(This was meant to be me just talking about Rise, but I got off track 💀)
Look at that! It's Rise art book day! Time for me to show just how much raw emotion I can pack into a post! (If you don't want to read my ramblings about my history with TMNT, how cool Rise is, and the value of loving things, swipe away)
Rise of the TMNT came out in 2018, when I was very much still a child. I did not watch the show then. In fact, I didn't watch any TMNT show seriously growing up. Sure, when TMNT 2012 came on, we watched it sometimes, but I never got into TMNT when I was a kid. I was a Disney and PBS kid, not Nickelodeon. I thought TMNT was an interesting concept, but I didn't really get it, as an outsider. If it wasn't for the designs in Rise and the impeccable animation, I never would have watched it.
I started watching Rise in late 2023, thanks to YouTube recommending me clip compilations (seriously, can't thank these channels enough) and the first episode (which at some point was on YT in its entirety, don't know if it still is). At this time, I wasn't in fandom spaces at all. I had never read a fanfic. I had never been on Tumblr. But, as I was getting into the show, YouTube kept recommending more things. Inevitably, what won me over to the fandom side was the comic dubs, which I find very funny, since I used to be obsessed with BAB:TQFTIM comic dubs (props if you know what that is). @somerandomdudelmao's Cass Apocalyptic Series was the first, of course. Very shortly after, I happened upon a video that wasn't even a dub, it was just a comic put in video form. That video was of @cupcakeslushie's Empyrean Weeping AU. But oh no, it left on a cliffhanger! So, of course, I sought out the original source. One thing led to another, and I got a Tumblr for the sake of reading comics.
My world only blew up from there.
There were so many AUs that I explored throughout the early times. I have to particularly mention @probably-not-a-rutabaga's Aberration iteration and @tangledinink's Gemini AU, two of those that I can remember diving into headfirst and adoring alongside Empyrean Weeping. Especially Aberration, since that series introduced me to the idea of original iterations!
I lurked on Tumblr for a time, writing my fics for my own eyes. I would sit in classes with my phone beneath my desk, writing out chapter after chapter when I probably should have been paying attention. Fun fact, despite posting it after Second Shot, the first fic I wrote seriously was How to be Homeless for my Mud Dogz AU!
It was only when I saw the announcement for the 2024 @tmnt-fandom-family-reunion that something clicked. I had yet to post anything, but I had three chapters for Second Shot, my original iteration, written. I don't know what it was, but I so desperately wanted to connect with the fandom. I knew that this was my shot (haha). I needed to be part of it. So, I posted the first few chapters within the span of a few days, purely so I could submit myself for the event. I can never be more grateful to that version of myself- the version of me that was in the deepest pit of misery I've ever been in- for taking that leap.
I met some of the kindest people through that summer. @languajix, @belleyells, @justalittleobsessed, and most importantly, @cadoodledoodleydoo. I've talked before on here about how grateful I am for Cadoo, but I don't think I can ever truly capture the real magnitude of the change she's had on my life, and I'm so happy that even after almost 2 years (which is crazy, btw), we're still just as close. Most of my creative endeavors wouldn't exist if it weren't for her input and kindness. She is truly one of the closest friends I have ever had, and I don't say that lightly.
I participated in the FFR last year as well, and while it wasn't as influential on me as 2024, I'm still grateful for the friends I made there, namely @misshowdoyoudo and @lasanya539. You guys rock! Thanks for loving my ratty little thieves!
I'm not the most popular creator on here. Not by a long shot. But even the measly 76 followers I have feels insurmountable. And all the love I've gotten on AO3 is something I could have never expected. The fact that anyone has read my writing- without me having to beg them on my knees- and enjoyed it? Absolutely wild.
Anyways, back to Rise. If I hadn't stumbled upon Rise, none of this would have happened. I would have been stuck in the worst job I've ever worked, in one of the worst conditions medically and mentally I've ever been in, without any light at the end of the tunnel. If I'm being honest, I might not still be here. Rise has such a beautiful story, beautiful art, beautiful writing- it's such a lovely show. This show has pulled some of the strongest emotions from me. If you asked me in early 2023 if I would ever be a diehard TMNT fan because of a cartoon from 2018, I never would have said yes. I never could have predicted just how much this show matters to me now.
I never really had something I could claim as my "favorite thing" growing up. Yes, I watched cartoons. I listened to D&D podcasts (and still actively do, watch JRWI!). But I never had something that was both something people made a lot of content for and something I felt extremely passionate about. I never latched onto things. The posters in my room were for Pokémon and Minecraft, things I liked, but couldn't claim to love. Splatoon came pretty close, but I just don't play video games that often. I always loved animation, but every beautifully animated thing was just something I experienced, appreciated, and moved on from. Rise was different. Something about the underdog story, the dynamics of the characters, the art style, the broad expanse of emotions that the writing went on- something called to me. From that, the basics of TMNT followed.
I know it sounds a little cringy, but I didn't feel like a real, full, confident person before I found TMNT. I was scared to show my emotions. I was scared to show my passion. I was scared to love things. TMNT is so hard to simplify down to a single message, but the importance of identity is so significant in every iteration. Despite being so removed from society, the turtles have the confidence to express their own identities amongst their family. They connect. They squabble. But, at the end of the day, they are genuine. Sometimes, to a fault. Regardless of their mutant nature, they are so brutally human.
It's a story I needed. It's something that's fundamentally changed my identity, how I act, how I carry myself. Rise did that. Two seasons and a movie (plus a fandom) did that. Rise not only kept me alive, it changed my life.
Andy Suriano and Ant Ward, thank you. I know you'll probably never read this, but if you hadn't pitched this silly little concept, my story would have a very different end. So sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
And, extra thank you to Colin Stein, for putting the art book that spurred this ramble on!
And the fandom. If you're reading this, you're most likely part of it (I don't think a non-TMNT fan would have gotten this far). Thank you. I've never felt so secure and welcome, even if I've never seen almost all of your faces. You are what makes this place so incredible. You are what keeps me going. You are what keeps me joyful. You should be proud.
And, if you're new to the fandom and for some reason happening upon this, welcome! This place is awesome! You should totally check out all those guys I tagged! And just like,, check my following page! I can't tag all of them, but there's so many great creators for you to discover!
Anyways, long story short, I love ROTTMNT, I'm so happy to have the art book in my grubby little hands, and I can't be happier with the community I've chosen. Thanks for reading this far. Take care!
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Cars (Pixar Movies)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Boost/Snot Rod
Characters: Boost (Cars), Snot Rod, Devon "DJ" Montgomery Johnston III, Wingo (Cars)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Mpreg | Male Pregnancy, Intersex Character, Childbirth, Boost is very stubborn, baby car!
Series: Part 2 of Infection AU
Summary:
Boost insists he's fine to continue helping out as a runner even though he's pregnant and should really be taking it easy. He learns his lesson when he goes into labor one of the times he's out
It was mornings like this that Yuuri lived for, his eyes fluttering open to be greeted by full silver lashes. Victor was still asleep. Known for being an early riser, A dozing Victor was a rare treat. Then there was Yuuri who slept like a hibernating bear, the promise of a meal being the one thing to wake him from his cocoon of blankets.
Yuuri’s smile was soft on his lips. “How are you so beautiful?” He asks, reaching out to smooth some of the silver stands from Victor’s face. “Even when your hair is such a mess from… last night.” He trails off, memories of their previous night flooding his brain, pink creeping into his cheeks.
Victor was always beautiful. The way he smiled was beautiful. How he laughed, beautiful. When he pleaded and begged Yuuri in bed… The pink joined Yuuri’s ears...Amazingly beautiful.
An occasional twitch from one of Victor’s fingers drew Yuuri’s attention from the soft expression Victor wore, peaceful and serene. His soft breathing making the world outside of their bed seem to stand still.
“Yuuri...love you…” Victor cooed in his sleep, knees curing to his chest with an affectionate smile tugging at his lips. Yuuri clutched his chest. Even while sleeping Yuuri filled Victor’s thoughts.
“I love you too Victor.” Yuuri shifts to kiss the others forehead before climbing out of bed. Yuuri was careful to adjust the comforter back over Victor, tucking the sides in slightly so the sheets hugged him just right. Yuuri was sure Victor could use the extra sleep, his body surely sore from their previous evening. “Sleep, I’ll take care of breakfast.”
It wasn’t long before the clinking and clanking in the kitchen reached Victor, who woke with a yawn. “Yuuri?” Victor’s eyes opened to an empty bed quickly scanning the room. The fragrant aroma from the kitchen drawing his attention, pulling him from bed, and into the other room.
Yuuri stood there, back to Victor, bathed in the morning light from a nearby window, the beams haloing him like the divine bein Victor saw him as. His Angel, his Yuuri. Smile on his lips and a song in his heart, Victor moved forward. His footsteps light on the tile, much like they were on the ice.
“Yuuuuri~… you’re up early” Victor purred, resting his forehead in the crook of Yuuri’s neck. “Everything ok?”
Yuuri could feel the warm breath at his nape, hear the tenderness in Victor’s voice.
His heart skipped before he turned with a contented sigh, two cups of coffee in hand.
Note: This story is based on @cupcakeslushie 's Empyrean Weeping au. These characters are not my own, and this story is in no way canon to the main story. I really made a lot of assumptions here, so this must be emphasized.
Tags: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ROTTMNT, Venus de Milo (TMNT), NOT MY CHARACTERS, Empyrean Weeping AU, experimentation, mental issues, perspective shifting, intentionally written to be confusing or leave out information at times, they are all family your honor
Warnings (if there's anything I should add here, tell me please!): childhood trauma, abandonment issues, physical violence, repeated mentions of medical(?) procedures
Words: 6,472 🪦
Summary: Venus had one person in her life, and that was what mattered. Until she didn't.
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“I'm going to fix your body.”
The young turtle gazed up into the glass chamber before him, observing the mangled, underdeveloped, and weak body within. The vitals displayed around it were at acceptable levels; nowhere near as good as needed to survive out of the chamber, but acceptable considering the circumstances.
Not acceptable to the young turtle in front of it.
“You should be out here, learning with me. Being my sister. So I'm going to fix you.”
The turtle within the chamber did not stir- only breathed, as blood was forcefully pumped through its nonfunctional veins.
----------------------
“Huginn and Muninn helped me find more books to help you!”
Three- he had realized that the body in the chamber may not yet know his name, and so he introduced himself not long ago- bounced on the balls of his feet. He had one book clutched close to his chest, with others strewn about the workspace he had made around the chamber.
“Yokai biologists have very interesting methods! I plan on attempting some of them soon- Pops said he is going to get me some more materials before I try. He said that Witch Town will probably have what I need. The fusion of biology and mysticism is incredible! Oh! Oh! And!”
He dropped the book that he was holding on the floor carelessly, tripping over his own feet as he ran over to a table to show the body's closed eyes another. This one was thicker.
“Muninn says that this one was written by a human! ‘Mary Shelley’. It's called ‘Frankenstein’. I believe that's a name too- the surname of the main character. I haven't read it yet, because I haven't had time to. However, maybe with your improved cognitive function as of recently, it could be beneficial for me to read it to you!”
Three got no response, but he could have sworn that a part of the body's brain scan spiked.
“I can't start now. I have to finish my work on the developmental errors in your lower arm, but as soon as I finish that and find what I need to find, I'll start! I'm really curious about human literature.”
Three got to work, as the mind within the chamber grew curious.
----------------------
She didn't quite know what time it was, but she knew what was supposed to happen at this time. The voice was supposed to make noises in the room- Three, that was his name- and he was supposed to talk to her. Her? She thought that sounded right.
Three had told her about pronouns. He had said that since she was biologically female, it was assumed that she would go by she and her. Just like he was male, and went by he and him.
He had said that her name was Five.
