Ninjas Don't Dance

by paymeinpikachus

Summary:

Young Yuichi Usagi and his friends are excited for their first day at the exclusive martial arts academy Suzuran Ryu! This is supposed to be where the good become great, where legends are born!
There’s been some weird rumors going on about ninjas being admitted, but Usagi doesn’t pay that stuff any mind. Who in their right mind would let ninjas attend such a prestigious academy?!

Notes:

Holy moly, I'm terrified to post a single chapter of this lol. Do NOT expect regular updates.
I have been sitting on this dumpster fire since I was still working on "Scars".
I know where the story's going, the problem is it's LONG and some things are still not in the right place.
This chapter is good though, nothing here is moving lol.
And I want this to be a THREE PART SERIES. I'll be lucky if I get THIS done by Christmas!
Anyway, this is a 2012Leoichi AU. It's not connected to Just in time for Love at all.
More details at the bottom, this has gone on long enough.

Chapter 1

Who Am I? (Jackie Chan) 

In the direction of the mirror

The endless reflection

I look at myself

One day I want to return

Who am I? 

Hamato Yoshi would be right in saying that he’d been dealt his fair share of rotten luck.

 

At one point, it seemed he had a bright future laid out for him. A loving wife, a beautiful baby girl, and a promising career teaching at the dojo where he was raised. Truly he couldn’t have asked for more.

 

Except perhaps to get along better with the man who’d once been like a brother to him. Maybe if they’d made amends, he wouldn’t have lost everything in one terrible night of flames and anguish.

 

It was too painful to stay in Japan. Yoshi set out for a new life in America, a fresh start in the city of New York.Teaching at a small dojo in Manhattan kept his body fit and his mind busy. And he needed to stay busy. 

 

He was feeling a little lonely though. Not quite ready for anything more than a pet, he purchased four small turtles at a pet shop. He stared fondly down at his new “family”, thinking of what to call them when he heard a commotion in the alleyway.

 

Always the hero, he had to check and see if it was someone that needed help. Perhaps if he hadn’t…

 

Well, what’s past is past. Now, he was a giant rat with four turtle sons. It was a good thing that Hamato Yoshi did not believe in luck anyway. “Fate” on the other hand-

 

He may have lost one family, but for some reason Fate decided he should be given a second chance at fatherhood, and he would not waste it.

 

Still, he had a new problem. How was he safely going to raise four mutant turtles in a world that would never accept them?

 

***

The old subway station underground was not Yoshi’s first choice of a home, but they couldn't hide in his apartment forever. He had to close the dojo; he’d never be able to explain his new appearance. Without the money, he had no way to pay rent. He moved all he had left from the dojo and what little he brought from Japan into the sewers.

 

It wasn’t much. They were starting to run out of food. And the little ones would need proper bedding. 

 

Yoshi sat on the floor, going through some of his older boxes, trying to manage a squirmy Michelangelo at the same time when he came across an old photo album buried at the bottom.

 

“Oh,” he said softly. “Look at this my son. This is your legacy,” Yoshi opened the book and flipped through the photos pointing out pictures of him as a young boy, training with his sensei, on a date with Tang Shen, even one with his arm thrown around the shoulder of his old friend Oroku Saki, the two boys laughing-

 

Yoshi hurriedly flipped to the next page. He remembered now why this album was buried. He was about to toss the thing back in the box when he paused.

 

Pinned to the page wasn’t a photo, but a letter from his sensei with a series of symbols drawn below. 

 

“Yoshi, ” it said. “ The Daimyo told me he was impressed with you today. So I’m leaving you this, as promised. Remember, you can never tell anyone about where we went today. Not Saki, not even Tang Shen. Only when you have an apprentice of your own can you make that decision.”

 

“ Of course,” Yoshi thought with a dawning realization as it all came back to him. Why didn’t he think of it sooner?

 

Years ago, his sensei had mentioned to Yoshi that he was proud of how far his student had come in terms of “sensitivity”, in particular when it came to mediation and finding inner peace.

 

It was something the teacher had been worried about when it came to his top two students in particular.

 

As a reward, he said he was taking Yoshi on a private “field trip”. No one was to know that they were leaving, or where they were headed.

 

To this day, Yoshi’s not sure anyone would have believed him if he told, but he kept his word. He met his sensei in the dojo at midnight. Both of them were dressed head to toe in black ninja uniforms, covered by long dark red hooded robes. Instead of leaving for the car, his sensei drew a series of symbols in chalk on the wall, muttering in some sort of chant Yoshi didn’t recognize.

 

Yoshi trusted his sensei completely, but he was starting to doubt the man’s sanity, just a tad, when something incredible happened.

 

The symbols glowed to reveal a green circle of light.

 

“Follow me, and keep close,” his sensei said as he stepped through.

 

What waited on the other side was incredible. It was like a festival, packed with people-

 

If the people were all aliens and monsters, that is.

 

“I know it’s a lot, but don’t stare,” his sensei muttered as Yoshi gawked at what looked like a mountain troll walking right on by, chewing a turkey leg. Was this real, or was he still asleep? “We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. Not too many humans know about this place, so we’re the odd ones out here,” his sensei pulled Yoshi’s hood tighter around his face.

 

“I-what is this place?!” Yoshi finally exclaimed.

 

“This is the Battle Nexus,” his sensei said. “It’s a fighting arena where the best of the best compete. And by the best, I mean the best in all known worlds,”

 

“All known worlds,” Yoshi muttered. “I don’t understand,”

 

“Our clan is very old,” his sensei continued. “And once upon a time, one of our ancestors did a favor for the guy who runs this place. Since then, we’ve been regularly invited back to the Nexus as guests. You are also allowed to compete if you so choose. Many of us have, and even won. As for the worlds bit…I think I’ll just let the Daimyo explain that; he’s better at it than I am. Has that fancy staff and everything…”

 

Meeting the Daimyo and the Gyoji was a trip. The appointed ruler of this domain who looked like a yokai was incredibly friendly despite his appearance and booming voice. He welcomed Yoshi’s sensei with the familiarity of an old friend, and greeted Yoshi eagerly, proclaiming “The Hamato legacy continues!” 

 

Then they got to watch the matches from the top box. And that was really fun. Yoshi learned so many new moves that day-some he’d never even be able to do simply because he didn’t have six arms or three rows of eyes. But it was still incredible.

 

In the end, the winner was a samurai rabbit, of all things, by the name of Miyamoto Usagi. From the cheers of the crowd, Yoshi could tell Usagi was a regular face and popular. He found himself cheering along with them.

 

“I’m glad you got to see him fight, ” his sensei said. “He’s one of the best, but he’ll probably retire soon. He’s getting on in years.”

 

When it was all over and Miyamoto was crowned the winner, the Daimyo took them to see the statues of past Battle Nexus Champions. And there among them Yoshi recognized several of his own ancestors from family portraits and statues back home.

“You are not obligated to compete in any of these,” his sensei explained. “These matches are grueling. But should you ever want to, you may. And you are always welcome to come and watch, as long as you act respectively and do not bring shame to our name while you’re here. This is a privilege, not a right,”

 

“I understand, sensei,” Yoshi replied. 

 The day after that night, his sensei announced Yoshi as his successor for the dojo. That was when things between him and Saki really started to fall apart.

Yoshi hadn’t been back to the Battle Nexus since. He hadn’t actually thought about it in years. The whole night still felt like a dream. And if it wasn’t for the letter now clutched in his paw, he might believe that’s all it was.

 

 Now, sitting on the floor of the subway station surrounded by four squirming hungry turtles, Yoshi looked at the letter with new eyes.

 

A tiny clawed hand tapped the photo album right over the letter. Yoshi looked up at his youngest son, who chirped at him sweetly.

 

“Do not worry, my son,” he said, eyes twinkling with a new fire. “I believe I’ve found my next career.”

***

The Battle Nexus was just as Yoshi remembered it. Only this time, he didn’t have to hide his appearance under a hood.

 

Here, a giant mutant rat hardly stood out among the crowd. 

 

The four turtles snuggled up in baby slings did draw a couple curious eyes though.

 

When it came time to submit his name in the tournament, Yoshi paused. He couldn’t very well put his own name down. That would draw too many questions. 

 

After a moment, he recalled a nickname from his days training at the dojo and wrote “Splinter”. 

 

One problem solved. Now to the other matter...

 

“Is there by any chance a daycare near here?” he asked the Gyoji.

 

The Gyoji stared nonplussed, before wordlessly pointing in the direction of a small temple. “Next time, I’d suggest leaving your…’children’ at home,” he advised.

 

“I’ll take that into consideration,” Yoshi replied.  With what little money he still had he paid the daycare head-a kind-looking chicken lady-and said goodbye to his sons.

 

It was easier said than done. Yoshi hadn’t let his children out of his sight since he’s adopted them, and found it hard to leave them in someone else’s care. He gently stroked them on their heads and shells, whispering words of comfort. They chittered happily at the attention, except Leonardo. As though he knew something was wrong, he grew quiet, his solemn gaze locked onto his father.

 

“Be good while I’m gone,” Yoshi said to all his children. His eyes drifted to Leonardo. “Look after your brothers,” he added kindly, noticing the oddly serious stare on such a young face. And with that, he finally left.

 

***

Yoshi was incredibly nervous. It had been several years, but he remembered how brutal the Battle Nexus could be, and he hadn’t even participated. But he buried those nerves underneath his strong desire to win.

 

It wasn’t about the glory or victory or even honoring the Hamato legacy. He needed that cash price to take care of his family. He was walking out of here with it one way or another.

 

The first round actually went better than he expected. He was up against a female warrior of an alien race, and she was ruthless. These fights had fail-safes in place to keep people from dying, but with the way she fought, you’d think it was to the death. She had a tall white spear, but frankly it was unnecessary with how fast she moved and how hard she punched. 

 

But Yoshi (or in this case, Splinter) wasn’t an amateur fighter. He’d also learned in the past few months that with his new mutation came several advantages. Ones that could be applied on the battlefield.

 

He had been nervous about using them in the beginning. It’s one thing to look like an animal, it’s another to act like one.

 

But Splinter was realizing that while he may not look human, it didn’t mean he’d lost his humanity. Changing how he fought, adapting to his new body, wasn’t going to change that.

 

Besides, he had a tournament to win, and kids to feed. And there was nothing more humane than looking after your family.

 

So he ran on all fours if he had to, scratched, and yes, at one point, bit his opponent. He still used all his ninjutsu training, but he did not allow himself to be cornered like a mouse.

 

The first round is always outside in a random location, this one happened to be a jungle.

 

At one point Splinter lured his prey into the thick of the trees. He hid deep in the shadows of the trees like the ninja he was. His eyes were not as good in the light after the mutation, but his ears and nose were a different story. 

 

Jhanna charged through the jungle, her braids whipping around her head as she searched frantically. She’d almost had that slippery rat that time. He was good, she’d give him that.

 

She jerked her head up at the rustle of the leaves overheard, but she couldn’t tell if that was just the wind or-

 

A twig snapped behind her.

 

She turned around, hurling her spear in the direction of the sound without a moment’s hesitation. “Finally!,” she said. “Come out now, and accept your defeat!”

 

There was no response. Jhanna’s brows furrowed in suspicion and a little worry. There were protections in place, no one was supposed to get fatally wounded, but still-

 

She slowly made her way over to check. She never saw the shadow rising out of the grass on her right, until it was too late. Splinter flew, tackling her to the ground.

 

Jhanna struggled, trying to break free, but it was no use, he had her pinned. The Gyoji called the match for Splinter.

 

Splinter, still the gentleman, helped his opponent up. She begrudgingly shook his hand. “Well done,” she said. “I am crushed to have lost, but at least it was to a worthy opponent. I wish you luck in the next round.”

 

“Likewise. Hopefully we fight again someday,” Splinter replied.

 

***

The next rounds happened in the actual Nexus ring. These were far more challenging. Not just because the opponents were tougher, but because of the set-up. A giant concrete maze of blocks, each block containing two fighters. When one lost, they were sent to the “loser-box” (that wasn’t its official title, but it’s what everyone else called it). 

 

Splinter was really beginning to feel like…well…a rat in a maze. Despite the limited room these blocks provided he held his ground. He won each match, until he realized there was only one left.

 

The final two, himself and a rabbit around his age, perhaps a little younger. Splinter raised an eyebrow in surprise as he properly took the rabbit in. The rabbit, a woman in would seem, wielded a katana and wore kamishimo- the outfit of a samurai. 

 

“By any chance, are you a samurai, rabbit?” he asked curiously.

 

She didn’t answer at first, so Splinter asked again in Japanese. Startled, she replied. “ Yes. I am Yamamoto Akebi of the Yamamoto Clan. I am here to represent my father Yukichi and my Uncle Miyamoto Usagi. You have fought well ninja, but your lucky streak has come to an end.”

 

Splinter chuckled. “I don’t believe in luck. Fate maybe. But not luck. It is an honor to fight a relative of Miyamoto Usagi, Yamamoto.”

 

The gong rang, and they attacked. Splinter was beginning to regret not packing any weapons of his own. However he did have his staff, which he mainly used to block her sword as she attempted to cut off his head and other body parts.

 

Safety filters aside, this rabbit seemed out for blood. She was good, Splinter had to give her that. She kept him on a tight leash, nearly backing him into a corner several times. 

But he could see now that she was just a little bit younger than he had previously assessed. It came across in her fighting, her relentless pursuit fueled by… something, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps a chance to prove herself.

 

But it left her vulnerable just a few too many times. Not to mention he could see from the sweat on her brow that she was tiring herself out.

 

So he played into it, dodging more often than attacking, waiting for the right moment to strike.

 

And when he found it-

 

He slipped by so fast Akebi had barely blinked. He brought his hand down hard at her back, then her knees. She dropped with a gasp. While she was down, he smacked her sword from her hands with his staff.

 

She looked up at the rat in shock, his staff inches from her face. “You have fought well, Yamamoto,” Splinter said. “But I believe this one belongs to me.”

 

The gong rang again, and cheers erupted throughout the stadium, signaling the end of the match. Splinter withdrew his staff with a flourish, and extended a hand to his opponent. She was crestfallen, but she took it.

 

The maze walls melted into the ground like sand as the Daimyo himself came forward, along with another rabbit in samurai garb. He was older now, but Splinter recognized him right away. Miyamoto Usagi. 

Still, even now Usagi carried himself with the grace of a man twenty years his junior.

 

“I am sorry uncle,” Akebi said, her eyes downcast. “I have failed you and my father today.”

 

The older rabbit tilted his head, brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?” he said gruffly. “You managed to get all the way to the final round of the Nexus on your first try. How is that failing? I’m incredibly proud, Akebi, and your father will be as well. So should you.”

 

She looked up at him in shock.

 

“No one expected you to win, silly girl,” he muttered. “I’m very impressed you made it this far. But the point of the Battle Nexus is to fight honorably and represent your family by being a worthy opponent: one who fights to win but also shows their challengers dignity and respect.” his eyes softened. “You did just fine, Akebi.”

 

She smiled softly. “Thank you uncle.”

“Too true!” the Daimyo boomed, causing the other three to flinch. “Your niece has done well to represent your clan today Usagi. However, she shouldn’t take her loss too hard.” and here he winked at Splinter. “After all, she was fighting a Hamato.”

 

Splinter stared in surprise. “You-you knew who I was?” he stammered. “I mean…I didn’t mean to deceive you Daimyo, it’s just that I’m well-”

 

“Yes, you do look a bit different than the last time we met,” the Daiymo stroked his beard in thought while the other two rabbits stared, stunned. “I’m pretty sure your clan is all humans.”

 

“There was…an incident in my life recently,” Splinter said. “And now this is my permanent form. I didn’t really know how to explain it, so I just figured-”

 

“You’d enter under another name?” the Daimyo finished. “I’m not mad, boy. It seems you’ve been through quite a lot since I last saw you. But this does raise another issue…”

 

“What’s that?” Splinter asked with trepidation.

 

“What name we’re going to put on the trophy!” the Daimyo said with a big belly laugh. “Hamato or Splinter!”

 

“You mean I’m still getting the prize money?”

 

“Of course! You won, didn’t you?!”

 

Splinters shoulders sagged in relief. “Oh, thank goodness,” at everyone’s concerned looks he said sheepishly. “It’s uh…not easy to find work in the human world looking like this. This money is going to be a great help.”

 

“Goodness me,” the Daimyo muttered. “Why didn’t you say so? I’m sure there’s something we can find here to help you make money.”

 

“That’s kind of you, but this really will be enough now for me and my-” Splinter jolted. “My sons! I need to go check on my sons!” he took off.

 

“Wait, we have to get through the ceremony first!” the Daimyo interrupted as Splinter was already halfway across the arena.

 

He stopped. “Oh, of course, I’m so sorry. That first. But then I must go check in on my sons.”

 

***

In the end, he decided on “Hamato ‘Splinter’ Yoshi”  for the engraving on the trophy.

 

The whole fanfare seemed to go by in a blur. All Splinter could think about was picking up his sons.

 

“Hamato!” a voice called out as he raced out the gates. He turned around to see Miyamoto Usagi strolling up behind him.

 

“Miyamoto, I’m very sorry,” Splinter began. “But I really must go and get my children-”

 

“-Mind if I walk with you?” Usagi interrupted. “I’d like to talk, but I don’t wish to keep you from your sons.”

 

Splinter blinked. “Oh. Yes, if you wish.” Again, the rabbit proved age had not slowed him down as he kept a brisk pace with Splinter with no effort.

“So, a rat, from the Hamato clan, which is typically made up of humans, enters the Battle Nexus,” Usagi began. “And he has four sons?”

 

“Uh, yes.”

 

“Are they also rats, or humans?”

 

“Um, neither. They’re turtles.”

 

Usagi stared at Splinter. “Is your wife perhaps a turtle then-”

 

“-No,” Splinter cut him off. “No my…my late wife was not their mother. It’s a little hard to explain, I’m afraid. Something strange happened on my planet. Whatever it was turned me into a rat. I was human before. And at the time it happened, I had four pet turtles. But this…incident caused them to change as well and become more human-like. They crawl like human babies. Raphael started walking a few days ago. They’re just…more conscious than before. So now I’m raising them as my sons.”

 

“Fascinating,” Usagi said, rubbing his chin. “I didn’t mean to pry. I was just curious. The Hamato clan is legendary here-one of the few ninjas I respect.”

 

Splinter chuckled. “Thank you Miyamoto. I could say the same for you. I had the privilege of watching you fight in the Nexus when my sensei took me here as a child.”

 

“Aaah,” Usagi sighed, “I hope I didn’t embarrass myself too much.”

 

“Not at all, you fought very well! You won!”

 

“Did I?” the samurai replied. “Well, that’s nice I suppose. I was getting a bit too old to be competing the last few years. If I tried it now I may actually get killed, safety nets be damned.”

 

The rabbit laughed at his own joke and Splinter found himself chuckling as well. They finally reached the daycare center.

 

“Oh there you are!” the chicken lady said cheerfully before turning back to the playroom. “See, I told you your father would be along shortly!”

There was a happy chirping sound before Mikey came barreling around the corner. Splinter got on one knee ready to accept his son's hugs when the turtle was jerked back by his brother.

 

Leo held Mikey’s shoulder as he kept his eyes firmly locked on the tall stranger to Splinter’s right. 

 

Splinter glanced at the rabbit then looked back at his sons. “It’s alright Leonardo,” he said gently. “This is Miyamoto Usagi. He’s a friend.”

 

Leo looked back at his dad. His eyes softened and he let Mikey go. Mikey ran into Splinter’s embrace while the others took their time, staring up at the rabbit.

 

“Such a serious face on one so young,” Usagi said, greatly amused. He took off his straw hat, revealing his ears. “There, that’s not so frightening now, is it?”

 

Raph and Donnie’s faces brightened with interest. Usagi sat down cross-legged to seem less intimidating. Raph and Donnie came a bit closer. Leo seemed torn, clearly not wanting to get too close but not liking his brothers so close to a stranger. He came up next to them. 

 

The two were feeling the rabbits' soft clothes, eyes sparkling. Leo looked at them nervously, then back up at Usagi.

 

Usagi smiled softly. “Go on, it's okay little kappa.”

 

Leo reached out and touched the rabbit's paw. He froze. It was fuzzy, just like his dad’s. He gently ran his fingers along the rabbit’s fur before looking back up at Usagi. 

A small soft smile broke out on the tiny turtle’s face. Usagi grinned back. “Not no scared now, are we little warrior?” Then with a twinkle in his eye, he plopped his straw hat on Leo’s head. The turtle flinched as it covered his eyes, being too big. Usagi and Splinter both laughed while the other turtles chirped excitedly.

 

Leo gently pushed the hat back and stared up at the rabbit with sparkling eyes.

***

“Please give my best to Akebi,” Splinter said as he stood with his four squirming turtles. “I enjoyed our match. I can tell she’s listened well to her teachers.”

 

“Hmmph,” Usagi snorted. “She could stand to listen a bit more. But thank you. And do not be a stranger, Hamato-or ‘Splinter’ or whatever you wish to be called. I hope to see you fight again.”

 

“Oh, I think you will,” Splinter said with a laugh as he stepped through the portal back to New York.

 

He was right. Splinter returned throughout the next few years, winning as many battles as he could. He found other means to get money and help provide for his family, but that prize boon was the golden goose.

 

He was also building quite a name for himself.

 

As the years went by, Splinter felt content in leaving his sons home alone while he fought in the Nexus. Well, content is a strong word.

 

Let’s just say he trusted that no one would disappear or die in the few hours he was away.

 

Meantime, it was Usagi’s turn to admire Splinter’s fighting prowess in the arena, as he brought along an apprentice of his own one year.

 

“Ji-chan, who is that?” his great-grandson, who bore his name jumped up and down with poorly-contained excitement as he peered into the stands below. “He’s incredible!”

“That’s Hamato, although here he goes by Splinter,” Miyamoto said with a chuckle. “You like him?”

 

“Yes!” 

 

“He’s been the undefeated champion for a few years now.”

 

Yuichi Usagi looked up at his great-grandpa with wide eyes. “Really?! How does he do it?!”

 

“I don’t know. Sheer willpower maybe. He uses the money to feed his family.”

 

“Oh,” the little bunny stopped bouncing. “That’s kinda sad.”

 

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Miyamoto looked at him thoughtfully. “He has four sons around your age. Perhaps one day you’ll meet them in the Nexus.”

 

“Hopefully we’re not fighting for food!”

 

Miyamoto threw back his head and laughed at that.

***

It was dark, and all the shops were closed. The town was eerily quiet. Splinter really should have been home hours ago, but he had to stop at the med bay first. He pulled something in his shoulder that last round.

He was getting too old to be doing this every year. But what else could he do?

 

The money only lasted so long. Without a consistent income, how would he provide for his family?

 

Suddenly he stopped. It wasn’t so quiet anymore. Far off in the distance he heard the unmistakable sound of blades meeting.

 

He took off down the street. Rounding the corner Splinter saw Miyamoto Usagi, backed into a corner by four ninja. They were cloaked head-to

-toe in black, he couldn’t make out their faces.

 

Usagi was fighting them alone, and doing a damn good job keeping them at bay. One ninja cried out, dropping their sword and clutching their arm. 

 

But the samurai was getting tired. His gasps for breath turned into a shout of pain as another ninja nicked his leg. 

 

Splinter dashed forward, tackling the ninja from behind. With some harsh jabs, they dropped like a stone. The last remaining ninja turned on him, raising his blade. Without turning around, Splinter grabbed their arm, flipping them over his shoulder. They landed on the ground with a crash.

 

He brought his staff to their throat, lowering his head to meet theirs. “ Leave,” he snarled. They took off.

 

Splinter turned his attention to the samurai. “Miyamoto!” he exclaimed.

 

The rabbit groaned as Splinter checked his leg. “I’m fine, it’s just a scratch,” he assured. “Although it could have been a lot worse. Thank you, Hamato,”

 

“Still, let’s get this properly wrapped up,” Splinter helped the rabbit to his feet.

