Summary: AU. Four brothers are starting a new year at school, but their run-in with a local gang, The Purple Dragons, uncovers dark secrets of their past. A missing brother and a tragic secret, this year is anything but ordinary.

(A/N)

Greetings turtle fans! This here story is based more on the newer series of TMNT, and not the 1980's version or the comics. Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of 80's version, but the turtle's personalities are somewhat different, and I thought they wouldn't work with this kind of story. While watching an episode, I thought what it would be like if the turtles were human. So I came up with this story.

A bit of a warning, if you're not in touch with the newer series, you might not be familiar with some of the characters that will appear in the later chapters, but I'll try to make it user friendly. Okay enough of my rambling! Enjoy the story!

Chapter One: The New Year.

Michelangelo wished to abolish the early morning routine of waking up, dragging his tired body to prepare for a dreadful day in school. He was still in bed protesting his brother's attempts of waking him by pretending to be in a deep sleep. Five more minuets was all he wanted, but his brother kept nagging at him to wake up. His brother, Donatello, was only a few months older than him. He had wavy brunet hair, and hazel eyes eyes. His cheeks would flush red when he was embarrassed, or upset, much like he was after 20 minutes of waking up his brother.

"Come on Mikey! Vacation's over and you have to readapt to a school schedule!" Donatello said "And I won't be late because of you!"

A light moan was heard from under the sheets, which Michelangelo had pulled over his head. He shifted himself into fetal position. Donatello shook him again, but despite his efforts his brother's only response was "Nerdy dude, go away."

Donatello shook his head. "Okay you leave me no choice but to-"

With all his strength, Donatello quickly wrapped his brother in the sheets, throwing him onto the ground and pinning him down.

"OW! OW! OW! Get your scrawny elbow off my rib!" Michelangelo yelled.

"Not unless you start getting ready for school, " Donatello said.

Michelangelo struggled against his brother, but he only managed to pop his head out of the sheets. He had wavy untamed red hair, blue eyes and tiny spots of freckles across his face.

"Alright, I give, just get off me!" He said.

Donatello deferred from carrying out his request. He rubbed a finger to his chin humming out "Hmmm.". Michelangelo struggled a new, but the sheets were wrapped around too tightly to have any effect.

"Don! Come on! It's not funny!" he yelled.

"Alright Mikey," he said laughing.

He helped his little brother out of from the wrapped sheets spinning him to untwine him. Dizzy from spinning Michelangelo twirled twice more and collapsed on Donatello, who caught him just in time before he hit the wooden floor of their bedroom. Donatello grinned and the dimples of his cheeks appeared.

"You exaggerate." He said laughing "Now get ready in ten, so we won't miss the subway."

With that Donatello left their room to join the rest of his family down stairs. For a house in New York, his home was large; complete with 3 bedrooms a small kitchen, a bathroom, and living room. The floors were wooden and the walls were covered with dozens of photo's and Japanese decorations. They belonged to his adoptive father Hamato Splinter. Splinter was an elderly man who had a collection of Japanese items passed down by his father, Hamato Yoshi. He proudly displays items such as paintings, sculptures and vases that have been handed down to him. Even Splinter's cane once belonged to his father. The handle was uniquely designed. A dragon spitting fire was elegantly carved on the wood. The fire was carved into a curve that spiraled into itself creating a hook. It was a show of skilled craftsmanship. But Splinter's greatest prides in his collections were his father's weapons. An orange pair of wooden nunchaku, a strong and flexible bo staff with rich purple wrapping, two sais with dark red handles, and blue twin katanas, as sharp as they day they were made.

His four brothers were trained at a young age using nonlethal versions of the weapons. However an eager Michelangelo, convinced he was ready, grabbed the nunchucku from the living room wall where they were once displayed, and challenged his brothers. He ended up with a bloody noise. Seeing the potential danger of this, the weapons were kept away in his room so his sons wouldn't be tempted.

Donatello laughed at the memory of his brother challenging all three of them at once.

"What are you laughing at, Don?" It was his oldest brother Leonardo.

