You Just Got Portal-Chopped (???)

Something Something "Bedrest" Something "Portals"

The day had been incredibly boring. Donnie had been in his lab all day, Raph had been having talks with dad, Mikey and Casey were out getting food, and April was in her online classes. That left Leo with no stimuli, stuck in bed, and bored out of his mind. His ribs were close to healed, but everyone had insisted on him staying in bed, which meant no moving unless it was to use the bathroom. His chest ached with each breath, though, so there was a part of Leo that was grateful to his family for caring so much.

But the other part of Leo was beginning to despise them for keeping him trapped.

Looking around his room, Leo decided to start counting things at random. Action figures? There were 17. Most were lost when Shredder attacked their home. Comic book posters? There were two above his bed and three on the wall across from him. All his favorites had been destroyed in the first attack, these were the ones in storage. Blue things in general? Far too many, but there were about 51 things scattered about his little area that had at least a speck of blue.

Sighing, Leo plopped his head on his pillow, wincing when a sharp pain came from the right side of his face. He shivered softly at the pain, a harsh reminder of what had happened not even three weeks ago. He had gotten hit the most on his right side. Krang had thrown him, kicked him, punched him, beaten him, making sure to hit all the worst places. His left leg getting crushed had just been an "accident". Turning his head, Leo let himself sneer at the thought of the aliens who had ruined so much, who had taken lives and loved ones, who had taken his loved one.

The sound of his door opening drew the slider from his thoughts, bringing him to look at the intruder. "Hey, Mikey. Somethin' wrong?"

The box turtle shook his head, shuffling up to Leo's bedside. "Just got back from shopping with Casey, and I can't fall asleep anymore... Can I stay?"

"Uh, yeah? Of course?" He pat his bed, shifting over with only a small wince. "Why would I say no?"

Mikey shrugged as he lay down, curling into his older brother's side. "Dunno, just feel... sad? I guess?"

"D'you wanna talk about it?"

The younger shook his head, choosing instead to hold Leo's hand. "Mh-mh. Just need to... be near you..."

Leo couldn't help but smile at that. "You're welcome to come in here anytime, mi hermanito. I'll always be here for you."

Standing in Donnie's lab, Leo could barely believe the sight before him. In the middle of the room was a huge portal, almost twice Raph's height, which took up almost three-quarters of the space. It glowed an ominous purple color that was all too familiar and close to something that Leo never wanted to touch again. He ignored the shiver that ran down his back at the mere thought of Krang. He ignored how Krang's words still rang through his head, day after day, rarely resting between phrases of viciousness and promises of death. He had been semi-cleared from bed rest not even two hours ago, so this new development was more than just a surprise.

"So, uhm, Donnie, what am I looking at?"

The purple-clad turtle grinned, placing his hands on his hips. "This, my dear brother, is an interdimensional portal of my own design!"

Leo blinked, limping towards the machine. "Okay, so, does it work?"

"Not yet, no." His twin huffed. "But, if I use your swords as a powering agent and focal point, I'd bet it can go anywhere, anytime."

Leo had tensed at the mention of his swords. He rarely used them nowadays, choosing to use the traditional methods they once learned. If they were caught without their mystic powers again, he did not want to be useless. "W-Well, uhm, I can always let you borrow them for the day, I guess..." He mumbled. "Not like I'm using them for a while anyway."

Donnie grinned at that, clapping a little in his excitement. "Perfect! If you don't wanna go back up the stairs again, I can have Michael get them."

"That'll work." Leo agreed before turning around. "I'm gonna go chill on the couch. Maybe put some Jupiter Jim on... If you... wanna come?"

The soft shell slowed his movements, turning to Leo with a smile. "Yeah, I'll be there, 'Nardo."

"Thanks, 'Tello."

---

"Are you sure this is safe?" Leo asked, leaning heavily on his crutches.

Donnie shrugged, bustling around the portal with an almost wild grin. "I have no idea, but I'm excited to find out!"

"Shouldn't we tell Raph? Or dad? Maybe even April?"

Donnie rolled his eyes. "Scoff. Aren't you the leader now? You don't have to report to Raphie anymore. And since I'm your favorite brother, I get to use the leader privilege first."

"Well, actually, Mikey used it first." Leo grinned at the offended look Donnie shot him. "Mhm, played me like a fiddle for cuddles."

"Whatever, 'Nardo." Donnie turned back to the machine, mumbling under his breath as he pressed some buttons at random. "You have one of your katanas with you, right?"

"Yep." Leo chirped, waving his hand and letting his weapon materialize. "S'right here."

"Cool cool cool..." Pressing one last button, Donnie straightened up. He took Leo's sword, looking over the smooth blade before nodding. Taking a deep breath, the soft shell nodded. "Okay, let's... let's do this."

The twins were silent as Donnie placed the sword in a small compartment in the side of the portal, and Leo couldn't help but wince when a terrible whining sound started up immediately after. "Hey, Don, is it supposed to do that?"

"I-I don't know, Leo. Do your portals make that noise?"

Leo shook his head. "Only when my swords are upset with me..."

Donnie seemed to pale for a moment, eyeing the sparks that began to appear in the middle of the portal. "Well shit."

And that was all Leo heard before a deafening sound erupted from the portal, blinding the two brothers in an instant.

After what felt like hours, Leo heard himself groan. His left leg was numb again, a common occurrence when he moved it too suddenly, and his chest ached like something ferocious. He heard a wheeze from beside him, and the slider turned his head, fully expecting to see his twin.

Instead, there lay a blue masked turtle staring right back.