 

Looks like he was headed back to the medic’s tent.

     ***

 

“Hamato, I owe you my life,” Usagi began as sat on a cot, the nurse wrapping his leg. “Please allow me to repay you in some way.”

 

“Thanks not necessary,” Splinter assured him. “I do not need payment to help a friend in trouble. Or anyone. I would have helped regardless.”

 

“Still, there must be something I can do in return,” Usagi offered.

 

Splinter hesitated. With a sigh, he sat down next to the rabbit. “Where you live…” he began.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Do you think…if I lived there with my sons…we’d be able to have a normal life there?”

 

“Oh,” Usagi’s eyebrows rose.

 

“I don’t mean with you,” Splinter added hurriedly. “I mean, if I started a dojo there with my sons. Like how I used to have before the accident. Would we blend in seamlessly?”

 

Splinter had heard a lot about Usagi’s world during their conversations. It had some advanced technology, not too different from Earth. And everyone there looked like a giant anthropomorphic animal. Meaning Splinter and his sons should fit right in.

 

In fact, in a few years, Usagi said he’d be sending his great-grandson off to this prestigious school for students trained in the martial arts.

 

It was something Splinter could only dream of for his sons. But maybe now it could become a reality. 

 

Usagi titled his head at Splinter and thought. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, you all would do well there. The only thing I would worry about of course is you’re all ninja. Ninja are not highly regarded there, Splinter. Your reputation as a Battle Nexus warrior may help you a bit. But you would still face oppression.”

 

Splinter nodded. “I’ll deal with that as it comes,” He was no stranger to oppression, and it was still better than the current setup.

 

If his sons had a chance at living in the sun, going to school, making friends their own age, he was going to take it.

 

Even if it meant leaving behind his home for good.

 

“Alright then,” Usagi nodded. “I’ll help you get set-up. Whatever you need.”

 

“Thank you, Miyamoto”

 

“Please, I think you can call me Usagi after all this time,” the rabbit teased good-naturedly.

 

“All right then,” Splinter smiled. “You may call me Yoshi.”

   ***

Leo was practicing katas when he heard Mikey shout “Sensei’s back! And he brought the Easter Bunny!” he furrowed his brows in confusion and left the dojo.

 

“ Michelangelo,” Leo heard his father chiding his youngest son, while someone else laughed. 

 

Leo froze. Something about that laugh was familiar. He started walking again, faster. He entered the living room to greet his father and-

 

-A rabbit, like Mikey had said. In a straw hat, dressed all in blue, with swords on his belt.

 

Dressed like the samurai in Sensei’s movies.

 

The rabbit pulled off his hat, revealing bunny ears and a rugged face and a kind grin. He smiled down at Mikey with twinkling eyes, before looking up at Leo. 

 

“Ah yes,” he chuckled. “The serious one. Hello Leonardo. You’ve grown quite a bit since I saw you last.”

 

“Uh-h-hello,” Leo stammered. “Um-Mister-Mister-”

 

“Who is this guy?” Raph interrupted, saving his brother.

 

Usagi laughed again while Splinter sighed. “I can’t blame them for not remembering me, they were quite young,” he said.

 

“I’m upset with their lack of manners,” Splinter muttered. “This is Miyamoto Usagi. An old friend. You’ll do well to be on your best behavior while he’s here, because over the next couple of weeks he’s going to help us move.”

 

“Wait, move?” Donnie said in alarm. “Where are we moving to?”

 

“Somewhere where you boys won’t have to spend all your time inside,” Sprinter explained. He got down on one knee and gestured them closer.

 

“Sensei,” Leo said, concerned. “I know we complain sometimes about never going to the surface but you don’t have to do this.”

 

“Yeah, I like it here!” Mikey piped up. “It’s home! It’s where all my comics are!”

 

Splinter looked fondly at his children. “Your beloved things are all coming with you-yes even your comic books Michelangelo,” he shot his giggling son a knowing look. “This is not a punishment. I’m giving us a chance at a better life. Where we’re going, more people look like us. It’s where Usagi’s from.”

 

“I don’t understand,” Donnie said softly. “Is Usagi not a mutant?”

 

“No, my son, he’s not. And that fact is one part of our lives that’s going to have to stay hidden, I’m afraid. But that’s it. We’re going to live above-ground. I’m going to open a dojo and teach classes. You’ll be able to make friends your own age. I’m even looking into a school for when you're a little older.”

 

“A school?” their eyes sparkled. “A real school? Like on tv?”

 

“Yes. I haven’t worked it all out yet, but you should be able to go. So we’re going to pack everything up, and Usagi's going to help us find a place.”

The turtles looked back up at the samurai in a new light. “Gee thanks mister!” Mikey chirped.

 

Usagi chuckled. “It’s my pleasure, little one.”

 

    ***

 

The next few weeks were a flurry of packing and paperwork. Despite how good Splinter had made the whole thing sound, the turtles still had their moments of apprehension. 

 

They were leaving behind the only home they’d ever known. Sure, they’d never seen much beyond the sewers, but still. Raph was generally distrustful of new, strange things. Donnie seemed worried about leaving behind anything they might need (medicine, technology, etc.)

 

Mikey was looking forward to the trip a bit more, but like Donnie, was also worried about leaving things behind. But in his case it was “his lucky sock collection” or any of his comics.

 

When things started getting a bit too hectic, Leo found himself drawn toward their house guest, who was taking a moment to himself in the dojo.

 

The turtle poked his head in and watched fascinated. The samurai was practicing alone with his sword, slicing in the blade in long careful strokes. There was a faint hum in the air as it sang. 

 

It looked more like a dance, than practice.

 

“Are you coming in at all, Leonardo?” Usagi finally asked.

 

Leo squeaked, and ducked his head back behind the door, but he knew he was caught. He sheepishly stepped into the room, slowly looking back up at the samurai.

 

Usagi wore a gentle smile. “You’re a swordsman yourself, yes?” he asked. “Your Sensei tells me you all chose your weapons a short time ago. Would you like a better look?”

 

Leo shyly stepped forward. Usagi got on one knee, holding it out for the turtle.

 

“What’s its name?” Leo asked softly.

 

Usagi was surprised by the question. “Willow Branch,” he said, offering it to the turtle.

 

Leo froze. “Oh, um. I may hold it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Leo took it gently. “Thank you,”

 

The turtle's eyes sparkled. Usagi smiled. “You know quite a bit about samurai culture, don’t you young ninja?”

 

Leo looked up in surprise before blushing. “N-not really. Just from movies,”

 

Usagi chuckled. “You know, I have a great-grandson about your age. He’s training to be a samurai someday. I bet you two would get along.”

 

“You do?”

 

“Perhaps you’ll meet one day, now that you’ll be living much closer.”

 

The turtle smiled.

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Notes:

Ya'll ready for the first day of school?
I'm not, lol.
Thank you all so much for your kind words and patience on my last chapter. I love that you all caught the references and easter eggs to 2003!
Couple of things:
First of all, I built a school lol. I tried my best to describe how it looks.
There's going to be TONS of mistakes in my attempt to make something that imitates actual martial arts/history/architecture/etc.
I have been nowhere and done nothing but I am trying my best.
And I put Kennichi in this and made him another rival for Usagi.
His character is not going to be canon (I'm sure) to Kennichi in the comics.
I'm basically doing what the Usagi chronicles did, where there's a rabbit named Kennichi (rabbit, same name, not the same guy).
Also, I made some changes to this world as you can tell.
TV exists here-I have reason for this other than Leo and Usagi are both massive Space Heroes fans.
I forgot to mention last chapter I completely made up the character of Akebi. Yukichi obviously isn't made up, that's Usagi's real family, but he doesn't have a lot to work with lol, and I made him Yuichi's great-grandpa in this story (again) except this time he's alive. Again, this is an AU. I have so much to work with already and yet I'm making up a bunch of crap. Oh well.

Yuichi Usagi had been waiting for this day his whole life.

He was fifteen years old and finally, finally, his path to being the world’s greatest samurai (after his great-grandpa) could TRULY begin!

 

Well, okay not really. He wasn’t exactly starting his wandering ronin journey. But today was another huge milestone in that journey.

 

He and his friends were off to Suzuran Ryu: a prestigious high school with an incredible martial arts program.

 

There, they taught you stuff you literally couldn’t learn anywhere else.

 

It was crazy difficult to get in. You either had to be crazy talented or crazy rich. But Usagi and his pals were special. Partially because he was Yuichi Usagi, descendent of the legendary Miyamoto Usagi.

 

But another important reason was that Usagi and his friends Gen, Chizu, and Kitsune had been hand-picked to be KAIKISHIII WARRRIORRRSSS!!!

 

…It sounds better when you sing it like they do.

 

-Also technically, Gen’s family was crazy rich and talented, so his twin sister Toshiko would be there too, hooray!

 

Usagi was so looking forward to this! Just him and his friends taking on the school, and then the world! Nothing was going to stand in their way!

 

“Hey Gen, Toshiko!” he said cheerfully, sidling up to his friends. “Can you guys believe it?! We’re finally freshmen at Suzuran! I’m so excited!”

 

“I could hardly sleep last night!,” his friend Murakami Gennosuke replied. The rhino was sporting rather large bags under his eyes, but he also had an equally large grin to match. “I kept re-organizing my bag and double-checking my schedule to make sure I wouldn’t forget anything!”

 

To their right, Gen’s twin sister Toshiko groaned. “You kept me up half the night with your constant muttering and shuffling of papers,” she snapped. “I don’t see what you’re so stressed about. It’s only the first day. We’re gonna be fine.”

 

“But we have to make a good first impression,” Gen argued. “I hear the teachers are super strict.”

 

“Not to mention the other students,” another voice piped up.

 

The three turned around. “Good morning, Kitsune, Chizu!” Usagi said cheerfully.

 

“Good morning guys,” Kitsune replied while Chizu just nodded in greeting.

 

“What were you saying about the other students, Kitsune?” Usagi asked.

 

“I hear they can be super judgy,” the fox continued as the friends continued down the path. “You know, being as this is a prestigious school for rich kids and whatever. One wrong step on the first day, and you’re saddled with a bad rap.”

 

Toshiko snorted. “Oh please. They don’t scare me. And they can’t all be like that, anyway. We haven’t even gotten to school yet.”

 

Suddenly Usagi’s ears stood straight up on his head and he froze. “LOOK OUT!” he said, shoving the fox to the side. They hit the dirt road. On the other side, Chizu leapt out of the way. Seconds later, two blurs raced past on bikes, cackling as they did.

 

“You sure about that?” Kitsune said, with a nod to their would-be assassins. The two jerked their bikes to a stop, a brown rabbit and a blue peacock.

 

“Gee, guess those ears are good for something after all,” the rabbit sneered. “Even if there’s no brains underneath.”

 

“Are you trying to kill us, Kennichi?!” Usagi snapped, pounding his fist into the ground. “Watch where you’re going!”

 

“Maybe you peasants shouldn’t walk in the dirt road,” the peacock snipped haughtily. 

 

“It’s a public walkway,” Chizu said flatly, giving the two her hardest stare.

 

It had its intended effect of making the two young boys flinch. 

Kennichi rolled his eyes, turning his bike back to the road. He paused, turning his back to add with a smirk “You guys should be more careful walking out on the road. You might run into our exchange students .”

 

“Yeah!,” the peacock piped up. “The ninja! Watch your pockets!”

 

“Oh please,” Usagi scoffed, not noticing how Chizu froze up. “ Ninja attending Suzuran. What nonsense. Like that would ever happen!”

 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Kennichi sang “See you at school, dork-sagi Come on, Shimo! .”

 

“Fun,” Toshiko muttered as the two took off. “I can’t believe they let that jerk in.”

 

“I can,” Gen said dismally.

 

“What does he have against you, anyway?” Chizu asked Usagi as she helped her friends up. She was the newest member of their little friend group. This wasn’t her first run-in with Kennichi, but all she knew was that he and Usagi’s rivalry went back years. The two rabbits grew up in the same village.

 

Usagi rolled his eyes as he dusted himself off. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he admitted. “We were sorta friends when we were younger. Like, toddlers. We even had some samurai training together. Lately though, he’s just become such a turd. I can’t get him to tell me what I did wrong.”

 

Chizu hummed, unsatisfied with that answer.

 

“Whatever,” Usagi finished. “I’m not going to let Kennichi of all people ruin this for me. I’ve got you guys. Who cares what anyone else thinks?”

 

As far as Usagi was concerned, his friends were all he needed to have a good time at this school.

 

Nothing else could possibly ruin today

 

***

“Okay team,” Leonardo addressed his men. “This is it. Day one. What we’ve all been waiting for. We’ve worked hard to get here. I’m not going to lie to you. Despite all our preparations, we are venturing into unknown territory. So remember. Be on your best behavior. Keep your wits about you. Be model ninjas and above all: represent the Hamato clan in a positive light. Because we-”

 

“Uh Leo?,” his brother Donnie interrupted him. “No offense, but could you maybe not sound like we’re going off on some tactical mission?”

 

“Or to war?”, Raph chimed in. “It’s just school, stress-a-rella. Relax.”

 

Leo winced. “Sorry,” he said. “Old habits. It’s just-I want us to make a good first impression.”

 

“Yeah, yeah we know,” Mikey said, rolling his eyes. “Because we’re ninja, and ninja are evil here, and everyone looks down on us, blah blah blah. We’ve heard what they say behind closed doors, Leo.”

 

The four Hamato brothers were now fifteen years old, on their way to the famed “Suzuran Ryu”.

 

The first ninjas to ever be admitted.

 

Miyamoto Usagi had kept his word and helped Splinter find a place where he could start a new martial arts school. It was a rough start at first. Yoshi had no intention of hiding the fact that he practiced ninjutsu. His days of hiding in the dark were over. And although Usagi had picked a pretty decent neighborhood, they dealt with their fair share of threats at their door the first few years, not to mention the slow (nearly dead) business.

 

But when word got out that Master Splinter was a decorated Battle Nexus champion…

 

Well, Yoshi hadn’t been planning on relying on his fame to get by, but if it helped-the Hamato Dojo now had all his trophies displayed in the main office area where new applicants could clearly see them.

 

After that, business really started taking off. Word got out about what a good teacher Hamato Yoshi was, fair and kind, and willing to teach anyone. Not only that, but when his sons became old enough they started helping the younger students.

 

At some point it also became known that they were good friends with one Miyamoto Usagi, which also helped their reputation.

 

The Hamato Dojo was now a thriving business. Splinter was able to hire on additional staff-for the Dojo and their home-and now he could fulfill the rest of his promise:

 

To send his sons off to Suzuran to get a good education. Of course, even with their reputation, it wasn’t going to be enough. Ninjas in Suzuran? Ridiculous! The board wouldn’t hear of it!

-That is until Splinter made a sizable contribution to their Kenjutsu program, with talks of further offers on the table. Suddenly the four turtles had tailor-made school uniforms, and schedules sent out a month before the semester even started.

 

They weren’t stupid. They knew the teachers would be watching their every move, just waiting for the filthy ninja to pull a dirty trick. They had no idea what their classmates would think.

 

So sue Leo if he was a little bit (a lot) scared of this day.

But he also desperately wanted to go to this school. Deep down, they all did. And he needed to remind his brothers of something important.

 

“Yeah, we’re ninja,” he said sternly, all traces of nerves gone from his face. “And I’m proud of that. I’m not hiding who I am in that school. And neither should you.”

“But you just said-,” Mikey started.

 

“I said make a good first impression,” Leo continued. “I don’t want to give anyone at that place a chance to write us off before they really get to know us. That way when they do have a complaint, it’ll be ‘Teacher, Mikey’s mixing peanut butter and soy sauce again,” he smirked as his brother giggled. “Or ‘Donnie keeps answering all the questions, let someone else have a turn.”

“Hey!” his brother piped up.

 

“-Or ‘Raph saw a bug and broke the mirror in the bathroom again’,” Leo finished, tossing a grin at his brother. 

 

“That was ONE TIME!” Raph snapped. “Where’s your complaint, wise guy?!”

 

“I have none, I’m perfect,” he teased, while the rest of his brothers groaned. “But seriously. I’m not saying we go in there and act like we’re walking on eggshells the whole four years. I just meant…let’s watch each other’s shells, okay?”

“Yeah, I get it,” Raph agreed gruffly. “This wasn’t exactly easy for Sensei to get for us, after all. Be a shame to throw it away.”

 

Leo smiled. “Good!” he said, clapping his hands. He turned about face, and pointed his finger. “Onward then, to new horizons!” he said, quoting his favorite character, Captain Ryan, from his favorite comic and TV show adaptation “Space Heroes”.

 

“I just figured out what your ‘complaint’ is,” Raph piped up as they started off. “All the other kids would hate how much of a giant geek you are.”

***

Usagi and his friends stared, mouths hanging open.

 

It was even better than they had pictured.

 

A thin green archway marked the entrance, with the school’s crest, a lily of the valley, carved into the front.

 

Beyond that the path to the school cut through an open courtyard, split by two large fountains on either side.  Four mighty cedar trees shaded the school. And all around, in all sorts of colors, carefully pruned stood bunches of the plant for which the school was named, suzurans, their sweet scent permeating the courtyard.

 

Beyond the fountains were long outside corridors. These open halls connected all three parts of the school.

 

On the left was the dojo, a big sprawling thing, with several rooms connected by an outdoor hall. The hall was covered by a great sloping roof to protect it from weather. There were other classrooms, further in, for when the winter weather came.

 

The right wing was more closed off and modern-looking, but still matched the aesthetic of the building. It housed lab classrooms for sciences. It also had an outdoor hall.

 

Both hallways (in dark green) led back to the main building, the center of the school. 

 

This is where all other classes were, as well as the dance hall.  With green walls, it stood seven floors high, with curved roofs trimmed in gold. A spire sat at the very top, piercing four gold spheres.

 

Kitsune whistled. “Wow. I mean, I expected something grand, but wow.”

 

“Meh,” Toshiko replied. She and Gen had already been with their parents to get enrolled. “It’s alright.”

 

“Alright?!” Usagi exclaimed. “It’s fantastic!” he grinned. “Let’s go guys!” as he stepped in, he noticed someone from their party was hanging back.

 

He glanced behind him to see Chizu staring up at the building.

 

Chizu had been Usagi’s friend for only about a year, but in that time he’d never known her to be easily shaken.

 

But now, staring up at the school, the rabbit could say she looked terrified.

 

“Chizu?” he asked softly so the others wouldn’t hear. He approached her. “What’s wrong?”

 

The cat glanced back at her friend. “Um, I’m having second thoughts about coming here,” she said nervously. “I uh-just don’t think this is my kind of place.”

 

“Nonsense!” he argued. “Remember why we’re here? What Tetsujin said?”

 

“We’re going to be Kaikishi Warriors and help protect the world from Yokai,” she replied.

 

“Exactly!” he said. “He wouldn’t have made a mistake in picking us! And you’ll totally fit in here! You’re strong, capable, and have a good heart. You’re exactly what this place is looking for. You’ll do fine.”

 

Chizu’s eyes softened. “You really think that?”

 

“I know that. I know my friends, Chizu.”

 

Chizu fought hard not to look away at that statement, and instead gave him a sad smile. “Thanks Usagi. You’re a good friend.”

 

He smiled back (still a little confused) and held out his hand. “Now come on, our friends are waiting for us. This school is lacking without our greatness.”

 

Chizu giggled at his joke (a rarity, which made him feel good) and she allowed him to pull her towards the courtyard, and their friend group.

 

***

 

Raph whistled as they took Suzuran Ryu in. 

 

“Yikes,” said Donnie. 

 

“Uh-huh,” Mikey added for good measure.

 

Leo didn’t have a response. He’d actually seen the school once before, when he came with Master Splinter to collect their schedules. Sensei wanted one of his sons to know the way on their first day.

 

Still, he had to admit, it hadn’t gotten any less intimidating.

 

“Remember,” he said. “We got this.”

 

“Sure, chief.”

 

***

“So, what classes do we have together again?” Gen muttered, looking at his schedule.

 

“How do you not know?,” Toshiko said, rolling her eyes. “I’m surprised you don’t have that thing memorized.”

 

Usagi was really more interested in figuring out when his first Kenjutsu class was. As the friends poured over their schedules his ears picked up other people’s gossip.

 

“-hear about the ninja?”

 

“-Hamato clan-”

 

“-special admission-”

 

“-Yoshi payed for them-”

 

Usagi rolled his eyes. Not this again. “Do people seriously think ninjas are attending this school?” he said aloud. “Why would they be allowed in?”

 

Gen looked back at his friend, bewildered. Did he not know? “Uh, actually Usagi-” he began.

 

“Holy cow, is that them?”

 

“It has to be, look at their masks!”

 

That got the rabbit’s attention. He whipped around, trying to see what people were talking about.

 

His eyes finally landed on four turtles; which was a surprise in itself. Usagi hadn’t seen many turtles, even in Neo Edo. They looked about his age, dressed in school uniforms like everyone else.

 

…Except they wore brightly colored ninja masks and carried ninja weapons.

 

Oh my god, and I thought ninjas were supposed to be stealthy. “I’ll be right back,” the rabbit said. “I have to go get-I don’t know a teacher, or something!”

 

“Wait, what?!” Gen called out. “Why?!” as his friend took off.

 

Usagi ran, looking for the nearest adult. He finally found one, a polar bear in robes. “Excuse me, Sensei!” he called out.

 

“Ah yes, how can I help you?” the bear asked kindly. “Are you looking for your class young man?”

 

“Ah no, I just,” Usagi lowered his voice. “ The school has been infiltrated.”

 

The bear blinked in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”

 

“I didn’t want to believe the rumors either, but they’re right!,” Usagi continued. “Ninja snuck in, and they’re posing as students!”

 

“ Oh,” the bear put a paw to his face in understanding. “Ah, young man, I understand your concern, but those four students are supposed to be here.” the bear sighed. “I told the headmaster word was going to get out sooner or later.”

 

Usagi blinked, confused. “No, I don’t think you do!” he said frantically, pointing back the way he came. “Those four turtles, they’re ninja-”

 

“ Hello, Master Shirokuma” a new voice interrupted.

 

Usagi whipped around to see the four turtles standing there.

 

Three of which were glaring at him. The one in front of the posse was decidedly looking at the polar bear-(Shirokuma, Usagi hadn’t even asked his teacher’s name) .

 

The turtle in front wore a blue mask, and bore a polite smile. Although his eyes sparked with the rage of a thousand suns.

 

“It’s so good to see you again,” the turtle continued, with a side-eye to Usagi. “I do hope we’re not interrupting.”

 

“Oh, hello Leonardo-san!,” Shirokuma said kindly. “No, just clearing up some confusion! I know we wanted to wait until you were all settled in your classes, but I think the masks might have tipped people off to who you are.”

 

“Ah,” Leonardo furrowed his brows, “I know they’re not part of the dress code, but I was told by my father it would be alright to wear them-”

 

“It still is!,” Shirokuma assured him. “It was part of the agreement. I understand why it’s important you keep them.”

 

“Alright then,” Leonardo said, smiling again. “Well, if there’s no issue here-I guess we’ll get to class-”

 

“USAGI!”

 

Gen burst onto the scene, too little too late, bent over.

 

“Are you alright, my dear?” Shirokuma asked in concern while everyone else stared, bewildered.

 

“Need-to tell-Usagi,” Gen gasped for breath. “Those guys-are part of-Hamato clan-supposed to be here,” he looked up.

“Yeah, you’re a little late there pal,” the turtle in the red bandana muttered.

 

“What’s the Hamato clan?” Usagi asked clueless.

 

“Did you just say Usagi?”

 

The rabbit turned in surprise back to Leonardo.

 

“Yes?” he said defensively.

 

The turtle looked shocked. “Like Miyamoto Usagi? The famed samurai warrior and Battle Nexus champion?”

 

Now it was Usagi’s turn to be shocked. “Uh… yes. That’s right. I’m his great-grandson. Yuichi Usagi.”

