Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) / Fanfic Recs

Proof that the remaining 10% is worth facing all three Shredders for here:

These are recommendations made by tropers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. No-name recommendations will be zapped. Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.

To see the FanRec page for the franchise as a whole, click here.

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General Fics

Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.

Within This Nightmare by Usami

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Dead
Synopsis: Bishop's virus has been dealt with and their brother is back to normal or so it seems. As he starts to fall sick again, Donatello finds out about a startling revelation and things may not be the same as they ever were.
Comments: One of my favorite what-ifs centered around my favorite turtle, hope the author updates it soon.

Time Elapsed by Tori Angeli

Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Something strange is happening to Michelangelo when he is caught in the wake of a rift in space and time. When he discovers that his family is disappearing one by one, he must find out what is happening to him, and to his family, and who is causing it.

Atropos by AngelDormais

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: While dumpster-diving, one of Leonardo's finds reminds Donatello of the future he'd rather forget.
Comments: It's a great but subtle tie-in to Don's little adventure in the future.

Corrosion by Sewer Slider

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: SAINW-verse! Basically the episode up to the reunion between the brothers from Mikey's P.o.V.
Comments: I love this story and the point of view it explores.

Priorities by MidnightHeir

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: SAINW-verse! The future turtles meet to discuss their own battle strategy while the youngest member of their family is asleep.
Comments: This has to be one of my favourite fanfics centered around that alternate future, an amazing piece.

Better to Have Loved by VGiselleH

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Dormant
Synopsis: What if Tang Shen wasn't murdered, what if she and Yoshi fled to New York and had a son and what if a fateful encounter triggered by their pet rat leads to the turtles gaining a different set of parents.
Comments: This has to be one of my favorite AUs, and it's nice to see the turtles get a mother figure for a change.

Follow the Leader by Stormy1x2

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Attacked by two of their own following Dark Leo's failed attempt at an inside job, two of the clones find themselves in the hands of those who they saw as their enemies and get a start at a new life.

What You Never Had by Stormy1x2

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Continuation of Follow the Leader, having moved into their own apartment the clone brothers find themselves getting to grips with their new life and their growing family bond.
Comments: The Dark Turtles were the best thing to come out of Fast Forward and I love the character development the author gives Dark Leo and Dark Mikey.

Desperate Measures by SuperKat

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: A slight retelling of the Adventures in Turtle-sitting/Good Genes plot, covers a few missing scenes.
Comments: Another favorite fanfic as I loved those episodes.

His Obedient Servant by nightwalker3

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: SAINW-verse, she had also obeyed the Shredder but Karai's choice weighed heavily on her soul.
Comments: A great character piece on Karai's thoughts during her adopted father's conquest then reign of Earth.

The Haunting of April O'Neil by nightwalker3

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: SAINW-verse, sequel to His Obedient Servant. The Shredder may be dead but April is haunted by a spectre from the final battle who leads her to a secret hidden for over thirty years and reveals the reason behind this war.
Comments: This is incredible, and I love the way it reveals the final fates of two major players leading to the best family reunion that could be given under those conditions.

Don't Ever Do That Again by Dierdre

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: When Raphael goes missing during a fight with the Purple Dragons, Casey assumes he's dead and dreads telling Splinter the bad news but things aren't as bad as they seem.
Comments: Gotta love Raph & Casey bonding stories.

Black Danube by Nekotsuki

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Returning from 2105 with the knowledge of what Agent Bishop's future holds, the Turtles find themselves holding back during their encounters with him. But one has to ask how long will playing it safe for the sake of the future last.
Comments: A nice piece, it's fun to see Bishop's "what is going on" reaction and Raph brings up a good point.

As A Family by Venka le fay

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: After returning home from Cody's time and the loss that happened as a result, Donatello is determined to save his father no matter the cost to his health.
Comments: A great one-shot missing scene centered around Donnie's guilt.

Mist and Shadows by Shelly LeBlanc

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: SAINW-verse! Following the final battle with the Shredder those who fell in combat find themselves reunited with lost family and friends.
Comments: An emotional piece that finally reunites the brothers even if it is in the afterlife.

Favors of Fate by Jaganashi

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Donatello is curious about a possible overlooked detail of their origin and asks his father for details.
Comments: A cute Turtle-tot piece that raises a good question.

