Raphael: Oh, I see what’s happenin’. You’ve got a Leo.
Casey: [confused] What? A Leo?
Raphael: [nods knowingly] Yeah, that little voice in your head that tells you you can’t do stuff.
Raphael: [mockingly imitates] “Raph, don’t do that. Raph, that’s not honorable. Raph, hitting unconscious opponents with their own fists and asking why they’re hitting themselves is not the ninja way.”
Leonardo: [appears in the doorway, arms crossed, glaring] Raph. Casey. What are you two up to?
Casey: [eyes wide] I HEAR IT!
Here is the fifth chapter. Oopsie daisy! Looks like the muses had their say, and it turns out that the evil 2012 iteration of Leonardo is basically just the Rise version:
Hello everyone!
I am so excited to share my first work in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fandom with you! While I am a huge fan of the 2003 iteration, I have chosen to set this story in the 2012 iteration, as it fits best with the storyline I have envisioned. But do not worry—if you enjoy this, I will be posting a story set in the 2003 universe later on, so stay tuned!
This story is a loose adaptation of the City Fall arc from the IDW comics, tailored to fit the 2012 cartoon's setting. Here is the link and summary:
Title: Little Dark Age
Summary: After a devastating defeat by the Shredder during the Kraang invasion, Leonardo is captured and subjected to the dark machinations of the witch Kitsune. Bewitched and scarred, Leonardo is made to believe that the Hamato Clan is the architect of his suffering, convinced they are responsible for years of psychological and physical abuse. When Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo return to New York, they are horrified to find their presumed-dead brother now a vengeful and far more powerful adversary as the chunin of the Foot Clan.
Link 🔗: https://archiveofourown.org/works/57918355/chapters/147434158
Michelangelo, over the Shell Cell: [nervously] Leo…
Leonardo: [already suspicious] Yeah, what is it, Mikey?
Michelangelo: Hypothetically—
Leonardo: [interrupts, already grabbing his weapons] I'm on my way.
Michelangelo: [under his breath] …should probably hurry.
Crying over little green guys again.
"Not Enough"
I still think the funniest way for Gi-hun to discover that “Young-il” is the Front Man would be through the most relatable slip-up ever: missing his iconic shoulder-length waves.
Picture this: after a game, Gi-hun and “Young-il” are chatting casually, maybe even joking around. Gi-hun laughs about something, and without thinking, “Young-il” sighs wistfully and says, “I miss your longer hair.”
Cue Gi-hun freezing mid-laugh, narrowing his eyes like, “How do you know I had long hair?”
And that’s when the panic sets in. Flashback to “Young-il” glued to surveillance footage from the first games, zooming in unnecessarily on Gi-hun’s flowing hair.
Chapter Five Archive of Our Own Link 🔗: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63964906/chapters/167008765?view_adult=true
this post got a chuckle out of me 😭 also my baby ga yeong 💗💗
close ups
I’m not sure if it was intentional, but this art brilliantly captures how young and terrified Leonardo is in this moment. It’s easy to forget, given how badass this iteration of Leonardo is, that he was only fifteen years old during this fight—fifteen, staring death in the eye and refusing to back down. This really brings that vulnerability to the surface, and it hits so hard. Amazing work—I absolutely love this!
This is an art collab between me and @atomicmindz! I did the composition and draft and she did the rest!
Honestly, the colors came out so good for her part, I'm really happy with it! :D
Wow, I love this! It’s just as I imagined him! Thank you so much 😊
@bangs-coffee-fandoms-unite little dark age Tmnt fic
Foot Leo design!!
I feel that jinx and him would get along swell :3
Hope you like!!!
I love the idea that the 2003 iteration of Leonardo is so intent on being a mother hen that he tries to take care of literally everyone around him—even grown-ass adults. I especially love the idea of fifteen-year-old Leonardo mother henning Casey and April, who are in their mid-twenties.
Leonardo: [hands an apple and a protein bar to Casey] Here. You might get hungry during patrol, and it’s important to keep your energy up. I also have dark chocolate or peanut butter if you finish those.
Casey: [staring at the snacks, confused] Uh… thanks, Leo?
Raphael: [snickering]
Casey: [frowning] Does he always do this?
Donatello: [with a straight face] You have no idea…
Michelangelo: [letting Leonardo peel an apple for him with his katana] Oh yeah, all the time. It’s kinda nice—he cuts the apple into perfect little pieces.
@thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos I would absolutely pay to see fan art of a shrunken Leonardo in his little glass tank. I imagine he’d need some shrunken objects to keep him entertained—maybe a tiny copy of The Art of War or a miniature pair of katanas to keep him occupied.
And the reactions from April and Casey would be priceless. I can totally picture April digging out her old Barbie collection from storage, dressing up mini-Leonardo, and making him play in the Dreamhouse with her dolls. Michelangelo, of course, would jump right in on the fun. As for Casey, I bet he would get creative—tying floss around Leonardo and lowering him down drains to unclog them or sending him into the hard-to-reach parts of his motorcycle.
I think a really underrated trope is "character gets shrunk to adorable size and hijinks ensue," and I especially want to see this used in the 2003 iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Picture this: Leonardo, either through some villain of the week, freak accident, or alien technology, gets shrunk down to roughly the size of a Barbie doll.
Donatello calls Raphael and Michelangelo into his laboratory, looking all grim and serious. The absence of their eldest brother has the younger two convinced that something horrible has happened.
Raphael: [bursts in, all worried] Donny, what the shell happened? Where's Leo?!
Michelangelo: [close on his heels, equally concerned] Yeah, where's Leo? Did something happen?
Donatello: [holding up his hands to calm them] Yes, but it’s not what you think! He’s fine. He's just... gone through a bit of a change.
Raphael: [squints] What kind of change?
Donatello: [sighs] Now, I’m going to bring him out, and you two better be on your best behavior. No laughing—this is serious.
Raphael: [crosses arms, suspicious] Serious how?
Donatello gives them a look that screams, "You'll see." He reaches under the table, carefully picks up something (or rather, someone), and gently sets Leonardo down on the table. Leonardo—now barely the height of a Barbie doll—straightens his gear and adjusts his mask, trying desperately to maintain his dignity.
Raphael: [silent, staring] ...
Michelangelo: [jaw drops] ...
Raphael: [deadpan, trying not to laugh] ...I’m not supposed to laugh, right?
Michelangelo: [slowly grins] He...is...so...AWESOME! Dude, he’s like the ultimate, super-realistic action figure! [jumps excitedly] Let me hold him! Let me hold him! Please, just for a minute!
Leonardo: [scrambles to climb up Donatello’s arm, in full panic mode] DO NOT let him hold me! DO NOT let him hold me!
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