Chapter Text
Leonardo noticed three things when he first opened his eyes: 1, there were orange fairy lights above him, softly glowing. 2, someone had lit a candle, a faint smell of citrus and pine filled the room. And lastly;
There was a sword pointed at his neck.
That probably should have been the first thing to take notice of. Really. But still, slightly tilting his head and lifting his eyes up he follows the sword to its holder. He then met direct contact with..
Another mutant turtle?
Only this one had red stripes down it’s eyes. It was also wearing blue PJS and a nightcap. It also looks confused and pissed off.
“WHO-the hell are you? And why are you in my bed?” The stranger asked. Trying (and honestly failing) to give Leonardo the stink eye. Slowly Leonardo moved his arms up to the sword, toward his neck. He rather have his hands cut then his neck. Much less painful. Think Leo think! Look at your surroundings, at your enemy. You train for this! We’re…..we're my brothers?
“My-my name is Leonardo-“ he started.
“Wait? What? No. No? My name is Leonardo……Either the insomnia talking or….Wait. Wait, damn it. Alright get up, we’re going to meet someone.” The turtle, this other vision of him said, then grab him by the upper arm and pulled him out of bed. Why was he in bed? How did he even get here?
Wait, sword, wears blue, named Leonardo….Oh no….Another parallel version of him? Great. If this version of him also yells “turtle power” and his can’t fight with sword Leo think he’s going to lose it. This newest alternative version of himself still held him by the arm, dragging him to a subway car. They live in the subway? Leonardo couldn’t help but look around the area. There were hanging lights, graffiti, in the distance an arcade and a kitchen could be seen. As well as a old rusty machines and neon lights. It was a bit overwhelming. Leonardo finally noticed that he and his other self had stopped walking. The two were in front of another subway car, this one, judging by the glowing neon purple lights that shine through the windows, was Donatello’s.
“Don, I know you’re not asleep. I’m coming in and well……Guess I owe you that $20 huh?” This Leo lightly joked as he open the car door and shoved him inside.
“Nardo you have to be more specific about the $20, you know how many times you bet with……OHMIGOSH?! Is that what I think it is???” A voice yelled. Looking at the voice Leonardo saw another turtle, this one decked out in purple pjs, no mask, but had on a pair of goggles on its head. Yep, definitely Donnie….
This alternative Donatello jumps out of his chair and beetle-lines toward him, quickly rambling about alternative worlds and time travel, also something about a Pizzasaurus?
“Don Ton, focus. And what? No, the Pizzasaurus is definitely not real! Listen, this guy, albit a less handsome version of me, appeared in my room, in my bed! Less than a minute ago! So like, can you figure it out?” The other Leo said, leaning against his sword. While this Leo sounded relaxed, Leonardo could tell by his body language that he was very stressed.
This Donnie looked up from examining him and gave his brother a puzzled look.
“Really? If he appear in your room then it might have been caught on the security cameras-“
“-I still don’t know why you decided to pull them in front of our rooms D..”
“-As I was saying, Leo, the camera should have gotten something…”
Trying to make out what the two were saying Leonardo didn’t notice when he was dragged over towards a bunch of monitors. Standing in front of the screens he was now stuck between his alternative self and brother. The screens fills up a good portion of the wall, each screen showed a different room. Donnie types in a password and pull up the camera from Leo’s. Rewinding it to a couple of minutes. Leonardo look at the black and white screen. One minute it showed his alter self getting up and leaving the room, then a few minutes of nothing, then bam, Leonardo was then materialized out of thin air. Over and over the video replays. All three of them searching for some answers.
Working up the courage to speak, Leonardo surprisingly felt nervous. He licked his lips. Questions buzzed in his head. Was he here because these version of themselves were in trouble? Was this another hallucination? Hell, was it even the dream beavers again? But the most important question Leonardo had was about his family.
“My brothers, do you-“
“Play the other recordings. I want to see everything that happened around this time.” The other Leo cut him off. Eyes sharps and voice in a low commanding tone. Glancing toward Donatello, Leonardo could see that this Donatello wanted to argue, his face was scrunched up and he started to reply before he stopped. Donatello gave a huff then turned toward the screen and pulled up more videos. Room by room, minute by minute, hour by hour. Leonardo scans the videos. Were his brothers even here? What if they were? Then what? Would these versions of themselves attack him and his brothers? Would they keep him hostage?
What seems like hours the videos stop and the monitors when black. Donnie turned toward Leo and spoke. “Does that answer any questions?”
“Nope! Welp, that’s a bust! Ok, Don. Make sure my counterpart stays here. Maybe if he sleeps he can transport back to his world?” Leo states. He then moved away from the monitors and headed back toward the doorway. Donatello moved away from the screens too to follow Leo.
“What!? Oh, sure, let’s have an alternate version of my brother stay here for the night while I run some tests on him and think and philosophize about the world.” He quipped.
Leonardo looks at the two brothers. He saw that Leo was rolling his eyes and dramatically leaning against Donatello’s shoulders. While the alternative brother was just typing on a watch? Wait? What year I’m I even in? This tech looks very futuristic…
“Donnie, D, Donald. I know you’re being genuine right now. If you want to study and probe at my other self, go for it. If Raph finds out that you pass out at 4:30 in the morning from hyperfixation, that's a you problem.”