 

It was super quick, but Usagi thought he saw sadness flash across the turtle’s face for a second. But it was gone, pulled back into a mask of cold indifference as Leonardo seemed to be sizing him up, looking the rabbit up and down.

 

“I see. How disappointing,” the ninja said.

 

Usagi’s mouth dropped open while the rest of the brothers snickered behind their hands. The four left, Leonardo leading the way, not caring to give the rabbit a second glance.

 

Usagi watched them go before turning back to Gen, a mixture of shock and rage on his face.

 

“Who the hell are they?!” 

 

***

Okay, maybe this was mostly Usagi’s fault. According to Gen and Toshiko, the four turtle brothers were here as an exception because they’re from the famed “Hamato Clan”.

 

Some ninja clan Usagi had never heard of.

 

But apparently, plenty of other people had.

 

“We saw that one guy-Leonardo I think his name is?-come in with his father  when Tosh and I met the Principal with our folks for early sign-ups,” Gen whispered to the rabbit as they settled in the auditorium.

 

The first day of school started with announcements for the incoming freshman. Right now they were still filing in, the room filled with excited whispering of classmates eager to start the first day.

 

“Okay?” Usagi said with a confused shrug. “Doesn’t explain why everyone else seems to know who they are. Or why he knew who I was.”

 

His friends stared at him, shocked. Even Chizu looked surprised.

 

“What am I missing?” he muttered.

 

“Seriously?” Kitsune muttered. “I was told your grandpa-Miyamoto Usagi and the clan’s leader- Hamato Yoshi-were good friends.”

 

It was Usagi’s turn to stare.“ Really?” he racked his brain, trying to remember if his Ojichan had ever mentioned a “Hamato Yoshi.”  

 

“YES! They’re legendary, always helping those in need-”

 

-The talking paused as they briefly noticed a drop in the excited whispering around them. They turned their heads to see the ninja clan in question had entered the auditorium and everyone was looking at them now. The whispers picked back up, clearly focused on the new additions to the room.

 

If it bothered the turtles, they didn’t show it. Leonardo, still standing in the front, briefly let his eyes scan the room. They paused for just a second when they landed on Usagi’s gang (Usagi felt himself tense) before they moved on. Finally he nudged one of his brothers in the shoulder, and they made their way to a row of unoccupied seats in the middle.

 

“Yikes, tough room,” Toshiko muttered.

 

“I feel like this is my fault,” Usagi admitted.

 

“I kind of is,” Gen replied.

 

“Your grandfather really never mentioned the Hamato Clan to you?” Chizu said (oh great, even she knew about these guys?)

 

“It’s not ringing any bells , no,” Usagi muttered through gritted teeth, arms crossed.

 

“Their dojo has had countless students”, Chizu  continued, starry-eyed. Boy, this was weird, even for her. “I wish I could have trained there-I mean-only because- what with Master Splinter being a Battle Nexus champion-”

 

“WHAT did you just say?!” Usagi cut her off, horrified.

 

Chizu looked confused. “I said, they’ve had countless students, taught by Master Splinter-”

 

“THE Master Splinter?!” Usagi cut her off, a manic look in his eyes. 

“BATTLE NEXUS CHAMPION?!”

 

“ Usagi?!” Gen hissed, panic in his eyes.

 

The rabbit blinked. He was…

 

Out of his seat. The whispering had definitely died down now.

 

Because everyone was staring at him. Against his better judgement, he glanced several rows up to where the Hamato brothers were sitting. The one with the red bandana looked annoyed, the one in purple looked shocked, the orange one was giggling behind his hand. 

 

Leonardo was…

 

The ninja’s face was one of cold indifference, as though the outburst hadn’t even happened. Except for his eyes. If looks could kill, Usagi had a feeling he’d be stabbed about fifty times in the chest right now.

 

He was snapped out of his death by a thousand glares by the sound of a throat clearing.

 

He turned around to see the school principal-Headmaster Toru taking the stage. The mountain goat gave Usagi a hard look. “If we’re all quite done chatting amongst ourselves,” he called out, causing fits of laughter in the room. “Perhaps we can find our seats and get these announcements out of the way, so your schooling can actually begin.”

 

Usagi, bright red, slammed down into his seat so fast he may have bruised his tail.

 

“Right then,” Headmaster Toru started, whipping out a pair of rectangular spectacles. “Hello new students and welcome to your first day at Suzuran Ryu. I’m your school principal, Headmaster Toru, but most of you probably know that by now. Let’s get a couple things out of the way. Your schedules for your first semester are posted outside in the hallway, organized alphabetically by last name. No, you cannot change them at this time, even if you bring your parents in like a certain someone tried to do last year. We can discuss what you’d like to take for next semester. The first school dance is-”

 

And on and on the speech went, kind of boring to be honest. Usagi was ready to get on with the day (and escape this awkward situation he created for himself) when the headmaster mentioned one more thing.

 

“And finally,” Headmaster Toru said, pushing his glasses up on his face. “I’d like to address something you’ve all been not-so-discreetly whispering about since before I walked in here. Our new exchange students.”

 

Several people turned and looked at the four turtles in the back. The one in orange gave a big smile and waved excitedly, until the one in red smacked the back of his head. This got a few giggles out of the crowd.

 

Even the headmaster chuckled. “Yes, hello. And yes, we have students from the Hamato Clan attending this year. And you will treat them as any other peers in your school,” he leveled a heavy glare at the whole auditorium. “I know we don’t look favorably upon ninjas, and some of us have very good reasons to. But as Headmaster of the most decorated and respected fighting school in the whole of Japan, take it from me-you’d be foolish to A: make enemies with a Hamato ninja or B: not take this opportunity to perhaps learn a new style of fighting.”

 

Several rows back, Mikey leaned in and whispered to Raph. “Is our principal pimping us out for fighting tips?” Raph’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

 

“They also know,” Toru continued. “That they are on a tight leash here. Being the first ninjas ever admitted to Suzuran is a privilege, and they have been warned of the dire consequences should they abuse that. All the same, do your best to make them feel welcome. Is that clear?”

 

“Yes, sensei,” the students responded. Usagi felt he was going to die of embarrassment.

 

“Dismissed.”

 

With a heavy sigh the rabbit began his hasty retreat, when he felt someone’s hand come down on his shoulder. He turned to see Kennichi of all people giving him a smirk. “I heard about what you did earlier,” the rabbit said.

 

“Oh uh…I was just…I mean-”

 

“-No need to explain,” Kennichi cut him off. “I mean, despite what Headmaster Toru said, you and I know better. Ninja don’t belong here.”

 

Kennichi clapped Usagi on the shoulder and made his way out. 

 

“What did he want?” Kitsune asked, confused.

 

Usagi just groaned, dropping his head in his hands.

 

***

“So lemme get this straight. Master Splinter rings a bell, but not Hamato Yoshi?”

 

“Of course I know who Splinter is!” Usagi said as they grabbed a table at lunch... “I saw him fight! When my Ojichan took me! What does this Yoshi guy got to do with any of this?”

 

“Usagi,” Kitsune said in a flat tone. “Hamato Yoshi and Master Splinter are the same person.”

 

Usagi stared at her for about fifteen seconds before he dropped his head with a thwak!  on the table.

 

“Master Splinter is like, a stage name I think?” she offered gently.

 

“So the turtles are-” he began.

 

“His sons,” Gen finished.

 

Usagi swore into the table, “What have I done. My idol’s family hates me.”

 

“I thought Miyamoto Usagi was your idol,” Kitsune said.

 

“I meant my other idol,”

 

“I thought that was Hypnotica from Space Heroes,” Gen chimed in.

 

“I meant my other-other idol!” Usagi snapped looking up at them. He groaned, dropping his head once more. “What does it matter. They hate me either way.”

 

“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad,” Gen tried gently. “It wasn’t…a great start, but I’m sure if you talk to them you can make up?”

 

“Wanna bet?” Usagi muttered. He’d had only two classes so far with two of the other turtles. One was with the guy with the red bandana-Raphael Usagi thinks his name was? Guy didn’t talk much when he walked in, but Usagi felt that chill down his spine when the turtle sat directly behind him in mathematics. 

 

Fortunately the muttered swearing about ten minutes into class let him know that he was probably safe from whatever the turtle had been planning. Evidently math wasn’t Raphael’s strong suit.

 

Then there was the other guy in Chemistry-Donatello. That was a nightmare for an entirely different reason. Lab partners would be paired at random everyday, and Toshiko of all people got paired with the ninja, but Usagi got stuck with Kennichi.

 

Honestly, after a couple awkward moments, it sounded like Toshiko and the turtle were really starting to hit it off. They were talking more about robotics than the actual class they were supposed to be focusing on, but the two clearly had no problem multitasking, absent-mindedly whipping mixtures into beakers and pouring it into test tubes.

 

Stupid gifted nerds.

 

Meantime, Usagi was just trying to get a passing grade, while Kennichi, who seemed convinced they were on the same page about the Hamatos, was slandering them the whole class and doing the bare minimum in terms of work. It had Usagi wincing wondering if he should say something. Kennichi was keeping his voice low enough that no one else could hear him, but damn. Even if Usagi wasn’t a fan of ninjas, this was really shitty behavior. These guys were their classmates. 

 

Headmaster Toru was right, they deserved a chance.

 

“Would you SHUT UP!” Usagi snapped at him finally, slamming a hand down, looking up from his…whatever he’d made. Kennichi did, slamming his jaw shut in surprise. Glancing around, Usagi noticed everyone else had stopped talking as well.

 

Again. 

 

Great.

 

“Everything all right over there, Usagi?” the teacher called out sharply. Usagi winced.

 

“Uh, yes Sensei!” he replied. “Just trying to focus on my work!”

 

“Really,” Sensei Borage responded dryly. “Because your sodium hydroxide is on fire, and I’m not really sure how you accomplished that. None of those ingredients are especially flammable.”

 

Usagi looked back at his test tube in horror. “SHIT!”

 

***

 

“Okay, so maybe the last guy thinks you’re a short-tempered pyromaniac,” Gen said while Usagi groaned into his noodles. “ Please take your head out of your food. You still have a chance to turn this around. Doesn’t sound like the others really got to know you that well.”

 

“You think?” Usag asked tentatively, lifting his head out of his lunch, one noodle hanging between his eyes. 

 

“Sure, buddy,” Gen said gently, plucking the noodle off his friend’s head. “ Yeech. Just try to apologize the next chance you get. And cheer up, would ya? You were looking forward to coming to this school the most out of all of us.”

 

A small smile tugged at the rabbit’s lips as he sat up straight. “You’re right,” he said. “Enough moping around! We’re at Suzuran!”

 

Besides, he was really looking forward to his next class: Kenjutsu. Nothing was going to spoil that for him.

 

***

 

Well it was fun while it lasted. 

 

There he was, surrounded by swords, eager to learn. He didn’t even care that he was stuck in another class with Kennichi.

 

The other rabbit was almost as samurai-crazy as him, and would be too focused on learning techniques to worry about distracting Usagi.

 

He was locked in, totally focused on his teacher, Master Fukuro, who was just taking roll call– when in walks the last person he’d wanted to see, slightly out of breath.

 

“Sorry, Master Fukuro –,” Leonardo bowed at the door, “thought I had this class during-well nevermind. Won’t happen again.”

 

The spotted owl merely waved a wing, absent-mindedly “Just take your seat, Hamato-san.” she muttered.  “We’re getting the boring stuff out of the way first.”

 

“Uh, what’s he doing here?” Kennichi hissed as the turtle hurried in. “This is a class for Samurai, not thieves.”

 

“As a matter of fact, Hikiji-san,” Fukuro called out, causing Kennichi to flinch. Damn, that owl had good hearing. “This class is for anyone with proficiency in sword fighting. Leonardo-san has quite a few years of training as it is. He, like all of you, is taking this class to broaden his knowledge and hone his skills.”

 

She fixed the rabbit with a deadly stare, daring him to say anything more, before moving on. Or maybe she was still staring at him. Honestly it was hard to tell, spotted owls have no irises, which made it all the worse.

 

Company aside, Usagi felt like she was going to be a great teacher.

 

“Alright,” Master Fukuro said, rolling up the scroll with a thwap! “Now that the boring stuff’s out of the way, we are going to do a bit of training on your first day.”

 

“Yesss!” Usagi whisper-cheered, pumping his fist. 

 

“Nothing too strenuous,” she continued. “I just want to get a better idea of where you all currently are in skill, and what areas we need to work on. So we’ll pair you off, starting with bokkens so you don’t accidentally kill each other.”

 

There was a resounding chorus of “awws” in response.

 

“Trust me, you’ll be thankful after today,” Fukuro muttered. “Let’s start with…Hikiji and Ito!”

 

And yeah, it became evident pretty soon that wooden bokkens were a smart choice. No one was doing poorly, but some students were clearly at different skill levels or had been trained in different ways. Fukuro sometimes chimed in here or there to correct a student’s posture or give a pointer if they were on the ropes, but mostly she seemed to be observing and taking notes, before shouting “NEXT!” 

 

Some pairs fought longer than others. A fight could go anywhere from what seemed like only thirty seconds to two minutes before she called it off.

 

They’d gotten maybe halfway through the class, before Master Fukuro called the next pair “Usagi and Hamato!”

 

Oh dear god NO. 

 

Please. ANYONE else.

 

Usagi tensed in his spot, as his stomach just seemed to drop right out from under him.

 

“Usagi? Yuichi Usagi?”

 

He looked up, realizing he hadn’t moved. Master Fukuro was looking at him expectantly (and impatiently) and Leonardo was already in place with his bokken…

 

Looking perhaps a tad too eager to get started. Suddenly Usagi was very glad these were not real weapons.

 

The rabbit laughed nervously. “Sorry! Uh, be right there!” He jumped up, ignoring Kennichi’s snickers, his face burning as he grabbed his own wooden sword.

 

He stood in front of his opponent. The two bowed.

 

“Let’s see what the great-grandson of the great Miyamoto Usagi can do,” Leonardo taunted, moving into a fighting stance.

 

Usagi, feeling less scared and more than a little slighted, moved into his own. “Well, let’s see what Master Splinter’s son knows,” he taunted back.

 

Leonardo’s eyes flashed. “Oh, I plan to,”

 

“Hajime!” Fukuro shouted.

 

BAM!

 

It was so quick. Usagi just brought his bokken up in time to meet the slam of Leonado’s which was still there as he pressed harder and harder.

 

Jeez, this guy was strong! Usagi was never more grateful in life for being raised on the farm. Still this was putting a strain on his arms.

 

Fukuro shouted something, and the turtle finally eased up, putting some distance between them. The two started circling each other. 

 

“What the hell was that?!” Usagi hissed, annoyed. “You just came at me like  a freight train.”

 

“What, were you expecting a sneak attack from behind or something?” Leonardo replied coldly. “Something more like what a ninja might do?”

 

Usagi’s mouth dropped open. He gained just enough of his bearings to realize he was in deep shit when Leonardo came swinging at him again.

 

The rabbit couldn’t do much but block everything the ninja threw at him, left and right, up and down, why was he so fast, weren’t turtles supposed to be slow-OUCH-that one got his thigh. He honestly thought he was doing pretty poorly when he noticed something,

 

Fast the ninja might be, but he was also uniform. This was a set pattern. One that Usagi stood a chance of breaking, if he could just keep up.

 

He waited for the inevitable moment, okay- two sideswipes right is usually followed by a left sidekick and a left sideswipe and HERE IT COMES-

 

BAM!

 

Usagi grinned, sweaty and breathing heavily like he just won, even though all he’d done was successfully manage to block his opponent's incoming swing. Also, Leonardo looked pretty pissed, and if that warmed the rabbit’s heart a little on the inside, then no one else needed to know.

 

“Ha-HA!” he shouted. “GOTCHA!” and started matching the turtle's swings beat for beat. He was tired, sweaty, and definitely going to be feeling this tomorrow.

 

This was the best he’d felt all day. 

 

Just when he thought he was going to win this, it seemed like Leonardo had turned the tables on him once again, because he finally changed up his patterns. Usagi was preparing for a sideswipe that never came-instead he got a side- kick . Ow. Nothing that broke any ribs, but enough to send him sprawling on his butt and his bokken skittering somewhere to the side.

 

He blinked up in shock at the wooden sword pointed at this face. Leonardo was panting, just as sweaty and out of breath-

 

And still glaring daggers at the rabbit.

 

“Yame!” Fukuro shouted. “Alright, that was…interesting.” she muttered. 

 

Anger aside, Leonardo remained a fair opponent and held his hand out to help Usagi up.

 

“Uhhh, thanks, I-” the rabbit began.

 

“Don’t mention it,” the turtle cut him off, looking away.

 

Usagi’s cheeks puffed up in anger. Alright, he’d had enough of this attitude, Splinter’s kid or not. “ Look- ” he began, holding up a finger at the turtle.

 

“Ah- hem”, the two both stopped and straightened at the sound of Master Fukuro’s throat clearing. “If you two are done.” she said, eyeballing them. “I’ve two more sets of students to test.”

 

“Yes sensei,” they both replied, bowing before taking their seats. Usagi cringed as he could hear Kennichi snickering.

***

Chizu was not somebody who smiled a lot, but Usagi had to admit, she looked rather- pleased when he saw her in his history class. “I’m starting to regret not signing up for Kenjutsu.” She said when he sat down next to her. “It sounds like it was quite eventful.”

 

Usagi groaned. “That just happened. How are people already talking about it?!”

 

“Kennichi’s friends with Shimo, and you know that peacock’s the biggest gossip this side of Neo Edo,” Chizu said sympathetically. “But also, I think some kids passing in the hallway stopped to watch. For what it’s worth Usagi, it sounds like it was a great match.”

 

“I mean, it was kind of fun,” Usagi admitted. “Other than the fact that my opponent was trying to smash my kneecaps in.”

 

“Things haven’t gotten better?”

 

Usagi shook his head in response. He was about to say something else when he glanced at the door and all that came out was a weak “No.”

 

Chizu looked over and couldn’t help but snort. Apparently they shared History class with Leonardo.

 

“If you really want to make things right, you’re going to have to talk to him,” Chizu said as the ninja took his seat. “Or you know, you could keep beating each other with bokkens for the rest of our time here.”

 

Usagi winced, recalling his throbbing bruises. “I’ll take the first option, thanks.” He slid out of his seat and made his way over to Leonardo’s desk.

 

Standing in front (but not too in front, he didn’t want to seem intimidating) Usagi cleared his throat nervously. “Uh, hi,” he began.

 

Leonardo glanced at him, almost bored. “Hi?” he responded.

 

“You’re Leonardo, right? I mean, or do you prefer Hamato-san? It’s just you have three brothers, so I don’t know if you’re all going around by your last name because I have two friends who are twins and I know that can get confusing-”

 

“- Leonardo’s fine,” the turtle cut Usagi off impatiently. “Is that all you wanted to say?”

 

“Uh, right. Look…I um…I think we got off on the wrong foot,” Usagi said.

 

“Really?” the ninja said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. “How so?”

 

The rabbit winced. “Well I mean…this morning-with the whole-and me getting the teacher thing-”

 

“OH that,” Leonardo interrupted again. “Yeah I guess that did put a wrinkle on our first day here didn’t it? If only people knew we were coming-oh wait. They did. You were apparently the only person who had no idea which I still can’t wrap my mind around-”

 

“I just thought it was a rumor!”, Usagi finally snapped, red in the face. “LOTS of people thought it was a rumor. Who in their right mind would let ninjas attend Suzuran Ryu?!”

 

He knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as it left his mouth. The frozen look on Leonardo’s face really didn’t help.

 

“I…I didn’t mean…that’s not what I,” Usagi tried to salvage it.

 

“No, I think you’ve made your point,” the turtle cut him off. “No one in their right mind would let a couple of sneaky, thieving, dishonorable ninjas into this prestigious academy.” Each word was delivered with such venom it made Usagi want to curl into a ball. “Even if one of them just kicked Miyamoto’s grandson’s butt in Kenjutsu.” 

 

“Hey I-wait what does my Ojichan have to do with this?” Usagi asked both confused and angry. Why did a ninja care so much about his family?!

 

Leonardo just looked at Usagi searching his face for… something- before just laughing bitterly and saying “You really don’t know, do you?”

 

Usagi stared back clueless, wondering what the hell he was missing, when the teacher came in the room shouting at everyone to take their seats. Leonardo glanced straight ahead and wouldn’t look at him anymore.

 

Shoulders slumping in defeat, Usagi trudged his way back to his desk. 

“Well that could have gone better,” he muttered, taking his seat.

 

“Yeah, it could have,” Chizu snapped back.

 

The rabbit glanced at his friend, confused. “What’s with you?” he asked.

 

“Nothing,” she snapped, looking away in anger. 

 

Usagi stared at the back of his friend’s head, bewildered, wondering what he could have done to set her off in the past few minutes.

 

“Alright everyone,” Master Zou said. “Who can tell me what Province the Samurai Minamoto Kujaku ruled over and what techniques he studied?”

 

Usagi threw up his hand eagerly. One of the few academic classes he excelled at was history and this was why.

 

“Usagi-san?”

 

“Minamoto Kujaku ruled over Kai Province during the Heian Period.” he replied. “He was skilled in many areas-swordsmanship, horsemanship, and archery-but he’s most known for ‘Daito-ryu’-the wide range of martial arts training we practice today” he said. “Also he cut open corpses of his opponents on the battlefield to study joint-locking techniques and pressure point strikes.”

 

“Good,” Master Zo said. “Very uh…thorough. Anyone care to-oh?”

 

Leonardo had his hand up. 

 

“Very well, Hamato-san?”

 

“Usagi-san left out Takeda-ryu,” Leonardo said, face straight, but with the faint air of smugness in his tone, as Usagi’s mouth hung open. “Also, it would be more accurate to say that he ruled during the Heian and Nara Period-as his time as governor overlapped during those two periods. Also, the part about picking about his opponents corpses, while discussed heavily among scholars, has never actually been proven, and is subject to debate on its legitimacy.”

 

“....Yyyyes, I suppose you’re also correct,” Master Zo said. “Well done, both of you.” The elephant turned back to the blackboard. “ Anyway, today’s lesson is about.”

 

But Usagi wasn’t listening. He was too busy staring gobsmacked at this turtle, this ninja turtle, who had the audacity to correct him on Samurai history.

 

Leonardo merely smirked back, a small thing, with twinkling blue eyes, head resting in his palm.

 

Usagi snapped his jaw shut, glaring at him (and he’d swear later it didn’t happen, but he definitely growled in anger.)

 

Oh, so you wanna play it that way, huh? 

 

It’s on.

***

 

“I hate him,” Usagi snarled as he stomped home with his friends.

 

“So I heard the apology didn’t go so well?” Kitsune tried.

 

“It was a trainwreck ,” Chizu muttered darkly. Kitsune looked at her in concern.

 

“You know something, that smug, stuck-up, thinks-he-knows-everything-about-everyone JERK doesn’t deserve one!” Usagi shouted, waving his arms in the air. “I’ll admit it, I screwed up, but jeez! Talk about holding a grudge!

 

“I mean, if you had said those things to me, I wouldn’t have forgiven you,” Chizu said quietly.

 

“But I didn’t say them to you,” Usagi said dismissively. “Look, I get it, my apologies are bad. So he tried to kill me in Kenjutsu today and declared war in history class, doesn’t that make us even?!”

 

“That was pretty funny,” Chizu snorted. “Once he got you going, you two were off on a roll. I felt bad for poor Master Zo.”

“But the Ichigo army was laid to waste in the south sea, everyone knows that!” Usagi shouted, slamming his hands on the desk as he stood up.

 

“Sure,” Leonardo laughed callously from his own chair. The rest of the class just watched, their heads swinging back and forth between the two like they were at a tennis match. “But they only ever found evidence of two sunken ships, when there used to be four. Two months later, what do they find docked at Kai Province, but two ships, the same exact size and dimensions, just with a different paint job and sails. They didn’t hide their tracks well.”

 

“But no one can confirm that the same soldiers were on board!” Usagi snapped. “That’s not proof of mutiny! That just means stolen ships!”

