Chapter Text
Universe 2018 – The Dojo *Hours Later*
Mike was slashing the air with gushin as portal after portal opened and then quickly shut. His faced was pinched with concentration, distorting the glowing orange markings against his green skin. Sweat rolled down the side of his face as he moved through katas ingrained into his body by watching his eldest brother practice his entire life with gunshin as his partner.
Ra and Don watched from the entrance of the dojo. They knew that Mike knew they were there but they didn’t interrupt their brother’s practice. While Mike was known for being the one that blew off training the most out of the four, that didn’t mean Mike couldn’t buckle down and spend hours in the dojo. When the boys first received their weapons many years ago by this point, Mike was often found to be in the dojo working on his forms the most despite how fast he picked up his soon-to-be signature weapon.
No, Mike was making sure he was the best at his craft. He wanted to show to the others that it wasn’t a mistake to place their trust in him and that he was the right choice. Even now, the two middle brothers could see that Mike was trying to rekindle the hope the others held for him getting their brothers back after the debacle that was an avalanche almost coming through the portal because he couldn’t close it fast enough.
Sometimes, though, that meant Mike would push himself too far in his training. Fearless was known for pushing himself past his limits in order for growth and Mike was next one in line – that is, when he actually applied himself. Hours would go by with Mike not taking a break or a sip of water. Usually when Mike got into this type of groove in training, one of them would have to linger around to remind him to drink or just to let his body have a moment to breathe.
Which is about what they were reaching based on how out of breath Mike was looking.
“Mikey, I think that’s enough,” Don called as he entered the dojo fully. The smartest turtle was usually the best one to get Mike to actually rest since he was the one that knew all of their limits. No one wanted to argue with their medic – though, they all tended to push it.
“I’m fine,” Mike grunted. Another swipe of gunshin had another portal opening and another slice through had the portal closing.
“That wasn’t a question,” Don said flatly as he approached his brother. He stopped just outside of gunshin’s reach and crossed his arms over his chest, the tip of the ninja tribunal weapon's blade a hair's width away from his face. “You’re done. Let’s go.”
Mike huffed through his nose and lowered the ninja tribunal weapon. The glow markings of his chi enhanced mode faded away, telling Don that he had won the argument once again. “Go where?” Mike asked.
“I heard they are about ready to bring Leader back,” Ra said, looking over his shoulder out the dojo doorway. “You gonna go watch or what? You sure went to frozen hell and back to get him.”
For as worn out Mike looked, the mention of another revival had him perking up. “Already?!” Mike asked excitedly. He skipped over to the bench and sat down, swiping the full water bottle next to him and chugging it down. Gunshin was sheathed on Mike’s back, crossed perpendicular over Inazuma.
“Draxum said that this will be the last one he will be able to do today even if another is found in the next few hours,” Don answered. “Remember he said that recreating a body and attaching the soul to it can take a lot out of him. I guess he is feeling pretty energized since we are still on day 1.”
“Day 1 and we have two back already,” Mike grinned, lowering the water bottle. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. “I like the odds of this. Before we know it, we’re going to have all nineteen back to life!”
In his excitement, Mike shot up from the bench and immediately regretted it as the world seemed to tilt on its axis. He felt all the blood rush from his face and he took an uneasy step back. Don saw his faltering step and reached a hand out towards his brother. “Mike? You good?” Don asked.
Mike wanted to answer but he felt like he would throw up if he did. His hands came up to cover mouth and he took another step back right into Don. His brother grabbed at his arms and forced Mike to sit back down on the bench.
“Mikey!” Ra screeched and came running across the room. He got within arm’s reach just in time for Mike to realize he wasn’t in immediate danger of throwing up. With a groan, Mike his hands over his face. Ra dropped down in a crouch next to Mike so that he was looking up at Mike’s face and placed a hand on his shoulder. Don grabbed the hand of Mike’s that was closest to him and placed it on his knee, turning it over to place his free fingers against the pulse point. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” Mike grumbled, his voice muffled behind his hands.