Even so, Three liked calling her Vee, justifying it with the reason that they “matched”. Five didn't quite understand where the name came from; perhaps how her name was spelled? F-I-V-E, that was what Three had told her. T-H-R-E-E, that was his. But he spelled Vee as V-E-E. Maybe that's why they matched. Both had two E's in their name.
Their names were numbers too. One, two, three, four, five. She wondered why she was Five, and he was Three. Where were One, Two, and Four? Were they there, but she couldn't hear them? Was Pops another name for One? Pops and One weren't anything alike. She wished she could ask all the questions she had in her mind.
She wished she could see. Maybe that would explain why Three hadn't spoken yet.
Just when she was starting to believe that he may not speak to her this time, Three made noise. She couldn't see, but he stumbled through the door and sat down in a chair near her with a smile on his face. He looked at her, she could feel it.
“I'm sorry I'm home late, Vee. I met a new friend today! But don't tell Pops. He's a human.”
Five knew that word. Weren't those bad?
“Timothy isn't like other humans, though. He's nice! He showed me some insects and told me their names. Surface bugs are very different from normal ones! I think I might ask Huginn and Muninn to retrieve me some books on surface entomology. I can tell them that it's biological research.”
Entomology. That's a big word. What does that mean?
“Entomology means the study of insects, by the way. It's a very interesting branch of science. Timothy said he has books that tell him the names of different insects at his house. Oh, and a house is where humans usually live. Not a lab, like we live in. Or… a glass chamber, like you live in! Though, technically your chamber is within the lab.”
The lab. She wondered what the lab looked like.
“I think that I may be able to replace your eyes soon. I've been developing a prototype, hopefully it shouldn't take me too long to finish! From there, I just have to work really hard to get your other physical errors fixed, and then you can come out here! Maybe I can even bring you to meet Timothy!”
Timothy. That was a nice name. Not as good as Three or Vee, though. They matched. Though, maybe Timothy matched too. She didn't know how to spell Timothy yet.
Maybe they could match anyway.
----------------------
Three stumbled in today. Vee couldn't see it, of course, but Three had tripped, holding in tears. His chest just wouldn't stop hurting. Pops had said he could walk it off, so that is what he tried to do.
He couldn't walk much longer, falling to the floor in front of Vee's chamber. She enjoyed hearing the sound of his breathing, but she never liked it when he breathed this heavily. That meant he was hurt and crying. That meant Pops had done an experiment or a test. That meant Three didn't have the power to work on her body. He would always apologize for that. Of course, that never stopped him. She always heard him working.
“...V-Vee…”
That is her name. He loves to remind her of that.
“M-maybe…” Three gasped deeply, holding the breath for longer than he should before slowly releasing it. “Maybe if… I finish you… he w-won't do this to m-me anymo-ore…”
Vee couldn't feel his eyes on her. Until she could.
“I've shown him y-your guts alr-ready, though… maybe he won't won't w-want to v-vi…vivi…”
That's not how he's supposed to say her name. It's Vee.
“...Vee? Vee~”
That's right.
“Veeveeveevee…”
Is that right?
The mumbling of her name faded away, turning into slow rasping breaths.
She didn't want him to be hurt and crying anymore.
----------------------
“I want to make you as strong as One is. Or, at least, he should be. I haven't met One. Or Two. Or Four. But Pops says that it's impossible for you to be that strong. You're a box turtle, designed for defense. Anyhow, it's more important that I develop your muscle mass enough for you to stand independently first.”
Vee wondered what One, Two, and Four sounded like. Maybe their voices were jumpy and squeaky like Three's was now. Maybe they were sweet, like his was before. She wondered what Pops sounded like.
“Four is a box turtle like you. He developed properly, but don't feel bad! He got stolen away, so really, he got the short end of the stick! You're living the life of luxury.”
So many types of turtle. Did that mean they couldn't match anymore?
“I showed Timothy some sketches of my work with you. He got this really weird look on his face, and I thought he might not believe that I could fix you. But, he promised that he did believe in me! And he said he can't wait to meet you!”
Surely, he was just jealous of Three's hard work.
“I'm still working on your eyes. They're causing me more problems than I thought they would, but I think I'm getting closer to a functional product! It's just taking a while to find a good base that can survive the transfer.”
Eyes. One more sense. He taught her the five: touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. She had hearing- or at least, she believed she did. She didn't know what else this could be. To have two senses would be marvelous.
Three's voice went away, leaving a rubbing sound. He had told her what that was. It meant he was “rubbing his hands together”. It was a “nervous habit”.
“Pops told me… he told me that talking to you was ‘fueling my delusion’. I know that, logically, you're comatose. Your body isn't supposed to work right now, for the sake of your life.”
That made sense. She was hurt. Three said that if she came out of her coma as she was now, she would die. Dying wasn't a good thing.
“But I really want you to hear me. Even subconsciously. So- so that way, when you do wake up, we'll already be friends! A-and you'll already know so much about me, so I just need to know about you!”
That sounded nice. Vee wanted to tell him about herself. Maybe she'd know just what that meant by the time she got the chance.
“I promise I'm going to fix you soon. It'll be no problem!”
Vee liked that.
----------------------
Three was hurt and crying again. But this time, he didn't come to collapse by her chamber. He was far away, in the workspace. Vee didn't want him to be hurt and crying anymore. Three had said that hurt could mean dying. Three couldn't die yet. Vee still had to tell him everything about herself.
He wasn't even saying her name this time. He was saying the human's. He was hard to hear, so quiet, so far.
Timothy.
I'm sorry, Timothy.
What does that mean?
I'm so, so sorry.
What does that mean, Three?
Please, Tim.
Three?
Please forgive me.
I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry.
Three?
Three, please. She wants to understand. She wants to know you.
I want to know you. Talk to me, please. Tell me everything. Tell me about Mary Shelley. Tell me about entomology. Tell me about One. Tell me about Two. Tell me about Four. Tell me about Pops. Tell me what you're working on. Tell me how you want me to be better already so I can hold your hand and talk back. Let me hold your hand.
Tell me what's wrong.
“---ee? Vee, I'm ---y, I'm here, plea--- calm down. I'm here, please. Do I need- do I need to sedate her? I-”
He's not crying anymore. He's talking to her.
“Vee? Five?”
That's right.
“Should I read to you? W-Would you like that?”
She would.
“P-progress report 13. May 23rd. It happened today. Algernon bit me.”
Flowers for Algernon. Surface literature. Of course he would read surface literature now. He was just thinking of Timothy.
Every time Three would read this specific story to her, he would explain that the first few progress reports were intentionally written with poor spelling and grammar. He would spend the whole time explaining the correct way to write the sentences, up until the writing became legible. Then, when the writing returned to its sorry state, he would resume his corrections.
“I visited the lab to see him as I do occasionally, and when I took him out of his cage, he snapped at my hand.”
Vee knew the end of this story.
“I put him back and watched him for a while. He was unusually disturbed and vicious.”
It never ended nicely. They always had to die.
“May 24th. Burt, who is in charge of the experimental animals, tells me that Algernon is changing.”
She didn't want anyone else to die.
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Something was different. Where once there was a lack of anything, now there was something. Something Vee didn't have the knowledge to understand just yet. She couldn't understand light. She couldn't understand color. Now, it was right in front of her.
A blur of a color she didn't know the name of, green, with a dash of another, purple. Three's voice came from it.
“Eyelids are open. Should be working. Just one last test-”
Three grabbed a small blur- a silver flashlight- and shined it into her eyes. Her muscles instinctively tried to close her eyelids, but there just wasn't enough power behind it. They stayed open enough for Three to see the pupils constrict.
“Yes. Yes! YES! They work! Yes!”
Three sounded happy. That was good. Maybe he looked happy, too. Vee didn't know what happy looked like yet.
“...I have to show Pops. I have to show Pops! Wait! Stay right there!”
Three left the room, and Vee thought deeply. “They work”. Three had said that her eyes “didn't work yet” before. So that must mean that they work now. That meant that she was seeing. This was what she had been looking forward to ever since Three had attempted to explain the abstract concept of seeing.
This was it.
Those colors. The nameless ones that she didn't know- the ones she didn't even know how to identify as colors- that was Three. That was the face of the voice who had been her only comfort for all of time. That was the face of the person she wanted to comfort. The voice that she heard crying and hurting. The person she wanted to hold the hand of.
The door to the room opened again, and Three returned with a taller figure. Vee had never heard him before, she was sure of that when he got close for her to hear his breathing. Maybe she could have seen him before. He was tall, and covered with new colors. She couldn't name them, but they were gold, blue, and magenta.
“Look! Look! Her eyes are functional now! They constrict and dilate! Watch!”
Three held the light to her eyes once more, and her pupils shrank again.
The new voice only grunted.
“She's so close to completion now! Th-there are only a few more developmental errors, and she just needs a little more muscle mass-”
The tall figure lashed out at Three, as another color, magenta and pink, writhing, latched around Three's throat. He was held off the floor, just a few feet. His happy breathing stopped.
“You have obsessed over this project for too long. Your progress has been agonizingly slow, and this is what you have to show for it?”
A new voice. Deeper. More menacing.
Pops.
Three gasped for air, trying to respond.
“I suppose I must also involve myself. Your inefficiency up to this point will not be forgotten.”
The writhing mass slammed Three into the floor as the tall figure walked away, shutting the door behind himself.
Three heaved shaky breaths from his spot in front of Vee's chamber. He almost sounded like he was crying and hurting.
Was this what crying and hurting looked like? Curling over yourself? Was that what she was doing? She was supposed to be hurting. She didn't think she was crying, though. Could you hurt and not cry?
Could you cry and not hurt?
Three moved onto his knees, placing one hand on the glass. His face looked different, as if the light reflected off of it differently. His eyes looked at her. For the first time, she could feel and see it.
“I'm going to get you out soon. Then… then you can be here with me. And Pops will be proud. And I'll have you, my sister. Forever, and ever, and ever. And no one will take you from me.”
Three smiled, leaning against the glass and falling asleep.
That sounded nice.
-----------🕷️-----------
“What is this?”
Vee stood over Three at his workbench, looking down at the sketch he was working on. It looked familiar, like other ones he had made, but the notes around the margins were different.
“Oh, it's another collar for Big Mama. She has someone joining the Nexus who has some immunity to electricity, so I have to work on an alternative design…”
“How does it work?”
Three looked up at Vee as she smiled softly. She loved doing this. Getting him talking about the things he knew about.
“Okay, well, since the regular electric shock won't result in what we're going for, I have to find another method of keeping the fighter in line. So- so this collar is designed to tap straight into the nerves in the neck- focusing mainly on the more secondary nerves, but also creating a pathway to the spinal column if needed. With this, the nerves can be pinched all at once, effectively paralyzing the wearer!”
Vee looked over the sketch, resting a hand on the desk next to it. “And why is this collar shaped so differently?”
Three brightened again. “Oh, well, for one, to create a visual distinction that makes it easier for Big Mama to know what type of collar it is. But also, because the specific yokai has… no neck? Sort of? They have shoulders, but it would be somewhat easy for them to slip a standard collar off. So, alternative design! And this one can be green.”
“Very good. I'm sure Mother would appreciate the change in aesthetic.”
The stone in her pocket began to glow.
“Speak of the Devil, I suppose.”
Five slipped her mask on quickly, then answered the call. “Hello, Mother.”
“Turtley-boo! Hello! Where are you, my dear? I couldn't find you!”
“I had to deliver this week's recording to Three. I'll be returning home shortly.”
“I would hope so! Everything here is always such a tissy-tassle when you're over at that terrible place. Oh, do come home quickly, please. Your mama is getting lonely.”
Vee looked to Three, and they exchanged a soft look, even behind Vee's emotionless mask. “I'll be there in a moment, Mother.”
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This was wrong.
This was all wrong.
She was supposed to be worried about being taken from him.
What could she do, now that he was taken from her?
Four was gone. Then Two was gone. Vee thought, surely Three wouldn't be that dumb. Three was smart. He cared about her. He wouldn't leave her.
