Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“This is Carly Balmaceda, reporting the latest updates following the catastrophic incident that has left New York in chaos.” 

From a tiny projector mounted on top of an overturned plastic crate, the news station was turned on. Projecting the familiar news anchor onto the smooth canvas stretched across the wall of the Hamato’s lair. She held a stack of papers in her hands with a grave expression on her face. Voice somewhat numb from reporting endlessly on the cataclysmic event everyone was all too familiar with. 

“Just a few months ago, New York faced the unthinkable; an alien invasion.” 

From Carly and the news room, the screen changed to a live feed of New York– 

Showing the morbid image of a once iconic city scarred by an incident unlike anything ever seen before.

The carnage of destroyed buildings from a bird’s eye view filled the screen. Decorated with the disgusting drapery of lingering Krang matter that grew on buildings like vines. Yet it was Metro Tower that drew the eyes of viewers– almost completely swallowed in purple, veiny roots that were not of this world. Though not completely distracting from the scattered collection of buildings that had been destroyed during those short, fateful hours of the invasion. It was a type of destruction that felt impossible– reserved only for Hollywood blockbuster movies. 

“While the cause of the invasion and what stopped it are unknown, local authorities are focusing on the post disaster cleanup left behind by the attack.” The sky view switched to a live feed of broken buildings, turned-over cars, abandoned bodegas, scattered debris, and lingering Krang-matter vines being cut by construction workers with chainsaws. As the camera continued to pan over different scenes of wreckage around the metropolis, the news anchor reported, “ While Disaster Responders are making headway in clearing the rubble and containing the strange alien substances, there have been reports of alien monster attacks during cleanup.” 

The view of the Metro Tower still covered in Krang vines was cut away to a video that had clearly been recorded on someone’s phone. Though the camera was shaking, what was undoubtedly a Krang Beast popped out of the rubble. Disfigured and horrifying. An ugly purple color with beaty yellow eyes. Bystanders screamed as it roared. It grabbed a nearby First Responder by its jaws, flinging him off screen before citizens started pelting it with pieces of debris. It screeched before turning tail and scrambling away through an alley. The video shrunk back into the corner as a small thumbnail by the news anchor’s head. She fixed the audience with a firm, concise voice, “ Officials are advising citizens to stay indoors and to avoid any contact with the unidentified alien substance. Though it has yet to be confirmed, coming into contact with the substance may cause serious infection.” 

The thumbnail in the corner started to flash with a slideshow of Krang-infected humans. A gut wrenching horror show shrunken small into that little thumbnail, as if making the images smaller would somehow make them less gruesome. A feeble little warning reading ‘disturbing images’ was all there was to prepare people for the collection of disfigured, alien-infected friends and family on the screen. It was far from the first time the images were shown… but it never made it any easier. There was a particularly dead look in the news anchor’s eyes as she continued, “The infected citizens seen during the invasion have been quarantined in an undisclosed location by authorities, and their status still remains unknown.” A few fleeting images of police corralling Krang-ified citizens into swat vans flickered by, “Viewers are advised to be alert and to report any alien monster or infected personnel sightings immediately by calling 911.” 

“The cause of this disaster is still being investigated… but this attack has left citizens afraid and demanding action. And New Yorkers aren't the only ones– this alien attack has the entire world wondering: Are we safe–? ”

-CLICK–!- 

Splinter switched off the projector, plunging the den into an unsettled silence. The entire Hamato Clan was gathered in the train station platform that served as their living space. Nestled between the train cars they made into their rooms. All of them, save for Leo—who still laid battered and bruised in the med bay. Still recovering from the wrath of a beast who could level worlds.  

Not that the rest of them were in much better shape than he was. Raph– the once infected eldest brother– sat on the couch with his entire right arm wrapped in white bandages. His knuckles were dressed with thick gause, hiding the punctures the Krang parasite had made in his hand when it sprouted claws during battle with Leo. An equally thick gauze patch clung to his shoulder where Krang Prime had pierced his shell and cut his shoulder. And though he didn’t need an eyepatch anymore, an impressive bruise encapsulated his right eye. 

Mikey– the miracle mystic wild card– was perched on the arm rest of the couch. Sporting bruises the size of his yellow spots and thick compression sleeves on his arms. To this day they were still unsteady. Trembling from the traumatic force he pushed his mind and body through for the sake of saving their heroic, stupid brother. Still recovering from the against-all-odds-defying portal that cut through some of the most ancient magics on Earth to save Leo. But mystic burns weren’t the only scar the youngest brother received that day. In that horrible, brief moment of being tangled in Krang’s parasite… The roots of Krang flesh tried to dig their way into his body. When they ripped free, so did some of his skin and muscle. leaving behind a subtle scar spanning his arms and legs. 

And Donnie– the alien spaceship sacrificial offering who served as its pilot– Donnie’s shell was torn up. Bad. Scarred from being forcefully ripped from the fleshy cockpit of Krang’s ship. He hid it behind a newly designed battle shell– one that was lighter to wear without compromising his need for protection. Don stood nearby with his arms crossed, an anxious look on his brow. 

The three of them were in the worst shape they’d ever been… It was a miracle they weren’t in the med bay with Leo right now. Yet despite their scars of war, they were thankful that Splinter and April fared better than they had… but even they had their share of bruises and cuts from the day aliens attempted to invade Earth. 

To them, it felt like something out of a Jupiter Jim comic. Even months after it all, it felt impossible to grasp. 

They had stopped an alien invasion . 

Them. A bunch of mutated turtle teenagers who lived in the sewers. Engineered to be soldiers initially, sure, but kids nevertheless. They had almost died. Almost became Krang’s pawns. Almost didn’t save a planet with billions of people and yokai from total destruction. But somehow… by some grace of Pizza Supreme above… they pulled it off. 

And Casey Jones Jr– the boy who crossed time and space to prevent it all– got to bear witness to the miracle that literally rewrote history. 

Casey Jones– the unexpected addition to the Hamato Clan during its darkest hour– was among the family too. Safe underground in the lair he’d always heard about growing up. Slouched forward in the worn bean bag chair with his elbows resting on his knees. Attentive and focused. A serious expression carved on his stubbly face… despite the laughable clash of the colorful, bright Hawaiian shirt he wore. Courtesy of Mikey’s wardrobe. 

