story by Jephael
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story takes place in July of 1999, and acts as the final episode of this mini-series.
April O'Neil pulled up the Turtle Van at La Guardia Airport to pick up Donatello and Michaelangelo who ended up flying back to New York on a commercial airliner since Donald Lofty Junior took his family on their private jet to the Caribbean for summer vacation. "Hey guys, welcome home!" she said as she saw the two weary turtles hauling their luggage through the exit.
"Hey April, it's good to see ya!" Donatello said as he hugged April.
"For sure. That was a majorly long flight!" Michaelangelo mentioned.
"Well, put your stuff in the van and I'll drive you back to the lair! Master Splinter, Leonardo and Raphael are excited to see you!"
"I hope they didn't have too much trouble keeping the city safe with us both gone." Don commented.
"Well, there was that incident a few months ago with Tempestra, Slash and Leatherhead. I'll let the guys fill you in when we get back to the lair."
About a half an hour later they were back in the sewers reunited with Splinter and their brother turtles.
"So, how does it feel being back under the Big Apple?" Raphael asked.
"I gotta admit, I kinda missed the lingering smell of raw sewage." Michaelangelo replied.
"Yea, it's certainly good to be back home. You won't believe what those MIT guys were after." Donatello said with a sigh.
"What did they want?" Leonardo asked.
"They wanted to know all about mutagen and how it alters people's DNA!"
"You did not indulge them with that information, did you?" Master Splinter asked.
"Oh, heck no! But man, they were persistent... for the first couple days anyway. I considered going to their human resources."
April let out a laugh. "I'm sorry, but the idea of a talking turtle going to human resources does sound a lot like an oxymoron!"
Just then there was a flash of light, and out of nowhere three familiar figures appeared in the middle of the Turtles' living room.
"Carter?" Splinter stated.
"Landor!" Michaelangelo shouted.
"Merrik!" Raphael finished. "Where- I mean when did you guys come from?"
"From the year 2036!" Landor answered
"But that would mean you're from further in the future than last time!" Donatello stated.
"In a way yes." Merrik replied. "You see, Landor and I had to take Carter a little further into the future to find a cure for his unstable mutation."
"So we went to visit your older selves, and believe me... you guys were in pretty bad shape!" Carter stated. "Raphael, your could barely walk, so you had to use a cane! Donatello was wearing thick glasses to compensate for his deteriorating eyesight! Michaelangelo was fatter than Homer Simpson, and Leonardo was pretty much a befuddled old coot!"
"Wait a minute! Don't you guys remember the time we went with Hokum Hare into the future to stop Shredder and his goons from terrorizing the future versions of us?" Leonardo said.
"It does ring a bell now that you mention it, bro!" Michaelangelo replied.
"That's right. Splinter warned us right before going how our bad habits would come back to bite us in the shell, and when we saw our future selves... we saw that it all came true!" Donatello said.
"So what, we're still destined to wind up like that?" Raphael asked.
"My students, I regret to say no matter how hard you try to remain in top physical condition, there is no fighting the ravages of age!" Splinter said with a sigh.
"You'll be surprised what even time travel is unable to prevent." Landor said.
"Yes. Some things are just set in stone!" Merrick added.
"Oh well, we still have a good 30 years or so before we become that way." Michaelangelo mentioned. "So Carter, were we- I mean they able to help cure you?"
"Actually it was super easy... barely an inconvenience!" Carter said with a laugh. "Sorry, I'm quoting this really funny guy on the internet they got me into! But anyway, yea at some point in the 2020s Donatello figured out how to nullify trace amounts of mutagen in human beings, without it effecting mutants that were originally animals. Master Splinter even finally got to be Hamato Yoshi again!"
"That is something to look forward to." Splinter stated happily.
"Um, Carter, we really shouldn't divulge too much of what happens in the future."
"Oh right, sorry, Merrik!"
"So what brings you guys back to our time anyway?" Leonardo asked.
"I was originally planning on staying in the future on a permanent basis, but then I realized how much I missed the 90s."
"Yep, you gotta admit, this has been one heck of a decade!" Raphael commented.
"For sure. Too bad it's gonna come to an end in about 6 months."
"Wait, this isn't the summer of 1997?!" Landor said as he checked the time sphere. "Oh... whoops! That was my bad."
April glanced over to Merrik and said "Looks like Donatello isn't the only one in the future who 'se going to need glasses!"
Everybody in the room let out a long heart felt laugh.
"Dudes, I just love reunions!" Michaelangelo said with a smile.
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