 

“Are you sure?” Leonardo taunted. “There’s a section in a book called The Great Revolt, you’ve probably never heard of it-” 

 

“- Don’t insult me,” Usagi snapped. “Minamoto Buchi, Chapter 11, page 15, I know what you’re referring to-it doesn’t change anything-”

 

“Usagi-san, Hamato-san, please!” Master Zo called out helplessly. “I appreciate the enthusiasm, but this is not a debate class!’

 

“You sure you don’t want to double-check your facts, samurai?!”

 

“I don’t NEED to!” Usagi pointed at his head like a madman. “I live, eat, and breathe, bushido! I remember this stuff better than my own family tree, baby!”

***

 

“So, Leo,” Raph teased, leaning his elbow heavily on his brother’s shoulder. “What happened today, man? I thought we were all going to be on our best behavior. I know I was.”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“Dude, I had the class across the hall,” Mikey chimed in, adding to his brother’s pain. We could hear you guys having the world’s loudest nerd-off. Me and my new friend started placing bets on who was going to come out on top.” 

 

Leo groaned, dropping his head in his palms. “He’s just so frustrating! He came up to me before class to…I don’t know-talk about how he tried to get us arrested or whatever this morning. And every time he opened his mouth it got worse.”

 

“Sounds like a pretty lousy apology,” Raph replied sympathetically.

 

Leo laughed hollowly in response. “It was not an apology. It was word vomit. It was a verbal hostage situation and I was the hostage.”

 

“Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?” Donnie muttered. “I mean yeah, what he did this morning was bad, but you said so yourself we should expect that kind of treatment from kids at this school, even if we do have a good rep as the Hamato clan.”

 

Leo’s face fell slightly. “I guess I just expected better from Usagi’s family,” he said softly. His brothers shared a look of sympathy. 

 

Raph clapped a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “So the rabbit has cotton balls where his brain should be,” he said. “Oh well. His loss if he can’t see how cool we are. From what I hear, he could use some extra fighting tips given how you kicked his tail at Kenjutsu today,” he grinned with a mischievous glint to his eyes.

 

Leo gave a small smile back. “Thanks Raph,” he said softly. “And uh…sorry about being a hypocrite with the whole not causing trouble thing,” he said to the rest of his brothers.

 

Donnie snorted. “Honestly Leo, it’s rare to see anyone outside of us make you lose your cool this fast. If I met someone who annoyed me that much, I’d probably snap too.”

 

“Dude, it was hilarious,” Mikey said. “If it helps, you were making him just as angry, we could tell. Like I said, we were placing bets. Crank that bunny’s engine tomorrow for all I care.”

 

Leo rolled his eyes. “I’m glad you made friends today, I guess? Even if it was at my expense” he replied as his brothers cackled. “I just don’t know what Sensei’s going to think.”

 

Raph shrugged “Who's going to tell him?”

 

Leo glanced at his brothers in suspicion. “...Why wouldn’t you?” Usually they ratted each other out for causing trouble any chance they got, unless there was some mutual agreement going on.

 

“The way I see it,” Raph said. “This kind of thing is probably going to happen a lot-not you and Usagi going at it-but us getting in trouble with people at school giving us a hard time for being ninjas. We can’t always control it. I’m sure sometimes the school will call home. But if they don’t, I see no reason why we should bring it up, unless it’s like, super bad.”

 

Leo stared off, thinking it over, before sighing. “I guess that makes sense. But only if we don’t need help from an adult, and as long as it's not causing long-term problems. I don’t plan on making what happened today a regular thing.” 

 

He didn’t notice the disbelieving smirks his brothers shared behind his back.

 

***

“See ya tomorrow, guys!” Usagi called out as he made his way up the path to his home. Annoyed as he was, he felt a smile stretch across his face when he saw his little sister Hana running down from the house to greet him.

 

“Usagi!” the little kitten shouted, jumping up and down excitedly. “How was school?! Did you learn how to fight? Was it fun? Boring? Was Chizu there, I really like her, we should invite her over more often-”

 

“-Slow down, little dango , let your brother catch his breath,” another voice called from the porch. An older rabbit, with a cane and a prosthetic left leg stood at the top.

 

“Hello Auntie,” Usagi called out.

 

“So, your first day as an official student of Suzuran Ryu,” Auntie said with a smile.  “You must tell us all about it. While you get your homework done, of course.”

 

Usagi groaned, throwing his head back. “Auntie, it was the first day, I don’t even have -”

 

“Don’t even try that with me, —-”Auntie cut him off with a knowing look. “You’re talking to a Suzuran Ryu alumnus, I know they assigned you schoolwork. Come now. I have tea and cakes waiting for us.”

 

Usagi sighed but smiled at the thought of the food waiting for him as he followed his family indoors and told them all about his first day.

 

Well… most of it anyway.

 

***

“Welcome home, young masters!” The head of staff, Shinobu, greeted the four Hamato brothers at the door.

 

“Thank you, Shinobu-san,” Leo said kindly.

 

“‘Sup, Shinobu!”Mikey cheerfully, barreling inside like a maniac. He threw his coat at the coat rack with a smack, where it slid to the floor in a pile. Leo rolled his eyes at his brother’s entrance. 

 “Your father is just wrapping up a class,” the komodo dragon said as she closed the door. “He wants you to join him for some light training-nothing strenuous he said, given your day-before getting started on your schoolwork.

 

There was a collective groan from the brothers. “Home sweet home,” Raph said sarcastically.

 

 “And Mikey-san, you pick that coat up and hang it up properly, you were not raised with tokage.”Shinobu added threateningly without even looking at the coat rack.

 

Mikey grinned sheepishly as he went to pick it up.

Although Shinobu was head of staff at the manor, Master Splinter had also deliberately sought out someone who could help be another parental figure in his son’s lives. He wasn’t able to find another turtle, but being another cold-blooded reptile, Shinobu was often able to pick up on small things the rat might miss, like dietary needs and self-care habits.

 

She was kind, but firm. 

 

Training was, blessedly, short. Splinter explained to his sons that with them in school now, he’d be re-working their schedules to fit in both school, time at the dojo, and time for rest and relaxation.

 

“So, how was your first day, my sons?” Splinter asked eagerly at dinner that night.

 

“I made some friends!,” Mikey answered gleefully. “And didn’t break anything or set anything on fire!”

 

“-Ah, very good.” Splinter replied, deciding that was the best he could hope for.

 

Donnie snorted “Someone in my class nearly did,” he muttered. “But I think I made a friend today too,” he said. “She’s really smart. I think I’m going to like it there.”

 

“It was okay,” Raph shrugged. “Some classes are fun, some are boring, but whatever. I’m looking forward to remedial training tomorrow.”

 

Splinter looked a little concerned at the lackluster response before turning to his eldest son who hadn’t spoken yet. The turtle was staring intently into his bowl.  “Leonardo?” he inquired.

 

“Hmm?” Leo snapped his head up.

 

“Did you have an eventful first day at school, my son?” Splinter repeated.

 

“OH, uhh-” Leo glanced away, nervously rubbing the back of his head while everyone else suddenly became very interested in their food. “Nope. Not really. I mean, I like my classes. Kenjutsu and History are my favorite, I think. Didn’t really make any friends yet, but that’s okay, there’s always tomorrow. Really nice place so far!”

 

“Hmmm,” Leo felt himself break out in a sweat as his father stared him down, before glancing at the rest of his sons to see if someone would give something away. 

 

No one budged. 

 

In the end, Splinter let it go. “Alright then. I’m glad things are going well for you all. You will let me know if anyone gives you any trouble. Remember, you have just as much right to be at that school as anyone else.”

 

“Yes, Sensei,” his four sons replied. 

***

Usagi yawned heavily as the words on the page swam in front of his eyes.

 

He couldn’t believe they assigned so much homework on the first day.

 

He finally finished up the last few questions before calling it a night and heading to bed. Tired as he was, his stupid brain was keeping him up as bits and pieces of his day popped back up.

 

In particular, images of a stupid smug ninja smirking at his desk with twinkling blue eyes as he rattled off samurai history like he knew better than him. 

 

Usagi growled, punching his pillow. “ Let it go," he thought, setting his head back down.

“Tomorrow’s another day.”

 

 He shut his eyes. If Leonardo can’t accept an apology, then Usagi can just ignore the turtle for the rest of their time in school. 

 

***

Leonardo sat at his desk, staring out his bedroom window. He finished his homework almost an hour ago. He should be in bed.

But he was shut sitting there, spinning his pencil between his fingers. Thinking about the conversation at dinner.

 

“How was your first day, my son?”

 

Mikey had apparently made some friends, although Leo hadn’t met them. 

It sounded like even Donnie had made one or two.

 

Raph not so much, but at least he hadn’t gotten into trouble.

“ And what did I do?” Leo thought with a wince, remembering the day. “ After all those talks about keeping our noses clean and not making a bad first impression? Master Fukuro probably thinks I’m a bloodthirsty monster and Master Zo-well who knows.”

 

Leo sighed and got up from his chair. “ Well nothing I can do about it now. Just be better tomorrow. I still have a bunch of other teachers and students who haven't met me yet , so I still have a chance to make a good first impression.”

As he fell asleep, Leo had one last thought “And no matter what happens, I’m not going to let that idiot get under my shell again.”

Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Summary:

Have some more wacky school shenanigans (the over-arching plot is wacky school shenanigans, with romantic rivalry. If you signed up for something else I'm sorry lol).
Raph makes a new friend.
So does Leo.

The rest of the first week at Suzuran Ryu was pretty exciting, for the freshman class anyways.

 

Mixed in with the basic learning classes, like History, Sciences, Maths, etc., were what students really came here for.

 

Judo, Kentjutsu, Kali, (which Raph was thrilled about) and a more remedial weapons training class.

 

Different classes were offered depending on a student’s skill-set. You had to go through a screening process to be cleared for certain courses. The first day proved whether or not you could take that class (or whether you were wasting the teacher’s time). If the answer was yes, it also proved where your training goes from there, what you were good at and what needed work.

 

Raph’s years of training and his main weapon being the sai meant he could sign up for a class that would sharpen (heh,heh) his skills.

 

He liked pointy things. He kind of had to practice not looking too eager when he asked his father if he could apply for Kali. Splinter wasn’t that thrilled to begin with at the idea of his most hot-tempered son learning more violent moves.

 

But after Raph went on a spiel about how this class would build upon what he already knew, Splinter reluctantly agreed.

 

Whoopee.

 

So here he was, sais at his side (although he had been told they’d be using wooden sticks to start, boo). Raph looked around with excitement, looking for…well weapons.

 

He didn’t really care about what was on the walls, unless it was some cool painting of a warlord getting decapitated. He’d actually seen one or two of those at this school, which was pretty neat.

 

And he wasn’t really paying attention to who all was in his class at the moment. They hadn’t weeded out the worthy yet. That’s when it was going to get interesting.

 

“ C’mon, let’s get this show on the road,” he thought impatiently. 

 

He jerked his head around when he heard the door open and finally the teacher walked in.

And oh, he brought goodies.

 

Master Shohei was a crow, who, at first glance almost appeared naked because his dark robes nearly matched his feathers. Even the tiny designs sewn into the fabric were done in a dark blue thread that shimmered like the dark blue of his feathers shining in the light.

 

“ Now that’s blending in with the shadows,” Raph thought impressed.

 

 The crow huffed, dragging a palette with a lever. On top sat a giant wooden box. The box looked fancy, like an armoire. The wood was aged, but polished mahogany, with teal leaves and red roses with thorns carved up the sign. 

 

 It looked heavy. This was proven true by Master Shohei’s heavy sighs.

 

Also he was muttering to himself.

 

 “Why can’t I just leave the damn thing in here?’ I ask every year,” he said then answered his own question in a high pitched voice. “BECAUSE THIS ROOM IS A MULTI-PURPOSE TRAINING ROOM AND WE ALL USE IT! I KNOW YOU’RE STRONG ENOUGH TO LUG IT, SOTA-SAN, DON’T BE SUCH A LAZY-BONES!”

 

Everyone was staring at him now, but he paid his audience no heed. “Lousy owl,” he muttered. “Let’s see how she likes lugging a trunk all over kingdom-come. Oh wait. She doesn’t have to! Why I oughta just pluck out every single one of her stupid-”

 

Master Shohei blinked, as though just noticing he had a room full of students. He cleared his throat nervously. “Right then,” he said. “Let’s get started. His eyes landed on Raph. “You, muscles!” he barked. Raph blinked in surprise. “Take this thing to that side of the wall while I grab the roll call so we can get the boring stuff over with!”

 

Raph grinned, bowing then giving a salute just for funsies. “Yes, Sensei!” he said and hopped to it.

 

He liked this guy already.

 

Raph carefully pulled the chest over to the corner while Master Shohei pulled a long scroll out from beneath his robes, shaking it out with a grumble. 

 

“Right,” he said. “Obviously, I can’t give you real weapons for this test, even if you’ve been training under Karasu-Tengu herself and can slice a grain of rice in half without touching your opponent. So you’ll be fighting with rubber tantos. BUT!” and his black eyes glinted as he looked up sharply at his students. “ Don’t let that discourage you from giving it your all in this test. Kali is about making do with what you have, no matter the tool-or no tool at all. The weapon should work for you. Your progress and growth in my class will help decide which weapon is best suited for you in battle.”

 

Master Shohei turned back to the scroll, “Now let’s start with: Mori-san and Goto-san?”

 

As Shohei went through the roster, Raphael’s impatience mounted. He was so ready to get in there and prove himself to his new Sensei and start training with real weapons. He’d be bouncing on his tippy-toes…you know, if he were someone more immature, like Mikey.

 

Finally, after what seemed like forever, he heard his name called.

 

“Hamato, Raphael and umm,” Shohei squinted at the scroll. “Chizu-san?”

 

The crow looked up as Raph strolled forward, along with a female black cat.

 

“It’s just Chizu, I’m afraid,” the cat said apologetically with a bow. “No last name.”

 

“No worries, my dear,” Master Shohei replied kindly. “That’s far more common than you’d think, especially among great warriors.”

 

Raph cocked his head at the cat, trying to place where he’d seen her before. He hadn’t really been paying attention to any of his classmates since he got here, but this Chizu girl looked familiar…

 

- Oh.

 

She was friends with that Usagi jerk.

 

Great. Well, whatever. Time to see what she could do with a blade.

 

“Hamato-san?”

 

Raph blinked, realizing he’d been spacing out. “Sorry,” he said, bowing to his opponent before grabbing his own rubber tanto with heated cheeks. “ Get your head in the game, you moron,” he thought.

 

The two began circling each other, sizing each other up. 

 

It got quiet enough to hear a pin drop in the room.

 

Raph made the first move, a quick jab. His opponent blocked his arm and pulled, bringing her own blade forward. Raph’s eyes widened, blocking her arm with his own. 

 

The two were at a deadlock, blinking in confusion at what had just happened.

 

“Alright, break it up!” Shohei shouted over the classmates muttering. “Try again.”

 

They separated and backed up. Raph had a small grin of delight on his face now, Chizu mirroring his smirk.

 

They were getting what they wanted out of this class, an actual challenge.

 

And now that they knew they were on the same level, they lunged at each other like snakes in a pit.

 

Chizu may or may not have used her claws at some point to help her backflip over Raph and attack from behind. But that’s okay, because he swept his leg to knock her down and tackle her. Then she aimed a kick for his face, which missed because he pulled his head in his shell. 

 

This caused a brief moment of panic in the room before Chizu burst into surprised laughter. Still she aimed another kick to his shins which caused him to let her go and they were back on their feet circling each other again, both of them laughing.

 

The students were losing their minds. They were screaming, throwing out pointers to either opponent, placing bets on who would win, challenging whether any of this was still technically in the rules, etc.

 

Master Shohei wasn’t any better, cheering right along with them. He’d gotten caught up at some point when the cat had started leaping and the turtle had started using his shell.  

 

Finally, he glanced at the clock on the wall “ Aw, nuts,” he thought. He whistled a high pitched note, causing everyone to cringe and the two fighters in the ring to stop what they were doing.

 

“I hate to stop this-and I truly do mean that ,” Master Shohei said “But the period’s about to be up. I need everyone to put their weapons away.”

 

“But we didn’t declare a winner,” Raphael pressed.

 

“Trust me, you’ve both more than passed,” Shohei replied with a roll of his eyes. “And I’m sure you two will have plenty more opportunities to fight each other in the future. But right now I have another class coming in, so clear out.”

 

They bowed and turned their weapons in. “Uhh, so that was fun,” Raph admitted to Chizu. “We should do that again sometime.”

 

“Yes, I enjoyed being able to fight with someone else for a change,” she replied with a smile. “My other friends…we get along but we haven’t had the same sort of… training growing up…so I don’t get to do this a lot.”

 

“Huh,” Raph said. “Well, you ever want to throw knives or elbows, you can come find me! I’m Raph, by the way”

 

“Chizu.”

 

As the two went their separate ways, something still bugged Raph. It wasn’t the fact that she was one of that jerk rabbit’s friends, despite seeming so nice. It was her fighting style.

 

It was good, don’t get him wrong.

 

But there was just something about it that seemed oddly familiar.

***

 

Who was Leonardo trying to fool.

 

Ignoring that irritating rabbit was damn near impossible.

 

He just grated on his nerves in every single way.

 

It was honestly astounding.

 

In every other faction of school, even his brothers could argue Leo was kind of killing it.

 

He was getting good grades, the teachers liked him (most of them, there were definitely a few faculty members with some hung-up prejudices that were hard to ignore) and he was even starting to click with the student body.

 

But every time he came into proximity with Yuichi Usagi, it was like a chemical reaction went off.

 

A bad one.

 

The same could be said for Usagi. He was getting along with mostly everyone, also getting stellar grades, well-liked by teachers and students.

 

But the only person getting more under his tail than Kennichi (much to Kennichi’s chagrin) was one Hamato Leonardo.

 

And suddenly everything was a goddamn competition.

 

Which, coincidentally, might have had something to do with the two getting increasingly good grades.

 

What started out as “I need to make my family proud” slowly morphed into  “I need to beat that jerk at every opportunity and rub his smug face in it.”

 

It didn’t matter what it was. Kentjutsu. History. Math. Gym. Art. Science. The walk to school.

 

It wasn’t so bad when it was contained to things the two boys already excelled at. The real danger was when they tried to beat each other at things that were… not their strong suit.

 

“Um…Leo?” Donnie poked his head in his brother’s bedroom, alarmed at the smells wafting out the door . “Are you sure you don’t want just a little bit of help with your science project?”

 

“I’m sure Usagi doesn’t need help, I will beat him on my own.” Leo muttered scathingly, glaring daggers at his bubbling beakers.

 

“He’s not even in your class,” Donnie replied, baffled. “He’s in mine …and as someone who does have him I can almost guarantee someone’s helping him.”

 

“I’ve got this,” Leo spat. “Leave”

 

Donnie rolled his eyes, shutting the door, and wincing at the explosion that followed only seconds later.

***

It was becoming the talk among their classmates.

 

And their respective friend groups, who really didn’t know how to feel about each other at this point.

 

Raph and Chizu had a friendship (of sorts) but it really only existed in Kali.

Neither one could ignore the rude way Usagi had approached the brothers originally and the way it had devolved into the rivalry between Usagi and Leo.

 

Raph personally had avoided Usagi at all costs since then, and that other rabbit whatshisname.

 

He’d only made mention of it to Chizu once. She’d simply said three things: yes, Usagi was her friend, that whole ordeal was Usagi’s mess to clean up, but no (and she was very firm on this) Usagi and the other rabbit Kennichi were not friends despite what you may have heard.

 

Raph decided he liked Chizu, she was very matter-of-fact, and to leave the matter at that.

 

Donnie meanwhile was spending more time with Toshiko, sometimes in her garage. As a result he’d met her twin brother, Gennouske, one of Usagi’s best friends.

 

And yet weirdly enough hadn’t really interacted with the rabbit himself.

 

“It’s getting weird, right?” Donnie voiced to Mikey one day. “How much time we’re spending with these guys with how Usagi and Leo are at each other’s throats everyday?”

 

Mikey shrugged. “Maybe if they just sat down and talked it out like big boys, we could put this all behind us.”

 

“Hey, that’s a great idea!” Donnie said. “Why don’t we arrange a meeting-”

 

“No dude, DON’T!,” Mikey shouted. “You’ll ruin the betting pool!”

 

“Betting pool?” Donnie raised an eyebrow.

 

“One of several,” a voice piped up from his left causing the turtle to flinch and yelp. He looked down to see an orange fox with bright green eyes and a mischievous smile. “Hi. I’m Kitsune. Mikey and I have a few uhhh…betting pools set up in the student body around Usagi and Leo,” she shared a smirk with Mikey. 

 

“If they make up too soon we’re out some serious cash, Don,” Mikey said.

 

Donnie blinked, looking back and forth between his brother and his new partner-in-crime. “Dear god, they're multiplying,” he thought. “How long have you two had this set up?” he muttered.

 

“Ohh, a couple weeks now,” Kitsune replied with a grin. “You want in?”

 

“ This is wrong,” Donnie thought. “ Buuut, Leo did just ruin one of my favorite chemistry sets, so..”  “Yeah sure, why not.”

***

While some people were happy to sit back and watch the madness continue, a few others tried to broker a ceasefire, if for no other reason than the health and well-being of their friends.

 

“Heyyyy, buddy,” Gen started out gently, approaching his friend–well–the way one might approach an easily startled rabbit.

 

It was late, the school library closed in ten minutes, and Usagi was surrounded by books and empty cups of matcha.

 

“Watcha’ reading?” Gen continued. “We have an upcoming test I forgot about?”

 

“I’m studying for Geography class,” Usagi replied tiredly.

 

Gen blinked. “Usagi, you’re not in Geography right now. Don’t you have that next semester?”

 

“Yes, but Leonardo’s in it currently, and I hear he’s at the top of the class,” Usagi snapped. “So if I study the material now, by the time he’s out and I’m in, I’ll be able to bury his grades so far no one will remember his name.”

 

Gen sighed and took a seat across from his friend. “Usagi…I think we need to talk. I think this… rivalry you two have going on may be going too far. I mean, beating each other in Kenjutsu is one thing but this?” he gestured to the many books and cups lying around them. “Is insanity. Do you really think Leonardo is putting this much effort into taking you down?”

 

Usagi looked at Gen properly for the first time, and oddly enough, looked almost hurt when he asked “Do you think he’s not?”

 

Gen just stared back in bewilderment, at which point Usagi sighed heavily and closed the book in front of him, rubbing his tired eyes. “Maybe pre-studying for a class is a bit excessive. I’ll try to tone it down a bit.”

 

Gen nodded gratefully, realizing this was the most he could ask for. “I think that’s wise.”

***

 

And so it would seem that (for a brief moment) things had simmered down between the young warriors-in-training. Outside of Kenjutsu, interactions between the two remained at cold looks across the classroom and passive-aggressive comments in the hallways.

 

Probably the best their friends could hope for.

 

Of course, it would be too much to hope it would last.

***

 

“Holy moly I am so late!” Usagi puffed as he raced out the door of his house that morning.

 

He hadn’t realized where the time had gone. He’d just been having so much fun playing catch with Spot before his Auntie reminded him and then he had to start booking it.

 

But Usagi had been feeling guilty lately about how little time he’d been spending with the lizard due to all his new responsibilities and figured a quick game before school couldn’t hurt.

 

He really should have been paying more attention to the time. He also should have been paying attention when he scrambled to grab his things.

 

Maybe he would have noticed the confused tokage standing near his bookbag, ball in his mouth, upset that their game of catch had ended.

 

He also would have noticed a small green tail wriggling out of said bookbag as he raced down the road.

“And where have you been?,” Kitsune chided playfully as Usagi raced into his first glass, gasping for breath, seconds before the chime. “We were worried sick!”

“Lost…track…of time,” he panted. “Playing…with…Spot.”

“Uhh…Usagi,” Gen interrupted nervously. “Why’s your bag moving?”