“Tired sigh . Leo, the word is hyperfocused. Hyperfixation is for ADHD. That’s a you and Mikey issue, while Raph and I hyperfocus.” Donatello corrected. He then shoved Leo off him and pushed him out the door.
“Go to bed! Your insomnia will be worse if you don’t, ok?”
“Yeah yeah. I know………….Thanks Don, be safe. Love you!”
“Love you too.”
While that moment was going on, Leonardo felt….happy? Sad? A bit of both. It was so interesting to see a version of him and Donatello being so close. He sadly smiled to himself. When was the last time he and Donnie just hung out? Without having to make plans, without their other brothers? Without the pressure and guilt? Without the two of them arguing and stress out. Leonardo closed his eyes and clenched his fists. When he gets back, he swears he'll be a better brother, a better son, a better leader. Maybe this was why he was here? To show him all his flaws? With his eyes still closed, Leonardo felt a tug against his arm and he was gently moved. Opening his eyes he saw that Donatello had moved him to sit down and was now holding his arm….and a syringe?
Immediately Leonardo moved his leg and kicked hard against Donnie’s chest. The other turtle was flung back, (having been in one of those rolling chairs) and hit the back wall.
“Fuck. Ow! Ok, note to self, tell people about the needles.” Donatello groans. He looked down and then felt the space where he was kicked. After a moment of fussing with the bruise, he rolled back toward Leonardo and grabbed his arm again.
“Ok! I’m going to take a blood sample and a scale or two. Don’t kick me again or I WILL bite you. If you haven’t noticed, I'm a spiny softshell turtle and we can bite.”
Leonardo raid an eyebrow while softly frowning. Yes he knows he’s in an alternative reality. Yes of course that means things are different from this world then his home. But to have him and his brothers….not be quadruplets? To be different species. To not have the same heartbeat, the same blood and flesh as one another? Well…that’s just ood.
“Oh. Wait? So all of you guys are a different species?” Leo asks, gently. He didn’t know what is and isn’t a risky topic. Better to be safe then sorry.
“Yes? Why? Is that a problem?”
“No! No..my brothers and I are quadruplets. We’re actually a mix of a diamondback terrapin and a common box turtle. Though I think I’m more of a terrapin than a box? Anywho…..It’s, it’s just weird to see a version of you that is so vastly different from yourself. Ya’know?”
Donatello nods as he takes hold of his arm, gently running a hand toward this dip of his elbow. Leo watches as this version of his brother put the needle into his flesh. Leo closes his eyes. It didn’t hurt, but the feeling of the needle going into him is still awful.
—
Donatello tried to make small talk. A distraction, Leo noticed. One that feels meaningless and oh so deep and too personal at the same time. Something that his donnie didn’t do.
“How old are you? Judging by your voice and your physicality, you’re, what? In your early to mid 20’s?”
Leo tries not to winch at the question. “It’s hard to say…What with space travel. hmm, I’m 25? 26? Give or take the 6 months….What year am I in?”
Donatello gasps. Looking at his face, Leo could see the pure excitement radiating off his the younger turtles.
“It’s 2022. And audible gasp! Space travel!!!! Ohmigosh!! You HAVE to tell me all out it! What was it like? What did you do? What are the physical and mental issues and development that happen to you once you return to earth? What was the invention you used???” Donatello rambles, fast and loud. Easy, exciting. It was kind of cute.
“Hahah. Slow down kid, I’ll tell you that in the morning, ok? Promise.”
Donatello quickly stops talk, he clears his throat and nods. A bit of that excited energy quickly left him. He then takes the syringe out of Leo’s arm and puts it down on the computer desk. Still gripping his arm, Donatello turns his head and uses one hand to try to find something next to him. A minute later and a bright blue and yellow star bandaid is placed on the wound. Leo scrunches his eyebrows. First he wakes up in the year 2022, next some kid who is a version of his brother is taking his blood and now said kid is giving him a bandaid?
“Isn’t this a little childish?”
“ Scoff. What? Just because you’re adult, and my superior, doesn't mean that you can’t enjoy childish things? That’s boring and lame. Any child can enjoy “grown up” things that are safe, like coffee. And any adult can enjoy “children things” as long as they are appropriate. It’s all about balance.”
“Wow Don that’s surprisingly mature and -“
“-That! Aaaaand my dum dum brothers always complain I don’t give them treats or stickers when Leo or I give them checksups. Leo does it too! And HE'S the medic guy!”
Leo rolls his eyes. Yep, still the same Donnie he knows. But this version of himself as the medic? Leo always thought it would be nice to get into medicine, what with him learning the healing hands. How did this Leo find time to be the leader and still practice medicine?
“Anyway, the blood work needs to be tested, along with the scale I took for you. But here-“ Donnie spoke as he typed something into his computer and with a whirl of clanking and other noises something was moving. Quickly turning around, hands automatically moving toward his sword, Leo turned and saw one of the subway’s chairs transforming into a makeshift bed.
“You can sleep here for the night. Ok? I’ll wake you up if you’re still here and not somehow transport back to your world.”
Wordless Leo moves to the bed and goes to it. It’s been such a long day, and he just realized how tired he is. As he got into the little bed/cot, he turned toward Donatello and watched as he moved around.
“Goodnight Dee.”
“Night ‘Nardo.”