“Bend over and put your head between your knees,” Don ordered, pushing the back of Mike’s shell. Mike followed the brother that had the most medical knowledge of them all and bent at the waist. His arm that hadn’t been commandeered by Don was perched on his knee at the forearm so his wrist hung limply.
“That’s not what I asked,” Ra pushed.
“His pulse is fast,” Don relayed to both of them. Looking up, he scanned Mike over. From the time they entered the dojo to Mike nearly fainting, Mike’s green skin had gone three shades paler. There were deep bags prevalent underneath Mike’s eyes now. “Bro, you look like shit.”
“Gee, thanks,” Mike rolled his eyes from between his knees.
“When was the last time you slept?” Don asked.
Mike narrowed his eyes and sat back up, staying hunched over though. The longer that Mike took to think about when the last time his brother slept, the more irritated Don got. “I want to say…three days ago?” Mike said but even he sounded unsure.
“Three days?!” Ra nearly exploded. “No wonder you’re exhausted!"
“You’ve got to rest, Mikey,” Don told his brother. His hand dropped away from where his fingers had been pressed against the pulse point but the other holding Mike’s hand stayed.
“Yeah, I know,” Mike rolled his eyes with a grumble.
“No, I don’t think you do,” Don sighed with a shake of his head and looked Mike in the eye. “You have to take care of yourself. We just got you back. Raph and I won’t be able to handle it if you run yourself into the ground with getting everyone back on fumes.”
Mike slouched further in on himself and turned his face away from both his brothers. “So, what am I supposed to do then? Everyone needs me to open the portals to wherever the souls are hiding. I can’t let them down when we get the alert.”
“Then eat and sleep in the moments that we don’t have the alert and we aren’t looking for them,” Ra grunted, lightly punching Mike in the shoulder.
Mike looked back to his brothers. “But I need to practice. I still can’t open portals to the right place on the first shot.”
“Mikey, you’ve had this power for less than a day so far,” Don deadpanned. With his face softening, he released his brother’s wrist to lay on Mike’s shoulder. “Give it time. According to what Purple’s told me, even Blue sent them to the wrong places all the time in the beginning of his portals.”
Ra furrowed his brow at Don. “Why would Purple tell you that?”
“We were telling funny family stories to each other,” Don answered.
“I call bullshit,” Ra spat. “Ain’t you and Purple talking like girls at a sleepover.”
“We talk more than just our families,” Don said as he rolled his eyes. “It’s mostly just about what we have invented but there are times that we get away the conversation on hand. Purple is actually pretty chill once you get to know him and his ticks.”
“You better teach little Donnie before the two of them have a physical fight,” Mike snickered.
Don sighed and dragged a hand down his face. “Despite being counterparts, those two are like oil and water.”
“So, Ronin and every other Mikey then?” Ra added.
The three of them laughed at the mention of the grumpiest Michelangelo. Even with how he acted, even Ronin could get along better with his counterparts. It really was looking like a lost cause for little Donnie and Purple to ever get along with the former’s anger issues and the latter’s superiority complex.
Standing up more carefully, Mike clapped his brothers on their shoulders. “You guys ready?” he asked.
To the brothers, Mike still looked unsteady on his legs and too pale for their liking. Don grabbed Mike’s left arm and wrapping it around his shoulders as he stood up. From the other side, Ra copied. “After the resurrection is done, your ass is going to sleep for no less than 10 hours,” Ra threatened. “Or else I’m gonna make ya.”
Rolling his eyes at his brother’s half-hearted threat, Mike stepped forward with his brothers supporting him. “Let’s go welcome back Leader,” Mike grinned and the three made their way out.
Universe 2018 – Orange’s Art/Mystic Arts Studio
Draxum looked up briefly when he saw Mike limping in with Ra and Don supporting him on either side. He started to get up from his kneeling position but Mike held a hand up to the alchemist. “I’m fine,” Mike said.
An appraising eye ran over the pale parlor to Mike’s green skin. “That would be a lie,” Draxum noted. Even Genius, who was holding the soul sporting a thin sheet of ice on it as it bobbed in the air of his hands, was looking over the lone Michelangelo.
