashing against each other. Raph then swung his arms down, bringing Leo's down with his. But the eldest recovered and took a swing. Which his twin dodged.
The two back off, playfully glaring at each other. As Raph fixed his grip, before charging at his older brother, dodging a sword strick and hitting Leo in the face with the handle of his sai. Leo recovered quickly as he did a leg sweep knocking Raph off his feet and onto his shell.
While Raph was down Leo fixed his grip, before charging at his twin. By then, Raph was on his feet and met Leo's strike blocking it with his sai. But Leo was able to knock one of Raph's sai out of his hand. The weapon hits the wall between Mikey and Donnie.
The two eldest started the other down, as both fixed the grip on their weapons. Then they charged both swinging. But Raph was able to knock Leo's ninjatō out of his grip. He then locks Leo's hand into a prong of his Sai. Raph then threw Leo over his shoulder and onto the ground.
Leo grounded at the impact, as Raph walked up to his twin on the ground saying "Nice try."
"Yame!" Splitter said, as all the turtles kneeled before their father. "You all did very well," Splitter complained as he circled his four sons grading their performances.
"But I did better." Raph sniped, causing Leo to look at his twin with a deadpan look.
"This is about self-improvement Raphael, it is not about winning or losing," Splitter explained.
"Yeah, I know Sensai." Raph then noticed his father's glare he quickly added. "And that what's important is that we all did our best. Good job everyone!"
Spintter never wants his sons to think they're better than the others. That mentality is what caused Saki to be consumed by his rage. But he smiled at his son's words. Raphael always had problems controlling his anger and emotions. But deep down he truly cared and wanted to protect his brothers.
"That is all the training for today, go celebrate your birthdays my sons" Splinter dismissed his sons, the turtles cheered at this but Michelangelo grabbed his dad's arm.
"Come on Dad, it's your mutation day too!" Splinter's smile then grew, as his sons stopped calling him dad and papa. Around the time they started training. He finds quite the joy when his sons call him dad.
The family cozies up around a big kotatsu, which is like a low table with a warm blanket draped over it. They enjoy delicious fried fish paired with homemade miso soup ladled over fluffy white rice for lunch. Their lively farmland is just a short walk away from a serene lake and close to a well.
"They're more soup and fish left, you guys want more? Anybody? Anybody?" Mikey asked, as his family declined.
"No thanks."
"I got enough."
"I'm almost done, Mikey."
"I have enough Michelangelo."
"Well, then, I hope you guys save room for dessert!" Mikey then brought out a plate full ofeated his laptop, Mikey looked at many traditional Japanese dishes. H handmade mochi. After Donnie cre noticed that his father missed Japan many times growing up.
"Aw, yea! Mochi!"
"Thanks, little brother!"
"Sweet!" His brothers cheered, as they grabbed a few pieces of mochi for themselves.
"Thank you, Michelangelo." Splinter smiled at his youngest as he picked up a piece of mochi. Mikey always loved to bring smiles to his family, especially his father.
"Happy Mutation Day!" Mikey cheered his brothers following suit.
"Happy Mutation Day!"
"Ah, yes fifteen years ago today, our lives changed forever and we became the unlikeliest of families," Splinter said, smiling at the fond memories of those fifteen years ago.
"Tell us the story Master Splinter," Mikey asked
"Michelangelo, I have already told it many times," Splinter explained.
"PLEASE! PLEA-" Mikey was cut off by Raph slapping a hand over his little brother's mouth.
"Pease, it's the only way to shut Mikey up," Raph said,
"It couldn't hurt to hear it one more time, Dad," Leo continued, with a soft smile.
"Very well my sons. Many years ago, when I was still human. I was leaving the pet store with four baby turtles." Splinter started.
"That was us!" Mikey interrupted.
"Yes, don't interrupt! I passed a strange man on the street. Something felt off about him I decided to follow. But a rat gave away my position, the men tried to threaten my life. So I fought back and in the resulting fight caused a strange substance to splash on all of us. That was the beginning of our life together, It was the mysterious substance in this canister that, in a way gave birth to us all." Splinter finished the story while holding up the very same container.
