Donatello giggles with Casey as they link arms, scurrying through the door and exiting Murokami's together, in secret, ALL ALONE!! The thought makes him queasy in a nice sort of way, but he quickly suppresses that idea. He and Casey had been best friends for years, and they have been through so much together! From the Kraang, to the nightmare that was the Shredder, Casey had always been there; supporting him, and albeit ridiculing him, but it helped him gain the confidence he very much lacked. Besides, Donatello was sure that Casey loved April. They had fought tooth and nail for scraps of attention from her, and it tore their relationship apart before it could even form in the first place.
Years have passed since then, and their bond is stronger than ever, but Donatello can't shake the sadness that has embedded itself into his very being. He is lonely. He and April made their amends, and are now the best of friends, but he has not since found someone that made him feel the same way that she did. Raphael and Mona are so perfect together that it sometimes hurts Donatellos SOUL watching them be cute and sappy, and Michelangelo has Renet, the time traveller! Only him and Leonardo are left without a romantic partner, but Leonardo has thrived even without a girlfriend (or boyfriend, everyone knows how fruity Leonardo is)! Leonardo has become much more confident and relaxed, and can FINALLY see his family as siblings rather than adopted children.
And that leaves Donatello, with nothing to fill the heart shaped hole in his, well, heart. His thoughts are interrupted by a cautious tap on the shoulder.
"Don, are you ok? You seem kinda out of it?" Casey grimaces sympathetically at his friend, and Donatello shakes his head, as if he was trying to shake the thoughts out of it. The truth is that he is not ok, but how is he supposed to say that hes sad because he is lonely- that sounds pathetic!
"Yeah Jones, I'm fine, I just need some energy." The lie rolls effortlessly off his tongue, and shame pools into his gut as he climbs onto the nearby rooftop; why can't he bring himself to talk to Casey about anything romantic or relationship related? It doesn't make any sense! He shifts his attention back to his friend. They were sitting together comfortably, on the edge of the nearest rooftop, with their feet dangling off the side. Donatello sighs, heaving a deep, grounding breath as he rests his head on Caseys shoulder. He freezes as he feels Caseys shoulders tense up at the contact, but relaxes as he feels Caseys composure melt seconds later. They sit in silence for a few minutes before deciding to grab some energy drinks and head back to the Lair. Moving his head off Caseys shoulder, he nearly winces at the loss of contact, but still pushes himself up from the concrete rooftop and offers Casey a hand.
Soon enough, the pair make it to the nearest grocery store. This trip has become a regular tradition for the two of them, so Donatello doesn't even have to specify what drink he wants (Pink Monster and Redbull of course). He waits impatiently for his friend to return from the store, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Minutes later, he spots the black-haired boy exiting the store with a large bag full of goodies. He watches anxiously as Casey makes his way from the front of the store to the alleyway next to the building Donatello was on.
"I GOT THE GOODS!" Casey grins, sauntering towards the manhole cover that lead towards the lair, knowing that Donatello would be behind him very shortly. As he guessed, Donatellos presence appeared behind him moments later. Donatello moves to hug him from behind, then snags the bag from Caseys unsuspecting arms to inspect the contents, curious on what else he might have bought. Monsters, Redbull, soft drink, vodka, sna- WAIT- VODKA?? He smothers his suprise with a smirk.
"Are you planning on getting drunk without me tonight, Jones?" He leers, and to his suprise, Casey just grins back.
"Nah actually, I was planning on getting drunk with you."
Donatellos stomach squirms, and his heart flutters in his chest at the tone of voice Jones had adopted. He wasn't imagining that, right? His scales turned a deeper shade of green as he flushed, unable to respond. He quickly shakes out of his stupor when Casey grabs his hand and tugs him towards the manhole cover. Tonight was going to be fun.
-----------------
Leo was bored. Like, SO bored. He had tried his absolute hardest to pay attention, becoming aquainted with this universes April, who was just, so so different he didn't know where to start, Karai, who was not a grandma and/or ancient spirit?? Also a space lizard named Mona Lisa who was dating this universes Raph? What really weireded him out though was this universes Casey. For starters, there is only one? And he seems to be absolutely INFATUATED with this universes Donatello. Honestly, good for them. But it seemed like they didn't know that they liked eachother, which really annoyed Leo- they have the opportunity to be happy (and cringy) as hell and they are too oblivious to take it? Ugh.