After all, Casey had fallen straight out of the clutches of the apocalypse with nothing but a mission. The time traveling vanguard found himself in a new timeline. A new world. A new life … and all he had to his name was his chainsaw hockey stick and the hockey mask honoring his late sensei. 

Of course, that wasn’t to say he was without a home despite needing to borrow clothes. The Hamatos welcomed him with open arms. It didn’t even need to be discussed. Casey was family even long before he had crossed through that portal. Already a part of their legacy long before his birth. A cherished link in the fabric of time and space that connected their clan. Something they could all feel somewhere deep down in the threads of their Ninpō. Though it felt impossible to name what he was– a brother, a friend, a once-pupil and ward of their future selves– they knew that Casey was an irreplaceable pillar of their little clan. And it was hard to imagine a life without him now.  

Having Casey was the greatest thing they could have asked for after such a disaster. He was quick to help and insightful for care… both physical and mental. None of them– Raph, Donnie, Mikey, or Leo– couldn’t imagine how they would’ve dealt with the aftermath without his help. 

Both him and Draxum. The two of them played huge roles in helping them recover. When Draxum came back to a destroyed city after going on holiday with his lunch room friends, the family saw the war-veteran they never knew come out. Calm but swift. Levelheaded and efficient. Tending to them with Casey as his assistant– a role the apocalypse surviving teen naturally fell into. Draxum practically moved into the lair to care for them. Splinter didn’t even argue. Strangely enough, Draxum seemed even more fatherly than ever– commending them for their skills and bravery during battle while carefully treating them. 

But despite their legendary victory, there was a dense anxiety in the air. A looming shadow that lurked over them every day– robbing the heroes of the peaceful recovery they’ve more than earned. And today… they had to address it. 

The Hamato Clan sat in the lair’s den, sitting in a circle with apprehension… 

And in the center of their huddle– 

Sat the Krang Key. 

The cursed relic sat upright on the floor. They all looked at it in tense silence. It was almost too unsettling to look at for too long. It exuded a haunting pressure that reeked of danger. The fact that this small little artifact was the only thing between peace and total eradication… was terrifying. To think that at any given moment, anyone– anyone – could pick up the key and trigger the apocalypse… It was too much to bear. 

Before, when movies and comics claimed peace was a delicate balance, the boys had thought it was just for cool, dramatic effect… It was scary, how real that actually was.

No one knew what to say. The quiet was unbearable. Finally, Casey broke the silence by asking the one thing they had on their minds: 

“.... What should we do with it?” 

They all looked at each other anxiously. Completely at a loss. April chimed in warily, “Splints and I tried destroying it– But we didn’t even scratch it!” 

“But there’s gotta be some way we can destroy it!” Raph stressed. If he wasn’t so terrified of the cursed object he would have tried crushing it between his fists right then and there. 

“Do you think I can destroy it?” Mikey asked hopefully, looking at his own hands. Draxum immediately shut down the idea.

“It’s a miracle your arms even survived that stunt you pulled with the portal,” The ex-warring warrior alchemist chastised. Mikey looked taken aback by Draxum’s scorn, quickly down casting his eyes with an anxious expression. Though his tone was hard, everyone knew Draxum was just trying to keep Mikey—and the rest of them—safe. “There will be no ‘mystic hands’ foolishness from now on.”

The room relapsed into silence. After a long moment, Splinter let out a discouraged sigh.

“... I’m afraid that no matter where we hide it… it may be found once again,” Splinter admitted morbidly. There was a regretful ache in his face over the fact he had to speak the truth despite the fear on all their faces, “There will always be a great evil looking for a way to gain power. If the Foot Clan knew of the Krang, others may know about them too… It might only be a matter of time until someone is looking to unleash the Krang again. Nowhere in the world may be safe–” 

“Then let’s ditch it to another world.” 

All heads snapped towards the subway platform’s entrance. Shock swept over everyone to see Leo there, leaning against the doorway. He had his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, trying to seem nonchalant– or, at least, as nonchalant as a guy with a leg cast, crutches, and was partially mummified with bandages could look. 

“Leo!” Raph tried to jump to his feet, though the soreness in his body slowed him significantly. That didn’t stop him from scolding his hard-headed little brother, “You should be resting!” 

“What, and let you guys have all the fun?” Leo teased. Grabbing his crutches, Leo hobbled into the room. Casey was the quickest to jump up, already halfway across the room to aid Leo. Undoubtedly a bi-product of his apocalypse resistance upbringing. Leo reassured him he was fine, though that didn’t stop Casey from offering his seat to him. After flashing Casey a thankful smile, Leo sat with a puff. Casey couldn’t help but linger nearby, worried to see a different version of his Sensei injured. 

“But seriously–,” Leo leaned forward, eyes burning with determination, “let’s just chuck it somewhere it can’t be used.” 

“What???” Raph’s voice cracked. The looks on everyone’s faces mirrored his, clearly not getting what Leo was implying. 

“Guys, listen,” Leo started, “If the key opens a portal to let the Krang out of the prison dimension, then we just gotta make sure that portal only leads to somewhere just as bad.” The way the realization was starting to kick in on their faces made Leo’s confidence swell. He continued, hopeful, “Gram-Gram locked the Shredder in the Twilight Realm so he couldn’t hurt anybody, right?” Leo smirked, shrugging like it was an easy solution, “So we just gotta find a place like that where there’s literally no one around to use the key!” 

“That’s…” Draxum trailed off, holding his chin. Contemplating. His eyebrows shot up, looking intrigued by the notion, “... That’s actually not a bad idea.” 

Shock painted everyone’s faces. They looked at each other. The air got lighter with a glimmer of hope. Leo felt pretty proud of himself for the idea– 

After all… he had a lot to make up for the damage he did. 

“But how do we do that?” Casey asked, already quick to talk business. If anyone was itching to get rid of the key, it was him. Not that Leo blamed him. But frankly– that’s where Leo’s genius idea ended. He didn’t have a clue how dimensions or realms or whatever worked.

But thankfully, they had their own, personal, weird-mystic-stuff expert on hand. Leo clearly looked at Draxum, obviously asking for his input. Everyone followed suit, watching Draxum with hopeful looks. Draxum hummed, thinking. 

“Well… there are two options,” He started, “Find a conveniently empty and secure realm for us to hide it in,” Draxum’s sarcastic tone made it sound like that was the least probable option, “or… make a new one.” 