Mikey then grabbed the container hugging it close. "Mom." his brothers looking at him strangely. Leo then cleared his throat, changing the subject.
"So, Sensai since we're all fifteen. I think it's finally time for us to go explore the city?" The brothers always looked at the city in the distance in wonder. Wondering what it was like living in the city, and what secrets were held in its streets.
"Yes-" Master Splinter started but was interrupted by the brothers cheering.
"Aw yeah!"
"Wahoo!"
"New York time!"
"And no." Splinter finished much to the dismay of his sons.
"Awe what?!"
"Come on!"
"Really Master Splinter?!"
"I hate it when he does that," Raph grumbled.
"You all have grown powerful but you are all still young. But you lack the maturity to use your skills wisely" Splinter explained getting up from the kotatsu and placing his plates in the sink.
"So, Sensei isn't that just no?" Asked Donnie facing his father.
"Yes... and no," Splinter then explained. "Wisdom comes from experience and experience comes from making mistakes."
"Aha! So in order for us to gain the wisdom, we have to make the mistakes. So we can go!" Donnie reasoned.
"No," Splinter said
"And, yes?" Donnie tried.
"No!" Donnie sighed in defeat.
"Dad, we know you're trying to protect us. But we can't spend our whole lives hiding out here." Leo explained. At his eldest's words, Splinter stroked a long bit of fur underneath his chin as it looked like a thin beard, pondering his choices. He glanced at his sons, but then looked again as all the turtles were on their knees doing puppy dog eyes.
At his sons pleading faces, Splinter gave in. "You may go tonight, but only till midnight then you must return home!"
"Awe yeah ya!"
"Sweet!"
"City life!"
"New York time!" All the brothers cheered, and the turtles were allowed to explore the sewers as children to learn how to blend into the shadows.
"High Three!" Mikey raised a Three-fingered hand, and the others quickly followed suit.
As the hours ticked by, the brothers were getting restless. Mikey was out doing some parkcore in the forest. Donnie was in his lab, adding some finishing touches to his latest invention. The sewer gliders! They were essentially motorcycles ( for each turtle the main color is black but the highlight is the turtle's respective color )that could hover, allowing speedy travel with zero friction.
(As for how he got the parts for it, let's say he snuck out a couple of times and rade a government-mandated junk pile.)
Leo was brushing his hair in the living room, each stroke was gentle and smooth. Watching his favorite show Space Heroes. Splinter had found an old TV in the trash along with a crate of VHS tapes. Bringing them home for boys was a fond memory.
Leo was engrossed in the cartoon. The ship was attacked but blaster fire, which Leo grimaced at. "Mr. Crenshaw status report!" Captain Ryan the main character ordered.
"Status? I'll give you the status! WE'RE GONNA BLOW UP IN TWO SECONDS!" Crenshaw was the crew's medic, and second in command. Was slapped by the captain to ground him in his panicked state. "Thank you, Captain."
"Gentlemen, I have a bold and daring plan. There's no time for Hesitation!" Ryan started, as Leo copied his stance and began copying the captain's words. "My orders must be carried out without question!"
"Aye, sir!" The crew repeated.
"You know this show is stupid, right?" Raph said the turtle in red was in a doorway that leads to the outside walkway around the mansion. At his voice, Leo pauses his hair brushing mid-stroke.
"Space Heroes is a great show!" Leo defended. "And Captain Ryn is a great hero. Someday, I am gonna be just like him."
"Well, you do like to hear yourself talk. So you're on your way." Raph sassed, and Leo rolled his eyes at his little brother as he tied his hair off. That's when Mikey ran up his big brothers.
"Its go time!" At this, all the brothers got ready. The brothers ready their weapons in case they need to defend themselves. Wrapping their arms in compassion bands for better grip and ease muscle tension.
All the turtles were shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the sewer opening. The sewer gliders behind the brothers. Splinter pacing in front of his sons.