“Just tired,” Mike said with a groan as Ra and Don placed him in one of the only chairs in the room. “I’m watching Leader come back and then hitting the hay.” Mike looked to the center of the room where Leader’s still body was laid out in the center of a freshly drawn chalk circle.
As one of the turtles from universe 2016, Leader’s new body was quite large compared to all the other counterparts. Draxum was able to recreate the tattoos the original body bore but he was missing most of the accessories he had in his death. Genius and Wrath had scrounged up a pair of cargo pants that could fit their brother – as they were one of the few universes present that chose to wear clothes – so he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable right after being brought back to life. On his left side of his rib cage, where his shell didn’t cover, was a thick scar the width of gunshin. It was rough around the edges like a starburst.
“You and I are integral parts to this entire operation,” Draxum explained to Mike, drawing the Michelangelo’s attention back to him. “You open the gateway to where the soul is hiding and once they are brought back, I bring them back to life. If either of us are too exhausted to do our part, the entire plan unravels.”
Mike shrunk under all the eyes that seemed to stare at him in the moment. “Wow, no pressure at all,” he snarked.
“What about you then?” Ra shot back at the alchemist with a jerk of his chin. The attention of the universe 2016 family who were all waiting for Leader’s return bounced back to Draxum. Since it was getting so late in the day after one filled with such energy and adrenaline, most of the other families in the lair were already crashing for the night wherever they found space.
“I plan on retiring for the night after Leader’s resurrection and his check-up,” Draxum answered, sniffing indignantly. He turned to address everyone in the room. “Let this be a warning to you all: the max number of resurrections I can perform in a day is two and that is only if there is none the previous day.”
“What if we get a back log?” Jones asked.
“Then they shall have to wait their time and we will protect their souls in the meantime,” Draxum shrugged. “I am not willing to compromise bringing them all back in order to bring back the first found quickly.”
“I think that sounds fair,” Genius said before anyone could cut in. Those in attendance grumbled about it but didn’t argue as one of the most level headed turtles of them all agreed.
Wrath looked back at the scar on Leader’s side like it was all that was wrong in the world. It was a reminder that Leader had died while he could only watch in despair. They were supposed to be a team but Wrath had let his brother die – let two of his brothers die while he was stuck on the sidelines.
Draxum clapping his hands together had everyone looking back to him. “Everyone ready?” Draxum asked as he looked around the room.
“Just do it already,” Wrath grunted. Around his middle was a wrapping of bandages to hold the poultice the Splinters' had made to help with the healing from Leader's punches. By the time they had wrapped the bandages around him, the skin on either side of Wrath's ribcage where his shell didn't cover was a deep and nasty purple.
Draxum rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. With a hand held out towards Genius, the Donatello of universe 2016 passed the soul of his big brother over. As soon as it left his hands, the chill from the ice covering the soul vanished.
The chill that had been poking at Genius’ hands from the soul now danced on Draxum’s hands as he held the soul but he knew it would only last for a moment. Like he did before, Draxum moved his hands in a complex pattern while murmuring an ancient language’s chant. The soul was gently pushed forward to float in the air above the still chest of Leader’s body for a long moment.
With one last bob in the air, the soul descended down into Leader’s chest. A ripple of ice blue energy ran over the body, like how it did with Tricer. The difference this time was the wisps of icy air that drifted out of Leader’s barely parted lips once the energy ran over them.
Draxum sat back on his heels, letting his gaze linger on Leader’s chest and face that was regaining its color. While it was warmer with life, Draxum could see a lingering hold that the cold had on the turtle. There was even some frost forming on Leader's shoulders. He stroked his chin as he hummed, waiting.
Wrath and Genius leaned in closer for a sign that Leader was back to the land of the living with them. Genius reached down to grab Leader’s wrist and pressed his fingers down, having to wait a moment as the drumming of Leader’s pulse started up. Draxum noticed how Leader’s lips twitched in the corner and knew they had nothing to worry about.
Fox kneeled by Leader’s feet and she pulled at her hair anxiously. “…did it work?” she whispered once a few seconds passed by.
Leader coughed suddenly and pushed himself up onto his elbows, turning his body to the side which dislodged Genius' hand on his wrist. One arm held him up while another rubbed at the center of his sternum as he continued to cough roughly. Vibrant blue eyes cracked open as he grimaced. He let out a long exhale with a cloud of icy fog escaping his mouth.