 

The rabbit blinked at his friend deliriously before glancing down at his bookbag. He slowly reached for it with one arm. Picking it up, he glanced inside, his face falling. “Oh, no.” he said.

 

“What?!” his friends asked frantically.

 

Usagi’s look of horror was met with a cheerful lick from a tiny green head poking out of his bag. Spot gave him a cheerful chirp in greeting.

 

“Oh!,” Kistune giggled.

 

“That’s a problem,” Gen said, but he was also stifling laughter.

 

“Spot!,” Usagi hissed, shoving the lizard’s head back in. “What are you doing in there?! You can’t be at school with me! You’ll get me in trouble!”

“Is there a problem back there, you three?” the teacher called from the front.

 

The entire class turned to look back at them. Usagi giggled nervously. “Uhh, no,” he said. “Sorry sensei. I was just-looking for my homework!” He whipped some pages out of his backpack and waved them around. “Found it!”

 

The teacher squinted at the rabbit’s nervous grin before turning back to the board. “Hmm. Alright then. Keep it down back there. Now, as I was saying, if you give a mouse a cookie-”

 

Usagi sighed, slumping back in his seat. He peered back at Spot, wriggling happily in his book bag, oblivious to his master’s stress. “Well, I guess as long as you’re good, and quiet, no one will care if you’re here for one day.” 

 

“Yeah, this can’t possibly end badly in any way,” Gen replied sarcastically.

But having Spot at school turned out to be kind of fun. Usagi was able to crack his back open to let in some sunlight from the classroom windows and the tokage slept a large part of the day away. And he and his friends had fun feeding Spot at lunch.

But when it was time for Kenjutsu Usagi panicked. There was no way he'd be able to periodically step away and check his clothes without raising suspicion. 

 

So he begged the most responsible person he knew-Chizu-to watch over him.

 

“Just one class, please,” Usagi pleaded, holding out his bag. “You probably won’t even notice he’s there, he’s been so good.”

 

Chizu eyed the bag warily before sighing and taking it. “Fine,” she said. “But next time, check your bag before you leave home!”

 

“I will!” Usagi nodded eagerly. “Thank you so much! I owe you!”

***

Leonardo didn’t know why, but he got the feeling that Yuichi Usagi was terribly distracted today.

 

Well, more so than usual, because if he was being honest, that rabbit was kind of spacey to begin with.

 

But Usagi always had his head in the game for Kenjustsu, and today that was clearly not the case.

 

And it’s not like Leo cared if Usagi was upset or something, but come on! It’s no fun if he’s winning because his opponent isn’t involved!

 

The turtle huffed in annoyance as he blocked another half-hearted strike to the chest. “ Something on your mind?” he finally inquired, annoyed.

 

Usagi blinked, looking back up at his opponent. “Huh?”

 

Leo rolled his eyes heavily. Honestly, the next strike he was going for Usagi’s head. “Can you focus on the match for five seconds please or do you have somewhere else to be?!”

 

“Oh! Uh-sorry!” that threw Leo. “I uh…just feel like I’ve forgotten something–in another room?!”

 

The two stared at each other, Leo in bewilderment, Usagi in a mild panic. 

 

Then the chime went off. “Well, that’s class, sorry, better-luck-next-time and all that!” Usagi rambling taking off.

 

“Wha- Hey!-Arrgh!”, Leo threw up his hands in frustration before stomping off to put away his gear.

 

Whatever. Let the weird rabbit live in his weird mysterious ways. Leo will just kick his butt tomorrow.

As the turtle was leaving however, he saw Usagi standing out in the hallway, already back in his school uniform, talking frantically with a nervous Chizu.

 

Huh. That’s weird. She’s not in this class.

 

“What you mean ‘he’s gone’”, the rabbit cried, turning his book bag over, shaking out the contents. Pencils, books, and random packets of what looked to be- syrup?- went flying in all directions. Usagi dropped to his knees, sticking his whole head in the bag.

 

Whatever the rabbit was looking for, he wasn’t finding it.

 

“Chizu,” he called out from inside the bag. He sounded the most distressed Leo had ever heard him. “You said you’d keep an eye on him!”

 

“Look, he’s not really my responsibility, he’s yours, and he shouldn’t have been here in the first place !” Chizu snapped, before her eyes softened. “But I am sorry I lost him and I’ll help you find him. I’ll be okay, Usagi.” 

 

“He could be anywhere in this school by now!” What if a teacher finds him! What if Shimo finds him, he’s so mean!” the rabbit gasped. “What if the science department-”

 

“-Can we help you”, Chizu cut her friend off, addressing Leo, who was still standing there dumbfounded watching the display.

 

Leo closed his jaw then bristled at the sight of Chizu’s cold, assessing gaze. “Uhh, no?” he replied, glancing back down as Usagi finally pulled his bag off his head. “Sorry,” he turned his heel and walked off.

 

“Wait!,” Usagi shouted after the turtle.

 

Leo froze in place, despite his instincts telling him to keep walking. 

“What do you know?!” Usagi interrogated. “How much did you hear?!’

 

The ninja rolled his eyes. “You’re looking for something. I don’t know what, and I don’t care. Leave me out of this,” and Leo was off again.

Usagi watched him go nervously, while Chizu placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I wouldn’t worry about him, Usagi,” she reassured him gently. 

“I think he means it. Now if Kennichi knew-”

 

Usagi squared his shoulders. “Right,” his face filled with determination, he turned in the opposite direction and marched off. “Let’s go find Spot.”

 

***

It was the last class of the day, and Usagi was no longer panicking.

 

Now he was filled with dread.

 

Spot had not reappeared since, and even Chizu was starting to get nervous. 

 

Usagi was barely paying attention, just anxiously watching the last few hours tick by on the clock as Master Zo finished his lecture.

“And that’s why they call that “The Great Butter Knife War”, Master Zo said. 

“Any questions?”

 

He glanced around the room, a bit shocked.

 

Oddly enough, his two loudest-erm most enthusiast students weren’t participating.

 

Usagi seemed to be slightly out of it, and Leonardo was giving the rabbit-if the teacher didn’t know any better- concerned glances?

 

Oh wait, someone in the back was raising their hand.

 

“Yes, Hikiji-san?” he called out

“Isn’t it true, Sensei,” Kennichi started. “That in that war, the armies were so hungry they ate tokage to survive?”

BAM! Usagi sat up straight in his chair, both feet hitting the floor, whipping around to face Kennichi sitting behind him.

 

Several people flinched, including Leonardo, at the sudden movement.

 

Kennichi just smirked, brown eyes glittering mischievously.

 

“Eh…yes,” Master Zo admitted, wondering where this was going. “Technically that’s true. At one point, after fighting out on the cold mountainside for six months, the army ran out of food. Driven to starvation, they ate some of their tokage to survive.”

 

“Can you imagine being forced to do that?” Kennichi pressed out sympathetically, but it seemed fake. “So hungry you have no choice but to eat your own companions?”

“ What did you do.” Usagi said in a flat, emotionless voice.

 

“Do you think they ate them raw or roasted them over a fire?” Kennichi continued ignoring the other rabbit.

 

Usagi leapt out of his chair. “WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?!” he shouted, face turning red with anger.

 

“USAGI!, ENOUGH!” Master Zo shouted, raising his voice for the first time all year. “Sit down. Kennichi! You too! I don’t know what this is really about, but it clearly has nothing to do with the lesson!”

Usagi collapsed back in his chair. Master Zo was horrified to see the rabbit looked close to tears. 

 

The bell rang.

 

“Everyone is dismissed. Expect you two. You stay,” Master Zo pointed at the two rabbits. He waited for them to file out. “That means you too, Hamato.”

 

Usagi blinked back his tears and glanced over to see Leonardo was standing by the doorway, hesitating before he left.

Master Zo sighed “Alright,” he said. “What’s going on?”

“Usagi brought his pet tokage to school,” Kennichi tattled immediately. 

 

Master Zo blinked in surprise. Okay, he wasn’t expecting that.

 

“It was an accident,” Usagi stressed tearfully. “I didn’t notice he was in my bag until I got here and it was too late to do anything about it. I figured I’d just keep him there until the day was over and hoped no one would notice.”

 

Master Zo stroked his chin. “Your family owns a tokage farm, yes?”

“Yes, Sensei.” Usagi answered.

“Why didn’t you go to the office and ask to call home, see if someone could pick him up?” Master Zo continued.

 

 

Usagi’s mouth dropped open for a moment before closing. “I…didn’t think of that,” he said softly.

Master Zo sighed. “So where is–”

“Spot,” Usagi sniffled.

“Yes Spot,” Master Zo replied gently. “Where is Spot now then?”

“I don’t know.” Usagi said. “I asked Chizu to watch him while I was in Kenjutsu-not that I’m blaming her, this is all my fault-and he went missing. I haven’t seen him since.”

“I see,” Master Zo replied, now turning to Kennichi. “Then maybe it’s time you explain, young man.”

 

“What did I do?!” Kennichi cried.

 

“Your comments in class just know,” Master Zo’s gaze hardened. “Do you know where Spot is?”

 

Kennichi sighed. “No,” he said. He turned to Usagi. “Um…I’m sorry,” he said. “It seemed funny at the time but-they were just words. I would never actually hurt Spot. I saw you feeding him earlier, but that’s the only time I saw him. And I heard Chizu telling Gen he was missing.”

 

Usagi searched Kennichi’s face, before sighing miserably. “I believe him,” he said to Master Zo. “But Spot’s still missing.”

“He can’t have gone far,” Master Zo said, getting up from his desk. “You said he disappeared sometime after lunch? School is over now, we have plenty of time to look, and there’s less people crowding the halls.”

 

“I’ll help too,” Kennichi offered, looking truly apologetic.

Usagi wiped his eyes. “Thanks,” he replied softly, standing up.

***

 

Leo walked nervously down the halls wondering what the hell he’d just witnessed back in class.

 

Sure, he’d noticed in his time here that Kennichi had a penchant for getting under Usagi’s skin.

 

But he’d never seen the rabbit so upset before.

 

And not the kind of upset he got when he and Leo were fighting. Usagi looked close to tears.

 

Shell, Kennichi even looked remorseful by the end of class.

 

But it wasn’t like Leo and Usagi were friends, so it wasn’t his business to pry.

 

Still, maybe he should tell someone. Chizu perhaps, she seemed to know what was going on earlier.

 

…But he wasn’t really friends with Chizu either. Raph kind of knew Chizu, maybe Leo could tell Raph to pass along the message to Chizu about Usagi -

 

Okay, this was getting silly.

 

* Chirp!*

 

Leo froze. He looked around the empty hallway. 

 

“Yyyup. Still empty .”  He must’ve imagined it.

 

He kept walking.

 

* Chirp!*

 

“Nope, heard that one,” he looked around again.

 

The chirps started increasing, Leo followed them to a closed classroom door.

 

“Hello?” he opened it in confusion. He poked his head in. No people. Just an empty classroom, lit only by the late afternoon sun.

 

*Chirp!*

 

The ninja silently glided through the first two row of desks, to the back, where he found–

 

*Chirp!*

 

A little lizard, cowering behind a stool.

 

Leo blinked. “Oooh myyy,” “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” he thought.

 

Spot stared back up warily, assessing the stranger with another questioning *Chirp!*

 

Leo’s whole face lit up in a big smile, bringing his hands to his cheeks, and he couldn’t help himself as he answered back.

 

*Chirp!*

 

Spot gawked at the stranger. Leo giggled. No, he doesn’t speak- whatever this thing is. And he hardly ever makes these sounds any more, hasn’t done it really since he and his brothers were very small. 

 

But how could he not for this cute thing?!

 

Leo chirped back at the little lizard. It seemed to help calm it down, as it started chirping back and cautiously approached Leo.

Leo grinned and got down on the floor to greet his new friend.

 

***

 

Usagi sighed “I don’t know. Maybe we should call my Auntie,” he stated. 

 

He, his friends, Kennichi, and Master Zo had split up to search. They’d been at it for a while now, and hadn’t turned up a single scale.

 

“Don’t give up hope yet,” Chizu said, patting him on the shoulder.”

 

“I’m not,” Usagi said. “She can bring another, bigger tokage to sniff him out. By the way, I’m sorry about earlier. You’re right, it’s not your fault he’s missing, I shouldn’t have him here in the first place.”

“Oh, I’m sorry too,” Chizu replied. “I know you didn’t bring Spot here intentionally. And you were only trying to make the best of-”

 

Chizu paused when she saw Usagi’s ears go straight up. “What is it?” she asked.

 

“...I think I hear Spot,” he replied, brows furrowed. “But I’m not sure.”

 

“Well, lead the way!” Chizu said.

 

They took off. As they went, Chizu’s ears also picked up what Usagi was hearing…and it was weird.

 

Those were definitely Spot’s chirps, but also…something else.

 

The two stalked outside an open classroom door.

 

“Where did you come from?” a voice said cheerfully. “You’re so adorable!”

 

Usagi and Chizu looked at each other in disbelief. That voice sounded awfully familiar. But they had never heard it so…. gushy.

 

As quiet as they could possibly be, the two peered inside.

 

There was Hamato Leonardo, eldest of the Hamato brothers, son of the ninja leader Hamato Yoshi, known for his deadly moves and deadly glares-

 

Curled up on the floor with Spot on his lap, the softest look in his eyes, giggling at the tokage’s chirps.

 

And chirping back at him.

The two friends pulled back from the entrance, flattening themselves against the wall outside. They exchanged another glance, almost guilty.

 

“There’s no way what we just saw was real,” Usagi said.

 

“What else would it be?” Chizu replied.

 

“That’s too sweet to be Leonardo,” Usagi said. “That’s a doppelganger. Or maybe Michaelangelo stole his mask.”

 

“Usagi,” Chizu gave him a flat look. “ Really? Okay, I could buy the second one, but really? That’s clearly Leonardo in there.”

 

“No it’s not, because Leonardo doesn’t have a soul,” Usagi insisted while Chizu rolled her eyes. “Also, is he also chirping?!” 

 

“Okay, that one surprised me,” Chizu admitted. “But I think you’re missing the most important thing here. We found Spot.”

“You’re right,” Usagi muttered, but he was frowning. “How do I get Spot back?”

 

Chizu stared at him. “Go in there and tell him he’s yours? I don’t think he’ll keep him from you. And if he does, I’ll break his kneecaps.”

“Wha- no,” Usagi said. “I appreciate it, but no. We need to let Leonardo know we’re here before we walk in.”

“Why?” Chizu asked, confused. 

 

“Because if he knows I saw him like this, I’m dead,” 

Usagi walked several steps back down the hallway, paused and started purposefully marching-practically stomping-forward.

 

“GEE I HOPE WE FIND SPOT SOON, CHIZU!” he shouted, while he clapped her ears over her head. “I don’t think we looked this way yet! How I miss my poor sweet boy, I hope he’s okay!”

The giggling and chirps had definitely stopped now. Usagi heard the skittering of nails before a small blurr of green rounded the corner, Spot chirping at the top of his lungs.

 

“Spot!, Usagi got on his knees even though the lizard had no problem jumping up onto his shoulders. “Ohh, there, there! Where have you been! This is why you shouldn’t come to school with me! Next time stay with Chizu! But next time just stay home until I get back!” Usagi wagged his finger at the Spot before crumbling and squeezing him tight. “Ohh, I can’t stay mad at you. I know you miss me when I’m gone. I miss you too!”

Spot chirped and leapt off the rabbit’s shoulders racing back into the classroom.

 

“Hey- NO- Where are you going?!” Usagi chased after the lizard in a panic.

 

He ran into the classroom only to be reminded of who was in there.

 

Apparently Spot wanted to introduce Usagi to his new friend.

 

Who was now halfway out one of the windows?

 

“Uhh,” Usagi blinked, unsure what to say at the sight of Leonardo, looking every bit the caught ninja. It seems the turtle had tried to escape out a classroom window,  but was unable to get it all the way open.

 

Dang school windows and their safety locks. Now the turtle was stuck with one arm and leg outside, the other half with his head still in the classroom.

 

“...Oh. Usagi. Hello,” Leonardo said, opting for a polite tone as though this was a completely normal interaction. 

 

That might’ve been the nicest greeting-nicest anything, really- Usagi had ever received from the ninja.

 

He was sorely tempted to laugh at the turtle’s predicament, when Spot ran forward leaping up onto Leonardo’s one available shoulder to chirp happily in the turtle’s ear and then of all things- lick his cheek.

 

Usagi’s mouth popped open. Spot cuddled with people all the time, but kisses?

 

Only Usagi and close family members ever got that treatment.

 

“ Spot ,” he hissed. “How could you. Him of all people. You’re breaking my heart.” 

 

Spot remained oblivious to his master’s internal crisis, as he continued to nuzzle the cheek of the enemy.

 

Leonardo, for his part, looked like he desperately wanted to be anywhere else, but couldn’t move. He finally gave a gentle head tilt to Spot. “Uhh, this yours?” he inquired.

 

Usagi groaned, coming forward. “ Yes, I’ll grab him. Spot, knock it off, you’ve caused enough trouble for one day. I’m never going to hear the end of this when I get home.”

 

Usagi plucked the lizard off Leonardo’s shoulder (to Spot’s great disappointment) and just looked at the ninja.

 

Neither really knew what to say.

 

“Well uh…I should get going then, I guess,” Usagi said.

“Yup, me too,” Leonardo replied.

 

Again, neither one moved.

 

“...You’re stuck, aren’t you?” Usagi asked with a smirk.

 

“No!,” Leonardo snapped, face turning red, but he didn’t move.

 

Usagi cackled. He put Spot down, and reached for Leonardo’s arm. “It’s okay, I’ll help you get out.”

 

“I’m not- wait, why?” Leonardo asked, suspicious.

 

Usagi paused, thinking. He wasn’t sure “ Because you found Spot and were so nice to him,” was the best answer to give right now. It would reveal he’d been spying on Leonardo earlier. “Because a true Samurai Warrior always helps those in distress,” he adopted a somber tone, striking a pose with a raised finger.

 

His speech was met with a heavy eye roll and a mutter of “Oh brother,” 

 

“Hey, if you want I can just leave you here for someone else to find,” Usagi said, starting to walk away. “I’m sure the custodian will make their rounds in the morning.”

 

“No- WAIT!” Usagi paused with a smirk, before he turned back to the turtle.

Leonardo sighed with a pained expression. “I may be a little stuck…and would appreciate some help getting out…please,” he said through gritted teeth.

 

“There, was that so hard?” Usagi grinned, coming back to the window. Leonardo didn’t answer.

 

Usagi assessed the situation, peering behind. The turtle was wedged pretty good, actually, his shell jammed right into the lip of the window.

 

“Does it hurt at all?”Usagi genuinely asked. He was starting to feel bad for dragging it out for so long.

 

“No,” Leonardo replied, turning his head around as far as he could. “But it doesn’t feel comfortable either. Are you sure you can actually help, or do we need to get someone-”

 

“No, no, I got it!” Usagi waved his hand. He braced his hands on the top of the window. “I think if we just get it up a little more-”

 

“-It doesn’t go up any higher.” Leonardo cut him off.

 

“You got yourself in there, so there must be enough room to get yourself back out!” Usagi argued. “We just need a little-more-wiggle-room!” he huffed.

 

Leonardo sighed, but also started pushing with both hands on the top of the window.

 

Now Hamato Leonardo is generally a bright kid for his age, not as smart as say his brother Donatello, but pretty clever.

 

But even a bright kid like Leo can-in times of crisis-get tunnel vision and mistake the forest for the trees.

 

Sometimes when stuck in a window, so consumed with panic and the embarrassment of being caught, you forget that you’re a turtle who can retract your own limbs.

 

As he was helping Usagi work the window back up Leo suddenly remembered this fun little fact about himself. “Uhhh,” he said feeling stupid. “I just thought of something that might help. Don’t freak out.”

 

“Huh?!” Usagi huffed as he pushed. 

 

Leo pulled his arms and legs in first, then his head-

 

-BAM! SLAM! 

 

* Thud*

 

Retracting into his shell had been enough to squeeze Leo through, and it immediately sent him tumbling into the classroom, his shell smacking off the window shelf on the way down. 

 

The window, now free of turtle (and possibly broken) slammed shut.

 

Usagi, not knowing what happened, just thought to catch Leo as he seemed to be falling over.

 

He wasn’t prepared for the sudden weight and they both hit the floor with a thud.

“Uhhh,” the rabbit groaned, holding what he assumed to be Leonardo. 

 

Although right now it just felt like a heavy cloth ball.

 

“Leonardo?” Usagi finally asked when the room stopped spinning.

 

He lifted his head and peered at what he had on his lap. 

 

Then he screamed. 

Leonardo’s head was gone! Did the window chop it off?!

 

“OH GREAT BUDDHA IN THE SKY I KILLED HIM!” 

 

Then Leonardo’s head popped out of the neckhole in his uniform.

 

Usagi screamed louder. The ninja’s arm popped out next to shush him.

 

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” he reassured him.

 

Usagi’s eyes widened, but he stopped screaming. Leonardo took his hand away as the rabbit put his own hand over his beating heart. 

 

“ Never do that again,” he glared at the turtle. “That was terrifying. I’m going to be seeing that in my nightmares tonight.”

 

Leonardo couldn’t help himself-he giggled. “Sorry,” he said. “I figured it would help get me unstuck. Didn’t you know some turtles could do that?”

 

“ No, and that’s a terrible way to find out,” Usagi snapped. “Why didn’t you try that earlier?”

 

“Uhh,” Leonardo’s cheek’s pinkened slightly. “I kinda…forgot.”

 

It was Usagi’s turn to snort. “You forgot. How do you forget?”

 

Leonardo opened his mouth to snap something back when something started vibrating in his pocket. He pulled out his phone and his face dropped.

 

“I’m late,” he said. “I don’t have time for this. Look, thanks for-”

 

He looked back at the rabbit and realized just for the first time how close his face was. 

 

And then he realized he was basically sitting in Usagi’s lap.

Usagi seemed to come to the realization at the same time as Leonardo, who hurriedly scrambled backwards, smacking into the wall behind him.

 

“Uhh,” Leonardo continued, “Like I was saying-” he stood up and offered the rabbit a hand. “Thank you for your help. I have to go now. Let’s never speak of this again.”

 

Usagi stared, cheeks red at the turtle's hand for a second before taking it.

 

“Aaannnd, what are you gonna do if I tell people about you being stuck in a window?” he joked, letting their hands drop.

 

“I’ll tell everyone you screamed like a little girl when you thought I lost my head,” Leonardo shot back, face deadpan.

 

“Noted,” Usagi said, expression horrified.

 

“Alright, bye,” Leonardo turned to leave but paused. 

 

He walked back, past Usagi to crouch down to Spot. He gently scratched the lizard under the chin, and was rewarded with tail wiggles and happy pats.

 

For a split second, Usagi saw that sappy smile on Leonardo’s face again.

 

“See you Spot,” the turtle said in a tone as soft as melted butter. Then he stood back up, and nodded at Usagi coolly. “Usagi,” and he marched off.

Usagi stood there, dumbfounded in the dimly lit classroom. 

 

* Chirp!* He glanced back down at his troublemaking companion.

 

“You really like him, huh?” Usagi said. He turned back to the empty doorway Leonardo had left through. “Well, he seems to like you too at least. I can’t say he thinks very highly of me though.”

 

Notes:

I have so much stuff written, and my biggest challenge is making it all flow the way I want it to lol.
I almost made this story a series of drabbles instead, but it just doesn't work for what I'm trying to achieve here.
But do expect flashbacks and stuff, I'm not quite done talking about the turtles' childhood.
For those who may not have caught it, Raph's new sensei, Shohei is definitely mocking Leo's sensei Fukuro.
Owls and Crows famously don't get along lol.

Chapter 4: This is How We Do It

Summary:

Four young turtles in the city get bored of sitting at home and decide to go exploring.