"You are going up to a strange and hostile world, you must maintain awareness at all times.
"Hai Sensei" The brothers replied, going to get on their bikes. But Splinter spoke again before the brothers even took two steps.
"Stay in the shadows!"
"Hai Sensei" the brothers answered again, going to their bikes.
"Don't talk to strangers!" Once again Splinter spoke. Before the brothers couldn't even take a step.
"Hai Sensei" The brothers answered again, getting a little tired of this.
"Everyone in a stranger!"
"Hai Sensei." The brothers said, deflated at their father's worry. All the turtles got onto their bikes before their father could speak again. Then Splinter called out again.
"Make sure you go before you leave, the restrooms in the city are Filthy!"
"Sensei!" The brothers said, embarrassed by the topic. Splinter signed at his sons.
"Good luck my sons." The father wished his sons luck. At this, the brothers cheered and revved their engines. And riding through the sewers cheering all the way, with Splinter calling after his sons.
"Make sure you look both ways before crossing the street!" Yoshi sighed, at his son's energy.
The battle was fierce, Miyamoto was locked in a battle with a kappa unlike any he had encountered. They moved with intelligence, carefully calculating each strike. Moving with the grace of a dancer but striking harder than a sumo-wrestler.
The warrior wore a simple blue kimono, worn in a way that frees their legs for movement. A ninja clan symbol was one of their obi a kikkyo blooming in front of a sun. The turtle was surrounded by that long golden fur, the length was absurdly long but the weight did not affect the ninja's mobility. It added them, and the turtle used it as a rope to get more ground or as laso for offense.
They clashed in a lock and Usagi's black eyes scanned his opponent for weaknesses. He couldn't read the turtle's face as it was covered by the long golden fur. The turtle disengaged the lock, grabbed his collar, and threw him over their shoulder.
This kappa was more skilled than the neko ninjas he battled with. Usagi flipped to regain his footing, while the turtle threw a lock of fur at him. Acting fact he grabbed the lock and yanked hard.
The turtle was launched towards him, Usagi readied to end the fight, but the turtle flipped midair and landed a harsh kick knocking him out.
Usagi sat up panting as he took in his surroundings. It was the same forest he fell asleep in, the ronin signed and rubbed his head. This was the fifth dream he had of that kappa warrior.
He knew they were a ninja of some kind, but didn't know what clan from the symbol on the turtle's obi. The dreams are always in a different location but the end is always the same he gets knocked out.
Usagi shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he got up and began his wandering. As he walked along the forest's path his mind was still on that dream.
He didn't know the purpose of the dreams, was it a warning of some kind? Is a god showing his downfall, or is something else?
The turtles were cheering as they rode through the sewers. Having explored them when they were growing up. All the turtles reached a stop when they parked their bike in separate Sewer tunnels. "You guys ready for this?" Leo asked his brothers.
"What are we? Turtle soap?! Of course, we are!" Raph snipped, while Leo rolled his eyes. He lifted the sewer lid quickly scanning the area, after getting clear he pushed the lid away and climbed up his brothers following suit.
The siblings are in awe of the alley their eyes scanning all the gravity, the trash, and even the homeless guy sleeping. Mikey chirped in awe as his brothers gazed at the city in the distance. "It's so beautiful..."
The brothers grew smiles as they explored the streets "The city is just full of possibility!" Leo excitedly said, "There could be an adventure around this corner..." The turtle in blue looked around a corner with a thrill. "Or-or this one!" He ran to another, then another. "Or this one!" and saw a street cat. "There's not, but there could be!"
"Look at all the computers!" Donnie said, pressing his face to a shop window. "Is that the next-generation cadmium processor with quantum encryption?!" He gasped.
"I don't know Donatello is it?" Raph asked sarcasm clear in his voice.
With a glance, "It is!" Donnie conformed.
"Guys, guys! Check this out!" Mikey said with a light sign-switching between a purple hand and a blue eye. Leo being the responsible one quickly guided Mikey back to the group.