So where was he now? On the surface, living with rats and humans.
And she was left behind. Stuck under the thumb of a spider that claimed to be her mother. Forced to witness the violent aftermath that had come when Three disappeared, as Lord Draxum berated her and her mother for letting Three get such delusional thoughts in his head. Ideas that made him weak and stupid. Hopes that his family cared for him.
But he left his family, didn't he?
She was supposed to be his sister.
And he left, in search of a family that didn't even know his name. His face. His voice. That voice was supposed to be hers. The one who took care of her. The one that fixed her.
Draxum may have caused her birth, but Three gave her life.
Didn't that matter to him?
She had been so scared of being taken from him, Vee didn't even consider the idea that he may be taken from her.
Fighting against him was something from her worst nightmares.
This couldn't be happening.
This was all wrong.
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Empty apologies.
He left, all because of a stupid dream he had been chasing. He left the family he had because of some dumb idea of a family that he had romanticized in his head. He left her.
Maybe he never cared about her anyway. She was just a toy to pass the time.
She wasn't real, anyway. Just a monstrous body given life.
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“Hi, Vee!”
Four approached her, sitting down cross legged on the floor beside her. He examined the blade she had been sharpening with an odd fascination.
“Where'd you get that?” He asked innocently.
“From Mother.”
Four straightened. “O-oh. Guess I shoulda… guessed that, huh?”
“Maybe.” Of course he should have. Who wouldn't recognize one of Big Mama's weapons?
“Hmm…” Four rocked back and forth, holding his feet. “Do you feel alright with me calling you Vee? I know that's what Donnie calls you, but I know he has like… a thing with names.”
“I’m Five,” she said bluntly, looking up at Four for a moment. “But I don't mind being called Vee.”
“Cool!” Four smiled, almost as sweetly as she remembered Three doing. “What's it short for?”
Vee paused and looked back up at Four. “Sorry?”
Four blinked. “...Vee. What's it short for?”
She squinted. “It stands for the roman numeral for Five. It isn't ‘short’ for anything.”
“Oh. Well, that's not right.” Four shook his head disapprovingly. “You need to match with us!”
That made Vee think. “Match?”
“Yeah!” Four shifted to sit on his knees. “See, cause I'm called Mikey. That's short for Michelangelo. He was a human artist in the Renaissance. And Raph is Raph, short for Raphael. And Leo is Leo, short for Leonardo. And Donnie is Donnie, short for Donatello!”
Vee put her blade down on the ground, giving Mikey all of her attention. “So they match because they're all artists?”
“Well, and since they're from the Renaissance, and since we've all got nicknames!” Mikey grinned. “Do you… want a name that matches with ours?”
“Yes.” Vee answered before she could really think about what she was saying. “I-I mean, I don't really need one, but-”
“Sweet!” Mikey patted his hands on the ground. “Now, what names could work… Genevieve? No, that would be Jenny… Vivian? Nah, that's not good enough. Oh!”
“What?”
“Well, I know all of our names are from artists, but, uh, what if your name was from a piece of art?”
Vee thought for a moment. It was certainly true that she wasn't like the other turtles. Obviously, her name would have to reflect that.
Though, maybe being a work of art wouldn't be so bad.
“Sure. But tell me the name before I agree to anything.”
Mikey's expression suddenly shifted to a more serious one. “Of course. How about… Venus de Milo?”
Venus de Milo.
“...what is it?”
“It's a statue from ancient Greece. She sorta got her arms ripped off, but she's still incredibly beautiful and detailed, and a very widely known masterpiece! Wait, lemme see if I've got internet-”
Mikey fumbled with his phone, desperately trying to gather some internet signal in the depths of the Hidden City. Meanwhile, Vee simmered in the thought. A statue, broken, never to be truly as it was before. And yet, it was beautiful, not just because of what it still had, but because it had lost. It had persevered. Because something so beautiful was never truly perfect. That was what allowed it to be beautiful instead.
Maybe that beauty made it perfect, anyway.
“I like it.”
Mikey's eyes flitted up from his hunch over his phone. “Oh? Great!” He corrected his posture. “How ‘bout you try it out? Introduce yourself to me!”
Vee cleared her throat, checking her own posture out of habit. “Hello, Michelangelo. My name is Venus de Milo. You may call me Vee.” She extended her hand for a handshake. Mikey met it vehemently.
“Perfect! Now, you match with all of us! Man, the teamwork and collaboration on this mission is gonna be on point!”
Venus smiled, turning the interaction around in her head.
Maybe she could be a masterpiece.
----------------------
Donnie loved to talk. Vee always knew that. But, for too long, she had never noticed how much he loved to be listened to; to have another directly engaging in the conversation. Once she learned that, she learned that she had a love for listening.
It was sometimes hard for her to understand her own wants without comparing them to the wants of others. She loved to listen because Donnie loved to talk. She loved to spar because that made Raph happy. She loved to ask questions so Leo could explain the nonsensical movies he showed her. She loved to eat because Mikey loved to cook.
But right now, none of that really mattered. Donnie was talking, and Vee loved to listen.
“Splinter told me that I could make him, as long as I make sure he doesn't turn, like, evil or anything. Though, honestly, if a robot uprising were to happen, I think it would be smart to just accept fate.”
Donnie was cleaning up some sort of schematic on a bean bag as a movie played on the TV. Vee sat next to him, not paying attention to the film at all. Screams about hot food went in one ear and out the other.
“So these are the plans you have so far?”
“Exactly!” Donnie brightened, then slumped as he came to a realization. “He's actually based on a design I made before you got out of your chamber. P-... Draxum destroyed that one, though.”
“Oh.” Vee slumped a bit as well. “I wish I could have seen it. Maybe I'd be more helpful now with these designs.”
“Uh, y-you don't have to worry about it!” Donnie waved his arms frantically. “It was my fault you were stuck in there anyway.”
“No it wasn't.” Vee looked at him blankly. “It was Lord Draxum's fault. He made me faulty. You helped me. You fixed my body.”
Donnie flustered, scratching at his neck. “W-well, not really. I didn't even-”
“You gave me my eyes. You gave me purpose.”
He looked at his sister, hands shaking almost invisibly where they gripped his sketching paper. Something strange came to his eyes- a shimmer, one that she knew. “I-I'm-”
“If you say you're sorry one more time, I might just rip your tongue out.”
“But I am! In more words than I can say, I am! You cared about me so much, and I just left you without a second thought. No apology I can give can ever make up for that.”
Vee sighed, shaking her head, looking at Donnie with tired eyes. “You're right.”
Donnie's nervous energy evaporated and he stilled.
“No apology will ever be enough. When you apologized to me, I didn't forgive you. When you apologized to me, I hated you.”
Venus paused, questioning whether or not she should continue. When Donnie gave no reaction, she decided to.
“When you tried to explain what had happened, I hated you. When you asked for my help, invited me in, told me you wanted me back, I hated you.”
Genuine tears started to well up in custom built eyes.
“B-because… because I couldn't believe you. You left me, and that was what was real. That was what mattered.”
Donnie took a breath in, as if to add something, but ultimately decided against it.
“Part of me still doesn't believe you.”
Months of worrying. Months of waiting. Months of simmering in hatred for the one person she had convinced herself she could trust. Months of wondering, “Would he have stayed if I had been better?” Months of unbridled rage towards her creator, who couldn't have waited just a little longer to make her right. Months thinking of her other so called “brothers” who stole her brother away.
He said no one could take her from him. So why would he throw her away?
“But you showed me otherwise.”
She never knew how to put these things into words. There was something difficult about bringing her thoughts out in that way. Because of this, she could never really tell Donnie how it felt when he first showed her that room he had prepared, which he left mostly empty for her to decorate herself. She could never explain how it felt when Splinter traced her stitches, complimenting how wonderfully they framed her features. She could never properly thank Raph for expressing his admiration for her fighting style. She couldn't express the joy she felt when she saw Leo do something that would make him feel embarrassed hours later. She could never say anything more than “It’s great” when eating one of Mikey's meals, one that should make a food critic cry.
“So you don't need to apologize anymore. You showed me how you cared, and that's all that matters now.”
Vee grabbed Donnie's hand, and the two shared a wordless understanding.
You can cry and not hurt.
----------------------
Vee woke up to the sound of someone else moving around the lair. All of her brothers were still covered in blankets around her, and a blank tarp hung on the wall stood in front of her that she vaguely remembered watching a projected video essay on before she fell into slumber. There was only one person missing from the scene…
As she pushed herself to her feet and walked into the hall, Vee came face to face with a still bonnet wearing April.
“Oh, morning, Vee!” April greeted energetically. “What're you doing up already?”
“This is a normal time to wake up, isn't it? You're awake.”
April hummed. “I guess you're right. I'm just used to the guys sleeping in super late. You hungry?”
Vee nodded, following April silently into the kitchen. Just a short time ago, she would have wanted to cut April's head off, purely because of her human existence. Now, she felt a strange, foreign comfort around the human. Not quite like she felt with her brother, or her other brothers, but something akin to it.
April started loading up the toaster, grabbing some spreads and setting them out on the counter.
“Got any plans today, Miss Milo?”
Vee chuckled. “It's Miss de Milo, and, uh, no. You got any plans, Miss Neil?”
April laughed in turn. “Actually, I do. And since you don't have any, I was hoping you might help me out with mine.”
Vee nodded, letting her continue.
“I brought some stuff from my place to do a spa day, slash makeover day. Figured you might want to join in.”
Vee thought for a moment. “I know what a spa day is, but what is a ‘makeover’?”
“Well, it's like,” she hesitated, “it's when you put on a ton of makeup and wear fancy clothes and stuff. Not because you're not pretty, but it's just… it's a way of making yourself feel good, y'know? You've worn makeup before, right?”
“No.” Vee shrank slightly. “Mother said that it would be a lost cause. That's why she gave me the mask instead.”
“Oh.” April shook her head, scrunching her nose. “Oh, no, no. That's not gonna work. You are going to be pampered, Miss de Milo. That is an order.”
April strode out of the kitchen, and Vee followed slowly behind. Before she could see where April had gone, there was the telltale sound of a pillow being thrown into someone's face.
“Owf- wha- hey! What was that for?” Leo grumbled through the grogginess of waking up.
“We've got a busy day ahead, boys! Gotta eat breakfast so we can get to work!”
“Busy day?” Mikey asked, slightly more cognizant than Leo. “What are we doing?”
“Makeovers. All of us!”
Vee finally caught sight of April in the hallway of the living room as she saw Donnie jumping up from where he was laying. “Are we gonna do nails?!” He shouted excitedly, running up in front of April. “Can I pick the colors?”
“Of course you can, bud. Just go eat some toast first,” April responded, patting his shoulder.
Donnie hurried to the kitchen followed by his brothers, who were all still wiping the sleep from their eyes. After that, breakfast went quickly.
Raph drug a stool into the bathroom in front of the mirror, where Vee was instructed to sit. Soon, she was surrounded by her brothers and April, with a large makeup bag in the human's hands. She put the bag down on the counter, taking out a liquid foundation in the perfect hue for Vee's skin.
“Where do you even find this stuff? Party City?” Leo asked, taking out another foundation from the bag that matched his own skin.
“No,” April scoffed, preparing her workspace, “I get it online. Its makeup, not face paint. It just happens to be green. Are you complaining?”
“No, ma'am.” Leo quickly shut himself up.
“Good. Now, let's get some jobs set straight.” April started gesturing to the brothers one by one. “Donnie, you're in charge of picking colors out, and themes. Mike, you're executing Donnie's ideas, because his hands are way too shaky. Raph, my bag's in the other room, go pick something out. You'll know what I mean when you get there. And Leo, you're in charge of music and talking. Tea spilling, gossip, whatever.”
All of the turtles nodded in response, and Raph walked out to find April's bag.
“Now, Vee.” April put her hands on Vee's shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes. “You just sit here, close your eyes, and relax. We've got it all handled.”