Notes:

I think I might be pouring more effort into this fanfic than necessary lol.
I got other stuff I need to be doing.
Anyway, someone asked about a playlist.
I've had LOTS of ideas, but I'd feel kind of weird recommending
someone else's playlist for my fanfic without their permission and I'm NOT making my own. That's WAY too much for this story, sorry lol.
I might go back to putting song titles in chapters (like this one) but I can't promise it for every chapter. I only do it when I really feel it works.
I understand the title of this is called "Ninjas don't dance", and their hasn't been a lot of dancing yet, lol I promise we'll get there.
This is a very slow, piece-meal story.
With flashbacks! Like this chapter, enjoy!

Hamato Donatello loved his new life in Neo Edo. Out of all his brothers, he might’ve adjusted the quickest when they’d first moved.

 

It was a little weird at first. The turtles had spent most of their early childhood never really seeing the planet that was technically their home, living in the sewers below the city Splinter told them was named “New York” or “Manhattan”. 

 

And they were never to go to the surface, especially when Sensei took his biannual trips to the Battle Nexus.

 

Splinter waited until they were a bit older to explain what the Battle Nexus actually was and what he was doing there.

 

The first couple times he left, they were good little turtles, staying within the endless maze of underground tunnels to explore, sometimes watching people and cars go by through the street grates.

 

But after a few years went by, well…

 

They got bored of what felt like a slightly more interactive version of TV. Curiosity beat the fear of Sensei finding out, or the many horror stories he’d told of what would happen should they be discovered.

 

It was actually Donnie and Raph who snuck out the first time, at about six years old. The two ran into each other in the tunnels on the way to the top. They’d both agreed not to say a word to Leo or Mikey and go together.

 

Raph cautiously poked his head out, said “It smells terrible,” and the two were off.

 

They didn’t do much, sticking to the shadows of the alleyway, since the streets were crawling with people. Donnie pointed out that the rooftops might be a safe bet. They clambered up via the fire escape (making far too much noise) and there was a terrifying moment where someone came to check the window Donnie was standing in front of. He managed to pull himself up the lip of the roof before the person yanked up their blinds.

 

The two brothers collapsed on the rooftops, catching their breath, listening to see if anyone was coming up to see what caused all the noise they just made.

After a while, Donnie said “I think we’re safe,” and they sat up.

 

And then they really took it all in.

 

The sights . The sounds. The smells.

 

They were outside. At night. In the city. And it was incredible. Donatello would go on to see far more spectacular views in his life than a sub-par view of New York City from an average size apartment building, the sky thick with light pollution, but this moment was one he would keep close to his heart the rest of his life.

 

“Wow,” he finally said softly, his eyes filled with stacks and stacks of twinkling lights.

 

“Not bad,” Raph admitted.

 

That was the first night.

 

The second time they snuck out, they did a bit more exploring. Donnie had been reading books and maps about New York for years-just in case-and he felt confident he could lead the two of them to Central Park.

 

The good news, he totally did.

 

The bad news, he did not account for how far away it would be from home. They could only stay there for so long before they had to make their way back, lest anyone notice they were gone.

 

And they were caught. Thankfully not by Sensei. But arguably by someone much worse.

 

“ Where have you two been?!” a grumpy (panicked) looking Leonardo said standing in the middle of the living room. Mikey was sleeping behind him on the couch, tucked under a blanket. 

 

Even at age six, Leo had perfected the stern mom look almost to a T.

 

Too bad his brothers were immune.

 

“Nowhere,” Raph snapped back, “We’ve just been walking around the sewers. Gettin some fresh air.”

 

Leo shot him a look of such disbelief that Raph flinched just a tad.

 

Okay. Maybe not entirely immune.

 

“Fresh air,” Leo shot back in a tone that sounded too much like Splinter for Donnie’s liking. “In the sewers,”

 

Yikes.

 

“Yyyyup,” Raph responded, while Donnie nodded in agreement, neither looking Leo in the eyes.  

 

Leo just rolled his eyes. “I know you two went to the surface,” he hissed, so as to not wake Mikey. “I saw you go up the ladder to the manhole cover.”

 

“You did?” Donnie asked, surprised. “You didn’t stop us.”

 

“I couldn’t ,” Leo whispered, jerking his head back to the couch. “Mikey was following me. I don’t need three lost brothers.”

 

“We weren’t lost!” Raph snapped, scowling when Leo shushed him. “We knew exactly where we were going.”

 

“Yeah, we went to Central Park!,” Donnie whispered, eyes sparkling. “It was great!”

 

“Just far,” Raph rolled his eyes. “We didn’t realize it would take so long to get there.”

 

“Sorry,” Donnie muttered. “I just figured it might be nice to have a destination in mind this time, see a little more of the city-”

 

“ This time?!” Now Leo was the one being shushed. “You’ve done this before?!”

 

Donnie winced. Raph shot him a dirty look, but then just sighed. “You know what, yes,” he said, turning to Leo. “And you can either rat us out to Splinter, or you could join us.”

 

Leo just stared in shock. “What?”

 

“Leo, we’re careful,” Raph argued. “We’re doing all the things Sensei told us to do: stick to the shadows, don’t talk to anybody, don’t use the bathrooms-whatever. Look, it gets boring down here and…sometimes… I get scared.”

 

Leo’s face softened at that. “Scared of what?”

 

“We’re down here because it's safe, but we don’t know what we’re hiding from,” Raph said quietly.

 

“Sensei says we’re hiding because people would take us away and do ex-exper–tests on us-” Leo started.

 

“Yeah, but Leo-” Raph cut him off. “We don’t know any people. I’d never even really seen one before Donnie and me snuck out.”

 

Leo didn’t have a response to that.

 

“We just see them in movies and comic books,” Raph said.

 

“There’s so much stuff up there to explore, Leo,” Donnie added, eyes shining. “Don’t you wanna see what kind of world we’re living in?!”

 

“Or are you gonna get us in trouble and ruin our fun?” Raph taunted.

 

Leo looked back and forth between the two, conflicted.

 

“We could go to the Museum of Natural History,” Donnie offered, playing his final card- “You know, they have a planetarium there-”

 

“Okay!,” Leo said, eyes enormous, before catching himself and coughing nervously. “I mean uh-I guess I can’t really stop you. You might sneak out again, even if Sensei did ground you. So I might as well-tag along and see what this is all about.”

 

“Great,” Raph replied sarcastically while Donnie snickered.

 

“Cool! When are we going?!” a fourth voice chimed in.

 

All three turtles turned around to see Mikey sitting up on the couch, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, with a big smile.

 

“...How much of that did you hear?” Donnie asked cautiously.

 

“All of it,” Mikey replied cheerily.

 

“You were awake this whole time?” Raph snapped.

 

“Yeah, but I knew if you knew I was, you’d stop talking, so I ‘tended to be sleepin’,” Mikey replied smugly.

 

“Yeah, ‘cause you’re not coming,” Raph said.

 

“Raph-” Leo warned-but Mikey beat him to it. 

 

“If you don’t I’ll tell Sensei,” he sang.

 

“You wouldn’t,” Raph said, but the sadistic grin on Mikey’s cherubic, freckled face made it all too clear he totally would.

 

They stared each other down before Raph groaned dramatically, head thrown back, hands in the air. “Fine! You can come along! Just don’t get us caught!”

 

Mikey’s grin grew wider. “So when we leavin?”

 

And somehow, they were never caught. Leo was stressed over the thought, his first couple trips outside (and at the idea of hiding something from Sensei), constantly looking for danger around every corner, making sure every brother was within sight at all times, constantly holding Mikey’s hand.

 

It was kind of driving Raph and Donnie nuts, but seeing as they were no better their first time out, they humored him. Eventually, Leo loosened up and, like his brothers, started to appreciate the fact that he was outside.

 

He took to it surprisingly well, even suggesting games after a while like making up stories about the people on the street, or seeing who could cross from one rooftop to the other on a wooden plank.

 

And he really liked the Planetarium. He was completely starstruck, and practically had to be dragged away when it was time to head back home. Raph joked they could have left him there, and picked him up a week later, and he wouldn’t have noticed.

 

Mikey was also starstruck. By just about everything. The first night, Donnie was helping him out of the manhole, when Mikey stopped and stared at something wide-eyed in the distance.

 

“Mikey?” Donnie asked, worried.

 

Suddenly his little brother broke free, yanking his hand out of Donnie’s and bolting the rest of the way out of the manhole. Donnie’s squawk of alarm alerted Leo and Raph just in time as they each grabbed an arm to stop Mikey from darting into traffic.

 

“Mikey!”, Leo said, panicked. “What’s wrong with you?!”

 

“LOOK AT THAT!” he shouted, pointing out across the street.

 

Raph shushed him, slapping his free hand over Mikey’s mouth. The two yanked him off to the side of the alleyway, breathing heavily. Donnie joined them as they waited, wide-eyed to be discovered.

 

After no-one showed up, they sighed collectively in relief. “O-kay,” Raph growled. “When we let go, do not scream or run anywhere. Just tell us what’s wrong. Quietly.” 

Mikey nodded, eyes enormous. Leo and Raph looked at each other, then gingerly let Mikey go, Leo keeping one shoulder on Mikey to be safe.

 

“Look! In that window over there!,” he wasn’t yelling anymore, but it was still too loud for Leo’s liking, who shushed him.

 

They turned and stared, confused.

 

“It’s a hand made out of light!” Mikey gasped. “Wha-now it’s an eye made out of light!”

 

“Oh my god,” Raph muttered, sounding furious.

 

“Wha-” Leo tilted his head. He didn’t see what the big deal was.

 

“He’s staring at the neon sign,” Donnie sighed, rubbing his eyes.

 

“I could just- see,” Raph said, turning to Leo exasperated. “This just proves my point. We need to get outside more. Our little brother is staring at a blinking light like he’s seen God.”

 

“The hand! The eye!”

 

“‘C’mon, let’s get out of here,” Raph muttered mortified as he dragged Mikey off, a dazed Leo following him.

Young Michelangelo would continue to be amazed by everything and anything the Big Apple had to offer, good or bad.

 

An elaborate store display. A pigeon eating a bagel. The Empire State Building lit up purple . A man with blood-shot eyes arguing with a newspaper stand, saying “You’re not taking the kids, Martha!”

 

Leo was thinking of buying one of those kid leashes he’d seen on TV.

 

But sometimes Mikey’s discoveries turned out to be for the better. Like when he may have been spotted (never telling his brothers) by some guy on a speedy little scooter that drove like a car. The guy screamed and sped off. Something fell off the back. 

 

“Hey mister, you dropped this!,” Mikey held up the bag, trying to be helpful, despite knowing he wasn’t supposed to be seen.

 

But the guy was long gone, and clearly wasn’t coming back. Mikey shrugged and decided to check it out. 

 

Whatever it was, it smelled incredible.

 

“Mikey!” He turned around to see Leo. “How many times have I told you to not wander off. You could’ve been seen-What’s that?”

 

Mikey grinned. “I don’t know. I just found it here. It smells good though. Wanna find out?” 

 

Leo looked around nervously as Raph and Donnie came up behind him. “That’s not ours. What if they come back for it?”

 

“They won’t.” Mikey replied.

 

“How do you know?” Raph asked, crossing his arms.

 

“Uhh…because-five second rule! This is clearly food!” Mikey said. “Come on, it was on the ground! You really think anyone else is going to eat it?”

 

“Oh yeah, I’m really interested in eating something you picked up off the street,” Donnie taunted.

 

Mikey rolled his eyes. “You know what, fine. More for me.” he opened the bag.

 

“Hey wait a minute–” Leo started but stopped when Mikey pulled out the cardboard box inside and popped open the lid.

 

If it smelled good before, it smelled fantastic now that they were completely exposed to it.

 

They stared at it wide-eyed.

 

It wasn’t anything like what they got at home. Not that there was anything wrong with food from home. Sensei had been feeding them turtle food and algae for a while before he caught on to the fact that they seemed interested in what he was eating-which was human food, usually Japanese cuisine or anything you could make in the fridge, like a sandwich.

 

-Maybe with just a tad bit more cheese than necessary, since he’d turned into a rodent. After that, he started feeding his sons normal meals. 

 

But they never got outside food.

 

“Is that cheese?” Donnie asked.

 

“Smells like cheese, “Raph said. “And something else, something familiar,” 

 

“Garlic,” Mikey said immediately, recognizing the scent from dishes he’d watch Splinter make in the kitchen. “Imma try it,”

 

Whatever it was was already cut into triangle pieces. Mikey grabbed a piece and took a bite. His brothers stared at him like they were waiting for him to explode.

 

Which he kind of did. In euphoria.

 

“OH my-MMMhhhh!” he groaned, his face to his cheek before he shoveled the rest of it in. He then glanced back at the other three and said “Ummm…you won’t like it,” 

“YEAH RIGHT!”

 

Four sets of green hands dove for the box.

 

“This is incredible!”

 

“What is this?!”

 

“I think it’s on the box-wait this is pizza? That show that plays on Tuesdays talks about going out for pizza all the time! I get it now!”

 

“THIS is living!” Mikey crowed, throwing his fists in the air, shouting at the sky. “I want this for the rest of my life!”

 

And so, from the age of six until they were eleven, the turtles would plan these little excursions to the top, where the real world was.

 

Where life was.

 

And they never told their father what they were doing.

 

Sometimes, they felt a little guilty. Splinter always did his best to try and make sure they had everything they could ever want or need, and they were aware of that.

 

In addition to teaching them the art of ninjutsu, Yoshi was attempting to grow their minds and encourage any hobbies the boys might have.

 

They had books, skateboards, art supplies, TV, comics. But if Donnie was into chemistry and mechanics, Splinter hunted up books on the subject and dug up appliances from the junkyard he could take apart. If Raph liked to paint, he got a paint set. 

So they were aware of the sacrifices their father was making. Sometimes he got stuff from the Nexus, sometimes he got it from the surface.

 

But sometimes the boys came across something they knew they couldn’t get any other way (like the pizza) or maybe-it was something they weren’t entirely sure Splinter would approve of.

 

Like their taste in music.

 

At home they mostly listened to what Splinter played on his record player.

 

 That didn’t happen often, because sensei liked to meditate in silence (a lot ).

 

But when Splinter did put on the tunes–

 

It was a surprising amount of funk and disco.

 

He has had a lot of Japanese and American hits from the 70s and 80s (and some early 90s hits).

The brothers liked Yoshi’s old records. It’s what they grew up on. It was home.

 

And it most definitely shaped their own taste in music.

 

But outside of that they didn’t know much about other genres of music.

Occasionally Mikey heard something he liked on the one little radio they had, but it’s signal wasn’t great and it was one of the few gadgets Splinter wouldn’t let Donnie touch just yet, not even to fix, until he’d gotten a little more experience.

 

A few years later Mikey was wandering off on the surface without his brothers (again) when he caught some kids in an alleyway doing something he’d never seen before.

 

It kind of looked like fighting, but he knew it wasn’t.

 

For one thing, no one was touching each other. And their moves were- fancier. Like they were flying-or gliding.

 

“ Oh my god,” Mikey realized after a few minutes. “They were dancing,” 

 

Mikey wasn’t a complete idiot, he knew what dancing was. He’d seen dancing in some of the old movies on TV.

 

There was tap-dancing, ballet dancing, that dancing where people formed a line and started kicking (that looked fun).

 

And one time Mikey saw some cool dancing in a movie called “ Dirty Dancing” but Splinter made him change the channel for some reason.

 

But this- what these guys in the alley were doing-was unlike anything Mikey had ever seen.

 

And the music. 

 

Oh, it made a turtle wanna dance!

 

Mikey wished more than anything, for once, that he could just jump up out there and join in, ask those kids to teach him some moves, ask them what that music was, where could he find some.

 

Being a mutant had never felt more lonely.

 

So instead he sat there and watched, trying to commit all the moves to memory and the lyrics.

 

He watched until the sun went down and the kids packed up and went home.

 

When he got back, it was to some very stressed  and angry brothers (even Raph was upset). 

 

Mikey didn’t know what kind of face he was making, but whatever it was, it got his brothers to stop shouting at him.

 

Now they were just looking at him in concern.

 

“Mikey,” Donnie asked softly. “What’s going on? Where were you?”

 

Mikey finally grinned wide, even as he felt tears stinging his eyes. “I just uncovered something big,” he said. “You got your laptop?”

 

Thus began the turtles' dive into a whole new world of music and dancing.

 

Mikey told Donnie to pull up YouTube and started rattling off a bunch of lyrics.

 

“Hold on-slow down!” Donnie said, frantically typing. 

 

“Oh just lemme do it before I forget them all!” Mikey snapped, yanking the keyboard away and typing. “There!” he clicked on one, cranking up the volume.

 

“AAHH!!”

 

The other three were not prepared for the heavy base as they were sent flying out of their chairs. Mikey’s cheeks puffed up, his grin wide he cackled clinging to the desk.

“What is this?!” Leo shouted.

 

“Music!” Mikey hollered back.

 

“Not like any music I ever heard!” Raph said.

 

“I think I LOVE it!” Donnie shrieked.

 

“And LOOK! Look at that!” Mikey lowered the volume a bit, pointing at a person doing the dancing he’d seen before in the music video.

 

His brothers rushed the computer screen. 

 

“Holy!” Raph said, eyes wide.

 

“How’s he doing that?!” Leo cried.

 

“Go back, go back!” Donnie snapped.

 

Mikey hit pause. “I saw a bunch of kids on the surface doing all sorts of moves like this to this kind of music-and more .” Mikey explained, pointing at the screen. “I…obviously I couldn’t ask them about any of it so-I just watched and tried to remember what they did and remember what they were listening to.” his shoulders drooped.

 

The brothers stared wide-eyed at Mikey for a few minutes.

They shared a look before looking back at Mikey with eager grins.

 

“Soo…what else do you remember?” Raph pressed.

 

Mikey grinned, eyes lighting back up.

 

After that, things were never the same. They spent a whole afternoon (and well into the night) researching a whole side of music and dancing they hadn’t known existed.

 

At this point, Donnie had started frequenting the junkyard for scrap parts.

He got an old boombox working again, and snagged a bunch of old mp3s from the trash.

 

Now they were cookin’.

 

They got their hands on anything and everything. Records, tapes, CD’s, (illegally downloaded mp3 files). 

 

They watched tons of dance videos and instructional videos. Sometimes they watched people on the street like Mikey had that one time.

 

And like their ninja training, they practiced, practiced, practiced.

 

They were very bored children with a lot of time on their hands, and it was fun.

 

And again,they never told Sensei about their new hobby. This wasn’t like how they hid sneaking out. Splinter, on some level, knew his sons were listening to other kinds of music.

 

He didn’t know why they were so secretive about it. As long as there were no dirty lyrics, he didn’t care. And they never asked to play it out loud in the lair. If they had, he wouldn’t have said no.

 

But telling Splinter about the music would have meant telling him how they found out about it in the first place, and that would have ruined their little trips to the surface.

 

And so for the first decade of their lives, that’s how they lived. It wasn’t much, but it was something. 

 

Until the day Splinter brought a new friend back home on one of his trips, a great white Samurai Rabbit named Miyamoto Usagi, and the two explained how they were all going to move to a place called Neo Edo, where Usagi was from.

 

They wouldn’t have to hide from people anymore. They wouldn’t have to live underground anymore.They could even go to school.

 

So they packed up what they could as they prepared to move into their new home.

 

They were nervous, but excited. But there was still something about this new place that worried Donatello.

 

He voiced his concerns to his father one day as they were packing up some old stuff in the Dojo.

 

“Sensei,” he started. “This new place we’re going to-it has animal people like Mr. Usagi, right?”

 

“Yes, my son,” Splinter murmured distractedly as he packed some scrolls.

 

“So, they’re mutants like us?” Donnie pressed.

 

Splinter looked up at that. “No Donatello, not quite,” he said. “We were born here, and made here. You’ve heard the story before.”

 

Splinter told the boys the story every year on the boys “Mutation Day” (at Mikey’s insistence). How after Yoshi picked up four turtles from the pet store, he saw some suspicious men in black going down a dark alley and decided to follow them.

 

Only to have a confrontation in the alley that resulted in a canister of green goo being dropped on all of them, turning Hamato Yoshi into a large mutant rat and four ordinary pet turtles into something…slightly more.

 

“Usagi is from a different dimension,” Splinter explained. “I met him through the Battle Nexus.” Splinter’s sons were old enough that he’d explained what the Nexus was, but he hadn’t yet taken them to see it.

 

“We’re not exactly like the people there, but we’re close enough that we’ll have no problem blending in,” Splinter finished, turning back to his packing. “That being said, my son, we don’t want to go around telling people what we actually are.”

“But Sensei,” Donnie pressed. “What are we going to do if one of us gets sick or hurt? Will a doctor be able to take care of us there?”

 

“Do not worry, Donatello, I have it under control,” Splinter reassured his son firmly. “I’ve taken care of all your fevers and bruises just fine for the past eleven years, haven’t I?

 

But Donatello did worry. He knew his father did his best to take care of them, but he’d always been conscious of the fact that they led dangerous lives, and even if they were moving to live better, much safer ones, it was still a life of secrecy.

 

They weren’t normal. Cuts and bruises were one thing, but if any of them got really sick-

 

Well, a blood transfusion from a local hospital might not work where they were going, and then people would have questions-

 

“Now, please take this box out to the living room,” Splinter said distractedly, pushing a box of scrolls towards his son, effectively ending the conversation.

 

Donnie sighed, but hefted up the heavy box, laden with scrolls.

 

He wobbled a little as he carried it down the hallway, and right before he reached the main room, one of the scrolls tipped out of the box and started rolling into the room.

 

“Oh, come on!,” he muttered. He set the box down with a grunt, and went to pick up the scroll. When he reached for it, he froze. The scroll had fallen open, and he started reading it.

 

“Is this…” he muttered. It was full of runes and a special chant-with a letter attached from Splinter’s old teacher.

 

This was how Splinter traveled between this world and the Battle Nexus.

 

Donnie’s brain kicked into overdrive. He cast a nervous glance back and forth. 

 

No one was coming down the hallway. And Sensei must still be in the Dojo, packing.

 

Donnie rolled the scroll back up, and stored it away in his shell.

 

He picked up the box and took it to the living room like he was told.

 

Then he brought the scroll to his desk in the garage and rolled it back out.

 

He didn’t have much time, so he took several pictures; of the instructions, the chant, and the various runes.

 

He used more than one camera, just to be sure he got the best quality possible. What he had wasn’t the best, only what he could repurpose from his dumpster-diving escapades.

 

Donnie hoped to make his own, better tech in the future with what he’d been collecting; he was already working on a prototype for his own cell phone.

 

Once he felt he’d snapped enough pictures, he rolled the scroll back up and stuffed it back in his shell.

 

He started walking back to the living room.

 

“Donatello!,” his father called. Donnie froze, feeling his heart try to escape his body. “What’s taking so long? Are you coming back?!” 

 

“Yes, Sensei!” he called out. “Sorry! I uh-went to the bathroom! I’m coming back!”

 

He hurriedly put the scroll back in the box, hoping they hadn’t been arranged in a specific way.

 

“If Sensei asks, I’ll just tell him it fell out and I picked it back up…that’s a half-truth.”

 

Donnie ran back to help his father.

 

Later, when he had time to himself, he got to work.

 

He took everything he had to his bedroom; he didn’t want to risk anyone (Mikey) looking over his shoulder and seeing what he was up to.

 

Donnie blew up the pictures as best he could to read the chant. He recited it several times, to the point he could do it in his sleep. He carefully copied the runes on several pieces of paper. 

 

He pulled several all-nighters learning how to write them, and which runes took you where. He didn’t want to end up at the Battle Nexus by mistake, or worse.

Finally, when he was sure he had them down to the letter, he was ready.

 

He packed a small bag of snacks, extra paper, pencils, chalk, a book to read in case he had time to kill, and his phone.

 

He threw on a giant oversized hoodie to disguise himself, grabbed extra knives and some extra throwing stars, and his bo staff.

 

He didn’t tell anyone where he was going, or what he was doing. 

 

And Donnie carefully waited, with eagle eyes and an old cell-phone recording, as his father prepared to make one of his trips to Neo Edo.