Smacked by Rebell

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: While out on a food-run, Raphael smacks his younger brother around the head one too many times...
Comments: An enjoyable piece dealing with the more serious side of one of the 2k3's show's 'habits', and the ending is cute.

Underdark by Nekotsuki

Recommended by Belphegor
Status: Complete
Synopsis: He's hanging upside down in the middle of the great underdark, weighed down by a half hysterical turtle in the middle of a bunch of pipes and water and rock that are conspiring to kill us both off, and Leo still manages to sound like he Has A Plan.
Comments: Mikey and Leo try to make their way back to familiar territory in the absolute darkness. The author really "gets" these characters, and her Mikey voice is top-notch, resulting in quite a bit of Mood Whiplash. The descriptions (or rather lack of) of their trek through the sewers are so suspenseful and the characterisation so good that, although it's a rather long story, it doesn't feel like it.

TMNT SAINW Broken Hope is a finished fan-comic made by Dragona15

Recommended by: Chloe Lee 12
Status: Complete
Triggers/Warnings: Character death. Definitely not something younger readers or the easily upset should read.
Synopsis: This comic takes place after the '03 episode "Same As It Never Was"(SAINW). Featuring SAIWN!Raph who falls into the year 2003 where he meets younger versions of his brothers…and himself. How will the old warrior act upon the sudden change of worlds.
Comments: A very well drawn (mostly) black and white comic. It is bound to tug at your heartstrings at every turn. There are some noticeable MNT:Gaiden influences but it still manages to remain the author's own style in regards to art form. All the characters are written believably.

Dark Winter By Amicitia Revenant

Recommended by Penguin 123
Status: Complete
Synopsis January in New York can be brutal. A snowstorm shuts down the city, even as the creeping cold paralyzes the Turtles themselves. Splinter/April, but only as friends.
Comments This fanfic ROCKS for two reasons, one it actually considers the fact that the Boys while Anthropomorphic are still reptiles Furry Reminders are one of the rarest tropes you can find in the TMNT fandom and Splinter's loneliness brought on by his sons' hibernation is heartbreaking...The relationship he develops with April over the course of the fic is so heartwarming your teeth will melt

The Turtle Who Never Was by Hyaroo

Recommended by: fruitstripegum
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Michelangelo gets the "It's A Wonderful Life" treatment as two spirits show him what the world would be like if he'd never been born... but something's wrong here. Why does it look like everyone's better off without him?
Comments: Don't be fooled by the summary, the story is NOT like It's a Wishful Life. And without giving too much away, I just wanna say the true identity of the spirits will break your heart.

A Paper Wall by Amicitia Revenant

Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Following Karai's destruction of the second Lair, and Leo's return from Japan, the Turtles must find a way to rebuild their home and their family. Neither will be easy...
Comment: this feels like a coming-of-age story for the turtles and it's awesome

Peripheral Vision by slipstream

Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
Status: Complete
Synopsis: When Raphael doesn’t lose his left eye, the universe struggles to right itself again. Something almost-recognizable from the edge of existence seizes its opportunity.
Comment: Featuring Raph and Donnie's brotherly relationship with element of SAINW.

The Great Skittle Heist of 2105 by Amevello Blue

Recommended by: Huldra
Status: Ongoing
Synopsis: The turtles follow Darius Dunn and see him leaving a strange ship with an even stranger bag, which he promptly throws into a dumpster. What's inside will change their lives.
Comment: The Turtles become surrogate parents/big brothers to the Dark Turtles, and yes, it's as good as it sounds.

Better Genes by Ryo-chan wolfgirl

Recommended by: DamagedHen
Status: Ongoing
Synopsis: Set in season 4 of the 2003 TMNT series, What if Mikey was the one that had gotten infected instead of Donnie? How will this outcome affect the mutant family? Can they do what needs to be done without the heart of the team?
Comment: Originally Mikey was supposed to be the one mutated in the cartoon, but Peter Laird changed it to Donnie. This fanfic explores what would happen if Peter Laird never made that change. It also nicely ties in Mikey’s feelings about Splinter abandoning him during his grudge match against Kluh. Note that updates are slow.