“ Make one?” Mikey piped up, sounding somewhat excited. Eyebrows shot up. If anything, that was better than any answer Leo thought he’d get. But unfortunately, Draxum looked far from enthusiastic. 

“Making a realm from scratch is one of the highest forms of magic– it would be easier to find an empty realm that already exists.” Draxum warned. 

“What about the Twilight realm?” April offered, “You know, the one where Gram-Gram and Shredder were?” 

“I’d advise against it,” Draxum said back. Again, the room deflated from another rejected idea, “The Twilight Realm is an already known pocket of space. A highly proprietary realm that is safeguarded by the Heads, sure, but its existence is known. Anyone who has knowledge of it could potentially access it.” 

Leo somehow got the sense that Draxum knew about the Twilight realm due to the fact he used to be a warring warrior scientist for all-yokai kind and probably at one point planned to abuse the knowledge, but he let it slide. Especially since he had a good point. 

“But how do we find another dimension without anything already in it?” Raph asked warily. Draxum pondered for a moment.  

“It will take time. But it may be possible–”

“No.”

All heads turned to Leo. There was a stunned sensation in the air from the hard edge to his tone. It was like a switch had been flipped. Their usually playful brother fixed Draxum with a dead serious look. There was a demand for attention in his air. Firm and commanding. Suddenly pronounced like a real leader. 

And for a second… Casey saw the traces of his Sensei in Leo’s face. 

The yokai war veteran held Leo’s gaze with newly found consideration. Perhaps intrigued by Leo’s sudden seriousness. Leo’s voice left no room for debate, “I don’t want to take any more risks. I don’t want anyone to find the key… So… how do we make a new realm?” 

A pause. All attention shifted to Draxum, waiting for his response. Draxem seemed to be weighing Leo’s resolve before he spoke.

“... Trying to create a realm is incredibly difficult and risky,” Draxum warned, “There’s more of a risk accessing a realm that already exists. It’s possible that you’d open up a dimension that closely matches the one you’re trying to make, but is already known to others.” 

“But it's possible?” Leo pressed. After a long moment, Draxum sighed. 

“... It is possible,” The goat man yokai finally admitted. Leo felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Mikey, April, and Casey’s faces lit up. Raph, Donnie, and Splinter seemed interested, but cautious… but not against the notion either. Draxum claimed it would take time and materials– and not to expect any miracles soon– but Leo’s mind was already working double time. This was it. This was their solution. Things were going to be okay– 

He wasn’t going to fail his family this time. He was going to do it right or die trying. 

Besides… there couldn’t be anything worse than the Krang or The Shredder out there, right?

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Turns out Draxum’s definition of what “takes time” did NOT match Leo’s– because preparations for the portal spell were taking way too long. Weeks ticked by. And every other day Leo would ask Draxum again and again if the spell was ready. It quickly reached the point Draxum barked at him that he would tell Leo when everything was prepared and to stop asking. But with each day that went by the more sleep Leo lost over it. The longer they waited, the bigger the risk of having the key in their lair felt. Every night Leo stared at the ceiling, afraid that any given moment, someone was going to break in to get it. A surviving Foot Clan member, one of the Krang beasts– anything. It was torture. Leo was going to go crazy from the anxiety. 

And he snapped when Draxum finally told him the spell was ready– but they weren’t. 

“What do you MEAN it’s “ready” but it’s “ not ready”?!” Leo seethed, throwing his hands up in the air. He felt ready to explode with anger– especially with the way Draxum looked unbothered by his distress. Leo, his brothers, Casey, and Draxum were gathered in Donnie’s lab to hear Draxum’s update– but it was hardly an update in Leo’s eyes if there was nothing they could do yet.

With a flat voice, the goat man yokai said, “The basics of the spell have been mapped out– but to pull this off, the casters need to have extreme mental focus.” He pointed at them, harsh and blunt, “You are hardly ready for such a complicated mystic ritual.” 

Leo’s brothers and Casey looked crestfallen. But Leo was straight up pissed.  

“Then why even do all the prep work if you weren’t even going to let us do it?!” Leo wished he still had his crutches because he had half a mind to hit Draxum’s kneecap out of frustration. Draxum held his burning glare, unafraid to lay down the hard truth. 

“You all need to recover and train before even attempting this. Physically and mentally. This ritual requires a clear mind and incredible focus. How soon you’ll be ready for this task is dependent on you.”  

The weight of Draxum’s words were terrifying. So much so that Leo wasn’t ready to face the implications. And he stupidly deflected, “Ready?! Uh, in case you haven’t noticed, we stopped aliens from destroying the world!” Leo threw his hand out, exasperated, “Who’s more ready to save it again than us?”

“You. Are. Not. Ready,” Draxum shot back. Leo and Draxum glared at each other for a moment and the air was heavy with tension… And awkwardness for Mikey, Donnie, Raph, and Casey. 

Finally, Draxum sighed.

“... What you boys did was nothing short of extraordinary,” He added with a softer tone, “But you suffered more than physical injuries because of it.” Draxum looked from Leo to the others. He looked, dare Leo say, concerned. When he looked back at him, Leo felt anxiety prickle under his rage, “Leonardo. I know you want to get rid of the key as soon as possible… But right now, you must focus on healing.” 

“The longer we wait the longer we’re in danger with the key around!” Leo threw back, “While we’re here ‘resting’ there’s a swarm of Krang Beasts loose in New York! What if they’re looking for it? What if they find us?” 

“Without their Prime those beasts are directionless animals,” Draxum threw it back right into Leo’s face. It pissed Leo off that he acted like some kind of Krang expert after examining one beast Casey brought down– he wasn’t even here for the invasion, yet he had the gall to lecture Leo, “They are a broken hive mind with no master. They can’t think– let alone search for and use a mystic relic!” 

Leo was going to lose his shit. He knew he was only backing himself into a corner more and more, but he couldn’t handle another sleepless night knowing the key to end the world was in their home, “So what, we do nothing?!”

“Leo, wait,” Leo’s heart sank faster than a rock at the sound of Raph’s voice. He looked over at his big brother. The rage in his blood was extinguished by feelings Leo couldn’t directly face yet when he looked at Raph… and his injuries. It would have been less painful if Raph was his classic, frustrated self and yelled at Leo for being stupid rather than the gentle, concerned tone he used now, “Draxum’s right. We shouldn’t push our luck. We all wanna get rid of the key, but… we gotta be careful.”