“Okay.” Vee hesitated, closing her eyes slowly, before shooting them open again. “Wait!”
April hummed, hovering the makeup sponge she had prepared in the air.
“Can you, uh… can you leave my stitches? Not cover them up, I mean.” She couldn't help casting a glance at Donnie, who gave a timid smile.
April relaxed. “Course, Vee. Now, close your eyes and let us work our magic!”
Vee complied, and she found herself surrounded by sounds. A strange nostalgia filled her chest.
“What we thinking, D?”
“How about, uh… this?”
“Ooo! Perfect! Can I get, uh… that one first?... Thanks! Okay Vee, I'm gonna grab your hand now. It's gonna be cold!”
“What am I supposed to even talk about? I don't have any tea.”
No need for sight. Hearing those voices, comforting her. With a slight drone of music alongside.
“How about your date with Usagi?”
“Wh- April! It wasn't a date!”
“Hey! No shoving! This is a delicate art, Leo!”
“Ugh, fine.” Another shove.
“Hey! No shoving me either! I didn't even say anything!”
“Yeah, but April's busy, Mikey's busy, and you gave me a weird look.”
“I gave you a normal look. You obviously went on a date. Vee, you know?”
Vee laughed just a bit, trying not to move and disturb April's work. “Donnie's right. It was pretty clearly a date.”
“No, it wasn't!”
“Just tell us what you did, Leo.”
Unlike before, she had other senses. But somehow, removing this one made her feel comfortable. Knowing that someone else was taking care of her felt so good.
When she felt Donnie's scar covered, calloused hand grab onto hers, the comfort felt warmer.
“We didn't even-”
“Hey, April? How's this one?”
“I think it's great, but how ‘bout you ask Mister Manicure?”
“Oh. Mike?”
“That's perfect, Raph! You got any accessories?”
“Maybe in my room… lemme go check.”
The sound of heavy footfalls walking away.
“Alright, I'm gonna be working on your eyelids, so it's gonna feel a little weird. Just try to stay loose.”
“Ooo, you are gonna look so good!”
Vee allowed the sound to envelop her entirely.
“Listen, we didn't go on a date, we aren't even a thing anyways.”
“I'm going to fix your body.”
“Usagi would be very hurt it he heard that. You wanna tell him, D?”
“You should be out here, learning with me.”
“I can text him right away-”
“NO!”
“Being my sister.”
“Just admit it, Leo! You're down bad for the bunny!”
“He still hasn't admitted that?”
“No, Raph! Because I'm not ‘down bad’!”
“So I'm going to fix you.”
“Okay, keep the volume down. I gotta concentrate…”
Time passed shapelessly. Vee interacted in the conversation when asked, but otherwise, she let the noise flow over herself. Before she knew it, she was being told to stand up and having fabric pulled onto her arms, with a ribbon being tied over her shell.
“Okay, okay, just a few more touches-”
“You've been doing ‘a few more touches’ for five minutes, Donnie. She looks great!”
“SHH! Don't rush perfection, Nardo.”
Vee blushed. “You really think I look perfect?”
She felt Donnie's eyes on her. “You always have.”
Mikey awed. “Okay, okay, okay, now you can look!”
Vee opened her eyes, just as Donnie moved to the side so she could see herself in the mirror. She saw that the fabric put on her was a dress, very light blue and with flowery embroidery patterning on the bottom of the knee-length skirt. Her claws were painted with pastel colors, with a light blue backdrop behind white daisies, each having an undertone of a different color: reddish-pink, blue, orange, purple, yellow, and green. On her face, a soft blue eyeshadow was put on her eyelids, with small painted daisies incorporated into her eyeliner. Similar flowery bows were placed down the length of her braided mask tails. Donnie quickly shuffled behind her to put a necklace on her neck, with a daisy shaped pendant.
Vee found herself speechless, staring at the stranger that had been pulled out of her own skin.
“Is it alright?” April asked hesitantly.
As she rubbed her lips together, Vee forced herself to look up at the ceiling. She waved her hands at her face.
“Oh- Oh! Its waterproof! You're good!”
“It is?!” Vee squeaked, struggling to hold herself together.
“Yeah, yeah, it is!”
“That's s-so cool!” Vee finally let her tears loose, still waving at her face while nervously laughing.
“You like it? Do you like the flowers? It was Donnie's idea!” Mikey asked, beaming as bright as the sun.
“Yes! Yes, I do, thank you!” Vee paused in her flapping to look over her hands again, and the dress, and her face.
Her flowers.
When she looked to Donnie, he looked as if he couldn't be happier.
“Well that's good, cause they cost me my dignity,” Leo groaned, despite the smirk on his face. “By the way, I call next.”
April patted his shell. “Alright, Leo. We'll make you pretty so you can look good for Usagi.”
“Great, because I- Wait! HEY!”
Vee was laughing loudly now, wiping her tears delicately with a single finger. The argument slowly turned back into background noise, as Leo sat on the stool instead, squabbling far too much for April's liking. Donnie recruited Vee for color picking and inspiration searching.
And so Vee let herself exist there, not worrying about mattering or being wanted. Not worrying about if the one she cared about was hurt or crying. Not longing for another sense to experience the world with. Not questioning if she may be taken away for good. Not asking if she really had a family. Not wondering if she did something wrong, or if she even had the right to call herself alive. Not waiting for someone to talk to her.
She had her flowers, and words could never compare.
○●○●○●○
Finally, she is here. I went a little wild on this. There are just so many parts of Vee's story that I can't wait to see. She's my little brainworm 💖
I'm glad that I can get this out before the @tmntaucompetition ends, especially since EW is in the finale. Go vote for them!!! I love them so dearly :)
I'm going to edit the first chapter of my own iteration, (currently titled Second Shot), and post that soon. I simply must get my boys out into the world, especially after discovering @dluebirb's TMNT AU family reunion. Lord knows they need friends.
Note: The characters in this fic are from @rufwooff 's teenage mutant ninja everything-but-turtles au. Leo is a salamander, Mikey is a toad/frog, Donnie is a gecko, and Raph is an alligator. It can sort of be read as a rise fic if you ignore the... frog stuff? But there are things that might not make sense without knowledge of the au. This post specifically inspired the fic.
Tags: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ROTTMNT, Leo-centric, NOT MY CHARACTERS, Teenage Mutant Ninja Everything-but-Turtles, tmnebt, turtle tots (still unsure abt that one), dialogue written like a child, lying, extremely fluffy, but with a hint of angst
Warnings (if there's anything I should add here, tell me please!): nothing, why would i ever hurt kids :)
Words: 4,647
Summary: Leo finally gets to spend a day alone with his little brother, Mikey. When things go wrong, he decides to save himself. After all, what's so bad about a little lie?
----------------------
“Can grow to doo-ble the size in a few… h-owers…”
Leo held the small package he'd found close to his face, trying his best to read what the label said. Donnie had told him it was some kind of toy, but it just looked like a plastic whale to him. Mikey watched Leo from the bowl he was quickly outgrowing, listening intently to Leo's somewhat successful attempt at reading.
“Leave in a cup or bowl of wwwater and watch the magic!” Leo read triumphantly, holding the toy in front of him. The salamander looked over to his little brother. “We just need a cup or something to use it!”
“Wah'der!” Mikey noted wisely, bracing himself on the edge of the glass.
“Right!” Leo nodded, face turning pensive. “But I can't reach any of the cups or bowls in the kitchen, and Dad doesn't want me climbing on stuff anymore…”
“Waphie?” Mikey suggested.
“Raph's busy with Dad cooking dinner. Bo-ring.” Leo sighed. “And Donnie said he was studying today…”
“Hmm…” Mikey hummed, before his eyes lit up. “Bow’!” He squeaked, rocking his bowl side to side. “Bow’! A bow’!”
“No Mikey, we need a-” Leo caught on. “Oh, a bowl. You're a genius, Mikey!”
Mikey squeaked and squealed in response to the praise, wiggling what was left of his tail in the water. “Tank you.”
“Alright then, Mikester. You're gonna have to show off how good you are with those new legs.” Leo wrapped his arms around his baby brother's body, struggling for a moment to get a good grip with both of them having slippery skin, but he eventually hefted Mikey out of the bowl under his armpits and placed him on the stone floor. “This'll be a good oppa-tunity for you! You just gotta stay here while I fill up the bowl the rest of the way, okay?”
“Okie-dokie!” Mikey replied cheerfully, patting his newly grown hands on the floor. They had been fully developed for about a week, but he had yet to do much with them other than waving and clapping.
Taking Mikey's word without any doubt, Leo picked up the half filled bowl and carried it away to the nearby tunnel. Sure, he knew he wasn't supposed to go into the tunnels by himself. And sure, he knew he wasn't supposed to leave Mikey alone when they were playing. But Leo was a big boy! And so was Mikey! Mikey had all of his limbs now! That, Leo didn't exactly understand, because Leo always had all his limbs, just like Raph and Donnie. Mikey was just a ball with a tail and eyeballs. A tadpole, Donnie's voice reminded him. Now Mikey was a toadlet, which meant surely he was grown enough to be on his own for a few minutes.
It wasn't like Leo didn't like spending time with Mikey. He loved watching movies with him, coloring things with him, even chatting with him despite his more limited vocabulary. Mikey just… couldn't play a lot of the games Leo liked to play. Leo liked to move, and Mikey couldn't move a lot. Mikey couldn't play tag, or hide and seek, and he could only play Jupiter Jim if he was playing as Godfred, the Goldfish King. Even then, he was no fun to play with without his royal guards.
Today, Leo got to play with Mikey without supervision, a job usually reserved for his older brothers. It was a total breeze, he had found out, because Mikey was so stationary. Babies were boring, but they were easy.
Leo carried the bowl back, making sure to spill as little of the mildly murky sewer water he had collected as possible, and put it down right next to the toy he had left on the floor. Right next to the puddle where Mikey was sitting before.
Puddle?
“Boys! Come eat!”
“...spit.”
----------------------
Leo walked into the kitchen with a nervous smile on his face, finding that Raph and Donnie were already seated with food in front of them. Both plates were filled with vegetables and meat, and Splinter was preparing two more plates with more of the same.
“Hello, Blue,” Splinter greeted, glancing around Leo's sides. “Where is your brother? I thought he was with you.”
“H-he was! He just got reeeally tired,” Leo lied, swaying on his feet and swishing his tail slowly. “So I tucked him in bed. He was really, indubitably tired.”
“You don't even know what that word means, Leo.” Donnie glared right into Leo's soul, pushing his glasses up as Leo sat down next to him.
“Yes I do! I-it means Mikey was really super tired!”
“Purple, do not be rude to your brother,” Splinter scolded. “If Orange was tired, he should sleep. He is a growing boy. Thank you, Blue, for tucking him in. He can eat later, after he wakes up.” Splinter finished preparing a plate for himself, then sat down next to his sons and began eating. “Did you all enjoy yourselves today?”
Raphael nodded. “I showed Cheech how to beat up the practice dummy right! He wasn't too good at holdin’ Raph's sais though.”
“That is very kind of you, Red. I'm sure that Cheech will improve if you keep training him.” Splinter smiled kindly.
“He won't,” Donnie whispered, leaning into Leo's ear. “Teddy bears can't do ninjutsu.”
“I think Raph can teach him, Raph's good at teaching,” Leo whispered back.
“What about you, Purple?”
Donnie straightened his posture, his tail sticking straight up for a moment, straightening his glasses again. “I actually did some very helpful research using the encyclopedia that Dad found and the book on reptiles we got a while ago.” He looked around at his brothers. “I learned a lot about our different species. I looked pretty closely into toads and frogs so I could talk to Mikey about his current state, but apparently I can't, because he fell asleep at 6 pm.” Donnie side eyed Leo questioningly.