"So where to next?" Donnie asked before a light was shown on the turtles. A pizza boy on a shooter stared at them, the silence was defeating until Raph scared the teen off with a terrifying look.
"That was kind of fun!" Raph chuckled,
"We're too exposed out here," Leo said, looking around for a path they could explore without being seen. His eyes wandered to the rooftops. "Come on."
The brothers followed him before something caught Mikey's eye. It was a box the human dropped, picking it Mikey quickly rejoined his brothers on the roof.
The turtles sat around the box not knowing what it was. "Pizz-a?" Mikey tried pronouncing the word on the box.
"Should we open it?" Donnie asked.
"Careful!" Leo said cautiously. "It might be dangerous." Raph rolled his eyes at his twin's worry and opened the box anyway. Stem rose from the strange food escaping the box.
"I think, it's food." Donnie guessed
"It's not like any food I ever saw," Raph said.
"I'll try it." Mikey volunteered, he was the cook of the family always experimenting with new foods. Grabbing a slice, his brothers watch in anticipation. Once Mikey took a bite the explosion of flavor was unlike anything he ever tried. The youngest quickly devoted the rest of the slice letting a loud burp afterward.
Seeing his brother's stare, "Uh... yuck. You guys won't like it, I'll take the rest!" Mikey tried the eat the rest but his brothers quickly dove to take a slice for themself's.
"No way!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Back off!"
"Never thought I would taste anything better than rice, soap, and fish but this amazing!" Raph said devouring a slice.
"I LOVE THIS CITY!"
After the brother had eaten, they began parkcoring across the rooftops, using their years of experience jumping through the trees growing up and vaulting off roof lights, water tanks, and alleyways.
All four brothers came to a sliding halt at a roof's edge the turtles gazed out at the city with awe enjoying to view before Leo spoke. "Alright guys it's getting late, we should probably head back home." At this, his younger brothers groaned.
Then something caught Donnie's eyes. "Hey, guys look at that." It was a human girl with her dad. "Is that what a human looks like?"
"I think, it does?" Mikey said. Then tire screeching hit the brothers, looking back down the turtles looked on in shock as a group of identical men jumped out and approached the father and daughter with mallies.
Mikey gasped, "We gotta help them!"
"Mikey, Dad told us that we shouldn't interact with humans. You know how worried he gets when we go into the sewers." Leo said
"What happened to wanting to be a hero?" Raph asked. "Since when do heroes ask for permission?"
Leo sighed seeing his brother's point. "Fine, but after we save them we dip alright?"
"Got it!" The brothers jump into the fray. The daughter was screaming for help as her dad was thrown into the van.
"HEY!" Hearing this the man turned only to have Raph punch him to face. His punch knocked the man back but he kept on his feet. "Still standing, huh? I'll fix that!" Raph got out his Sai's but Leo flipped into his way.
"Sorry! Raph!" He said as sprang off his opponent's back. Raph jumped back the man tried to punch him only to crack the ground. The turtle blocked the man's punches and flipped back to gain space, but Donnie accidentally backed into him.
"Watch it. Donnie!"
"Sorry, onii-san!" The turtle in purple said, blocking his opponent's slams with his staff and trusting his weapon into his stomach.
Mikey using his acrobatics, flipped from his opponent but he swung his nunchucks his weapon got hooked on Raph's sai. Thinking fast, Raph swung his brother towards his enemy. Mikey landed a roundhouse to the guy's face.
Leo was using his long hair as a rope to swing away from his foe, as he was about to laso him Donnie's staff got in the way. Leo acted quickly ducking under his Otōto staff he tripped his enemy by sweeping his leg.
Raph doughed his enemy's fist, hooking it within a prong of his sai using his foe's weight of his punch flipping him over his shoulder.
As the man tried to get up Leo landed on him slamming into the ground, Leo continued to dodge his enemy's attacks by flipping around the street he was quickly joined by his twin. As Leo wrapped Raph's arm with a lock of hair he launched his brother at their foe who knocked the man down with a punch.
Donnie had just knocked his opponent down when he heard the girl's screams. Acting fast he threw his staff at the man and quickly caught the girl. "Gotcha!"