Casey nodded in agreement. Donnie and Mikey looked dejected, but didn’t argue. Leo couldn’t help but scowl, feeling betrayed. Draxum sighed. 

“You’re as hard-headed as the rat,” Draxum grumbled, rubbing his temple. He totally had his ‘dad voice’ locked in now, shutting the situation down, “We’re not doing the ritual until I deem you’re ready.”

At that, Leo’s voice got stuck in his chest. Unable to form a rebuttal. Because he was right. And the fact that an ex-warring warrior scientist villain was lecturing him on addressing their PTSD only made it sting worse. Leo’s throat closed up. His jaw was locked up. Leo knew he was being unreasonable. He knew Draxum was right. But the overwhelming frustration of being unable to do something now was making his skin burn. Ready to explode. Especially with his brothers here, watching Leo and Draxum’s argument where Leo was in the wrong– 

And it wasn’t just frustration that made Leo feel like he was going to combust. It was also shame.  

Leo turned away with a frustrated growl, storming out of the lab and away from Draxum. Well, more like hobbled out. As if his pride wasn’t already bruised enough. He hobbled even faster when he heard Raph call his name from the lab’s doorway. He couldn’t face Raph right now. It was hard to face Raph at all . Ever since that horrible day, Leo could barely look Raph in the eye. The eye that was scarred because of him. 

Seeing Raph reminded Leo of what he could have lost. Reminded of how he failed Raph. Failed his family. Failed the world. And every time Raph’s night terrors from the Krang Parasite trauma had his big brother waking up in the night screaming, Leo wanted to throw himself into the Prison Dimension. 

Leo looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was trying to catch up to him before ducking into the nearest room– which happened to be their mini TV room they made out of one of the abandoned subway offices. Desperate to avoid everyone right now. Especially after that whole thing. 

But of course Leo had no such luck. As soon as Leo sat down in a bean bag chair with a groan, the door opened– 

Leo thought Raph was the last person he wanted to see right now, but he realized how wrong he was when he saw Casey Jones Jr in the doorway. 

“Hey– what the heck was that all about?” Casey went straight into the interrogation. Leo looked away, scowling. The last thing Leo wanted to hear right now was Casey’s disapproving tone. It already haunted him enough. 

“Exactly what I said– I’m trying to get rid of the key so we’ll be safe!” Leo stubbornly answered. He knew he was only digging a deeper grave for himself. He was being stupid… but he couldn’t help but dig his heels in harder. 

But to Casey, this felt exactly like that moment during the invasion he realized Leo was not his Sensei. 

“Didn’t you hear Draxum? You guys need to focus on getting better!” Casey gestured to Leo’s injuries, annoyed, “Not rush into something unprepared again!” 

Like that time in the collapsed tunnel, Leo turned away. Pouting. It made Casey’s blood boil. He just didn’t get Leo sometimes. There were days he admired him. Saw traces of his Sensei in him. And other days he was totally unbearable! 

“We don’t have time to just sit around!” Leo argued, throwing his hands up again, testy, “I don’t need healed legs to dump the key into an interdimensional dumpster!” 

“Do you even hear yourself?” Casey seethed, “Do you really think it’s gunna be that easy? What if something goes wrong? Huh? What’re you going to do then—?” 

“I DON’T KNOW!” 

Casey jumped, startled. Leo hung his head, hiding his face in his hands. His voice was weak, cracking as he repeated himself. Sounding so… hopeless, “I don’t know…”

“I’m scared, Casey,” Leo confessed. His voice was straining to get through his tight throat. His chest felt like he was being crushed by Krang’s grip. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Casey. The guy who gave up everything to give Leo a second chance to fix his mistake. Casey being here was just another reminder of how badly Leo fucked up. He fucked up so bad that his future self had to rely on freakin’ time travel to fix everything. Leo was so certain Casey hated him. Even if he smiled and laughed at his jokes and offered his help over the past few months of living with them... Leo was just the pathetic version of his Sensei that he’ll never see again. How could he not hate him for that, let alone for being the guy who triggered the apocalypse in the first place, “I’m scared a Krang Beast or something is going to come bursting in here and find the key and release the Krang again! And every day we wait, we’re only putting ourselves in more danger!” 

“I almost lost Raph,” Leo croaked. “I don’t want to lose anyone again...” He dug the heels of his palms into his eyes. He struggled to swallow the lump in his throat, “I just… want to get rid of it.” 

Silence. Leo wallowed in the awkward agony of what was surely him being judged with disgust. But he couldn’t have been more wrong. Because he couldn’t bring himself to look at Casey, Leo didn’t see the way the teenage war veteran was just as choked up as he was.

Horrible regret ate Casey alive. All of the scathing remarks he just said made his mouth feel like ash– especially to see Leo like this. It was a slap in the face to remind him of something that was so stupidly obvious– 

Leo… This Leo… was just a kid. 

Being thrown into a past he’d never known before had been enough of a shock on its own for Casey. But being here with the younger versions of his Masters… was jarring. Because they were so different . 

Growing up, Casey’s senseis had felt larger than life. Determined. Smart. Ready to face unspeakable odds with unshakable resolve. They were heroes. Beacons of hope. When Casey had been scared… all he needed was to stand by his Sensei’s side to feel at ease. 

But now Casey could see how much he had taken that for granted. It wasn’t until after the panic and adrenaline of the invasion ended did Casey actually realize something so mundane; that his Masters had been kids too at one point. Casey had been lucky–  he got to grow up with his strong Sensei and Uncles in an established resistance in a protected base. It was a luxury that Leo and his brothers didn’t get. They had been there from the start. Trying to figure out how to survive and beat the krang… just as kids.  

Not once had Casey ever stopped to consider just what his Masters’ childhoods had been like. That they hadn’t always been leaders of a resistance fighting back creatures that came from space. That they didn’t grow up in the apocalypse like Casey had. It had felt so impossible to grasp. Hearing their stories of ‘before’ as a kid had felt so amazing that it was like a fairy tale. With every day being a battle to survive, Casey never stopped to think about what things had been… because they had to focus on the now to see tomorrow. 

So when Casey first came back and saw his reliable, smart, courageous, heroic Sensei as a selfish, foolish, inexperienced teenager– it had been terrifying.  

In a way, part of Caseey didn’t regret what he had said to Leo when they were caved in together. Because it got Leo to act in the moment. But there were times Casey laid awake at night, wondering if it was his fault Leo felt the need to sacrifice himself to the Prison Dimension with Krang to save them all. All because of what Casey said. 