“You can tell him about what you learned tomorrow, Purple,” Splinter said. “I'm sure whatever he and Blue did today was exhausting, was it not?” He asked, redirecting the conversation to Leo.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” Leo agreed fervently. “Me and Mike were having so much fun. Like, Mikey was having sooo much fun, he literally passed out! And I put him in bed, like a good big brother!”
“He… passed out?” Raph asked worriedly.
“Yeah! Like, knocked out hard. Totally asleep. And I tucked him in good!”
“In his tub.” Donnie raised a drawn eyebrow.
“That's right!”
“Boys, there is no need to argue about this,” Splinter said with a strained smile as the brothers finished eating and put their plates away in the sink. “We should all be happy for Blue, who has proven himself as a big brother.”
“He's sure proving something, alright…” Donnie murmured with crossed arms.
“You can spend a little more time up, but I want you to get to bed soon as well. Meanwhile, I will be taking this opportunity to take a nice, long shower.” Splinter shook his robed arms, showcasing the small clumps of fur gathering across his body. “This stuff gets oily way faster than you would expect.”
“Don't worry Pops!” Raph said, standing absurdly tall for a child of his age and swishing his unruly tail. “I'll check on Mike, then I'll make sure Leo and Don get to sleep too! You have my word!” Raph tried to hold up a military salute, but he caught his hand on his large jaws and hit his head backwards, tail and arms flailing to make sure he didn't fall. He looked distraught for a moment, before making a show of shaking off the pain to be strong for his dad.
Splinter sighed. “Thank you, Red.”
Leo straightened up, eyes widening as he saw his brothers going toward their room, and dashed over to the sink to drop off his own plate so he could follow. Quickly, would be preferable.
“Blue? May I speak with you?”
Spit.
Leo stood with the most relaxed posture he could muster as he faced his dad, leaning on the countertop behind him with one elbow. “Sure, Pops!”
Splinter kneeled down in front of the salamander. “I wanted to thank you for spending the day with your little brother. I know that he is still unable to do many of the things that you can, but it is good to hear that you included him in your games anyways.”
“Oh,” Leo said, losing his fake nonchalance for a moment. “It… it was no big deal, Dad.”
“I would say it was a big deal, Leonardo.” Splinter placed a paw on Leo's shoulder, smiling softly at his son. “Once Orange hits the growth spurt he is bound to, it will be much more difficult to keep you boys from bouncing off the walls. I am glad to know I can trust you to take care of your little brother.”
Leo's heart dropped in his chest with guilt, but he kept his outward appearance well enough. Internally, he was screaming to run away and stop his brothers from reaching the bedroom. “Of course, Dad. Mikey was actually really really super fun to hang with! Not boring at all! He actually was playing way more than me, and like, he was really cool and stuff. And fun to play with,” he added carefully.
Splinter stood up, cracking his back. “That is great to hear. Now-” he clapped his hands- “to wash the gunk out of this gross fur!”
As soon as Splinter skipped away, Leo fumbled over his feet to rush to the bedroom. He kicked his tail a few times, but ignored it in his frenzy. His brothers were already there! It was over! He would never be trusted again! Not by Raph, not by Donnie (though who really cared about that), and most importantly, not by his dad!
When Leo got to the shared bedroom, he slid on the floor to turn in the doorway as fast as possible, only to find Raph terrifyingly close to Mikey's tank.
“WAIT!”
Both of his brothers looked up at him immediately. Donnie's glare from where he sat on his bed quickly changed from confused to exhausted. “And why, dear Nardo, would Raph need to wait?”
Leo hesitated. “Well, b-because-”
“No, Leo. You've been super suspicious ever since you came to dinner.” Donnie stood up, putting the book he had in his hands down.
“No I haven't!” Leo defended. “I don't even know what that means, so I can't be that.”
“It means you've been acting weird because you're hiding something!” Donnie accused.
“Am not!” Leo defended.
“Yes, you a-”
“Guys!” Raph whispered furiously, catching the other boys’ attention. “If you're gonna fight, do it quiet. Mikey's still asleep.” The oldest brother turned away, not being able to see the despaired expression on Leo's face, and approached Mikey's corner of the room where his small tank sat.
Donnie looked back at Leo with disdain. “Whatever you're hiding, you should just cough it up. Dad doesn't like liars.”
“Well that's great, cause I'm not lying. I'm like, the least liar-est person ever.”
“Uh, Donnie?” Raph asked quietly from his spot by the tank. “Didn't you say Mikey was supposed to mecha-morph-uh.. whatever?”
“Metamorphosis. It's the process through which a tadpole becomes a frog or toad. Commonly associated with frogs and butterflies, which come from caterpillars. And technically, the word would be ‘metamorphose’, in this context.”
“I think he meta-morph-osed into a whale instead…”
Leo held his breath.
“What?” Donnie walked over to the tank, continuing to ramble. “No, he's supposed to metamorphose into a fire bellied toad, not a whale. There's no way that- GASP!” Donnie plunged his hand in the tank, coming back out with an unmistakable item. “You left his bowl in the tank?!”
“What?! I-I don't know how that got there, I swear!” Leo stammered, grabbing the hem of his shirt.
“You said you put Mikey to bed! Mikey isn't here, but his bowl is!” Donnie shouted. “You lied! You lost Mikey!”
“N-no I didn't!”
“Oh yeah? Then how did his bowl get here?”
Leo puffed his cheeks, fuming. “It wasn't even my fault! Mikey said I could use his bowl!”
Raph gasped this time, like a normal person. “You really lost Mikey?”
Leo's anger faltered at the sad face on his big brother. The reality of the situation was finally settling in. “I-I didn't mean to. I just went in the tunnel for one second-”
“You went in the tunnels?!” Raph screamed.
Leo winced. “It was just for like a second, and nothing even happened!”
“Clearly, something did happen,” Donnie interjected, putting the bowl down. “You. Lost. Mikey!”
“I did not! Mikey said-”
“GUYS!” Raph slammed his tail on the ground, scaring his brothers into attention. “Right now, Raph's gonna ignore all the rules you broke. We don't need to fight about who to blame, because Mikey is missing. He could be in danger, or worse, already hurt. We need to find him before Dad finds out.” Raph stepped closer to Leo. “Now, where did you lose Mikey?”
“I didn't lose hi-”
“Mikey was under your supervision. Now he's gone. You lost Mikey,” Donnie said sternly. “Where did you lose him?”
Leo stared down at his feet, then sighed heavily. “It was right by the tunnel entrance, by the toy room. When I came-d back in, there was just a puddle where he was sitting before.”
“A puddle?” Donnie asked.
“Yeah, that's what I just said,” Leo groaned.
“No, that could be a clue. Show us where the puddle was,” Raph urged.
“Uh, okay.” Leo turned around and walked down the hall with his brothers in tow. He couldn't help but feel their eyes glaring into his back, judging him. Hating him for lying. For putting his baby brother in danger.
Maybe he wasn't a good big brother like Dad had said. Mikey was the only little brother he had. How did he screw that up?
They reached the end of the hall, and Leo was surprised to see a little bit of dampness still on the floor, even after almost an hour. “He was right here,” he said, crouching down to look.
“Hm,” Donnie hummed, crouching down as well. “Just as I thought.” He put a finger in the spot on the ground, surprising his brothers when his hand came up with something slimy. “Mikey didn't just leave the water from his bowl, he also left mucous.”
“Mucous? Like, he snotted everywhere?” Raph questioned.
“No, it's not snot. It's mucous. Many frogs and toads produce mucous with glands on their skin that helps keep it moist. In some, it also helps them breathe through their skin,” Donnie explained.
“So, Mikey left his skin snot on the floor,” Leo gathered.
“No. It's mucous, not snot.”
“Hey, look!” Raph pointed to another spot on the floor. “More snot!”
“Follow it!” Leo said, running over to the spot and searching for more.
Donnie pinched the bridge of his snout. “Again, not snot, but okay, we have a lead.”
“Why's it in spots, and not, like, little froggy footprints?” Raph asked, following as Leo spotted more spots.
“It's possible that Mikey figured out how to hop,” Donnie said.
“Ha! So this was worth it!” Leo said, pumping a fist. “I taught Mikey how to hop!”
“Or, you taught him how to hop off a cliff and die. Or hop right into a human's home,” Donnie replied.
“Donnie…” Raph whispered.
Leo didn't respond, instead choosing to keep following the spots. There were a few he saw on the walls, which he noted curiously. They traveled all throughout the lair, slowly becoming more recent. Eventually, the brothers found a place where they entered a door.
The bathroom door, where soft singing could be heard on the other side.
“Aw, spit.”
Raph elbowed Leo's shoulder. “Dad said you shouldn't say that anymore.”
“Why? It's not a bad word. I can say it all I want! Spit, spit, spit-”
“Guys,” Donnie said, “let's worry more about the mucous going into the room where Dad is showering.”
“Oh, right.”
The trio opened the door slowly, getting facefuls of steam that fogged up Donnie's glasses, causing him to back out. Leo and Raph stuck their heads in, surveying the area. Splinter's operatic singing filled their ears, making them wince. However, in the midst of the steam filled bathroom, they spotted what they were looking for.
Mikey was perched on the edge of the sink, looking at the closed shower curtain with wide eyes.
“Mikey!” Leo whispered, getting Mikey's attention and drawing his eyes. “Hey Angelo! Come here, come to Leo!” He held his hands out, beckoning.
Mikey squeaked softly, waving at Leo, then pointing at the shower.
“Nonono, don't go there buddy, hop over here!”
Mikey grinned, then readied himself to jump straight at the curtain.
“MIKEY!”
The clattering of metal and screams of the boys cut off Splinter's singing, as Mikey hopped right onto the curtain and pulled the curtain rod down. Raph pushed past Leo into the room, catching Mikey before he fell to the floor with the curtain.
Splinter, despite being covered with soaked fur, tried to cover himself and turned the shower off. “Boys!? What is the meaning of this?!”
Raph fumbled to keep Mikey in his arms. “Sorry, Pops! Mikey was just-”
Mikey turned around in Raph's arms, reaching out to Splinter. “Hi Daddy!”
“Orange? What are you doing awake?”
“He, uh, he woke up!” Leo said, pushing in front of Raph. “We had to follow him here.”
“Follow him?” Splinter raised an eyebrow.
Raph looked at Leo, unsure.
“Yes?” Leo said nervously.
They all stood still, Leo patting his toe on the floor. He couldn't tell if he was sweating of fear, or if it was just the steam in the room. The tension felt as thick as the steam filled air.
“LEO LOST MIKEY!”
“What?!”
“DONNIE, YOU SNITCH! I DID NOT!”
“YES YOU DID! AND YOU LIED! LEO LIED!” Donnie screamed from outside the room.
“Donnie! Stop being mean to Leo!” Raph said, struggling to keep a hold on the boy in his arms. Mikey wriggled around, bracing his feet on Raph's chest and hopping off, sending himself flying into Splinter's arms while also hitting Raph's jaws shut with a clack and nearly sending Raph falling backwards.
“Orange!” Splinter caught Mikey deftly, checking him over. Then, he looked back up to his other sons. More specifically, at the one who had just been basically slapped by his own jaw. “Red, are you okay?”
Raph grunted, but nodded slowly as he held his snout.
“Good. That was very rude of you, Orange,” he said to the son in his arms. “What do you say?”
“I'm sowwy, Waphie…” Mikey mumbled with innocent eyes. Raph gave a weak thumbs up in response.
“Good job. I'm very proud of you for learning how to jump.” Splinter looked at Leo, who physically shrank.
“I-I swear, I didn't meanta lose him. We were just playing, a-and he said-”
“He can tell me what he said.”
Leo felt tears trying to force their way out behind his eyes.
Splinter sighed, dropping his shoulders. “Red,” he addressed, “make sure your brothers get to bed. With no screens,” he said, shooting a glare at the door.
“I would never!” Donnie scoffed from outside.