 

With chalk, Splinter traced several runes into the ground. Donnie was relieved to see he recognized most of them, and he also knew the chant Splinter was saying.

 

It was just the last two or three that looked unfamiliar. Donnie quickly traced them on a piece of paper.

 

Donnie waited until his father had left. Then he booked it to his room.

 

There was no point in checking the floor. The symbols disappeared after a person went through the portal.

 

So Donnie went to his room, shut the door, and pulled out the video. 

He listened to the chant and compared the image to his notes.

 

He sighed nervously “Here goes nothing,” he muttered.

 

He had to do this. He considered backing out-what if he screwed this up and ended up lost Einstein knows where?

 

…And then he thought back to that terrible winter Mikey got sick… real sick…Splinter trying every single medicine and family remedy he could think of, Leo and Raph going topside to raid every pharmacy and pet store in bitter temperatures, while Donnie poured over medical textbooks and veterinary textbooks, because he didn’t know what they were…

 

Or the summer Raph and Leo were playing “Follow the Leader” in the tunnels, and Raph fell and cut his knee on a rusted pipe, and Donnie thought for sure Raph was going to get tetanus, but somehow didn’t…

 

That was the year Splinter finally told them the full story about how they came to be, showing them the canister and everything. Splinter said he’d been waiting for the right time to tell them, but felt it was kind of a wacky story, hard to explain, and it didn’t help that in order to tell it, he had to preface it with who he was before his mutation, and how much death, jealousy, and violence his own life story contained. 

 

In retrospect, Splinter said, it seemed like a lot for children to handle, but keeping it from them wasn’t doing them any favors. He would have to accept they were not an ordinary family, but that they could still be a loving one.

 

At the time, his father holding this information from them for so long frustrated Donnie. As the years passed, he felt like he had a better understanding of why Splinter did it, even if he didn’t agree with it.

 

But the time for hiding was over. Donnie needed to know what was going on with his body. He was getting somewhere with DNA samples from himself (and an all-too-willing Mikey) but he knew there were more answers out there, in the city.

 

Those men in black had been up to something, Donnie didn’t care if their intentions were good or bad. 

 

But he couldn’t just close this chapter of his life in New York, in this world, forever. Not until he knew his family could safely live in the new world. And right now that wasn’t a guarantee.

 

So Donnie steeled his nerves and got out a stick of chalk.

 

He traced the circles and runes onto the ground, stopping before he got to the new ones. He looked one more time at his notes. Then he started muttering the chant. He carefully etched the final runes into the ground. The circle started glowing green. Donnie closed his eyes, muttering the rest of the chant, hoping he was right.

…When he opened them again, he was…a little confused. 

 

He saw a long dirt road, a forest running along one side, a field along the other.

 

It was sunny out, late afternoon and…something was headed his way.

 

Eyes wide, Donnie hopped out of the road, out of the way of a giant honking… something.

 

It looked like a vehicle, but it didn’t touch the ground. It was flying?! Gliding?!

 

Donnie’s jaw hung as he watched the thing fly by heading in the other direction, and he gasped when he saw where it was going.

 

A giant sprawling city.

 

It somehow reminded him of New York and yet looked nothing like it. 

 

The architecture was like Edo Japan meets Steampunk and….were those airships?!

 

And so it was that eleven-year-old Donatello technically became the first ninja turtle to set foot in Neo Edo, although it would be several years before that secret got out.

 

It was magnificent , and Donnie nearly forgot the whole reason he came here in lieu of exploring the city and those airships.

 

But then he remembered why he was here.

 

…He needed to find out how to get here and back on his own.

 

…Which begged the question…

 

….Where the heck was Sensei?!

 

***

 

Donnie was trying not to panic. He had been so focused on getting to the right universe, and the right city, he hadn’t stopped to think that he might land a couple miles off from where his father was. 

 

With no other option, he’d made his way towards what he hoped was the city of Neo Edo.

 

And as he approached the city, he was in for another shock: The people were all animals, just as Splinter had said.

 

It was one thing to hear about it, even meeting Mr. Usagi had been a surprise.  But a whole city…a whole world… full of people who looked like this. Rabbits, goats, bears, sheep, pigs…All walking around on two feet. 

 

Sensei was right, they’d never have to hide in the shadows again.

 

Donnie was reaching to pull his hood off his head, feeling like he looked more conspicuous with it on, when he saw a poster slapped on a nearby building, written in Kanji.

 

Ninja not welcome. Reward offered for any Neko Ninja: ¥500. For Lady Fuwa herself: ¥50,000.

 

Right. Donnie instead pulled the strings of his hoodie a bit tighter around his head, his throwing stars suddenly feeling like weighted stones in his pockets.

 

He wasn’t in New York anymore. That didn’t mean he wasn’t out of danger. 

 

Come to think of it, he didn’t see any other turtles either. Just another reminder of why he was there. 

 

These people looked a lot more like him than the humans did, but they weren’t exactly like him. 

 

Donnie’s DNA was a quarter percent his father’s, and fifty percent mysterious green sludge he had yet to relocate and identify. 

 

With that in mind, he did what he’d been training to do since his mutation.

 

He slipped down an alley, fading into the shadows to find his father.

***

Several hours had passed, and Donnie wasn’t any closer to finding Sensei. 

 

This was bad. 

 

He needed to find Splinter before he headed back home, so he could figure out what the symbols were for getting back. If Splinter left before then, there was no way Donnie was figuring this out.

 

And if he got home and realized one of his sons was missing…

 

Donnie was going to be in so much trouble. If anyone ever found him that is.

 

How the heck was he going to find Sensei?!

 

He’d been up and down several blocks of this city. Sure it was big, but not nearly as big as New York!

 

But maybe that was an unfair comparison, Manhattan was pretty large on its own and that wasn’t even the whole of New York .

 

Still, Donnie was getting tired, and the sun was getting low. He really didn’t want to get the attention of whatever passes for law enforcement around here, with all his sneaking around rooftops and alleyways.

 

He caught a sign he’d seen several times now, some advertisement telling tourists to “See the Key Stone!”-whatever that was. He was about to move on when he saw something else written below it.

 

A library. Wherever this “Key Stone” was, there was also a library.

 

Yes! Finally, something he could work with! It wasn’t Splinter, but maybe he could find some more information there!

 

Donnie tore the ad off the wall.

 

***

It was quiet inside the Key Stone Temple. Outside, the sky clung to the last few rays of the setting sun.

 

Inside, the doors were locking up. Lantern light cast long shadows across the floors of the library. A pair of small green hands gently pushed a window up and Donnie quietly dropped in.

 

He didn’t really understand what this place was, but judging by the heavy security around the main area, that Key Stone thing was super important.

 

But that wasn’t his focus, thankfully. Donnie started scanning the various shelves looking for something- anything- that might help him figure out a way to Sensei or maybe back home. 

 

Geography, perhaps? Maps?

 

“Oh!,” he exclaimed, keeping his voice low. There was a whole world map here! And here was one of the city!

 

He started yanking scrolls down and laying them out on the floor. So engrossed was he with his new toys he didn’t hear someone else enter the room.

 

Not that it would have mattered. Even for a ninja in training, it’s pretty hard to hear someone phase through the wall.

 

The green transparent bear stared sternly down at the hooded thief-whoever they were-foolish enough to break in and just sit there as though they had all the time in the world.

 

“Maybe I can use these!” they muttered. “No…that won’t help. How am I going to get back home?”

 

“I think the better question is how are you going to get out of prison?” Tetsujin asked.

 

The hooded stranger leapt about a foot in the air-which Tetsujin was expecting.

 

What he wasn’t expecting was the high-pitched shriek of a child as they turned around, wide-eyed, hood falling away to reveal-

 

“A turtle?” Tetsujin said, bewildered.

 

“Ghost,” the small turtle-child muttered in response, before promptly passing out.

 

***

 

When Donnie came to, he was lying on a bed roll in a softly lit room, a wet cloth on his forehead.

 

“What happened?” he muttered.

 

“Are you feeling better, sweetheart?” a kind voice asked.

 

Donnie glanced to his right to see an older fox woman smiling at him. She had light red fur and wore a pale blue kimono that matched her eyes. 

 

“Do you remember where you are?” she asked gently. “Can you tell me your name?”

 

“D-Donatello Hamato,” he said. “I think I’m in…Neo Edo?”

 

“You think?” she tilted her head.

 

“It’s a long story,” he said softly. “I…where am I? How’d I get here?”

 

“You passed out dearie,” she said sympathetically. “Not that I blame you. Tetsujin gave you an awful fright. What a mean thing to do to a child.”

 

“For the last time, I didn’t know he was a child!,” a voice snapped to Donnie’s left. Donnie glanced over and–

 

Yep, the floating green bear was back. Did he actually make that trip to Neo Edo, or has he been hallucinating this whole time?

 

“And it still doesn’t explain why he broke into the library!” the bear continued, turning to look at Donnie with a stern glare. “Or these!” 

 

He held up the throwing stars. Donnie patted his pockets. Oh, of course.

 

His hoodie was gone too.

 

“Care to explain yourself, young man?” the bear pressed, while the fox gave him an exasperated “Tetsujin!” 

 

“Why were you looking at maps of Neo Edo? Are you a spy for a new ninja clan? Plotting an attack on the city? Do you know what the penalty for that is if you're caught, even for ones as young as you?”

 

Donatello is not someone who cries easily. But he’d been stuck in this unfamiliar world for nearly half a day now.

 

He was tired, hungry, surrounded by strangers, and now a green ghost was yelling at him about how he was going to prison.

 

He’d reached his limit.

 

“I’m sorry!,” he burst into tears. “I’m just trying to find my dad and get home!”

 

Tetsujin froze, feeling extremely awkward, while the fox shot daggers at him.

 

“It’s okay, sweetie,” she said, patting Donnie on the shoulder. “We’ll help you find him”

 

“Please don’t send me to jail!” Donnie wailed. “I wasn’t going to hurt anyone-o-o-or keep the maps! I just don’t know where anything is here, and I didn’t know where else to go! Books always help me feel better, I thought they’d solve the problem! A-a-and Sensei says never leave home unprotected, so I didn’t! I’ve never been here before, I don’t know the laws! I’m sorry!”

 

“Oh, honey-no one’s sending you to jail, I promise,” the fox cooed, while she mouthed ‘ Look what you’ve done’ at Tetsujin. “Don’t you mind the grumpy bear ghost, he’s just a bit overprotective these days after his girlfriend tried to rob him.”

 

“Hey!” Tetsujin barked.

 

Donnie sniffled, looking up and wiping his red eyes gently. “Really?”

 

“Really,” she said kindly. “Why don’t we start over. I’m Yuka. The scary ghost is Tetsujin.”

 

“I’m not a ghost.” Tetsujin muttered, crossing his arms. “My unnatural appearance is a side effect caused by prolonged exposure to-”

 

“-And you are?” Yuka cut him off.

 

“Hamato, first name Donatello,” he said softly. 

 

“Wait, Hamato,” Tetsujin replied, straightening up. “As in Hamato Yoshi? Splinter?”

 

“That’s my father’s name, do you know him?” Donnie asked curiously.

 

Tetsujin stared dumbfounded before he brought the throwing stars close to his eyes. Squinting, he reached into a pocket on his front and whipped out a pair of spectacles, studying the small symbol painted on the shuriken.

 

“I’m a moron,” he muttered. Taking the glasses off, he floated down to Donnie, carefully holding out the weapons for him to take.

 

“My sincerest apologies,” he said softly. “I have not met your father personally, but I know of him. A very honorable man. I am sure as his son, you are just as much so.”

 

Donnie carefully took the stars back. “If you’re not a ghost, what are you?” he asked.

 

“Oh, this is a side effect of prolonged exposure to the Key Stone-” Tetsujin waved his hand carelessly. Most people lost interest when he started to explain.

 

He paused though, when he noticed the young turtle looking up with wide brown eyes, fully engrossed.

 

“What’s a Key Stone?” Donnie asked.

 

That caught him off guard. “You don’t know what the Key Stone is?” Tetsujin said bewildered.

 

“It’s my first day here,” Donnie shrugged.

 

“In the city?” Yuka asked.

 

“In this dimension .”

 

Donnie was bombarded with several questions after that, and he went into details about re-creating the portal and running around lost in Neo Edo for half the day.

 

At which point a horrified Yuka brought in a pile of food almost as big as Donnie himself for him to eat.

 

Donnie happily munched as he finished his story and his reasons for wanting to travel back to New York, as long as Tetsujin and Yuka promised not to tell anyone what he was.

 

Tetsujin stared at the young turtle before him.

 

“How old are you?” he asked seriously.

 

Donnie looked up from his bean bun, licking his lips. “Umm, eleven,” he said nervously.

 

“And yet you managed to travel between universes all on your own,” Tetsujin marveled. “Do you have any idea how impressive that is?”

 

Donnie blinked in surprise. “Thank you,” he said with a smile, showing off a slight gap in his teeth, before his shoulders sagged. “But now I can’t get back, which is the whole point.”

 

“Hmmm,” Tetsujin stroked his chin in thought. “I’m not sure I can locate your father. But I may be able to help you get back to your world. That’s why you needed to find him anyway, right?”

 

“Really?” Donnie’s eyes lit up. “Yes! That’s better, actually!” he looked guilty for a second. “I know I shouldn’t keep things from him, but he doesn’t agree with me on this and-”

 

Tetsujin held his paw up. “Your reasons for wanting to return seem valid to me,” he said. “As a fellow man of science I agree-knowing how you were created is very important. I won’t tell a soul-if you promise not to tell your Sensei how I threatened you with jail time.” he winked at the turtle.

 

Donnie grinned, nodding.

 

“Now then, come with me,” Tetsujin said. “I think I have what you’re looking for.”

 

They went back to the library, but instead of maps, Tetsujin took Donnie to a section full of ancient spells and chants-including transportation.

 

Donnie’s face lit up in recognition when Tetsujin pulled out a chart full of runes. It was the spell for the portal he’d used-but this one had runes for so many universes it was a little overwhelming.

 

“Now then,” Tetsujin muttered. “We just have to find yours. What’s the name of your planet?”

 

“Earth?” Donnie said.

 

“Hmm, there’s a couple of those on here,” Tetsujin muttered, which blew Donnie’s mind for a variety of reasons. “Can I see your notes again?”

 

Donnie held out his papers. The bear looked them over for a bit before he said “Oh, that helps, it’s that one. And where exactly on this “Earth” do you live again?”

 

“United States, New York, New York City.”

 

Tetsujin wrote down the runes. “ That’s what you need to get home,” he said.

 

“That’s it?” Donnie asked.

 

“One more thing,” Tetsujin said, as he rolled up the scrolls. “So you don’t wind up in a random place in this ‘New York’ like you did here. When you’re going back, picture the exact place you want to go in your mind. Say, your bedroom. Picture it as best you can when you’re drawing the runes on the ground and when you finally step through. It should take you there.”

 

“Ooohh, thank you!”

 

Tetsujin helped Donnie chalk out the lines into the room he’d been resting in. When it was time to say the chant, Donnie turned to his new friends. “Uhh, my family plans to move here-” he started.

 

“Yes?” Yuka asked.

 

“...So…maybe I’ll see you two again?” he asked shyly.

 

“Oh, honey,” she gave him a big hug. “You come visit us anytime, you’re such a delight! And bring your father and those brothers of yours!”

 

“Yes, I’d like to talk more with you, Donatello, you have quite a bright mind for someone your age,” Tetsujin said with a smile. “And feel free to check out the library anytime-no break-in’s necessary,” the bear winked.

 

Donnie grinned. “Okay. See you soon!” He muttered the chant and clapped his hands to the runes, thinking of his home, his family, his bedroom-

 

-When he opened his eyes, he was back.

 

Donnie blinked and looked back down at his notes, the only proof he had that he’d traveled dimensions at all.

 

Well, that and the extra mochi Yuka had packed in his bag.

 

“I did it!” he whispered excitedly.

Notes:

Had some obvious references to the very first episode of the 2012 show in here.
It always cracks me up how sheltered those guys.
They're so overstimulated when they get their first taste of freedom

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Summary:

Obstacles are inefficient
Follow your intuition, free your inner soul
And break away from tradition
'Cause when we beat out, girl it's pullin' without
You wouldn't believe how we wow shit out
We burn it 'til it's burned out
Turn it 'til it's turned out
Act up from north, west, east, south
Let's Get it Started (Hah)
Let's Get it Started (In Here)
Let's Get it Started (Hah)
Let's Get it Started (In Here)

Notes:

HOLY CRAP. Where to begin. I went on vacation (FUN!) and when I got back I realized I had like, FOUR copies of this friggin' story and had to try and figure out which was the most updated version without deleting anything. Anyway, I had a different song in mind for this chapter initially, but then I realized 95% of the people in this chapter are acting like friggin' morons, so I felt the lyrics of this one fit better lol. Seriously. Stupid infects the room, I don't know what happened.
Outside of that, I continue to struggle to piece this monster together. Enjoy!

One of the other classes Usagi had the misfortune of sharing with both Kennichi and Leonardo was a weekly remedial course .

 

Technically, it was a class that the rabbit took with the rest of his entire freshman group. So on the bright side, he also got to see all of his friends.

 

It was a general class only taught to freshmen, meant to tackle any and all areas of exercise and fighting, to help keep the students “well-rounded” and eliminate weak spots in their training. 

 

While the students would of course have specialized classes they excelled in, like Usagi in Kenjutsu or Raphael in Kali, the school was dedicated to making fierce and hardy warriors much like the ones it was named for, capable of more than one style of fighting.

 

Plus, this class gave the freshmen a chance to see if there was something else they'd like to sign up for in the future. 

 

It was a little chaotic though. It was held in the school’s largest room, the gymnasium, and teachers rotated through it once a week, basically drawing straws on who got stuck with it that day.

 

And after so many years, the teachers had gotten kind of bored, and sometimes… inventive …with their classes. 

Which is what led to the bizarre obstacle course that Master Asashi  created in a moment of brilliance (or perhaps insanity). He was the instructor for Mikey’s early intro Krav Maga/tumbling class. 

 

Mikey idolized the guy and it was easy to see why. The golden lion tamarin was a hard teacher, but his personality shone as bright as his name and his fur. He had a shrill laugh and a wide smile. When he waltzed into the gym, his orange and red robes shining in the early morning sun, several students (including Mikey and Kitsune) immediately perked up and waved eagerly. Master Asashi smiled a slow, mischievous smile and nodded back at them. 

 

He glanced around the room, a finger to his chin in thought, before clapping his hands loudly, waking the rest of the room from their early morning grogginess. “Let’s make this interesting!’ he announced.

 

Which is how the students found themselves pushing several foam blocks, vaults, and other obstacles into place for a precarious, complicated course.

 

Then, they were paired off at random.

 

And because, of course this was going to happen, they got down to the last four: Usagi, Leonardo, Kennichi, and Jiro, a goat boy Usagi didn’t know that well, but he seemed nice.

 

Master Asashi was about to pair off the last set when Kennichi leaned over and murmured in Usagi’s ear: “Look, I know we don’t always see eye to eye, but I’d rather pair up with you than the ninja . We gotta stick together, who knows what back-handed tricks he'll pull?” 

 

Usagi tensed and glanced back over at Leonardo, who was still looking straight ahead at Master Asashi, arms crossed, expression blank. 

 

Leonardo, with his unshakeable mask and eyes of blue fire.Except when it came to cute lost tokages, apparently.

 

That slimy feeling was back in Usagi’s stomach again.

 

Before his brain could figure out what the rest of him was doing, he grabbed the turtle’s wrist and raised it high, shouting “Leo! I pick Leo! Is it okay if I work with Leo?!”

 

Master Asashi paused, finger raised. The room was dead silent. Usagi couldn’t bear to look at anybody else in the room, much less Leonardo or Kennichi.

 

The monkey grinned slowly and started to chuckle “A ninja and a samurai working together,” he mused. “Why not? Go ahead. Leonardo and Usagi are one team. Kennichi, you and Jiro will be the other. With that, I think we’re ready.” 

 

Usagi quickly dropped Leonardo’s hand like it was scorching hot. Kennichi scoffed as he walked by. “Suit yourself. Let’s go, Jiro.”

 

Usagi sighed as they walked off. He steeled his nerves and turned to his teammate. “Sooo-”

 

“You and Kennichi don’t seem to get along that well?” Leonardo mused coldly. His eyes were on fire again, the calm before the storm.

 

“ No. No, we do not,” Usagi said, perhaps agreeing with the turtle for the first time ever.

 

“...So how far underground are you willing to bury him with me?” the ninja continued, venom dripping from his voice. “Because I plan on making him eat his words.”

 

Usagi flinched, “Oh you…you heard all that.”

 

“Of course I did, I was standing right there,” Leonardo snapped while Usagi winced. “So? Are we going to kick his butt at this or not?”

 

Usagi felt a grin creep onto his face despite the tense situation. He thought maybe he could get behind the turtle’s unbridled fury when it wasn’t directed at him.

 

… Especially when it was directed at Kennichi. Usagi pumped his fists excitedly, blurting out “Kennichi sucks at climbing! He’s got no upper body strength!” 

 

Leonardo blinked at him in surprise before smirking.

***

 

The students were having a ball with the obstacle course. It was split into three races. Two people were each a team, having to navigate across the gym. 

 

The prize was one of Master Asashi’s old tournament medals, hung by the ribbon around the gym ceiling lights. Teams were also allowed to sabotage each other in the process of getting to the medal (as long as no one was seriously injured). However there was a time limit of three minutes, to prevent anyone from getting too caught up in fighting and not getting to their destination.

 

Just when it didn’t seem like it could get any more ridiculous, Mikey whispered something into his Sensei’s ear. The monkey grinned, nodded saying “I like that idea.” He clapped his hands again, shouting. “We’re going to add a little Ninjitsu tactic to this, since you’re supposed to be learning something from your new students!”

 

Everyone groaned, until Master Asashi clapped his hands again. “Enough! Unless you think you can’t handle it!” he challenged. “No weapons when you start.”

 

A chorus of “WHAT?!” went up from the student body. 

 

“You can’t use your normal weapons,” Master Asashi continued “However, you will be given an extra thirty seconds before the race begins to grab whatever you can find around the gym to use as a weapon. And anything you should find during the race may also be used.”

 

“That’s insane!” Gennosuke said. 

 

Donatello shrugged, “That’s Ninjitsu,” he replied. 

 

“No, that’s Mikey playing teacher’s pet and making our lives more difficult,” Raphael scoffed.

 

Mikey grinned unapologetically before skipping back his partner’s side-in this case Shimo . 

 

“Don’t worry,” he said cheerfully. “You’re with an expert! We’re gonna crush it out there!”

 

Shimo looked terrified while Mikey’s older brothers cackled. 

 

  ***

Pandemonium reigned supreme. 

 

Master Asashi blew a whistle and the students scrambled to grab- whatever they could get their hands on in the next thirty seconds.

 

“What are we looking for?!” Usagi cried frantically as they ran around like rats.

 

“This!” Leonardo tossed him a broom.

 

“Are you serious?!” 

 

The turtle rolled his eyes. “You’ll thank me later!” He disappeared into the sports closet.

 

Usagi stared after him, second-guessing his decision to pick Leonardo for his teammate.

 

“GIMME!”

 

The rabbit blinked as the youngest turtle suddenly appeared out of thin air, trying to yank the broom from his hands.

 

“No!,” Usagi snapped, clinging on stubbornly, feeling foolish. Leo said he needed it, and if his brother wanted it this badly, maybe it was worth more than the rabbit realized.

 

“‘C’mon lemme just-” BOINK! Their tug of war was interrupted when Mikey took a dodgeball to the head.

 

“MIKEY!” Leonardo shouted from the sports closet, another one held threateningly in his hands. “Back off! 

 

“How could you!,” the youngest turtle whined. “Your own flesh and blood!”

 

Leo just grinned. “You’re running out of time!” he warned.

 

“Eep!,” as quickly as he’d appeared, he was gone.