Hacked by Sciencegal

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: After a battle with Bishop and his men, Donatello is starting to hear voices in his head and they're kind of telling him to kill his family.
Comments: One of my favorite stories centered around my favorite turtle.

Distracting Rooms by Delia-Ra-Nar

Empty Rooms by Delia-Ra-Nar

Heavy Rooms by Delia-Ra-Nar

Waiting Rooms by Delia-Ra-Nar

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: A bedroom can reflect its owner, and the turtles aren't any different. Series of one-shots where each of the brothers intrudes in the other's bedroom and gets some insight into his brother.
Comments: I love this series and the way each turtle ends up in the bedroom for some reason or the other leading to some amazing character insights.

Personality Problems by OneCutePug

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: The brothers make a week-long bet to 'switch' personalities. Needlessly to say chaos follows.
Comments: This is a hilarious fanfic and I love who won in the end.

Donatello's Quest for Coffee by Hyaroo

Recommended by: Komodo Classic
Status: Complete
Synopsis: A parody of INFOCOM-style text based adventure games: Donatello is on a quest to get some coffee... sounds easy, right? Voted "Best Comedy" in the Stealthy Stories' 2008 TMNT Fanfiction Competition!
Summary: You are playing as Donatello. You have in your inventory: ridiculously high IQ, no coffee, and minor caffeine addiction. To help you on your quest, you have: annoying and literal (and absolutely hilarious) parser.
Notes: Extremely funny oneshot. No pairings, not that romance is the focus. Donatello simply wants a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, various obstacles (including a ridiculously high IQ malfunctioning due to minor caffeine addiction) stand in his way.

''Encounters: Leo and the Streetwalker

Recommended by Penguin 123
Status: Complete
Synopsis: You can't live in a city of over 8 million people without interacting with a few of them. Rated for violence, language, and sexual innuendo.
Comments: Great fic totally in character, there is no romance between Leo and the streetwalker who is not a twady stereotype but a good character in their own right a must read.

Clogged Drain by Goblin Cat KC

Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Bodies of water were once doorways between this world and the next. Living in an old water treatment plant means being there when the doorway opens. Takes place during the last season of the NT in their new lair. No pairings, for you who've commented your fears otherwise. Just pure ghost story.
Comment: One of the best horror fic I've ever read

Derelict by Pebr

Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
Status: Complete
Synopsis: The turtles are forced to leave their lair as a winter storm threatens to trap them underground, and Leo picks the worst time to be sick.
Comment: This keeps me at the edge of my seat

Shipping Fics

Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast and original characters.

Irrational by Mendeia

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Synopsis: With Donatello cured and recovering from his secondary mutation, Leatherhead muses on how much the turtle has come to mean to him.
Pairing(s): Leatherhead/Donatello
Comments: I know the pairing isn't one of the more popular ships out there but this is the best Don/LH story I've personally come across.

Of Hope & New Faces by DuckiePray

Recommended by: tennyson
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Who will the turtles turn to when Donatello becomes critically ill? What does Mike know that he hasn't been saying? How will new friends change the entire family?
Pairing(s): Don/OC, plus a bunch of ninja turtle bromance
Comments: Don, in the process of rescuing a kidnapping victim, is badly wounded. The resultant medical emergency brings new members into the fold and expands the turtles' world. This excellent fic is just the first in the extremely well-written "Legacy of Loyalty" series, whose sequels are multi chapter extravaganzas that stay very fun and adventurous even whilst dealing with the very real difficulties that stem from being five-foot-tall turtles living in the shadows. There is a ton of character development, hurt/comfort, edge-of-your-seat action, and no such thing as a status quo. Worth every second!

Mikey In Love by Mikell

Recommended by: Ironic Mouse, Lilpurplebird
Status: Complete
Synopsis: 20-year-old Michelangelo believes he has found his soul mate. Convinced she's "the one", Mikey buys a ring, but she refuses to meet his family. What dark secret is she hiding? Will Mike's true love be the one to destroy the Hamato clan?
Pairing(s): Mikey/OC
Comments: There is a Heel–Face Turn in this story that is handled incredibly well. The character who has switched sides has to work to be accepted by the Turtles, and some are less willing than that the others to trust.

