Chapter Text
It had been two months since the end of Shredder. Once he was defeated there was a lot of salvage left to be done, going back to the old lair that was now rubble to recover what they could of their lives and then find a new place.
They managed to find a blocked up old subway station connected to the sewers and the family quickly settled in. The old subway cars– whose wheels were so rusted they were trapped where they sat on the tracks– were made into bedrooms.
Donnie happily claimed two cars, insisting the extra one on the end was needed as space for his new lab. It was smaller than his old one, even when he gutted the car of its seats and shelves. But purple LED lights glowing through the windows and some computer setup later, and the area was ready to be the birthplace of his next greatest inventions.
That was weeks ago. As of now Donatello was still recreating all the tech Shredder had destroyed when attacking Karai. His top priority was the battle shells which all sat lined up along the wall save for the spider-armed one he wore now to help him with his second most important repair. Shelldon.
Curled over his desk he poured all his attention and effort into creating a new body for his poor AI. Feelings were hard, but he knew how important Shelldon was to him, to his siblings. He wasn’t just a robot. He was family.
In all his focus on getting the wiring right, the softshell didn’t even notice the presence of his twin until an arm slung around his shoulder and made him jump.
“Leon! What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?” He groaned as he glanced up from his work. No one in this family had the decency to knock. They all should’ve known by now that his lab was dangerous to just carelessly wander into.
Leo rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you’ve been busy literally all day. It’s time to take a break, bro.”
“Later, I’m almost done with this part.”
“Can’t do later. It’s movie night and April’s already on her way over.” The slider grabbed his brother’s arm in an attempt to get him out of his seat. “Come on, we’re picking up the pizzas.”
“What? Why can’t April just pick them up?”
“Because she’s coming straight from work and her new job at the photo studio is literally all the way across town from Hueso’s. Geez, you’ve been so zoned in on your project you didn’t even check your texts did you?”
Donnie grabbed his phone from its slot in his battle shell. Lo and behold it was all explained in the group chat. Still he wasn’t convinced on joining him. “Alright, and why do I have to go with you?”
“Because you need a break! It’ll just be a quick pop in to Hueso’s. Stretch your legs and get some fresh air before the movie. Come on! I’ll be your best friend~?” Leo’s tone turned into a whine at the end. He knew that tone. It was the one that threatened to be an annoying pest that won’t shut up until he gave in.
“I don’t think April will appreciate you stealing that spot from her, but very well.” The softshell’s shoulders fell with a heavy sigh, and followed Leo into the open living space where Raph was busy piling blankets and pillows around.
Drawing one of his swords, Leo pointed it into the air and sliced through space. A portal lit up before them. “We’re off to get the pizzas, be right back and don’t start without us!” He called to Raph before the two of them stepped through and disappeared along with the circular light.
Donatello quickly realized the portal was not lined up correctly. The step through quickly turned into a drop when his foot kept going when he expected it to hit the ground. The sudden falling sensation made his heart jump to his throat and an undignified squawk sounded before he hit the tiles just several feet below. And judging by the sudden weight atop him and the elbow poking into his neck, Leo wasn’t expecting the drop either.
“Whoa, what the shell is going on in this place?” Leo piped up before Donatello could get any complaint about being landed on.
That brought his attention to ‘this place’ as Leo called it. It was definitely not Run of the Mill Pizza nor was it even the alleyway where the door to the restaurant was hidden. Instead the twins laid in a pile in the middle of what looked like some weird lab. Harsh white lights shine overhead and almost every surface in chrome or white with glowing magenta accents. Two adjacent walls were lined with tall chrome machinery, the screens lining eye-height suggesting it was a computer system. Behind the twins was a large triangular frame that was wired into the computers. In the space within the frame was a magenta portal that glowed and swirled.
It came off as a very sterile well-kept environment, if not for the chaos happening around them. The room was filled with movement, metallic robots frantically shooting lasers at what appeared to be more mutants with ninja skills. They dodged the shots fired at them easily, letting the surrounding walls and computers take damage instead. While the group of strangers seemed to hold their own well enough, it was clear they were outnumbered by the robots.
“What’s going on is that you got us lost, and dropped us in the middle of a fight.” Don answered back finally before elbowing his brother in an attempt to get him to move.