 

“Uh..thanks..did you just go in there for dodgeballs?” Usagi asked

 

Leo snorted, tossing the extra one away. “No, something else.”

 

The whistle blew again.  “Time’s up!” Master Asashi shouted “Knock it off, and return to the starting line!” He eyed the few unfortunate students still desperately scrambling, empty-handed.

 

Chizu walked by them, rope corded around her arm, nodding. “A broom. Quick thinking.” she stated solemnly. 

 

“...Where did she find that?” Usagi boggled.

 

                                               ***

Each race was chaotic, and fun. Despite the initial hesitation, the sheer ridiculousness of it all made it enjoyable, whether you were a spectator or participating. 

 

Plenty of teams started out by taking it too seriously, only to realize how silly the whole thing was, and to just relax and have fun as they desperately tried to help each other get to the other side. 

 

Master Asashi and the rest of the class called out words of encouragement, in between laughter. 

 

“Enemy forces are closing in!” he joked. “You’re running out of time! The fate of the world rests in your hands! What do I tell your parents if you die out in battle this way?!”

 

“Tell them I at least died young and hot,” Toshiko joked flatly, causing everyone else to roar with laughter.  Her partner, Raph, offered her an encouraging hand to help her up the rock wall. “‘C’mon, we can at least, beat those dorks,” he said, jerking his head to their left, where their siblings were.

 

Gen and Donnie were having a crisis. What had started as a pretty decent camaraderie was quickly devolving as neither could agree on which direction to go. 

 

Donnie had mentally mapped out what he deduced (based on math) to be the shortest and fastest route to the metal.

 

Gen had a different path in mind, one that had the least likely chance of running into their “enemies” (their fellow classmates). 

 

After much back and forth, they decided to compromise as they were running out of time, and picked a path that combined their two ideas.

 

…Except now they seemed to be facing a brick wall.

 

Literally just the wall of the gym, not part of the obstacle course.

 

“How did this happen?” Donnie asked, laughing hysterically. 

 

“I don’t know,” Gen groaned before starting to laugh as well. He threw up his hands. “I give up. Let’s just go straight for it. I don’t care how scary your brother is. I can’t do this anymore.”

In the end, Raph and Toshiko came the closest. They made it all the way to the lamp before they realized they hadn’t figured out how they were getting up there. 

 

“I could just try throwing you?” Toshiko offered with a sadistic grin.

Raph raised an eyebrow before glancing back up at the ceiling fan. He shrugged. “You know what, go for it.”

 

Unsurprisingly, it did not work, although he did get some distance.

 

Master Asashi almost called the whole thing off, realizing too late what exactly they were doing. Raph insisted he was fine (they did think to put down some foam blocks at least). 

 

Leo looked incensed, and Toshiko was a little concerned for her life, even if Raph kept insisting he agreed to it. 

 

Donnie and Toshiko helped walk Raph off to the bleachers to wait for a nurse.

 

The first race was declared without a winner.

 

Things only continued to get more explosive.

 

Keyword being explosive with the unexpected dynamic duo of Hamato Michelangelo and Tomi Shimo. A partnership that, from the outside, looked a little more like a hostage situation. Only Shimo’s unwillingness to be seen as a loser or weak was keeping him tethered to the race and this (clearly psychotic) ninja. 

 

Mikey, for his part, clearly knew what he was doing, even if his methods were a little…unorthodox.

 

 “Keep up, we’re ahead!,” the turtle shouted, as he easily cleared five vaults via back-flips. Which was highly unnecessary in the peacock’s opinion.

 

Mikey would argue why clear anything normally when you can back-flip over it, but he really didn’t have time to explain the complex technicalities of ‘Dr. Flippenstein’ to this stuck-up bird. He probably wouldn’t get it, anyway.

 

The turtle slid to a stop when he got to their next obstacle, as he waited for his partner to catch up. Shimo staggered up to him, gasping for breath. “What’s the matter?!” the bird snapped sarcastically. “Can’t back-flip over this one?”

 

“Dude, I wish,” Mikey replied, oblivious, cocking his head back. “We gotta start climbing.”

 

The two stared up at the rock climbing wall. Shimo groaned. “At least we’re ahead.”

 

As the (somehow leading) team made their way up the rock wall, another team was not far behind. 

 

This one was less surprising, Kitsune and Chizu were always a lethal duo from the moment the two girls had met. Kitsune was flexible, light on her feet. She was even giving Mikey a run for his money in Master Asashi’s class. 

 

Chizu had always been a wild card. She moved so quietly some times, she took her friends by surprise. It seemed they were always learning new things about her. Her extensive knowledge in various weapons and fighting techniques was better than she let on, for being a freshman with so little training (or so she claimed).

 

And she was taking to today’s lessons like a fish to water.

“You’re surprisingly good at this!” Kitsune cheered her friend on as Kitsune ran across a tightrope like a trained circus performer.

 

“Oh-thanks,” she said nervously, holding a hand out to the fox, who was wobbling slightly.

 

Raph blinked from his seat in the bleachers, holding an ice pack to his head. He shoved Donnie’s shoulder. “What?” Donnie said, annoyed.

 

“Are you seeing this too?” Raph muttered, nodding to the cat.

 

Donnie followed his brother’s line of sight to Chizu, who was helping Kitsune across the rope without a single glance down, total confidence in her stance. “Huh,” he said.

 

“That’s not all,” Raph continued. “You should see her fight in Kali. It’s very… similar to some of our techniques back home .”

 

“Where are you going with this?” Donnie asked, giving his brother the side eye.

 

“I’m saying if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was a-” but Raph would never get to finish that sentence.

 

While Kitsune and Chizu were walking the ropes, Mikey and Shimo were scaling the rock wall. About halfway up the rock wall, Shimo had gotten fed up. He rolled his eyes, muttered “This is ridiculous” and flew the rest of the way up.

 

Mikey stared, gobsmacked, before pointing an accusatory finger up at the bird. “You could fly this whole time!” he shouted.

 

“Of course I can fly!” Shimo snapped back, insulted. “I’m a peacock, not an ostrich!”

 

“What the heck are we doing then?!” Mikey scaled the rest of the way up in record time-he was taking it slow earlier for his partner’s sake. “The medal is right there! Just fly over and get it!”

 

Shimo glanced at the light fixture hanging in the middle of the gym, just ten feet away. “Much as I’d love to,” he said, turning back to Mikey. “I don’t think I’m allowed to without my partner.”

 

Mikey pouted, thinking hard before his demonic grin returned. “Welp, time to deploy what I grabbed earlier.”

 

And out from behind him the turtle pulled-

 

-A fire extinguisher.

 

“ How-where were you hiding that?!” Shimo boggled at the ninja.

 

“My shell.” Mikey replied innocently.

 

“There’s no way that’s allowed.”

 

“Anything can be a weapon my dude.” Mikey grinned up at his partner challengingly. “Or are you too chicken to win this thing?”

 

Shimo glared at the ninja before sighing angrily. “How does this even help us win?!”

 

“We get on it. I point it in the direction of the medal. You flap your wings. You're flying us there but so am I with some extra horsepower. Technically, we both flew us there.”

 

Shimo stared at Mikey for so long the turtle started bouncing in place impatiently. “Come on, I can hear them catching up to us! Make up your mind!” he whined.

 

“Your science on that needs some serious work,” Shimo said. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.”

 

Mikey squealed.

 

The peacock sat in front with a heavy sigh, already regretting the choices that led him here. 

 

“Okay, prepare for takeoff!” Mikey announced.

 

Shimo looked back, irritated. 

 

“Get your wings ready. When this thing goes, it’s gonna go!” 

 

The bird rolled his eyes heavenward, but raised his wings in the air.

 

“On the count of three!” Mikey pulled the pin and aimed the nozzle. “One, two, three-YEAAAHHHH!”

 

Cue screaming-from them and everyone else caught in the sea of white that shot out below. Shimo flapped his wings hysterically, not noticing the fire extinguisher (and Mikey) had shot out from beneath him early on.

 

The peacock careened off course, screaming, into a basketball net

 

Raph and Donnie were cackling hysterically. Gen was biting his lip in vain before joining in .

 

Mikey soared about five feet before nose diving towards the bleachers. Several students went scrambling. He shrieked, ducking inside his shell before he crashed. 

 

When he emerged, it was to find his brothers, his teacher, (and several other people) glaring at him. Well, Raph still looked like he was trying not to laugh. 

 

Leo sighed. “Are you hurt, Mikey?” 

 

Mikey blinked, pulling his limbs out and checking. “I don’t think so?”

 

“Good.” Then Leo smacked him upside the head. 

 

“Ow!”

 

“What were you thinking?!” Leo snapped.

 

“I thought the fire extinguisher would propel us there faster!” Mikey snapped back, rubbing his head.

 

“Wha-how- why?!”

 

“Through the power of science!”

 

“That was not science,” both Donnie and Toshiko replied, perfectly in sync.

 

Master Asashi sighed. “If you’re not too hurt Mikey-san,” he said. “Would you mind checking on your teammate and seeing if they need help? I may need to write you a detention slip for this, I’m afraid.”

 

Mikey nodded, eyes dropping to the floor in disappointment. He looked up when he felt his teacher pat his head.

 

“Nothing wrong with thinking outside the box,” the monkey said with a wink, a twinkle in his eye. He walked off, muttering “I’m just hoping we can get through at least one race without going to the infirmary.”

 

Raph snorted. 

 

“Hey speaking of which, look who’s winning!” Gen shouted.

 

Chizu had put the rope she snagged earlier to good use, lassoing it around the ceiling lamp. One end was hooked to the lamp, the other to the rock wall Mikey and Shimo had scaled earlier. Chizu and Kitsune were now crossing the rope to the ceiling lamp. They reached it no problem and grabbed the medal, holding it high between them.

The room cheered for the first team to officially reach and win the goal.

 

Raph patted Mikey on the back comfortingly. “Don’t feel too badly, man,” he said. “That team was pretty unbeatable anyway.”

 

Mikey sighed. “I guess. Maybe my fire extinguisher just didn’t have enough horsepower.”

 

Donnie snorted, “Yeah, that definitely wasn’t the problem there.”

 

As the next group of students lined up, Usagi stopped in front of Mikey, eyes sparkling. 

 

“That,” he began, “Was sick. I wish I’d thought of grabbing something like that!”

 

And then the rabbit took off. 

 

“He’s working with Leo, should we be worried?” Donnie muttered.

 

Raph cackled sadisticly. “This is gonna be hilarious.”

 

                                               ***

Usagi glanced nervously at his partner, wondering how this was going to go. He stood by his previous statement, the attempt with the fire extinguisher was sick, but that didn’t change the fact that two teams from the past two races had wiped out in their finish, both of them with a Hamato brother for a team mate. 

 

Leonardo looked rather annoyed by that fact.

 

“You two are going down, dork-sagi,” Kennichi hissed from Usagi’s right. Usagi just rolled his eyes.

 

“Let’s go here,” Leonardo muttered suddenly, moving to a different starting point, in front of some foam blocks.

 

Usagi shrugged, but followed.

 

“On my mark,” Master Asashi called out. He blew the whistle.

 

“Ha ha, see you losers!” Kennichi shouted as he took off. “ACK!”

 

Leo had waited until the rabbit and Jiro had passed before giving a hard kick to the foam blocks, sending them tumbling on top of the two.

 

“Okay, that buys us some time,” he said casually, a grin threatening to break on his face, as he gestured to Usagi to follow.
“Let’s go.”

 

Usagi cackled as they started off. “ That was a dirty trick. I wish I had a picture!”

 

The two made quick work of the vaults, and were at the rock wall when Usagi’s ears perked up.

 

“Duck!,” he shouted, although Leo didn’t need to be told twice. The two tucked and rolled practically in sync to see one of their other classmates, a large bull barreling at them, trying to force his way onto the rock wall first.

 

“Oh come on!” Usagi snapped, before remembering the “weapon” he’d been given earlier. With a manic grin, he whipped out the broom and spun it like a staff, smacking the bull back. It was a little awkward, the weight was little off, but it functioned nearly the same.

 

“Oh-hoh, best grab ever!,” he crowed to Leo. Chore time at home was about to get way more fun.

 

The bull quickly gave up his fight for the rock wall against the manic rabbit with a broom, who seemed to be having more fun giving a beat down than winning the race. It honestly wasn’t worth it.

 

“Hey!,” a voice called. Usagi looked up to see Leo halfway up the wall. “I think you got him,” the turtle said, amused. “Let’s finish this thing.”

 

Usagi looked back to see that yes, the bull was long gone. Not only that, but Kennichi and Jiro had pulled themselves out of their foam prison and were now quickly catching up.

 

The rabbit cursed, put the broom away, and hurried up the wall after Leo.

 

They made it to the top and stood, looking at the lamp. “Okay, now how do we get over there?” Usagi puzzled “I don’t have rope. Do you?”

 

Leo stood with a hand to his chin deep in thought, brows furrowed. “...No,” he sighed. “Outside of jumping, I don’t know how’d we get there, but that’s a far jump.”

 

A lightbulb went off in Usagi’s head, as he held up the broom. “What if he used this?”

 

Leo tilted his head to the side. “Like a vault? That’s kind of risky…”

 

“I’ve seen worse ideas today,” the rabbit snorted. “Do you have any better.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” said a third voice. The two turned to see they’d been joined by Kennichi and Jiro up on the wall. “We’ll be taking that off your hands,” Kennichi said. “Jiro’s going to need it.”

Kennichi himself had picked up a mop somewhere. Jiro had a kick pad strapped to his arm. 

 

 “Get the ninja Jiro, I’ll grab Usagi.”

 

“I don’t think so,” Leo said as Usagi grabbed the broom tightly.

 

Kennchi’s mop clashed with Usagi’s broom.

 

BAM!

 

The two rabbits glanced over at the sound. Jiro squawked as Leo pulled a tennis racket from god knows where, the goat just managing to block it with his pad.

 

 A slow smile grew on the turtle’s face. “Oh, can you keep that up?” he challenged, eyes glinting dangerously. 

 

Thus began the weirdest dance Usagi’s ever seen, as Jiro tried desperately to protect his limbs (and not fall off the wall) as Leo chased him around with a tennis racket smack smack SMACK!

 

If someone had told Usagi a tennis racket was a dangerous weapon even five minutes ago, he would have laughed at them. Now, he was halfway convinced that-in the right hands-you could probably kill someone with one.

 

Of course some people were definitely laughing. Raph was practically doubled over below, frantically asking Donnie if he was getting it all on video.

 

Trying to get his head back in the game, Usagi shoved Kennichi back with his broom, grinning. “Say what you want,” he taunted. “I clearly picked the right partner for this game.” 

 

“You’d side with a bloodthirsty ninja over an honorable samurai?” Kennichi snapped back.

 

Usagi rolled his eyes. “Oh please. We’re fighting with cleaning supplies.”

 

“You know if this was a real battle he’d sell you down the river in a heartbeat!”

 

Usagi paused at that, frowning. “...No. No, I don’t know that.”

 

He hadn’t noticed how quiet the fighting behind him had gotten, while Kennichi glared at him confused. “Usagi, we know what ninjas are like. They’re all the same.”

 

“...I don’t know these guys, Kennichi. Not really. Neither do you. I kind of feel like I don’t know you anymore.”

 

Kennichi snarled. With a quick upward motion he knocked Usagi flat on his back, sending the broom rolling.

 

“Surrender!” Kennichi demanded, mop handle pointed threateningly at Usagi’s head.

 

THWAP!

 

Kennchi blinked, shocked before glancing down at the tennis rack hanging around his neck. Leo had brought it down with enough force to break the netting. 

 

Usagi could actually see the criss-crossed patterns marring his fur underneath.

 

“Your teammate’s tapped out,” Leo stood threateningly from behind, the handle of the tennis racket gripped in one hand. He pulled it back towards himself meaningfully. “I suggest you do the same. You’re outnumbered up here. You don’t want to find out what he can actually do with that broom handle.”

 

Kennichi turned his head to glare daggers at the turtle who glared back, unflinching. He growled, dropping the mop.

 

“Thank you,” Leo said, before carefully removing the tennis racket and letting Kennchi go.

 

“I hope you two fall trying to get that thing,” the rabbit spat as he left.

 

Leo held a hand out to Usagi. “Uhh, thanks,” Usagi said.

 

“Don’t mention it,” Leo muttered, glancing away.

 

Usagi wasn’t sure he could promise that. Soon as he saw his friends again, he was going to be re-telling in graphic detail just what it looked like when Kennichi took a tennis racket to the head, but whatever.

 

“Anyway, we have two of these now,” Leo continued holding up the broom and mop. “And I have another, slightly crazier idea.” 

 

Usagi grinned “Lay it on me, oh knight of the tennis racket.”

 

 Leo groaned, rolling his eyes, but continued. “I think we can use these like stilts to get to the lamp.”

 

Usagi stared. “Together?”

 

“Well, we’re supposed to go as a team.” Leo said flatly.

 

Usagi cringed. “Okaaayy….howwww???”

 

It was incredibly awkward in terms of coordination. In the end, Leo insisted Usagi get on his shoulders while the turtle tied one end of each pole to his foot.

 

“You’ll shout out instructions,” Leo said. “That way, you’re doing some of the work, so it’s not cheating.”

 

“Is there any point in me shouting out instructions if you know where we’re going anyway?” Usagi asked, raising a dubious eyebrow.

 

Oh, how he wished he’d kept his mouth shut.

 

Leo thought about it, grinned, and flipped his mask around so he couldn’t see.

 

Great.

 

“Do you go out of your way to make tasks more challenging than they need to be?!” Usagi snarked as they stood on wobbly legs.

 

That seemed to get a genuine laugh out of the turtle. Usagi would have given himself a pat on the back, if he wasn’t afraid he was going to go splat on the floor.

 

“Relax,” Leo said. “We do balance exercises like this all the time in the dojo.”

 

“But blind-folded?!” the rabbit asked doubtfully.

 

“Yup.”

 

Usagi suddenly had a million more questions, but Leo’s hands on his thighs  short-circuited his brain, and he was supposed to be the turtle’s eyes right now.

 

“A little more to the right,” he said. “No, too far, we’ve passed it, come back a little!”

 

“We’ve passed it? We can’t have gotten there yet.”

 

“Not in terms of distance- I mean the lamp is too far to the left-just walk more to the left until I say otherwise!”

 

“Sheesh, okay, bossy. And don’t look down.” the turtle teased.

 

“I will smack you when this is over for saying that.”

 

It felt like forever, but it was really just under a minute when Usagi shouted “Stop!” He reached out gripping the stem of the lamp. He snagged the medal “Quick, give me your hand!” 

 

“What, why?” Usagi wrapped the ribbon around both their hands just as the timer went off.

 

“We have another winner!” Master Asashi shouted “Nice job, Usagi and Leonardo!”

 

“Whoo hoo!” Usagi cheered, momentarily forgetting he was towering twenty feet off the floor. “We won, Leo!”

 

“Cool! Hey, Usagi?”

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“I didn’t think about how we were going to get back.”

 

Usagi blinked, glancing around. “ Kuso”

 

“I mean, we could just go back the way we came-” Leo started, but Usagi saw something that made him cut the turtle off.

 

“No, wait! I see something much closer!”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“Yeah, just follow my lead! We’re taking about five steps to the left!”

 

They did so.

 

“Okay, now just fall forward.” Usagi said confidently.

 

“... Fall forward?” Leo questioned doubtfully.

 

“Yup, we’ll be fine, trust me.”

 

Leo was still frozen, unsure.

 

“Leo,” Usagi said carefully. “You trusted me to walk us to the medal. Now I need you to trust me when I say we’ll be fine and- fall forward.”

 

Leo sighed and pitched forward.

 

“WHEE!,” the rabbit shouted as they landed in a pit of foam blocks. 

 

He laughed, looking over to see Leo glaring at him as he straightened his mask. “You could have just said what was below us,” Leo snapped as he untied the poles from his feet.

 

“Yeah, but the surprise was more fun,” Usagi teased. 

 

The turtle just rolled his eyes. 

 

A weird air of awkwardness was starting to set back in now that the race was over. The two could feel it. 

 

“Uh well anyway-this was different- maybe we should pair up again sometime,” Usagi stuttered as he struggled to escape the foam block pit. What was once a place of fun now threatened to bury him in a prison of unwanted feelings and colorful shapes. “I mean-if you ever need someone to crush Kennichi at something again-I know who I’m calling if I’m ever in trouble on the tennis court ha-ha!”

 

He finally managed to pull himself out of the pit, spilling out onto the gym floor. He was about to take off, when Leo called out “Hey!”

 

Usagi glanced back at the ninja still sitting among the colorful shapes.

 

“Why did you pick me as your teammate?” Leo asked.

 

Usagi opened his mouth and for a second, nothing came out.

 

What the hell, Usagi. You never run out of things to say, except when it counts.

 

He stuttered for a few seconds before getting out. “Think of it as payback for finding Spot and looking after him for me-okay bye!”

 

And he took off like a shot, leaving his bewildered teammate alone in the foam pit.

 

***

Later at lunch, Usagi’s friends were in stitches as they re-lived the best parts of the race.

 

Shimo and Mikey soaring through the sky like a misguided missile.

 

Raph also soaring, with Toshiko’s aid (“He said I could throw him!” she insisted guiltily, while her brother patted her on the back reassuringly).

 

And of course, Kennichi taking a tennis racket to the head, which Usagi was now describing in great detail to his friends.

 

“It was just so funny!,” he said in tears. “Kennichi was taking this so seriously! He’s all like ‘Samurai fight with honor and to the death!’ And I’m just like ‘Dude, we’re fighting with brooms and mops! And then BOOM!-here comes Leo with a tennis racket! He looked so threatening-”

 

“Leo, huh?” Kitsune teased.

 

“What?” Usagi asked, confused.

 

“You’ve called him ‘Leonardo’  or ‘Hamato’ since the day you two met,” she continued, a glint in her eyes. “But this whole conversion you’ve been referring to him as ‘Leo’. I guess you two really bonded during that race, huh?”

 

Usagi opened his mouth, but no words came out.

 

“Huh, she’s right,” Gen mused. “You’re like, the only one who calls him Leonardo, outside of people who don’t know him personally. His brothers and friends call him Leo. Does this mean the rivalry is over?” he teased.

 

“NO!” Usagi shouted, before lowering his voice. “I just-Leonardo’s a mouthful to say every time-I was telling a story!”

“Uh huh,” his friends said, disbelievingly. 

 

Usagi grumbled, pouting as he crossed his arms. They were ruining his good mood.

“Why did you pair up with him?” Chizu asked him quietly as they cleared their trays.

 

Usagi groaned, shrugging. “ I don’t know. Kennichi was muttering something about ‘deceitful, back-handed ninjas’ again and all I could think about was how nice Leo- Leonardo was to Spot when we found him.” he continued. “I can’t say Leonardo and I are friends, but if I’m up against a real threat-I don’t know-I hate to say this I think I’d rather work with him than Kennichi right now.”

 

Usagi was too depressed to notice the warm look in Chizu’s eyes. “Not that Kennichi’s bad!” Usagi stressed. “I still think when push comes to shove, he’d also have my back. I just don’t think-he and I are on the same page right now.”

 

“I understand,” Chizu said softly. She gave her friend's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Notes:

A great rat man once said: In Ninjitsu, anything can be a weapon (or something to that extent).
Me to Mikey: EQUIP FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!
A golden lion tamarin is a type of chimp. I'm having a lot of fun pulling out the different animals lol.

Notes:

So yeah, this borrows elements from the 2003 series (like the Battle Nexus) and some other easter eggs, but there just wasn't enough for me to feel like it deserved a tag.
This is a High School rivals to friends to lovers AU.
As for the title...yes there's going to be dancing lol. Eventually. Somewhere.
The inspiration partly comes from that one scene in the Usagi Chronicles where Kitsune suggests the little ninjas try dancing and Chizu laughs the idea off...cue me glancing at every iteration of turtle breaking it down lol.
The other part is I just wanted to write dance scenes between Leo and Usagi.
Eventually. Someday. (Someone help, this is going to do me in).