And like the hard-headed jerk he was, Casey let that ‘heat of the moment, critical decision making’ impulsive side of him make the situation worse with his blunt words. 

“Leo… I…” Casey tried to start. His voice got caught in his throat from saying his name. Casey looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. It still felt weird saying ‘Leo’. Growing up, he never really called his Sensei by his name. He had always been ‘Sensei’. Saying his name felt awkward– somehow less… meaningful. Even though he wasn’t talking to ‘Sensei’ anymore. The person in front of him wasn’t Sensei… he was Leo. And Casey shouldn’t expect him to be someone from a future that wouldn’t happen now because of his bravery. Hard, self-reprimanding guilt gnawed at Casey’s heart for giving Leo a hard time right now– especially when they weren’t in a dire emergency like they were before. Casey let out a sigh. He slumped down into the bean bag chair next to Leo. 

“I’m sorry. Everything’s gunna be okay,” Casey said, tone soft. When Leo peeked over at him, Casey offered him a smile, “Remember– you’ve got a team. More importantly, you’ve got me.” Pride filled his chest to earn a puff of laughter from Leo. Of course it made him laugh. Casey borrowed the line from his Sensei, after all. On impulse, Casey reached over and gave Leo a light punch to the shoulder. A muscle memory he couldn’t shake. Leo shot him a little amused look before returning it, throwing a gentle punch to Casey’s shoulder. It felt so natural and normal. It was something Casey and his Sensei had done often. There was a warm ache in his heart to feel it now with Leo. 

“We’re not gunna lose anyone– I promise,” Casey reassured. Though he knew it wasn’t that simple, he added in hopes of lifting Leo’s mood, “And like Draxum said– the Krang beasts are too stupid to do anything on their own. We’ve got time.”

Leo offered a weak smile at the ‘krang are stupid’ comment, but then he puffed a sigh. He slouched back in his beanbag chair. 

“I get I gotta heal ‘emotionally’ or whatever,” Leo commented, looking at the floor, “But… I just wanna get it over with, you know?” 

“Yeah… I get it.” Casey glanced down too. He didn’t want to admit it, but he wished they could just do it now too. It still felt like his mission wasn’t complete. There was an anxiety he just couldn’t shake in his whole body, knowing that the key was here and there were still Krang beasts running around… 

But as much as Casey wanted to believe in Leo and his brothers after the miracle they pulled off– Casey didn’t want them to risk it. He didn’t want any of them to have to risk their lives for the ritual. 

Casey couldn’t bear the thought of losing his family again. 

Let alone Leo– Casey couldn’t lose him for a third time. Though Leo was here now, Casey never really forgave himself for what happened during the invasion. For sealing Leo away in the Prison Dimension. He didn’t think Mikey, Donnie, Raph, or the others quite forgave him either. Not that Casey blamed them. He came to the past to prevent the invasion… so everyone, including his Sensei and uncles, could live in peace. Have a safe future. Getting rid of the key should be Casey’s mission. But he wasn’t stupid enough to think he could do it alone. At the end of the day, he was just a human… He had no hope against the krang and their technology by himself. He needed Leo and everyone else– but Casey couldn’t ask them to risk their lives. Not again. 

He was going to make sure they were never in that kind of position again. Especially if it meant Leo– or any other timeline version of him– wouldn’t have to make another crazy decision that meant sacrificing himself again. 

“But hey,” Casey looked back over with a smile. He clapped a hand on Leo’s shoulder, promising, “you said it yourself. You’re the guy who stopped a whole alien invasion. If anyone can do it, you guys can. When you guys are ready, I’ll be there to back you up.” 

To his delight, Leo smiled back. He held out his fist towards Casey, “Thanks Case.” 

Grinning, Casey happily returned Leo’s fist bump. Things might be… weird between them, but Casey would stay by Leo’s side. 

He missed Sensei. He missed him so much it ached. Some days it was hard to be around Leo and the others. Though Casey knew it had to be done, there was a part of him that knew he’d never feel whole again after he left his timeline. He was in a safer world, but Casey had never felt so scared. He no longer had a Sensei to run to. And it hurt. But it hurt a little less, knowing that he fulfilled his promise to his Sensei. And that he would never have to suffer like he did again. Because Leo was here, beside him. Battered and bruised, sure, but safe. 

This Leo wasn’t his Sensei– and though Casey missed him with his whole heart, he was glad that this Leo was here. He didn’t know what this new future would be like… but one thing was certain: 

Casey would never, ever abandon any version of Leo. 

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Unfortunately, Leo’s wish to do the ritual sooner rather than later came true for the worst possible reason. 

As the human Emergency Response teams continued tirelessly to fix up their city… they unearthed a small swarm of Krang Beasts near Metro Tower. 

Chaos erupted. It triggered a sudden, city-wide panic that had people running for their lives. In the short hours of the incident, people had gotten badly hurt– both from the alien monsters and stampeding crowds. The Krang beasts scattered like rats (sorry Splinter), disappearing to Pizza Supreme knows where. The fresh wave of Krang Beasts on the loose only made the Hamato Clan realize the worst possible scenario was happening: 

The Krang Beasts were multiplying. 

Without their Prime leader, the Krang Beasts were running on their only instinct: multiply and infect. There was no telling how fast or where. The Hamatos were running out of time. And all of them knew it. Even Draxum. So there wasn’t much argument when Leo brought up the ritual again. This time with a sense of level-headed-urgency that was needed to deal with a crisis rather than throwing a fit. 

But this time, Leo had another genius idea that made Casey see the shadow of his Sensei in this young version of him: if they were able to pull this off with the key… maybe they could make another dimension to corral the Krang Beasts into too. 

With that in mind, they got to work. And soon, the Hamato Clan found themselves making the final preparations for the spell that could craft a new realm from scratch. 

They used the atrium lobby of the abandoned subway for the ritual. It was large with a high ceiling and a prime spot to cast an epic-scale spell. Draxum used a chalker machine like the ones they use on baseball fields to draw the circles on the floor. He even enlisted Mikey’s help given its complicated design. Donnie and Shelldon dragged in various machines to monitor and record every aspect of the ritual. Preparing for anything between a mini earthquake and a black hole forming (like THAT could ever happen). 