“Hey, I didn’t get us lost! This was a portal jacking!”
“Right, and I’m Sir Isaac Newton. Now get off me!”
“Whatever wiseguy.” Leo rolled his eyes, finally climbing off Donnie and offered him a hand to get up. “Anyways, you think we should help them? They look like they could use it.”
Donnie accepted hand and stood, examining the fight once more. More robots were trickling in from the only door to replace the fallen ones that littered the ground. “Mmm… It’s movie night, we’re not obligated to fight tonight. Besides, it looks like a ‘them problem’. Let’s just get out of here already.”
Almost as if on cue, one of the arriving robots turned its head towards the pair, a droning voice speaking out. “Krang must eliminate the additional intruders that resemble those which are known as the turtles.”
There was a pause, all eyes locking on the pair. “I think this just became an ‘us problem’…” Donnie heard Leo whisper to him.
Some of the robots rotated to shoot at them while the rest continued their struggle against the other mutants. Leo and Donnie both dove out of the way, drawing their weapons. The missing shots hit the portal, disappearing into whatever was on the other side.
Leo lunged forward, slicing off the limbs and heads of the machines. They’d drop to the floor soon after only for an odd pink creature to pop out of the stomach and hiss at him before running off.
“Ew, what the hell kinda yokai are these guys?” The slider grimaced, kicking another robot away and into the blade of one of the unknown mutants.
“No idea, but at least they have the sensibility to use technology instead of dum dum magic.” Donatello answered back while jabbing his bo into a bot’s chest and knocking it into one of its friends.
The two machines recovered from their stumbling and went to advance on him. But they were stopped by sai going through each metal skull. When they dropped to the floor the one who stabbed them, a short turtle mutant with a red mask, was giving him a cautious glare before returning his focus to the fight.
The gaze gave Donnie shivers. He understood the caution in teaming up with strangers in the middle of battle. But those eyes also held a warning behind them. Hurt him or the other strangers and it wouldn’t be the robots with stomach brains they’d have to worry about.
Neither twin had any intention of attacking the other mutants though, only jumping in to defend against the brains that decided they needed to be killed too apparently.
While at first it seemed a never-ending stream of more robots, it did appear their resources were in fact limited. The amount of opponents they were facing thinned out, perhaps it was from all the missed laser shots having destroyed and set the computers on fire. Donnie wanted to drop the fight and get out of there if they could since the room was growing hazy with smoke. But with the bots blocking the door and the only other option being the pink portal to who-knows-where, they continued to fight until every last little brain had abandoned their fallen machinery and scuttled off. By then the smoke was dark and heavy, causing the group of six mutants to cough.
“Come on, let’s get out of here!” The husky voice of the other swordsman called, causing the other three strangers to join him in running out of the room and down the corridor.
Donnie gave a look to his brother as they went for the door behind the rest. Thinking the same thing– and no it’s not twin telepathy, Donatello is sure that isn’t a thing– to follow after the other group to get out of this strange facility. By the turns the other four turtles were making it was clear they knew where they were headed.
Finally following them into the night air it proved the twins’ hunch was right. But now they all stood awkwardly together catching their breath.
“You all good, Donnie?” Leo asked, his inner medic ready to surface and get to work. Donnie nodded, a little sore from a poor landing but otherwise fine.
“Yeah, you?” He got a nod and thumbs up back.
“Holy shell! Dee! Leo! They’re you!” A voice piped up, making the twins whip around to the stranger that knew their names. It was the shortest one. Baby blue, eyes, freckles, pocketing nunchaku as he spoke, and most strikingly an orange mask. So much like their own little Mikey. He was grinning wide looking at the twins and back to a pair of turtles in blue and purple. It was getting a little too uncanny how much they mirrored Donnie’s family.
“Uh oh…” The other purple turtle frowned. “Looks like the Krang pulled them from another universe… And the machine got wrecked in that fight.”
It went quiet as the words sank in. Another universe. Leo couldn’t stop staring at the other set of mutants, too gobsmacked by such an idea. Donnie however had a growing smirk and held out his hand to his brother.
“Well, looks like you owe me twenty bucks.”