He lets his mind wander for a while, but restlessness quickly festers inside him until he is itching to to SOMETHING. Any time he tried to stay still and sit with his thoughts, the nightmare that is- was- the Kraang enters his mind. It's like as soon as he relaxes, his mind decides to plant some impossible scenario into his thoughts. He has to keep reminding himself that the Kraang are gone. They did not escape. He locked them away. He won. They can't hurt anyone ever again. He made his sacrifice, and now they are gone forever. Leos spiral is put on pause when he feels a tap on the shoulder.
"Hey man, I noticed you were a bit zoned out, wanna sit on the rooftop for some fresh air?" Leonardo smiles at him, resting his hand on Leos shoulder comfortably. Leo notices Mikey, Karai, Donnie and Michelangelo lingering a few steps behind, sheepishly peering from over Leonardos frame. The Raphs and Mona Lisa were having a long conversation, and Leo had grown concerned when Raph started crying, but his fear quickly dissappeared when the flow of tears stopped, replaced by a smile. Raph looked, peaceful, and happy, and calm. It was an expression Leo was dying (hehe) to see on his big brothers face after the two of them, especially Leo, had spent the first 2 days of their time here cooped up in the medbay.
A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, then his lips curl into his signature grin. "Sure!" he smirks, "I need a good distraction." The group make their way onto the rooftop, Leo carefully climbs the fire escape rather than using his portals, and is joined by Leonardo, who is using a cane today, while the rest scale the edge of the building. Leo needs to ask about the cane, he hasn't used it until now- where did the need for it come from? The medic in him itches to know.
The soft clacking of the cane against the metal steps is soothing, and quickly lulls Leo into a calm state. It distracts him from the pain in his shell, and the ache in his still healing bones. Honestly, he secretly hated Draxum a little less at the moment, because they healed SO much faster than other mutants and Yokai, being made as war machines and all. Speaking of origin stories, he wonders where their Draxum or Big Mama is, or the Hidden City? He pushes the thought aside and makes a mental note to ask about it when the subject arises.
The six of them found spots on the edge of the roof, shifting to lean on eachother comfortably, and a peaceful silence falls upon them. Itching to know, Leo blurts what he and Donnie had been desperately trying to find out.
"Soooo, is it just me or do you also think Donatello is fruity as hell?"
"WOAHH Leo, you don't just ask that man!" Mikey shrieks, plastering a hand to his mouth in shock before letting out a muffled "you're right though, he seems so zesty..." Leonardo and Karais expressions deadpan, and they turn to look at eachother then the giggling mess that is Mikey, Donnie and Michelangelo. The three turtles are wheezing, clinging onto eachother and rocking back and forth while tears form in their eyes.
"I mean, I can't be the only gay ninja turtle?? Surely at least one of you is also at least a LITTLE fruity?" Leo ponders, stroking his nonexistant beard jokingly then shifting to face Leonardo and raising a suspicious brow bone at him.
"Well I suppose that you would know, seeing as your the gayest out of all of us" Leonardo smirks in return, and he turns to hi-five one of Donnies many metal hands. Leo gasps, pretending to keel over in shock then planting a hand over his plastron in fake offence. He lays down on his back, wincing then relishing in the cool concrete of the rooftop on his healing shell. He is glad that the conversation has paused, as he uses it as an opportunity to release a loud sigh then link his hands and place them underneath his head, cushioning it from the ground.
Leo misses his home. He misses Splints, Tio Hueso, Big Mama and... Draxum. All of the comforting adults in his life are not here with them, and he is left leading his family into a completely new environment while injured. Speaking of parental figures-
"Where is your Big Mama?" Leo asks, eager to see if this universes Big Mama was equally cunning as theirs. Sure, she was dangerous, but Leo had to get his Faceman skills from somewhere; and it sure as hell wasn't going to be Splints or Draxum!
"And Draxum?!" Mikey chirps, offended at his favourite surrogate fathers name not being mentioned. Mikey had always been Draxums favourite, which made sense seeing as he was the one too initially trust him. Leo, on the other hand, had never bonded with Draxum, because well, HE THREW HIM OFF A ROOF!!! And Leo is great at holding grudges. Leonardo, Karai and Michelangelo turn to face Leo, confusion written all over their faces.
"Draxum...? Big Mama...?" Karai drags out, giving the blue and orange turtles a brief side-eye, as if to say 'do you guys know someone I dont?'. But the turtles didn't know either.
"What the hell? You guys get a Mum- and TWO DADS?? Bro Leo basically was our dad- I called him it once!!" Mikey yells, gripping onto Leonardo who winces at the mention of his role during their childhood. And the fact that Mikey did, in fact, call him 'Dad' on several occasions, as well as Raphael and Donatello.