Raph and Ann by Mikell

Recommended by: Ironic Mouse, Lilpurplebird
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Sequel to Mikey In Love. Raph helps a blind woman and makes an unlikely friend. Why are the local punks stealing dogs? What sinister secrets does Anitech Labs hide? How will they afford the meds Don needs? Will a love born in darkness survive the light?
Pairing(s): Mikey/OC, Raph/OC
Comments: Raph's romance is handled very well in this story, and it's incredibly adorable to see the rough-and-tumble Turtle fall for someone just as temperamental as him.

Donatello Lost by Mikell

Recommended by: Ironic Mouse, Lilpurplebird
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Sequel to Raph And Ann. Don sets off alone from the farmhouse. He didn't count on running into trouble. When Beverly finds him in her brother's barn he's too injured and weak to escape on his own. She's afraid of her brother, but there's just something about this turtle.
Pairing(s): Mikey/OC, Raph/OC, Don/OC
Tags: Mood Whiplash (major Mood Whiplash)
Comments: This fic has one of the most well-written, and yet utterly disturbing and depraved villains I've ever read. I can honestly say I've never been happier to see a villain get his comeuppance.

Leonardo's Angel by Mikell

Recommended by: Ironic Mouse, Lilpurplebird
Status: Complete
Synopsis: Sequel to Donatello Lost. Leonardo's always been the protector, the defender, the Leader. When Raph is injured, why does the woman helping his brother have such a strange effect on him? Can he learn to forgive himself, embrace hope, and believe in love?
Pairing(s): Mikey/OC, Raph/OC, Don/OC, Leo/OC
Comments: This is one of the only Fan Fics I've ever read that manages to include explicit Christianity without feeling forced or preachy. A seriously good read.

Splintered Hearts by Mikell

Recommended by: Lilpurplebird
Status: Complete
Synopsis: A lotus blossom takes root in the dark... and grows up toward the sun. Romance is not only for the young. It can take root and bloom in the most unexpected places... if it is given a chance to grow.
Pairing(s): Splinter/OC, Mikey/OC, Raph/OC, Don/OC, Leo/OC
Comments: Although not explicitly listed as a sequel to the author's previous works (listed above), it's still a continuation that further expands on the Turtles' relationships with their spouses (as well as tying up some loose plot threads from previous stories), but it involves a December–December Romance between Splinter and Austin's aunt, who arrived to see if Austion would visit her dying mother. There's also an endearing B-plot involving a little orphan boy, Isamu, who took a liking to Donatello.

Crossover Fics

This is for fanfics between the 2003 series and any media outside of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. For Intra-Franchise Crossover fanfics, please add here.

Peter Parker, the fifth brother by Nichole Monroe

Recommended by: bbb35
Status: Dead
Crossover with: Spider-Man
Synopsis: When Peter Parker was young he lost his parents but soon after that his aunt and uncle died as well, leaving poor Peter living off the streets off New York until one day a very kind person noticed him and offered him a place to live.
Comments: Follows the TMNT 2003 series almost episode-for-episode, with Spider-Man (from the first Spider-Man movie trilogy) added as a regular member of the team. While the writing isn't great, the story itself is pretty good. Also, the family dynamic Peter has with the turtles and Splinter is easily the best thing about the fic. Unfortunately, it doesn't include Spider-Man villains such as Venom, Dr. Octopus or the Green Goblin, and the fic is currently dead.

Pretend That I Never Left by redstringraven

Recommended by: Huldra
Status: Ongoing
Crossover with: Horizon Zero Dawn
Synopsis: When the Ultimate Drako appears and transports the turtles through parallel and alternate dimensions, Mikey finds himself in a far future where life seems almost backward. Humans live in scattered, tribal-like populations with limited access to technology, yet advanced and animal-like machines roam the lands. It's a rare instance where turtle-luck is in his favor that he happens to cross paths with someone just as used to being an outsider to humanity as he is.
Comments: The friendship between Mikey and Aloy is unusual, but it does work.

Street Savoir Faire by Stormy1x2

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Crossover with: Oliver & Company
Synopsis: While out skateboarding with Klunk, Mikey finds an injured dog and its feline companion.
Comments: I love this but then that is my favorite Disney movie.
- Seconded, this was completely adorable.