The girl looked at her savoir only to scream when she realized it was a giant turtle. Donnie screamed in fright too dropping her but quickly said. "Wait! No- I'm sorry! I'm trying to help you!"
"Behind you!" Donnie turned but he reacted too late to block the man's kick sending him flying into Mikey. The brothers groaned in pain from the impact but quickly got to their senses as the men drove away from the area.
"They're getting away! They got them!" Donnie said trapping his staff as Mikey and Raph joined him running after the men. Leo had to shift back to its intended length when he heard a crash. Sprinting towards the sound he gasped as he saw another mutan!
It was a large white rabbit, he was fighting off the same men! Leo gasped in horror as the bunny stepped on one of the men in the stomach. "Demons! The willow branch is thirsty, now I'll quench its thirst on your blood!"
The rabbit seemed Japanese, as he spoke the language and wore Japanese attire. He wears a blue kimono with an embroidered monshō of a clan on his chest. That same sign is also carved from wood and attached to his sash. His hakama are navy blue. He also wears white tabi socks with waraji straw sandals. He carries two swords, a traditional katana, and a wakizashi.
He was fighting with such ferocity, but Leo could tell he was injured. The bunny flinched every time he put most of his weight on his right leg and burn marks were everywhere on his fur.
Leo tore his gaze away when the bunny decapitated another man. Leo didn't look back until the fighting had stopped. When he turned back, the bunny was staring back at him with furious eyes.
"KAPPA! ARE YOU WITH THESE DEMONS?!" Leo is frozen in fear at the bunny's anger. "No matter! You will perish all the same!" The turtle quickly shook his fear away as he got out his ninjatō and locked swords with the bunny.
"Wait! There's a misunderstanding!" Leo tried to reason with the warrior, but the bunny was too fast to get any words out. Leo was barely parrying the bunny's swings. He could tell this guy was more skilled with a blade than he was. They were in a stalemate, Leo dislodged the lock and flipped the bunny over his shoulder.
Leo tried to gain some distance, but he stopped when the bunny grabbed a lock of his hair. Pulling harshly, his opponent readied his blade. But Leo saw an opening he reoriented himself going feet first. He managed to wrap his thighs around the bunny's neck and using his motion landed on his hands. Using his feet and core strength Leo slammed his foe's head straight into the concrete.
Leo panted as he looked at his opponent, seeing him knocked out. Leo sighed with relief. The turtle in blue quickly grabbed the bunny's katanas and sheath them. Placing them in his belt. Leo ran towards the men sure they kidnapped people but they didn't deserve to die.
Leo quickly checked on one but what he saw made his blood run cold. The man wasn't even human, his skin and face were just a plastic covering. Opening his suit up Leo saw a brain thing in the stomach a stab wound right through the eye. Staining the cloth pink with blood.
The turtle in blue checked the others, and they were all the same—robotic bodies with brain-like things in their stomachs. Leo quickly ran back to the bunny, seeing him still knocked out. He acted fast, tying him up with his hair.
"Leo!" Said the turtle turning to find his brothers returning to him.
"Are you okay?"
"Are you hurt?"
"Who's Bugs Bunny?"
"Guys, GUYS!" Leo said, silencing his brothers. "I'll tell you when we get back home, we need to tell Father about this. It's more serious then we thought."
"What about him?" Mikey asked, pointing to the bunny.
"He's coming with."
"WHAT?!"
"Why?!" Raph demained.
"He's injured badly, I don't know the extent but some of the injuries need to be disinfected before I heal him." The eldest explained,
"GUYS! GUYS! THEIR ROBOT'S!" The brothers turn towards Mikey, who is in the alleyway with all the droids' bodies. Raph and Donnie quickly join the youngest.
"That is another reason why, we need to talk to Sensai."
All Japanese Phrases.
Otōto-little brother
Hajime-begin
Onegai shimasu-please do your best
Yame-stop it
kikkyo- a Japanese bellflower
onii-san-big brother