"Uhhh YEA! We met Big Mama and Draxum in the Hidden City, and they were both corrupt to begin with, but we used our irresistable charm to bring them to the good side!" Leo grins, while Mikey scoffs.
"What, like you charmed poor Hueso?"
'HEY! Tio Hueso loves me! He just thought I was annoying at first..." His voice fades, and he shrinks into himself a little, before resuming his usual bold personality. Leo shifts his attention to the streets below, his eyes scour the streets below, looking for fellow mutants or yokai.
"Where's the entrance to the Hidden City anyways, I would love to meet this universes Hueso, and see what this version of Run of the Mill is like" Curiosity fills Leos voice, which masks the sheer desperation of wanting to see his Tio again. And have some amazing pizza of course.
"Hidden City? Whats that?" Asks Leonardo, who was now standing, joining Leo and peering at the people below.
"GASP!! YOU DON'T HAVE A HIDDEN CITY?" Mikey and Leo shriek in unison, clutching onto eachother and pretending to cry. Donnie just sneers, using his metal hands to not-so-gently pry Mikey, who had tried latching onto him as well, off of him.
"Relax Dear brothers, I have already noticed a lack of mystic energy in this universe compared to our own, and determined that there is a Hidden City, just not here! It's somewhere near Japan, but portals have been opening frequently between there and here..."
"Which would explain the large increase of mutants in New York!" Shouts Leonardo, who then quickly apologises to Donnie for interrupting his rant. Donnie merely shrugs, as Leonardo had basically said what he had been thinking. Noticing the confused expressions on his friends faces, he explains. "I've been going on solo patrols to keep an eye on the city while you were all resting. While I have been out, I have noticed a fluctuation in the number of mutants roaming the streets."
"But those mutants are actually Yokai" Leo interjects.
"Yes, althought we didn't know that Yokai were a thing until just then!" Finishes Leonardo.
"LOOK" Mikey whisper-shouts, pointing towards a nearby alleyway. A cloaked figure was standing in the secluded alley, mostly hidden by the long shadows cast by the buildings alongside them. The group of six watch from afar as the figure removes the hood of their cloak, revealing two long ears. Rabbit ears. The Yokai, or mutant, had snow white fur, and long ears sat atop their head, tied up in a makeshift ponytail. Leo noticed a sword, resembling his own katana, poking from underneath the cloak, and the mutant/Yokai was also wearing hints of blue.
Leo, in a desperate attempt to get a closer look, leans over the edge of the building, his feet desperately scraping against the concrete to stay planted on the ground, but to no avail. One minute he is looking at a mysterious (cute) guy from a rooftop, then suddenly he is falling from said rooftop! He quickly uses a portal to save himself from splatting against the pavement below, not thinking of a particular location to land, which backfires when he lands in the alley ON TOP OF THE YOKAI! They tumble to the ground, and Leo quickly pushes himself off the poor person, spouting an epiphany of apologies.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry! Really I am, I didn't mean to land on you, I promise! I fell from a roof and used a portal to save myself but my portal landed me ON TOP OF YOU- Oh wow I need to stop talking, why haven't I stopped talking?" Leo's face was a deep shade of red and green at this point, he was so red that the stranger put a concerned hand on his shoulder.
"No its alright, I promise! Are you ok? You look really red, and kinda shocked? Are you injured?" The stranger gushes, but all Leo can focus on is the fluffy hand residing on his shoulder. He gulps. He was usually so calm and collected, but this ridiculously cute rabbit Yokai had made all of his hard earned Faceman skills fly out of the window!! He turns briefly, turning to glance at the rooftop he fell from to see Leonardo, Karai, Mikey, Donnie and Michelangelo all dying of laughter. Nice.
"I'm great! Even more so now that I landed in such handsome arms." He grins, and the rabbit flushes. Good to know that he had some confidence left. Leo notices freckles littering the rabbits face, and red eyeliner on the underside of his eye. Wow thats cute- FOCUS LEO!! "So, you come here often?" he smirks, but his expression falters when the rabbit starts to giggle.
"What, you mean this alleyway, or New York? Because the answer is no to both!" They chuckle, "I need a tour though, and you seem to know your way around here. For starters, I'm STARVING" The rabbit groans before turning to face Leo, offering him a hand to shake. "My name's Yuichi Usagi, but you can call me Usagi for now!" He smiles, and Leo takes his hand.
"I'm Leo, Leonardo Hamato" Leo grins back, shaking Usagi's hand enthusiastically, a little too enthusiastically, but it makes his new friend (?) laugh, so he doesn't mind. "Now, I've got the perfect spot to get some food!" He exclaims, keeping hold of Usagis hand and leading him towards Murokamis.