Worlds Collide (TMNT) by Iron117Prime

Recommended by bbb35 Spectacular Troper
Status: Complete
Crossover with: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Synopsis: (TMNT 2003 series)
- Worlds Collide: The Ninja Turtles find themselves in a world torn apart by a 100-year war. They cross paths with Aang and his team and decide to do what they can to stop the Fire Nation. However, little do they know that soon the Fire Lord will be the least of their worries as a more dangerous enemy will follow our reptilian friends and bring Hell with him. (Complete)
- Worlds Collide - The Ninja Tribunal Saga: The hundred-year long war is finally over. However, Team Avatar and the Ninja Turtles are reunited as they are recruited by the mysterious, yet powerful, Ninja Tribunal to battle an evil worse than any they've faced before. Can our young heroes band together again to save not only their worlds, but all worlds from this darkness? (Complete)

Danny Phantom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series by mikaela2015

Recommended by Amazing Cartoon Hero
Status: Ongoing
Crossover with: Danny Phantom
Synopsis: (TMNT 2003 series)
- Danny Phantom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 version) S1: Danny has been living with Master Splinter and his four mutant turtle sons ever since he was found as a two year old in an alley after his mother had left him for some reason. Now he and his brothers fight against the mysterious Foot Clan and their leader the Shredder in an epic battle in this first ninja but kicking season. (Complete)
- Danny Phantom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 version) S2: It's another ninja butt-kicking season as Danny and the Turtles fight against aliens in another galaxy, meet new friends, battle against their arch enemies Shredder abd Vlad Plasmius, discover secrets of their origin and Danny's mother, create new alliances, try and stop a gang war and fight in an ultimate battle arena! I don’t own TMNT or DP. (Complete)
- Danny Phantom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 version) S3: Alien invasion? Travelling to different worlds across the universe? Old enemies and friends returning? Stopping the Shredder and Vlad Plasmius once and for all? It's time for Danny and the Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles to continue their ninja butt-kicking adventures in this third season. (Ongoing)

Maybe Just the End by nightwalker3

Recommended by: Charmed
Status: Complete
Crossover with: The Day After Tomorrow
Synopsis: It's the end of the world as they know it and the Turtles don't feel fine.
Comments: A good story, set in the Day after Tomorrow universe.

The League of Interdimensional Heroes by The 1597 Faceless Writer

Recommended by: Nightelf37
Status: Complete
Crossover with: Artemis Fowl, Harry Potter, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Spider-Man, Kung Fu Panda, Sonic X, and Teen Titans (2003)
Synopsis: Artemis Fowl is many things and now he's the leader of an elite group including himself and seven other heroes from seven other alternate dimensions. This group is known as the League of Inter-Dimensional Heroes and they have sworn to protect their worlds from all types of evil. But, now, a new threat is forming and an inevitable battle is waiting over the horizon.

The Boogeyman by starry-oblivion

Recommended by Lyra_Dhani
Status: Complete
Crossover with: Marvel
Synopsis: Marvelverse crossover Spider-Man receives reports of a sighting of a giant turtle in a mysterious new Halloween store and checks it out. This leads him into a complicated mess involving missing turtles, evil spirits and, of course, the end of the world.
Comment: A rare good crossover fic that manage to mesh both world well together. Everyone's also in-character. Written from Spidey's POV, which mean it's witty and hilarious. It's a sequel to A Thing for Redheads where Spidey and the Turtles meet for the first time and is also worth a read.

Shellshocked by Stephen R Sobotka

Recommended by mockingjay
Status: Complete
Crossover with: Gargoyles
Synopsis: A Gargoyles New TMNT crossover. A certain villain has need of Splinter, and when faced with the loss of their sensei, the four turtle teens go hunting...for GARGOYLES!
Comment: One of my favorite crossovers for either series. The plot device of the turtles going after the Wyvern Clan after Demona abducts Splinter might seem a little cliched, but Stephen makes it work.

An Unexpected Honor by Scribeof Heroes

Recommended by Lyra_Dhani
Status: Complete
Crossover with: Usagi Yojimbou
Synopsis: It was the beginning, and perhaps the end, of a beautiful friendship.

Fanfic Recs / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)

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