Fox's hands shot up to cover her mouth as her eyes watered. Jones let out the breath that he was holding in relief and slumped in on himself. Sensei dabbed at his eyes with his sleeve, whispering prayers to whoever was listening in thanks for bringing his eldest son back and in hope that his youngest would follow suit soon.
Leader dropped back down into his back with his arms flopping out to the sides. His chest still rose and dropped quickly but he wasn’t coughing anymore. Looking around the room, Leader’s eyes stopped and settled on his two middle brothers watching him intently from the corner of his vision.
Despite being dead for who knows how long – though Genius and Wrath knew down to the second – Leader remembered his last moments. Seeing that he was no longer in the arena of the nexus nor did he still have that blasted collar around his throat, Leader could assume that they had beaten Big Mama. The thought brought a small smile to his lips.
With great effort, Leader forced himself back up to sitting. He was as hunched over his shell would allow him and his forearms rested on his knees. His mouth felt dry and he felt a huge need for some cool water. “Did you guys miss me?” he teased with a smirk, his voice rough.
Wrath’s face nearly crumpled but he caught it at the last second to save his tough guy persona. Genius didn’t have as much of a problem as his eyes misted up and he adjusted on his glasses on his face. Fox was wiping tears on her face as she had no problem showing her emotions.
Seeing that they weren’t going to initiate it, Leader opened his arms for a hug. “C’mon, you two. Bring it in. I know you want to.”
The two didn’t need any other prompting as they practically jumped into his arms. Leader was content to let himself get sandwiched between the two of them. He heard hard sniffles in his ears as both his brothers tried not to cry and were failing as their walls broke down.
Leader looked around the room with his brows pinched. He could spot Mike sitting in the corner between his own brothers. That surprised him because if the person he was looking for wasn’t next to him, they he would definitely be right at his best friend and counterpart’s side.
Clearing his throat, Leader pulled back from Wrath and Genius. “Where’s…” he trailed off as the question hung so heavy that it stopped half in his throat.
Wrath shook his head and looked off to the side as he remembered the end of the Michelangelo’s finalist fight. Party had tried his hardest to win for them but also knew that his end was probable with his plan to make Fox turn their masks. Wrath couldn’t even be angry with the girl for her because he didn’t know if he could have been Party hitting the ground. Watching it from a recording had been bad enough – watching it live would have been devastating.
“Mikey tried his best but Orange beat him in the finals,” Genius answered. In the corner of the room, Mike's eye ridges rose with the new information of the nexus that he barely knew the results of.
Leader’s hands curled into fists and a layer of thin ice formed over his knuckles. He took in a deep breath, held it for a moment, then let it all out in a fog of icy air. “He gave it his best,” Leader said simply.
“That he did,” Genius agreed with a nod.
“But we’re going to bring him back!” Mike piped up from the side of the room. Ra and Don nodded their heads firmly in support. “We’re going to bring everyone back!” Leader chuckled at the bold declaration.
“Good to see you again, Mike,” Leader said. He leaned back on his hands. “So, who’s all back so far?” he asked. Ever the leader, Leader was getting down to business.
“We got Mike, Tricer, and you right now,” Don answered. As he remembered, Don padded over to the other side of the room and uncapped a marker to cross Leader’s name off the chart Purple had put up.
Leader look at the chart he didn’t notice before and furrowed his brow. “Only the three of us?” He looked back to Mike and his brothers. “I thought you would have brought like Fearless back at least at this point.”
“Well, all of you running off makes that hard,” Wrath grumbled his breath. “Just finding you was tough and you were our first rescue.”
That confused Leader even more. What did they mean that he was their first rescue when he was number three in revivals? And what did they mean by 'all of you running off' when the last thing he remembered was Fearless killing him. Leader looked between them all, from Draxum’s tired face to his family’s mournful that were now mixed with relief of his return to Mike’s also tired face. Leader sat up straight as his face settled into something hard like he was in ninja leader mode. “Tell me everything I missed.”