Donnie had even built a platform for the center of the spell circle. Elevated with ramps for the spell’s chalk lines to smoothly run up the surface to and cleanly converge in the middle per its design. A something-something-emergency force field generator in case something came out-something bla bla science thing. Leo didn’t quite follow the explanation, but it made him feel better regardless that they had safety measures in place. (But knowing Donnie, he probably also made it to make the ritual look even more badass like he had with his hero-pose-drill. Something Leo could also appreciate). 

Everything was ready. Leo, his brothers, father, sister, Casey and Draxum gathered together. Though they had gone over the briefing a million times, Draxum went through it again. 

In the past, Leo would have loudly whined and complained that they’d heard all this already… but that old him was gone. He’d never put his family in jeopardy again. No more mistakes. No more fuck ups. He listened to Draxum’s explanation carefully. 

“Remember, making a realm requires complete focus. Adding multiple casters lessens the burden of power needed, but adds risk of not getting the outcome you desire.” Draxum reiterated. Splinter stood at Draxum’s side, equally serious. In the last few days, Leo and his brothers caught glimpses of Draxum and Splinter having private conversations. Talking about strategies and contingency plans late at night when they thought they were asleep. It was strange, seeing them work together. “Karai was able to form the Twilight Realm because she was the sole creator… and creating a realm to imprison The Shredder was her greatest desire.” 

Splinter picked up where Draxum left off, adding, “All you too must be in sync with one another. Creating this realm must be each of your greatest desires as well. Have faith in one another, and feel your shared goal as a team. Understand?” 

Leo and his brothers nodded in unison. Though he didn’t dare let it show, Leo was beyond nervous. Paranoia of screwing up loomed over him like Krang himself. Draxum’s warning of accidentally tapping into an existing realm scared him. A lot. Because what if he wished for a realm to throw something away, and they got the Hidden City’s public garbage dump dimension? Or what if he thought about the Prison Dimension during the ritual, and they accidentally opened the back door to an equally fucked up dimension with something inside it already???

“You all know your positions,” Draxum pointed to the four little circles that made a tight diamond. They were connected to all of the spell circle’s lines like a circuit. “With Leonardo’s portalling skills, he will take the front. Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo– you will provide support by powering the spell with your Ninpō. Once charged and your minds are aligned to your goal, Leonardo will create a portal and, hopefully, a new realm.” 

Again, the past Leo would have stupidly boasted how he was the ‘most important’ part of this ritual. Rub it in like a real smug jerk… but right now he wanted nothing less. All of the horrible possibilities of what could go wrong had him on the verge of a panic attack–

But despite all that, he’d rather be in front instead of anyone else. At least that way he could be his brothers’ shield. Especially for Mikey, who took the very back position. He wasn’t totally healed from his miracle portal that saved Leo from Krang Prime’s eternal punishment. His arms still trembled and his Ninpō was weakened. Both very concerning reasons Draxum and Splinter almost didn’t let him join in the ritual at all. But that didn’t stop Mikey from arguing that he should be the one to spearhead the ritual instead. Though it hadn’t been a question of brotherly competition of pride like he and Leo had sometimes. Leo could tell. He saw it in his baby brother’s face… that he felt the same way Leo did. Mikey didn’t want Leo or Donnie or Raph to be at risk for the strain the ritual might cause. He had made a portal once– and he could do it again. 

They had fought over it. Though it happened days ago, Leo still felt the heavy guilt in his heart remembering Mikey’s face and how he stormed off with frustrated tears in his eyes. The guilt was still there, even though it was the right thing. Thankfully, after a heartfelt talk with Splinter and Draxum, Mikey conceded and agreed to their planned positions. 

If anything, Leo owed Mikey his life. Leading the dangerous ritual was the least Leo could do for his brothers. 

As they took their positions, Leo glanced at his brothers. Raph was on his right– Donnie his left. Mikey took up the rear. He glanced over at Dad. All of them gave him confident smiles. Silently promising that everything was going to be okay. Though he was scared of messing up, Leo believed in them . They were strong. Capable. The greatest mutant ninja brothers in the world. They all had been connected together before. The time in the woods where they awakened their Ninpō. The time they broke through Krang’s mystic blocking. They all trusted one another… and that was enough to give Leo the courage to face the spell circle with a confident smirk. 

Casey and April were standing by. Both of them were dressed for battle if the need arose. April sported the same fit she had when she found them in the woods after escaping Shredder. Her hair was bunched up in a voluminous bun and her smile was just as bright as her yellow sweatshirt crop and green skirt. Complete with the supportive compression arm sleeves and pants. Casey broke his apocalypse garb back out. Though battered and worn, he wore his self-made uniform with pride. His hockey mask was pushed up on top of his head and his crazy chainsaw hockey stick was slung over his back. 

And in his hand, he held the Krang Key. Ready to throw it into the fresh realm Leo and his brothers would craft just to erase its existence. The honor was his and his alone… though the honor of finally ridding the world of the Krang Key didn’t feel like enough to repay Casey for all he’s done for them. 

Casey and April gave Leo confident smiles too. Draxum centered himself in front of them where a smaller circle was drawn. The ‘on switch’ as Mikey described it. The goat man yokai studied them carefully. 

“Once the ritual begins, we cannot stop. Are you ready?”

“Ready,” They replied in unison. The sound of their voices all together made pride zip up Leo’s chest. (Talk about a confidence booster– they were already in sync.) 

With a dramatic grunt, Draxum threw his palm down into the trigger. Giving it the small power surge to awaken. As the circle started to glow, he jumped aside. Letting the raw energy in the lines power up and creep towards Leo and his brothers. As it reached them, the circles they stood in turned their respective Ninpō colors. Blue. Orange. Purple. Red. Leo could feel a strange pull in his body. Tingling in his muscles and grating against his Ninpō. It was weird. It was uncomfortable– but there was undeniable pressure building in the air. The spell circle gradually started to glow. Light crept through the lines like some kind of progress bar. It felt slow and tedious… but eventually, the lines leading up the ramp and in the center of Donnie’s security-measure platform were lit. There was a low, sonic hum. Leo felt it against his skin like a wave. There was a slight burn in his muscles. The spell was feeding from their Ninpō– and slowly, a little ball of light started to grow above the platform. Hovering in the air. As small as a golf ball but as bright as a star. 