He was in the kitchen washing a bowl of cereal he had just finished eating from. Leonardo had black straight hair and dark brown eyes, on his wrist he wore a leather band that clasped together with two metal buttons. He wore a blue t-shirt and dark blue jeans. At the table was the second oldest brother, Raphael. He had short black hair, and dark eyes. He was wearing black jeans and a red shirt.

"It's nothing just reminiscing. I finally got Mikey out of bed so we can be on time for school."

"You should've of left him. Bet he didn't even know school starts today,"Raphael said.

"I, for one, am glad school began, and I don't want to mess up the first day by being late," Donatello said.

"You're glad school's startin'? Nerd, I'd rather be sleepin' in," Raphael said.

"Speaking of sleeping in…" Leonardo said "Where's our little straggler now?"

"He should be here right about-"

Crash!

They heard something shatter in the living room, followed by the voice of an elderly man scolding Michelangelo.

"Michelangelo! How many times do I have to tell you not to use that terrible thing inside our home?" He sternly spoke to him. "Especially when you are sleep deprived!"

Donatello flinched when his father raised his voice.

"Looks like he's just in time," Raphael said finishing his breakfast.

"It is way too early for this," Leonardo said as he was going into the living room.

As he walked in, he saw Michelangelo pleading his case.

"Sorrysorrysorry! That vase is totally replaceable, and that little glass picture frame, I saw one on sale the other day and that little figurine thing..." He continued in one breathe.

To his elderly father, the winded apology was more like a criminal confession. With every word his son spoke, his hands gripped tighter and tighter around his walking stick. He looked ready to explode. Michelangelo cowered behind his skateboard when he saw that his father was not reacting well to his words.

Leonardo stepped in quickly. Before the situation became worse, Leonardo got his little brother out of the line of fire. He quickly took hold of Michelangelo's arm and dragged him to the kitchen. Leonardo then turned back to the living room to help his father clean. He used a broom to clean up the shattered glass from the wooden floor and rearranged items knocked out from their place. Splinter quietly whispered to Leonardo "It's a good thing you intervened, with a cool head and by the time he gets back from school, I would have thought of something good to punish him for this."

After a few more minutes the living room was restored and the brothers were on their way. They rushed down the street until they reached the subway station. Michelangelo glided down with his skateboard, irritating pedestrians who dodged out of his way. He just laughed it out, even when the less patient ones cursed at him. While Michelangelo was taunting another pedestrian, Raphael seized the opportunity to trip his brother, who crashed down onto the concrete ground. Donatello suppressed a chuckle but Leonardo frowned at his actions.

"We don't have time for you two to be pulling pranks; we're going to miss our train," Leonardo said.

Michelangelo picked himself up with nothing but a scratch on his arm. They continued until they made it to the station pushing their way through the stairs. They made it to the train seconds before it took off.

"Mikey, seriously bro, enough with the late night gamin'. We barely made it through before the door slammed in our faces," Raphael said.

"You try playing Helixs, then you'll see why it's worth staying up for," Michelangelo said.

"Raph has a point Mikey. You hardly managed a C average last year. You need to put more effort in your school work," Leonardo told him.

Before he could respond the lights around them flickered on and off, the train suddenly stopped. The people in the train were abruptly pushed and some even fell out of their seats, including Michelangelo. Donatello helped him up as Raphael let out an enormous laugh.

"You okay Mikey?" Donatello said.

"Super, I think my nose is busted." Michelangelo was rubbing his noise to check.

"Idiot, you'd be bleedin' if that was true."Raphael chuckled.

The lights went on again and the train continued on its way.

"That was …weird. Why did the train suddenly stop?" Leonardo questioned.

"It was probably just a power surge. Nothing big, I hope." Donatello said.

Without further disruption they continued on their way to school. They entered the gates to the crowded school. Now began the new year. Michelangelo dreaded what was to come. Donatello couldn't wait. They were starting in the 10th grade. Raphael and Leonardo were entering the 12th grade, their final year. They were excited and optimistic, but the school days ahead were not what they had expected.

A/N

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