Chapter Text
Act 1, Scene 1
(Fade in on the turtles' lair living room. Carefree laid-back music score. RAPHAEL gets ready to sit on couch in front of the TV.)
RAPHAEL
C'mon you guys! "The King of Queens" marathon is coming on in just a little bit!
(Cut to int. DONATELLO's lab, where he's applying a wrench to some gizmo.)
DONATELLO
Be right there! I just gotta do this one quick thing. (turns the wrench a couple times)
(Cut to MICHELANGELO in kitchen, taking a pizza out of the oven.)
MICHELANGELO
Just a sec, dudes! Just getting some snacks and pizza ready! (Cut back to living room. DONATELLO and MICHELANGELO join RAPHAEL, MICHELANGELO carrying a couple pizzas in one hand and bags of salty snacks in the other.) After all, what's TV without munchies?
RAPHAEL
Hey, where's Leonardo? (looks around) I haven't seen him all day.
DONATELLO
Search me.
RAPHAEL
Why, you got him tied and gagged somewhere and are holding him hostage?
DONATELLO
No. I've been in my lab all day.
MICHELANGELO
I haven't seen him either! If I know him, he's probably still in the practice room, doing his exercises.
DONATELLO
It's not like him to just go off without telling anybody.
MICHELANGELO
Maybe he's sleeping in.
RAPHAEL
It's 2pm! And anyway, it's not like him to sleep in. He's usually the first one up.
MICHELANGELO
Like, maybe he went on another assignment or mission.
RAPHAEL
Without us?
MICHELANGELO
Well, maybe it's a secret!
RAPHAEL
A secret mission??
DONATELLO
Gee, I'm getting worried. C'mon, let's go look for him!
Scene 2
(Dissolve to minutes later, RAPHAEL in the exercise room.)
RAPHAEL
Leonardo! Yo Leo! Leader in blue! (singsongy) Where are you?
(Cut to int. kitchen.)
MICHELANGELO
Yo Leonardo! Hey dude! Dear leader! (exits kitchen.) Gee, you don't suppose ol' Shredhead and his thugs got him, do you?
RAPHAEL
I do now, big mouth! Thanks for planting that idea in my head, dumbass!
(Cut to DONATELLO, exiting bedroom, carrying a sheet of paper.)
DONATELLO (looks worried)
Guys! Look what I found! He left us a note. (holds up a turtlecom) And his turtlecom.
MICHELANGELO
Like, what's it say?
RAPHAEL
Nothing, you gotta look at it!
DONATELLO (reads as he shows them)
"My dear brothers, I have failed you for the last time. I'm no leader. Who am I kidding? I'm a fraud. I'm so deeply sorry for all the trouble I got you in. I apologize in spades. You guys deserve better. So I must take my leave. You're better off without me. An unmutated monkey could lead better than me! I wish you well. Farewell, Leonardo." (sad music score. DONATELLO looks shocked, MICHELANGELO tears up, RAPHAEL also shocked) Oh, no! He's gone!
MICHELANGELO
No way, it can't be! (sheds some tears) Say it ain't so!
RAPHAEL (stares blankly)
I... have... no... words. And coming from me, that screams volumes!
MICHELANGELO
So like, now what?
(Overhead shot of the three remaining turtles.)
RAPHAEL
Choose a new leader, I guess.
DONATELLO
But how?
RAPHAEL
I dunno... draw straws?
(Pan out just a tad. Dramatic music score. Fade out.)