“I will come to tuck you in as soon as I am done with my shower. I have a feeling that Orange won't let me go without giving him a good bath, too,” he added, causing Mikey to squeak and laugh in his hold.
“No problem, Pops,” Raph said, walking toward the door.
Leo blinked, confused. Where was his scolding? Where was his slap on the wrist? This couldn't possibly be that bad, right? “B-but I-”
“Go to bed, Leonardo.”
Leo shut up fast, swallowing all of his tears and excuses. He followed Raph glumly out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Raph was standing outside with a concerned look on his face, while Donnie wore a smirk.
“I told you Dad doesn't like liars.”
Leo walked past, trying to get to the bedroom with as little eye contact as possible. Raph reached to grab his shoulder, but he shrugged it off and walked faster. Donnie's words echoed in his head.
Dad didn't like liars. Leo was a liar. Dad was the one that took care of them.
He could kick Leo out.
He'd have to live in the tunnels. Or maybe, Dad wouldn't let him live in the tunnels. He'd have to live on the surface, with the humans. The humans who wanted to catch him. Who wanted to pull him apart to see what he was made of and then piece him back together to see what he could do. He would die without his dad. He didn't want to live without his dad. Without his brothers. Without Mikey. Because he did love Mikey, even if he lied. At least he thought so.
Maybe Dad wouldn't care now. Maybe Dad didn't love him now. Leo was a liar. Dad doesn't like liars. Why would he?
Leo flopped into his bed as soon as he reached it, pulling the covers over himself and turning in to face the wall. Raph attempted to talk to him, but Leo only curled up tighter, pulling his tail up so far he could see it in front of his face.
Eventually, Raph gave up. Leo heard him softly scolding Donnie, but tried to ignore it as silent tears fell off his cheeks.
Just when he thought he was about to fall asleep, Leo heard the bedroom door opening. He wiped his face and turned slightly, seeing Splinter walk first to Donnie's bed, then to Raph's, before finally coming toward Leo's.
He noticed Mikey sitting in the doorway, who waved when he caught Leo's eyes. Leo waved back slowly.
Splinter kneeled by Leo's bedside, just like he would any other night to tuck him in. Usually, this would bring Leo warmth and comfort, reminding him that his father loved him. This time, Leo couldn't fight the sense of dread that filled his chest, making it feel like he was breathing something heavier than air. He wasn't getting tucked in. He didn't deserve that anymore. He was a liar.
Dad doesn't like liars.
His father's eyes seemed to see right through him. “I am very upset with you, Leonardo.”
Leo tensed, but kept looking at Splinter.
“I am not upset that you lost track of your brother. You are a child, and I cannot expect you to be perfect. Do you know why I am upset?”
Leo nodded slowly, then mumbled, “Because I lied…”
“Exactly. It is because you lied. You could have told me as soon as it happened, and I would have helped you look for him. Instead, you lied and put your brother at even more risk. You could have fessed up when I saw Michelangelo in the bathroom. But yet, you still didn't. You didn't admit to your own fault. It took Donatello telling me for you to finally confess. And even then, you tried to rid yourself of all guilt.”
Leo sniffed, tearing up again. “Are you gonna kick me out?”
Splinter's eyebrows raised in shock. “What? No, I will not kick you out. Why would I ever do something so horrible?”
Something shattered.
“But… but I lied! I hurt Mikey! I-I'm a bad brother!” Leo's tears started flowing openly.
“No, no, Blue, you are okay. Shh…” Splinter rubbed his hand across Leo's face, wiping a tear away.
Leo sniffled and hiccuped, holding onto the back of Splinter's hand and softly sobbing. “I'm sorry, Dad, I-I didn't want to…”
Splinter rubbed his son's cheek, hushing him quietly. “I know. But that does not change what you did.” He looked deeply into his son's eyes, ensuring he had his full attention. “I forgive you, but this cannot go without punishment. I will not kick you out, and I never would. You are my son. Instead, you will be grounded for a month.”
Leo whined, but nodded. “Okay…”
“However, I believe that taking away the things that bring you joy will not make you learn the lesson that you need to learn. That is why, during this month, you will not be disallowed from doing anything in our home. Do you understand that?”
Leo nodded.
“The only caveat is that you must spend the entire month with your brother, Michelangelo. You will only do things that he wants to do. You will not plant ideas in his head or put words in his mouth. You will only do things that he says he wants to do. If he ever wants to spend time away from you, you will spend that time with me. Do you understand?”
“Mhm.” Leo nodded again.
“Perfect.” Splinter smiled. “I forgive you for this, and I hope that through this grounding period you can regain my trust.”
Leo smiled as well and nodded one last time, wiping one last tear with the heel of his hand. “I hope so too.”
Splinter turned to the doorway and waved Mikey over with his hand. Mikey grinned and hopped over, much quicker than Leo had expected. He stopped at Leo's bedside, slowly using the bed to brace himself as he stood up on shaky legs, then looked at his father.
“Tell Blue what you told me, Orange.”
Mikey wobbled for a second, then looked up at Leo. “I, um, I'm sowwy I went away when you said not go away. And I'm sowwy, um, I jumped at Daddy when you said not to do… And, um, I wwwanted to s'eep in a big boy bed tonight, cause imma big boy now, but I don't got a big boy bed, can I s’eep wi’ you.” Mikey finished the sentence like a statement, not a question, but his intention was clear.
Leo looked for just a second at his dad, who nodded encouragingly, before looking back at his little brother. “Sure, Mike. Hop on up here.”
Mikey did just that, with more force than Leo had expected. “Wow, Angelo, you've really got good legs now!” Leo said, catching Mikey in his arms and helping tuck him into the blankets. Meanwhile, Splinter walked to Mikey's tank and came back with his bowl and a towel.
“Alright, boys. Orange, your bowl will be right here if you need to soak, and your tank will be there if you want it.” Splinter pulled the blanket up, kissing each boy on the forehead. He cringed and wiped his lips after kissing Mikey, making the boy squeak and giggle. “Sleep well, my big boys. I am so proud of you, and I love you.”
“Love you too, Dad,” both boys chorused. Mikey snuggled into Leo's chest, letting Leo hold him like a stuffed animal. Leo only flinched for a moment at the slimy feeling of Mikey's skin (mucous, not snot).
Splinter walked out of the room, and it was barely even 20 seconds after he heard the door close that Leo heard a whisper coming from beside him.
“I'm sowwy, ‘eo,” Mikey murmured.
Leo looked down at his brother, confused. “You already said sorry. You don't gotta say it again.”
“But I said sowwy then cause Dad said,” Mikey explained. “Now, I said sowwy cause Mikey said.”
“Oh.” Leo settled back in, putting his chin on Mikey's head. “Well, I'm really sorry too. And that's cause Leo said,” he added, smirking.
Mikey giggled and squeezed Leo tightly, wiggling beneath the sheets. In a matter of minutes, the young amphibian had completely fallen asleep, slightly drooling on Leo's pillow. He didn't mind.
Leo grabbed onto Mikey and closed his eyes as well.
He never wanted to let go again.
○●○●○●○
Did I tell myself I would write au comp propaganda? Yes. Did I write a fic about an au completely unrelated to the comp? Yes, and I'm not sorry. I figured since another round finished up today, why not post something?
For real, I've had some insane art block recently, and writing has been keeping me sane. I tried writing propaganda, hated it, then realized, you know what makes me feel better every time? Turtle tots.
In this case, everything-but-turtle tots.
Shoutout to @rufwooff for making one of the most serotonin filled aus I've seen in a while, and fueling my exhaustion-induced writing spree. And go check out @tmntaucompetition! We're getting closer to the end! AAH!
Warnings (if there's anything I should add here, tell me please!): mild disorientation (idk if that's necessary but might as well)
Words: 3,548
Summary: As the lessons begin, Daniel makes a concerning discovery.
Author's note: I realized something I forgot to mention in chapter one; Aven is not my OC!!! While this story includes a version of the character that is slightly different, Aven belongs to my dear friend @cadoodledoodleydoo!!! She created such a sweet and fun character, I just had to include her in this world, in my own way. Please go check out Cadoo's page, and all of her stuff. She makes lovely art and beautiful writing to go along with it. I'll be editing chapter 1 to include this disclaimer, but felt it best to say so here as well. This chapter actually also features another OC of Cadoo's, though she only has a small cameo. Anyway, thank you for reading!
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The boys got to the library sooner on Friday, in hopes of catching some more of the storytime. Daniel wanted to know he could trust Aven, and he wanted to be sure she wasn’t lying about the whole “teaching kids” thing. Surely the way you read to kids is a good indicator of that, right?
The book was a simple one, but one Daniel had never read before. His mother suggested he not read those lower level books, as they were a “waste of time”. He could read the more complex, higher level books, so those were what he should be reading. Even so, there’s only so many young adult dystopias you can put up with before you get bored and want something else. This was definitely something else.
Mickey was quickly enthralled, even if he couldn't understand the words. This book appeared to be about an insect, eating food and growing big enough to cover the whole world in its many-legged embrace. Really, it was a little absurd and morbid. But the kids liked it. And Aven spoke with an air of all-knowing- as if she was writing the book as it was being read. A level of professionalism that could be easily missed by someone dismissing her position as “low”. She was educating. She was entertaining. And she did both of those things very well.
As the boys all sat down, Mickey cuddling up against Daniel's side, Aven glanced up from the book and smiled with a small nod. She continued to read, pointing out the important parts of the bright, distinct illustrations. They were nothing like the realistic portraits Daniel often pondered in the halls of his home; if anything, they more closely resembled the abstract pieces that his mother told him they only kept because his dad enjoyed collecting them. The essence of an insect. Yet, it wasn't done in a way that was hard to comprehend, or had some underlying meaning. It was a bug, eating food. Simple as that. Not some uppity implication of capitalism or another concept that they never explained in a way Daniel could understand. It was just a bug.
The book was short, as most children's books are. Before they knew it, Aven was wrapping up, sending the kids to go get more hugs and kisses from their awaiting parents. Mickey’s little head was on a swivel, taking in every little movement around as the space emptied. Once most people were gone and Aven had said more than enough pleasantries, she walked over to kneel in front of the boys.
“It’s lovely to see you again,” she greeted sweetly. Mickey gave a little wave that she returned in kind. “I assume this means Mickey’s parents agreed? You wouldn’t be here against their wishes, would you?”
“Nope!” Leonard’s friendly, innocent persona slipped on like a cloud across the sky. “Mickey’s real excited to learn, too.”
“Well, that’s great, isn’t it?” She leaned back on her heels. “I brought some things that you two can use to occupy your time, while I work with him. Unless you’d like to sit in on the lessons, of course.”
“No, thank you,” Daniel said easily, if a little rushed. Aven chuckled a little in response.
“I understand. I have games, coloring pages, and, well… you have a whole library of books!”
While Daniel’s eyes flickered with excitement at the opportunity, Leonard dramatically faux-gagged.
The seal’s brow furrowed. “You’d be amazed by how much fun you can have with books, Leonard,” she chastised. “I’ve got some graphic novels you could check out.”
“Uh, ‘no thank you’,” Leonard mocked with a smirk.
“Your loss.” Aven carefully took Mickey’s fin, picking him up as Daniel watched closely. “The goodies I brought are all in that bag by the front desk. I’m going to get started with Mickey here.”
Daniel nodded carefully. “T-Thank you, ma’am.”
“Call me Aven,” she said with a tender smile before walking over to the small kids table and putting Mickey in a seat. She grabbed another nearby bag and began taking out small things; folders, pencils. Mickey bobbled back and forth in the seat, only nearly toppling off once. Aven spoke to him in a low voice, in a tone that made him smile despite not understanding the words on her breath.
Even as she continued to prove herself, Daniel couldn’t help but worry. For some reason.
Leonard tugged on Daniel’s arm, gesturing to the desk. “Let’s check out what she brought,” he murmured, “I wanna see if there’s anything we can nab.”
Daniel scoffed, but walked along. “We’ve known her for two days.”