“The Waypoint is forming,” Draxum updated. April let out an encouraging whoop. Though Leo felt like he was running a marathon he didn’t sign up for, he felt pride in his chest. Draxum pointed at the dot of light, reminding them, “Once the Waypoint reaches its necessary strength, Leonardo can convert it to a blank portal– and the realm will form.” 

“You guys got this!” April cheered. It made Leo smile, though he didn’t dare take his eyes off of the little dot. The Waypoint. Leo didn’t quite get it, but Draxum described it as a ball of raw energy. And once it was powered up, all Leo had to do was make a portal with his ‘greatest desire’ in mind. Then– if everything works right– the energy will make a new realm just for them. 

It steadily grew. Swelling to the size of a beach ball. Leo’s body was aching. He could feel his brothers straining too. But they got this. They were so close. They were gunna pull this off– 

Suddenly, a shrill arm started to blare. 

“WHAT?!” Raph squawked. Everyone looked to one of the many monitors Donnie had brought in. Flashing warning signs on surrounding screens framed the feed of a Krang Beast rooting around in one of the sewer tunnels. Donnie’s security covered a wide perimeter surrounding the lair– the beast was probably not even close enough to find their home. But that didn’t change the fact that there was a Krang alien parasite in the sewers—! 

The light in the spell circle’s lines flickered. The sphere in the center wobbled from the panic Leo and his brothers felt. 

“Don’t break your concentration!” Draxum barked. Leo almost threw him an annoyed, disbelieving look. Yeah, like they could focus when there was a Krang monster nearby–! Leo looked from the monitor to the center of the spell taking form. What were they going to do–?!

“We will deal with the monster!” Splinter called over the noise. Casey and April were at his side, at the ready, “Focus on the ritual!” 

Before Leo could even open his mouth Splinter, Casey, and April were rushing out of the lair. Casey threw Draxum the key, entrusting him to chuck it into the new realm once it formed. Raph called out to Leo, telling him to focus. Leo had no choice but to face the center of the spell again. He took a deep breath. He clutched his katanas’ handles. Okay. There’s a Krang Beast nearby and this entire ritual was riding on Leo and the very safety of the world was in his hands for a second time and he had to keep a calm mind and focus . Cool. Great . Awesome . No problamo…  

The waypoint nucleus was sparkling. Desperately trying to hold its shape. Instinct was warning Leo that it was on the brink of unraveling if they didn’t get it together. 

“Concentrate!” Draxum yelled. “Center your minds on the goal of the realm!” 

Leo was about to be sick. He was so scared. He wasn’t sure if he could do this. But he knew one thing– 

Gram-Gram had done it. His heroic ancestor. The first Hamato. She had sacrificed everything to seal away the Shredder. Her conviction matched with her act of sealing herself away too. That, Leo knew, was something he knew he could do. He’d done it before– and he’d do it again. 

Draxum claimed that the purpose of a realm was born from its creator’s greatest desire. At first, Leo didn’t understand… but then he realized something. The existence of the Twilight Realm made by Gram-Gram made it clear now. 

Getting rid of the key wasn’t Leo’s real goal. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t. It was so much more than that. 

His greatest desire– the thing he wanted more than anything… Was to keep his family safe. 

Leo readied his swords. He fixed his eyes over the center of Donnie’s platform where the heart of the spell circle was. Nothing mattered more than Leo’s family. If making a brand-spanking-new realm to dump the krang Key in was what it took to protect his family, he would do it. He would follow in Gram-Gram’s footsteps and make a realm to secure their peace. He would do anything to keep them safe. Safe from any alien invasion or ancient evil clan or whatever crazy, dangerous force in the universe dared to come their way. Leo didn’t care what the price was. He would pay it. He’d already been ready to pay the ultimate price the moment he crossed the threshold into the Prison Dimension with Krang Prime. That’s how he knew that this was his greatest desire. His drive. His reason. It was all for his family. His clan. His world.  

If that wasn’t Leo’s true goal, he didn’t know what was.  

Making a realm to throw the key or Krang Beasts in fell into that desire, right? So Leo should be able to do this. He had to. Leo forced the Ninpō in his body to surge with greater strength. Burning his body with his ancestral energy. He could feel his brothers’ Ninpō with his. All of them pushing with everything they had. Though it was blinding, Leo kept his eyes on the waypoint. It was whirling faster and faster. A silver line glowed from its edges. Leo’s warrior’s instincts were screaming in the back of his mind. It was ready. 

Draxum shouted, “DO IT NOW!” 

Leo brought his katanas thundering down. Roaring with his brothers. 

A crack of lightning. A spark. Then, the waypoint shrank in an instant– only to explode into a bright, clean, glowing portal atop of the platform. 

Leo felt a rush of adrenaline. The corners of his lips quirked up. Sweet Supreme in the sky he did it–! 

Without warning, the portal convulsed. The edges started to waver. Something was electrifying the air. Leo felt his mask tail’s starting to whip in an unseen wind. A foreboding sense of dread hit Leo like a truck. Instincts screaming ‘WATCH OUT–!’

Draxum called over the noise crescendoing in the air, urgent, “Wait! Something’s not right–!” 

-CRACK-BOOOOOOOOM–!!!-

A deafening sonic wave exploded from the portal. Leo and his brothers were blasted from their positions– thrown back on a burning wind of energy. Leo painfully slammed into the floor. His brain rattled in his skull. Panic had his body in overdrive– urging him to blink through the flashes dancing in his vision to look up at the portal. It was less of a portal and more of a gouging slash in space now. Blazing with a bloody red hue. The emergency platform Donnie built was short circuiting from the unknown blast. Buttons and screens fizzling and utterly useless. 

Leo only got a glance of it before there was a loud explosion from somewhere inside the depths of the vortex–  

And something flew out.  

It came shooting out like a comet. Rocketing through the air past them and straight into the wall. When it hit, there was a cracking sound– and a pained cry. It fell to the floor, all but crumpled up. 

Leo and his brothers scrambled to their feet. Leo’s knuckles were white he gripped his katanas so hard. What was happening–? Nothing was supposed to come out. Breath shaky in his chest, Leo turned on his heels to face the intruder. Ready to start slashing at the first sign of movement– 

It was a hooded figure. Slumped against the wall where they had made a small crater in the brick. 

A green stranger. 

