Crestfallen at The End of The World

Chapter 7: Past

Casey is sixteen when he starts growing facial hair, but he's also sixteen when the Kraang find their home.

They were caught off-guard, it's almost embarrassing how easy it was. But today was supposed to be Casey's birthday, and he and Usagi had made the boy a gift, April gave him his mom's mask, Mikey made a (heavily substituted) cake for the occasion, they were all so proud. So of course something had to go wrong.

As soon as they finished singing happy birthday while Casey painted his new mask, the alarms started blaring, signaling a break-in. Donatello instructed April and Todd to hold them off while he evacuated the others. (He felt like a coward, but he couldn't lose Casey or Usagi. April could handle herself, and would've stayed behind either way. Todd knew his way around a gun.)

They evacuated through the underground tunnels used for stealth missions, but they were quickly overrun and chased out by Kraang. It was loud, and there were explosions. It blurred together for Donatello, who was mainly focused on getting his family out, before acting like a put-together leader.

He felt something sharp stab through his leg, and he stumbled forward with a gasp, before he was grabbed by Usagi and quickly supported, Casey flanking his right with more worry than a sixteen-year-old should have.

"You're a life-saver, Yuichi Usagi." He grunted, briefly making eye contact with the yokai before grunting in pain and looking away. Casey stumbled ahead of the pair, catching Donatello's attention.

"C'mon, Master Donatello!" He used the name reserved for training, but Donatello couldn't fault him in such a high-stress situation. "Michaelangelo is just up ahead! We're almost safe!" And he has such high hopes for his uncle, Donatello couldn't say anything against him.

Donatello heard a growl behind them, and he felt a gasp be punched from his chest as a Kraang-hound practically pounced on them from behind. He felt Yuichi give a full-body flinch and heard Casey's surprised yelp, and closed his eyes tightly, fully expecting the end to be here with his family.

"Bad doggies!" Donatello heard his younger brother's rough voice and felt a wave of relief crash over his group, glancing up at Michaelangelo's floating form. Mystic chains extended and waved the Hounds away as if they were pesky flies. Donatello would admit, just this once, that he was in awe of his power.

"Always up for dramatics, huh, Michaelangelo?" He heard Yuichi tease, and he gave his brother a confident grin. Casey gave a sigh of relief, forgetting himself for a moment to give Mikey a hug.

The mystic turtle gave Casey a brief hug back, ruffling his unruly hair before holding him by the shoulders.

"Casey," He started solemnly, and Donatello already knew what was going to happen. "I want you to help Yuichi, I need to borrow Donnie." He said, and Casey nodded determinedly.

Mikey pulled Donnie to him, supporting him with an arm.

"We need to send him back, let me make a portal." And there it was.

"No," Donnie pleaded, "We can do this!"

"You know we can't. Use that big brain of yours!"

A sob got caught in Donnie's throat. "I don't wanna lose you too."

Mikey's eyes softened. "Let me send you both back, so that this'll never happen in the first place."

"But–" He coughed wetly, "It'll take everything you have!"

"You think I haven't been waiting for this? Let me do this for you."

"But–!"

"Please."

There was a loaded pause, and several emotions crossed Donnie's face, before settling on cold indifference, underlined with preemptive grief.

"Fine."

And they turned just in time for them to witness Yuichi get speared with sharp debris. The blood coated Casey, who screamed at the suddenness. Donatello felt the sudden urge to vomit from the scene, as the closest thing he had to a partner lay dead on the ground. He grit his teeth, allowing a few tears to escape, as Mikey squared his shoulders and prepared to make a time gateway.

Donnie ignored the prone body of Yuichi, no matter how wrong it felt, and grabbed Casey by the shoulder, sparing a moment to wipe blood off the boy's cheek.

"Casey," He catches his shocked son's attention, "The Kraang came here through a portal, which was opened with a key," He spares a second to roughly sketch what the key looked like on the back of his family's photo, "Used by the Foot Clan." He explains this to the boy, who stares at Yuichi with sorrow, but listens to the mechanic attentively..

"Why are you telling me this?" He asks, tearing his eyes away and accepting the drawing offered to him.

Donnie purses his lips, glancing at Mikey with furrowed brows. "Because Mikey is about to send you back to the day it was stolen."

That gets him a surprised and confused face. "What?!"

A grunt, then a shout, and they look over as gold threatens to overtake Mikey's body.

"Master Michaelangelo, no!" Casey shouts, and fear takes over both him and Donnie.

Donnie outstretched an arm, regretting agreeing to Mikey, "You're gonna–!" He's cut off by Mikey, who turns to the pair with a soft smile, throwing a wink over his shoulder as the portal finally opens, and Mikey turns to glitter and gold, before becoming no more.

Donnie feels a few more tears slide down his face, fogging up his glasses, before turning to Casey coldly.

"When you're finished saving the world, do something none of us have ever done." He requests, squeezing his son's shoulder. Casey squeezes his wrist back, anxiety and curiosity written on his face.

He smiles. "Get some therapy." He says, and Casey only has enough time to give him a teary, confused look before Donnie throws him through the portal.

"Dad!" He yells, betrayal lacing his voice. Allowing a cry to escape his throat, Donnie gives Casey a two-fingered salute, turning resolutely to fall to his knees and cradle Yuichi's cold body once he's sure Casey is gone.

He's allowed a solid five seconds to mourn, before he hears something like a frustrated groan and feels warm, solid chains wrap around his body and begin to drag him into the portal too.

"I said both of you, dum-dum."

And he sees one last glimpse of Yuichi, a glance of an exasperated Mikey, before his vision whites-out.