“Three days, teck-a-nick-a-ly.”
“We can’t just-” he paused to lower his voice- “steal from her!”
“It won’t be stealing,” Leonard justified. “Just- if there’s something she’s got a few of, one going missing won’t hurt!”
“At least wait until we’ve known her for a while to do something like this,” Daniel sighed. “For Mickey’s sake.”
“Why would we need to wait that long?” Leonard began to unzip the bag, paying no mind to the large yokai sitting at the desk, with a book in one set of hands and a cup of tea in another. She had a multitude of dark black eyes on her green furred, bear-like face, with an underbelly of fluffy purple fur.
Daniel rolled his eyes. “Teaching takes a while. It’ll probably take at least a month for Mickey to even speak comprehensible English. We have to make sure Aven still…” Daniel glanced up at the unfamiliar yokai, trying to see where her eyes were looking, but struggling with their entirely dark nature. “...likes us.”
“We’re kids,” Leonard groaned, leaning into the bag. “Adults have to pity us a little no matter what. So what if we steal some of her stuff?”
Daniel cringed. “Do you have to say that so loud?”
“Who cares? Oo, look at this…” The ogre reached into the bag to take out a notebook and a pack of markers.
“We're going to talk about this.”
“Yeah, sure. Hey, she's got nerd games, too.” Leonard held up a box labeled “Chess & Checkers: An Introduction”.
A small smirk quirked the corner of Daniel’s mouth. “...bet I can beat you.”
“...no way.”
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Leonard did not know how to play chess.
Or checkers. Somehow.
Still, Daniel suffered through a few games of each, just to prove his point. Even with Leonard cheating out of pure ignorance.
(“The bishop can't move there.”
“Mine can.”
“...fine. Check.”)
After a few games, the boys split to check out the coloring books and actual books. Daniel kept an eye on Aven and Mickey. He couldn't exactly catch what the lesson was about, or figure out how well Aven was teaching it, but Mickey seemed to be enjoying it, at the very least. Really, Daniel wasn't sure why he was so concerned. Aven was a professional, and it wasn't like Mickey was his child or anything.
Daniel found the section of the library labeled for his age group, and he tried to like the books, really. But they were all so surface level. So simple. So short. Nothing actually grabbed his attention. Especially when most of the pages were mostly illustrations. Is this really what most 8 year olds were reading?
He eventually just sat down to pick over the coloring pages. Those would do to pass the time. Leonard’s pages were surprisingly well done, with the colors almost entirely contained within the lines. And when they weren't, they were intentional- an extra bow in the hair, a ring on the hand, a collar on the dog. Daniel watched him, almost taken aback by the focus on the ogre’s face. He was supposed to not care about things.
Before he knew it, the city was beginning to rest and Mickey was clearly starting to get tired, almost nodding off in his seat. Aven moved him to sit on one of the nearby bean bags and walked over to the other boys. She kneeled by Daniel’s side, looking at his half colored page. “Did you find any books you liked?”
“No,” Daniel said with a slight pout. “Why were they all so easy? I thought the sections were sorted by reading level.”
“They are,” Aven confirmed, “but you might not read at the same level as other kids your age. Lots of kids don't. Or, even if you can read at the same level as your peers, you might not want to.” The seal gently picked up the small pile of books Daniel had picked through, taking in their general themes. She smiled a bit. “You know, I think I know a series you may enjoy. Would you like to see?”
Daniel hesitated. “Well, we're gonna leave soon…”
“If you like the sound of it, I'll check out the first book for you to take home.”
Daniel’s breath caught slightly. He didn't mind being around Leonard and Mickey, but the garage was so boring with nothing to do. He'd love to have something he could pass the time with.
After an excited acceptance, Aven led Daniel down the shelves to the more advanced, but still young books. These books had slightly thicker spines, and shorter ones that signified smaller text, too. She stopped and slipped one of the books from a shelf, and Daniel noted at least a dozen other novels with similar decorations on the spines.
“This,” Aven began, holding the book to Daniel to investigate, “is one of my favorite book series. It was written quite a few years ago, and is set even further in the past.”
As Aven spoke, Daniel began to inspect the pages and cover. Alice Aardman: Apprentice Detective - The Quickling Caper. There were only a couple simple illustrations that Daniel could see as he flipped through, leaving plenty of room for the text. On the front cover was an illustration of a short mouse yokai in a plaid dress, holding an almost comically sized magnifying glass. She had a pointed fedora on, pinning her round ears down a bit.
“It follows a young woman named Alice as she settles in the Illuminated City- it's off in the Midwest. She takes up a job as an apprentice to a well known detective in the city. But as she works, she discovers that this 'incredible' detective actually isn't very good at his job! Around the time it's set, however, in the early 1900s, women still weren't taken very seriously. So Alice has to prove, over and over, that she can solve these cases, and catch the culprit while she's at it.”
Daniel’s eyes sparkled at the description, already fascinated by the concept. “That- That sounds cool. I like her hat.”
Aven chuckled. “I read a lot of the books growing up, myself.” Once Daniel was done reading the blurb on the back, she held her hand out. “Would you like me to check it out?”
“Yes, please!”
Aven nodded. She checked out the book quickly, having a short conversation with the bear-like yokai at the counter, then handed it back.
“You'll have to tell me how you like it on Monday,” she said sweetly. “I’m sure your parents are getting worried, with how late it is.”
Leonard, holding a sleepy Mickey in his arms, stepped up by Daniel’s side. The rat held the book close to his chest like a lifeline. “Uh, yeah! Definitely.”
The ogre subtly elbowed Daniel’s side. “Mom and Dad say thank you,” he said, slipping into the position of damage control like it was nothing.
“You are very welcome.” Aven kneeled down to the boys’ eye level. “Are you boys sure you can walk home on your own? It's getting a little dark.”
“We live down the street,” Leonard said, hoisting up the sleepy boy in his arms. “We’re okay.”
The seal’s face pinched a little, but her smile didn’t cease. “That’s good. I can’t wait to see you again next week.”
Leonard waved dramatically as they left, gently prompting a drowsy Mickey to do the same. Aven watched the boys leave, a slight crease in her brow. Daniel did his best to hunch over himself, unsure of just why she had such an expression, but getting worried about it anyway.
Something was coming together.
----------------------
The walk back was just as uneventful as last time, until the boys were just around the block from the garage. Daniel suddenly tripped on something he hadn’t seen on the sidewalk, barely able to catch himself before slamming his face into the pavement.
“Woah, dude!” Leonard put Mickey down beside him, extending a hand to help Daniel up. “You okay?”
“Uh, yeah...” Daniel stood with Leonard’s help, pulling his book back to his chest and looking down at what had tripped him.
“Ugh, just people leaving their junk on the curb,” Leonard dismissed.
Daniel, however, saw no such junk. Sitting on the sidewalk was a metal, gem encrusted emblem with a small glass sphere in the center. The glass was mostly empty, but there was a slight bit of glistening green liquid settled at the bottom, almost congealed. Surrounding it, invisible to most, was the slightest lingering of magic. It was scratched, clearly from being tossed out on the sidewalk, but Daniel was immediately fascinated. He grabbed the object from the ground so he could investigate it closer.
“An illusory ward…”
“A h-what now?” Leonard picked Mickey back up, squishing his cheek to the top of the eel’s head.
“An illusory ward,” Daniel repeated. The boys continued walking. “It’s an enchanted object that people buy to put up in their homes. This one is pretty cheap, but they’re meant to dissipate any illusory spells. Most people have one near their front door, so you don’t let someone in if you don’t really know them.”
“Oh, that’s sorta cool.” Daniel lifted the garage door, granting Leonard and Mickey entry. “Thanks.” Leonard dropped the eel in his tub and peeled the oversized t-shirt off over his head, much to the boy’s delight. “Why’d they throw it away, then?”
“This one isn’t a permanent one, it's disposable. The thing in the middle here-” Daniel leaned over to show Leonard, pointing to the glass sphere in the ward. “-it’s a mana display. The less liquid inside, the less mana is left. You have to replace it if it runs out. Disposables are cheaper than permanent implements.”
The ogre leaned down, flicking the glass. “Why’s it not empty, then?”
“It’s possible the homeowners had already bought a replacement. You don’t want it to run out without you noticing, right?”
Leonard shrugged. “Hey, how come you know all this stuff?”
“I’ve been studying this ‘stuff’ for years. Enchantments are some of the most interesting things in spellcasting, you know. They get very complicated. Especially when there’s mana manipulation involved.” Daniel’s heel dug into the ground. “Magic is cool. I think.”
Leonard’s face scrunched. He grabbed a bag of chips from a corner of the room and sat down next to the tub, snacking while also offering Mickey a chip every once in a while. “So, why’d you take it? It’s trash.”
Daniel’s shoulders hunched a little, his tail sweeping. He wasn’t completely sure why he took it. Maybe he just wanted a moment of normalcy, and something like this felt normal. “Well… maybe we can use it. It’d make our… place a little safer.”
“Yeah, for like, a day.”
The rat sat down on the other side of the tub, wilting a little. “I dunno, I think it could help…”
Leonard’s unconvinced face faltered for a moment, his eyes casting to the side for a moment with something unsure behind them. “...can you make it work?”
Daniel’s ears flicked with a bit of egotistical pride. “Of course I can make it work. It just takes a mana activation.” He flipped the item in his hands, making sure he hadn’t missed anything and wasn’t completely lying.
Both Mickey and Leonard looked at Daniel with expectant expressions, though one was clearly just mimicking the other. “...well. Go on.”
With a determined crease slipping onto his brow, Daniel closed his eyes, invoking his mystics. Almost instantly, he could sense the mana floating through the space all around him, twisting along the molecules of the air. He could see it flowing through himself, deeply entwined with the very fibers of his being, buzzing louder as he focused. He could sense it in Mickey, practically spilling out in excess amounts, hardly contained by his small body. It sparked and rushed around, channeling through the eel’s spine and nerves. He noted the constant oddity of Leonard, who hardly had anything at all- just a low rumbling, a lingering smell that Daniel could never really tell apart from anything else. Sure enough, the ward in his hands held just a little more power, only requiring a small release of his own mana to activate it. With a subtle green glow, the ward activated, and Daniel opened his eyes.
It only stayed active for about two seconds.
Something changed for those two seconds. Well, two things.
First, the mana in the air changed. That constant smell, the one that Daniel could never put his finger on, but he knew was there, vanished for that miniscule moment. Mickey looked the same, the mana fighting against itself within him, and Daniel knew that nothing had happened with himself. It was Leonard.
Second, Leonard had a new face.
Daniel didn’t have long enough to actually take in the features. Not much was different, but there was something different about the way his pores were shaped. Something about the slightly harsher crook of his nose. And something about the massive, unsightly, dark red mark that stretched completely across his left eye.
A cut? A burn? A scar? Some skin marking? Where did-
For two seconds. Then he was back to normal. The scent was back, like it never left.
Daniel must have been staring, because Leonard’s eyebrow ridges quirked. Mickey began babbling, patting a fin at the ogre’s cheek, where it was completely normal, green skin. Maybe a little bumpier than most people, but that’s what ogres were supposed to have. “Did it work?”
He didn’t know why he did what he did next.
“Uh, yeah. But it ran out fast. You were right.” Daniel shrugged, his face tight as he stood up to go to the garage door and toss the empty ward outside. “Heh, c-can I get some of those chips?”
Leonard’s lips pursed (was that really what they looked like? Did Daniel just not notice? Did he even have lips???), but he was quickly distracted by Mickey leaning over to investigate his face closely. “Uh, sure- Mick, what’s wrong? It’s me.” He reached out to rub the eel’s head, flipping his dorsal fin to the side. Mickey giggled, easily distracted as well.
Daniel sat back down, this time next to Leonard. He didn’t look any different. He looked exactly the same as when they had met. “I-I guess an illusory ward is a dumb idea anyway, when there’s no illusion magic around us.”