Leo blinked. He could still hear his heartbeat in his head. The adrenaline made it hard to think… but a numbing feeling started to trickle over Leo to see a familiar shade of green on the stranger’s arms and legs. Raph’s fists lowered ever so slightly. Donnie’s shoulders slumped. But Mikey was the first one to speak. Voice wobbly and small… 

Undoubtedly because of the unsettlingly familiar gold spots on the intruder’s shoulders. 

“W… Wha…?” Mikey squeaked. The stranger twitched from the sound, groaning. He hissed in pain under his hood, reaching up to grab his side. His side that was freely bleeding from a thick gash Leo hadn’t noticed. Leo flinched when the stranger started to move, struggling to stand but failed miserably. He… he didn’t know what to do. He glanced over at Raph. He looked just as lost. Eyes big and scared. Leo looked back at the mutant stranger. Should he attack–? Who was this–? 

The stranger finally seemed to notice he wasn’t alone. He locked up. Leo could see a scowl hiding under the hood covering the top of his face. There was a horrible feeling of suspense in Leo’s blood. Warning him that he knew exactly who this was. Even though it couldn’t be possible. Even though it shouldn’t be possible– 

Yet fate didn’t prove him wrong when the stranger snapped his head up with a growl… And Leo saw Mikey’s face. 

Leo was numb. Looking a familiar stranger in the face. Looking at Mikey. A Mikey that wasn’t his. An older, grizzlier Mikey that was missing the kindness from his eyes. Though he was bigger– taller and bulkier than Leo’s little brother– and the fact that there was long black hair bunched against his face under that hood… It was undeniable. Leo felt it in his bones. 

This… was Mikey. 

Leo was unable to take it in. To react. Unlike the strange Michelangelo on the floor. His scowl dropped. Shock in his eyes. There was a breath of silence. The older, alternate Michalngelo stared in disbelief. He opened his mouth. 

“Leo–?” 

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA–!” 

An otherworldly, haunting laugh split the air. Leo didn’t get a chance to process what he was looking at before the laughter cut through him like a knife. The Hamatos’ heads snapped towards the scarlet portal. Through the smoke, a silhouette started to form. The sound of scraping metal made Leo’s blood run cold. An overwhelming presence was sucking the oxygen out of the air. Both Leo’s ninja and animal instincts were screaming that something deadly was approaching. Warning him to run. But he was frozen– mind stalling as he watched something just shy of one of the Horseman emerging from the gates of hell. 

“At last… ”

When it crossed the threshold into their world, Leo heard the sound of heavy metal stepping onto the platform. And for a terrifying moment, Leo was scared it was Krang– but the shape of the stranger was far too small to be the towering mecha suit of Prime. Yet it brought a presence equal to Krang Prime. The stranger was smaller than the Krang– more humanoid in shape…

… And sharper.  

“ Shredder–?!” Raph yelped. Shock strangled the four brothers as the plume of smoke started to dissipate… revealing a tall, looming figure adorned head to toe in metal armor. Armor with jagged spikes and reeked of death. Something that was, unmistakably, the Shredder .  

Leo’s heart was racing. His mind was split in a thousand directions– 

How could this be happening–? Did he screw up the ritual–? 

Of course he did. Of course he fucked up when he was needed the most. Because he was Leo. The guy who almost ended the world. How did he expect to pull off such an important ritual? A tidal wave of self-deprecating thoughts were screaming in the back of his head. Burning his blood with regret. But there was so much he didn’t understand. Why was the Shredder here? How was there another Shredder? And the person behind them against the wall– was that really another, older Mikey behind him? 

But there was no time for that right now. Not when his family was in danger. They took offensive stances, facing the otherworldly Shredder.

But something was different about this Shredder. This was not the same hulking beast they faced before. This Shredder wasn’t as large– yet he stood much taller than Raph and just as broad in the shoulders. And what he lacked in the former’s size he made up in the sheer power of his presence . It wasn’t all unlike the Krang– practically oozing with the ferocious power of a divine being.

And the armor was different. The Dark Armor had been forged in amethyst-tinted metal– and the Shredder had been a hybrid of metal and flesh born from the curse of the Oni from Gram-Gram’s story. But this Shredder’s armor felt closer to the Japanese roots of the Foot Clan’s ancestry. A proud samurai-esque suit of armor of stony silver, yet decorated with the Shredder’s signature spikes along his shoulders and forearms. His chest-plate was shaped more like Leo and his brothers’ plastrons… and the arch of spikes somehow mounted behind his shoulders had an unsettling feeling buzzing in the back of Leo’s skull. And instead of purple, the waving annenta of fabric behind his head were blue. Blue like the sash tied around his waist– secured with a metal crest that was impossible to make out from this distance. 

His armor and presence may be different… But his face was the same. A terrifying, Oni-like face with jagged teeth faced them, crowned with the Shredder’s iconic three spikes. The masks’ eye holes were blazing with golden light. Piercing through them with an unwavering glare. He surveyed the room, head turning to look at each of them. 

“Well, well, well… ” As he spoke, his mask didn’t move. Unlike their Shredder, this Shredder’s face was behind his metal facade. The scary, static oni-face did not match the smug, amused tone coming from underneath it, “isn’t this interesting…” 

Shredder started to reach up for his mask with one hand. His movement jolted Leo and his brothers back to the present. The urgency of a deadly threat right in front of them pulled them from their stupor. Leo readied his katanas. His heart was thundering in his ears. Every thought was shoved down– instincts screaming for total focus. Though it wasn’t a feeling he wished he was familiar with, the life-or-death situation awareness grounded Leo to the moment. Whatever happens now… he had to face it dead on. For his family. 

Shredder’s hand was on his faux metal face. There was a loud hissing sound. Like pressure being released. Metal scraped against itself, the back of the Shredder’s helmet retracting into the front mask. Shredder started to lower his mask, ready to reveal himself. Leo gripped his swords tight. No matter what was under there, Leo was ready. He wasn’t going to let his family get hurt ever again– 

But when Shredder took off his mask, Leo choked. 

The air was sucked out of the lair. The world came to a stop. All of them were frozen. Unable to do anything but stare– 

Stare at the face of an older Leonardo, adorned in The Shredder’s armor. 

A wicked smile grew on the older slider’s face. 

“Hello, fam.”  

♡ Author's Note ♡

not me, unironically making Shrednardo say ‘fam’ (yes i'm going to call him that)

Guess who’s back and a little more wack. hope you guys are ready for more of my shenanigans of taking a normally serious trope and adding some Silly