“It wasn’t dumb, it was just… not good.” Leonard settled the open bag between them both. Had his hair changed? Was his headband even real? “Maybe if you could find a ward that makes this place less colder, that would help.”
The rat scoffed. “That’s just a heater, idiot.”
“Eh, I guess.” Leonard laid down on the floor, yanking off his shoes and socks and resting his feet on the tub’s edge, much to the other boys’ repulsion. “So, we’re gonna go back to the library on Monday, and Mickey’s gonna learn more talking…”
He kept verbalizing the plan for the next few days, mentioning something about a food pantry and a junkyard. Daniel couldn’t focus on what he was saying. His eyes wandered back to the view of the mana in the space, slipping into that mystic space he was so accustomed to. Bursting, bright from Mickey. Deep and controlled from himself, glowing brighter as he focused. And that subtlety from Leonard. Almost like the aftertaste of something that hardly had a taste in the first place. Maybe just the taste of your own spit.
But really… was it even coming from Leonard? Daniel couldn’t pinpoint a source, only that it lingered around the ogre. Mickey’s source was clear; a place in his chest, maybe closer to his abdomen. Daniel’s own source lingered near his face, and all the sensory bits involved in his mystics- though it did tend to gather near his fingertips.
And Leonard’s was just… a lingering scent.
“...what did you talk to Aven about, anyway? I coulda used your help keeping Mickey from falling asleep.” Leonard’s dark eyes slipped over to him.
Slowly, Daniel glanced to the book, laid near the small pile of pillows and blankets that acted as his “bed”. The little mouse yokai on the cover, snooping and scrutinizing the evidence related to whatever case she may be investigating. The fedora that settled just slightly off center on her head.
Leonard was a liar. He said so himself. He had clearly been keeping this secret, and that meant that there was something bad about it. Something he didn’t want Daniel to know.
Something worth investigating.
“...just a book.”
●○●○●○●○●
Oh? What's this? Leonard has a strange mark on his face? Who coulda guessed? I'm sure that has absolutely no significance at aaaaaaalllllll-
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Cars (Pixar Movies)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Boost & original child character
Characters: Boost (Cars), Original Female Character(s), Original Child Character(s)
Additional Tags: Injury, Injury Recovery, Hurt/Comfort, she picked up being a self sacrificing idiot from her guardians
Summary:
Sparrow calls Boost dad after getting injured. This has more of an effect on him than he realizes
Note: This story is based on @cupcakeslushie 's Empyrean Weeping au. These characters are not my own, and this story is in no way canon to the main story. I wrote this as my love letter to the story and the characters. Especially April :)
Tags: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ROTTMNT, Leo & April, NOT MY CHARACTERS, Empyrean Weeping AU, recovery (i have a sneaking suspicion that will apply to the whole fic,,), talking it out because we're adults, movies, comics, they're becoming friends
Warnings (if there's anything I should add here, tell me please!): Mention of violence (its one sentence, but figure I should still put it here :P)
Words: 1,588 (there's less setup this time)
Summary: April was able to figure out her first brother easily. Now, she gets three more, with a couple more issues to worry about.
----------------------
As soon as she even saw Leo for the first time, she knew he wouldn't be as easy to get along with as Mikey was. Mikey was always so open, so bright, so bouncy. Leo, in comparison, was still, dull, and closed off. He had just come from a terrible ninja clan, beaten by his own master. It was kind of warranted.
Any time April would enter the medbay where they were keeping Leo, he would silently stare a hole in her soul. His face had hardly loosened from the scowl he had adopted, and any time April would get near, it would just harden more. Even so, April kept trying to get close. Despite Raph's concerns for her physical health. (And with Mikey's encouragement, because he was happy to enable the potentially dangerous behavior.)
One afternoon, she decided to bring a ton of her Jupiter Jim comics to read. The boys needed a break from watching their somewhat-volatile-yet-severely-wounded brother, and April knew he wouldn't talk to her. So, once she settled down in her chair a few feet away from the bed where Leo was scowling, she pulled out the comic she'd left off on: Jupiter Jim Breaks Newton's Fourth Law, Volume 8.
After a few minutes of reading, April couldn't help but notice a change in Leo out of her peripheral vision. He wasn't staring at her anymore, but at her comic. This glare wasn't full of discontent and uncertainty. Instead, it was filled with emotions he was trying (and failing) to hide- curiosity and excitement.
“You read Jupiter Jim?”
Leo was surprised by the sudden question and whipped his gaze away, a slight flush coming to his cheeks. “No.”
April's journalism senses were kicking in. There was a story here. “Why not?”
“Things like that are…” Leo's posture tightened, almost as if the thing he was about to say wasn't what he believed, “useless distractions.”
“I don't think so,” April said, shifting her chair a little closer to the bed. “I think it's important to have distractions sometimes. Y'know, during finals, when you're sick, when you've got a broken arm…” Subtly, April started slipping the comic in her hands to the bed. “You can read it, if you want.”
“No. I can't.”
Leo looked surprisingly aggressive when he responded. He seemed to catch his unwarranted anger and mumbled, “I still haven't read 6 or 7.”
“Oh!” April sat up straight and grabbed her bag from the floor. “I've got the whole arc up to 9 in here, I thiiink-” Once she had fished out the comics she was looking for, she placed them on the corner of the bed by Leo's feet.
The slider stared at the comics like they'd offended him.
“...well?”
“I-I can't. I can't hold them with my arm-”
“I can hold it for you!” April said. “I can turn the pages whenever you need.”
Leo finally looked back at April with that trademark scowl he always had. “What's your game, woman?”
April smiled. “No games, just trying to make you feel comfortable in your new home.”
Leo huffed. “This isn't my home.”
“It's where your family is, isn't it? Isn't that what matters?” April asked genuinely.
Leo looked back down at the comics. His eyes softened while the rest of his expression remained, and he picked Volume 6 up with his good arm. He opened it and silently began to read.
They both sat and read for a while. April noticed Leo struggling to turn pages sometimes, but she didn't dare try to help him. She thought he might bite her hand if she did. He was still scowling at the comic as he read, but it looked less like a scowl of anger and more one of concentration.
When he got done with Volume 6, April spoke. “So, who's your favorite character?”
“...JJ, obviously.” Leo slowly reached out and grabbed the next volume.
“Seriously? That's so basic.”
Leo scoffed. “Really? Then who's your favorite character?”
“Atomic Lass, obvi,” April said, flipping her hair for emphasis.
“Atomic Lass?! Her personality is literally just ‘woman’.”
“Uh, yeah, and that's the point?! Atomic Lad is just ‘man’. Haven't you watched Jupiter Jim on the Atomic Sub-Moon?”
Leo's shoulders lowered. “...watched?”
April sprung up and put her arms on the bed, looking down at Leo in shock. “YOU'VE NEVER WATCHED A JUPITER JIM MOVIE?!”
“NO?! THEY MAKE THOSE?!”
“THAT'S IT!” April grabbed her bag from the floor and moved it over to the side of Leo's bed. “You, keep reading. I'll get one of the boys to watch you. I need to head home and get my box set. We are having a movie night. Understand?!”
“Y-yes ma'am!”
“We can start with Last Trip to the Moon 1, but then we are watching Atomic Sub-Moon, I DO NOT care if the context is lost, you'll figure it out.”
“O-okay?!”
“RAPH!”
----------------------
“So… the real Atomic Lad and Atomic Lass are dead?!”
“Yes! And the Atomic Lad and Lass we know are-”
“People carrying on the legacy, who the Atomic people believe are still the originals?!”
“YES! That's why they never use their real names, that's why-”
“Why they act like Barbie and Ken for space…”
“Now you get it!” April leaned back into her bean bag and put her arms behind her head. The movie night had gone way better than expected. They had to set up the best pillow pile they could, since they didn't have a sofa big enough for everybody. In the end, April and Leo stayed in bean bags and watched the movies while the others went about their day. It took a minute for Leo to get into it, but once the moon buggy showed up, he was hooked. For the first time, April saw a child in Leo.
“So, have I won you over with an emotional, heart breaking backstory?” April asked slyly.
“Uh, no.”
April's eyes snapped to the slider. “WHAT?! What do you meeean?! I don't get how you like JJ more than Atomic Lass!”
“Well, he's the main character for a reason, for one.” Leo took another bite of the pizza slice he had been eating. “And second, he's the one who always gets everyone out of the bad stuff. He's the hero, and he isn't scared to sacrifice for his crew.”
“But, consider this, Atomic Lass has a giant rocket powered hammer, Leo.”
“JJ doesn't need a weapon. He's got the nerve pinch technique.”
“They never use the nerve pinch technique, though!” April whined.
“That doesn't mean he doesn't have it!”
“I never thought someone could be as dorky as April,” Raph said from where he stood a few feet away from the bean bag setup. “And yet, here we are.”
“Wh- dorky?!” Leo scoffed, looking at Raph incredulously.
“Yeah, dorky!” Mikey popped out from behind Raph's shoulder. “Y'know, nerdy? Geeky? Criiinge?”
Leo's face flushed and he curled in on himself, stammering.
“Hey, y'all are just jealous that we're bonding,” April defended. “If you gave JJ a chance, you'd like it too.”
Raph and Mikey both shut up quick. April waved them off, and they hurried out to the kitchen again, saying they were “getting more snacks”.
Now that they were alone, April looked over at Leo again. “They're stupid. Can't appreciate good media.”
“Good media?” Leo asked. “You mean B-Movies and old comics?”
“Yeah, man.” April grabbed a blanket and tossed it over at Leo, making him fumble to keep it off his face with his good arm. “It makes you feel good, doesn't it?”
Leo looked down and contemplated. “I mean… yeah. But I-”
“Shouldn't?”
Leo took a deep breath. “Yeah.”
“You don't have to worry about what you should or shouldn't do here, Leo,” April said, sitting more upright to look at Leo better. “You do what you want. What makes you feel good. That's all you should worry about when you're home. Doing what you want and feeling good.”
Leo turned away, looking at the TV, paused at the end of the credits.
“If it means anything, this really made me feel good,” April said. “It's cool to have somebody to talk about ‘nerd stuff’ with. And I'm glad you liked the movies. Atomic Sub-Moon is one of my favorites. Not as good as Pluto Vacation 4, but good.”
“There's more?” Leo asked timidly.
“Oh, there's loads more!” April grinned. “There's like a jillion Last Trip to the Moons, there's Jupiter Jim and the Overly Complicated Magic System, Jupiter Jim Squared Minus One, Jupiter Jim Breaks into Federal Prison, there's tons! We can have more movie nights, if you want.”
Leo looked at the blanket laying over him, grabbing it and rubbing it between his fingers. “I think… I think I want that.”
April pumped her fist. “Sweet! This means I've still got time to win you over to the Atomic Side.”
Leo let a single laugh escape his lips. “Yeah, not happening. Jim is the best, I don't care what you say. Even Red Fox is better than Atomic Lass.”
“AH! HOW DARE YOU?!” April stood up and looked down at Leo. “Just you wait, nonbeliever. Just wait until I show you the Atomic Lass spinoff comic. Or the Atomic Lass movies. You will change.”
“I wouldn't bet on it.”
“Oh YEAH?! I will bet on it. I'll bet on it so hard, you can call me Troy Bolton.”
Leo's eyes nervously shifted from side to side, centering back on April. “...who?”
“...YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL?!”
“NO?!?”
“RAPH!”
○●○●○●○
Yippee! Part 2! Part 3 is giving me more... issues... so it might take a minute to come out. But its coming! 🟪🐢
I really leaned into Leo's inner dorkiness here. I just thought him and April bonding over their obsession with an insane astronaut man was so cute. <3 (This is also why I'm so excited for the rest of Leo's arc in the actual comic! GAH!!!)
Congrats to everyone who won the first round of @tmntaucompetition voting! Very excited for the next round coming up :)
