Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

After Donnie ran off, interpreting Splinter's advice of "combat is not a video game" as "make combat like a video game", he'd been in there for a while. 

Of course his brothers, and April, left him to it. The latter sat on one of the seats in their little tv area, checking on her status of the blog she made. Each of the turtles tended to their own pass times; Mikey lying on the tire swing, and Raph and Leo playing their digital hockey game. 

"Hey guys," April's eyes widened with excitement, and she turned to Raph and Leo. "Check out this post I got."

"Hang on April, I just have to destroy Lame-onardo." Came Raphael's snarky reply. He and his brother's focus increased on the game, both tied 2-2. Finally, after enabling a cheat code to win, Raph hopped from his seat, victorious. Leo gave a small gasp as the puck shot down the middle of the screen, completely obliterating his character, then pouted, giving Raph the stink eye. Raph was a sore winner sometimes, as demonstrated by his little victory dance he did on his way to the other. Leo scoffed and rolled his eyes when Raph used his shoulder as an arm rest, and smirked down at him. 

The blue clad turtle was about to chew him out before he was pushed just because, stumbling and falling with an "unh!" on the other side of the arcade machine.

"So, what's up?" Raph hopped onto the chairs, sitting on the left of April. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a hand smack the back of his head. He shot a glare upwards toward Leo, who smirked back at him at his allotted revenge, on the right of her. He'd save the beating for him later. 

"I set up a message board." Said April, click-clacking away at her keyboard. "It's to collect unusual sightings around New York." As she spoke, Leo and Raph watched intently as she scrolled down the feed of the blog. 

"People send in pics, videos, and I also might get some stuff that'll help us track the Kraang and find my dad." 

Leo perked up at the information. He wouldn't lie, he was a little impressed with her thought process on how to keep them on top of Kraang activity. It was a rather smart idea, even if other ideas she has aren't.. very similar. April pulled up a video containing an unknown area filled with smoke, a Kraangdroid stepping out of the foggy area. "Like this video of a gas explosion." She added on, enhancing it so they could better see.

Leo sneered. "A Kraangdroid."

"Where?!" Mikey's panicked response shook him bad enough for him to shoot out of his tire swing, but that ultimately resulted in him falling into the water below. The three on the couch stared at him momentarily, some processing what just happened, and others.. mentally shaking his head..

"We'll check it out tonight." Leo spoke with determination, turning to look at April. The human girl wore a skeptical expression. "Why not now?" She huffed, her tone lilting in slight agitation. Leo already didn't like that. "Because it's daytime." Came his reply. "We can't let anyone see us."

"Well I can." April shut her laptop rather harshly and bounced from her seat. She planned on leaving her computer in the lair, and began walking for the exist. 

"Oh, boy.." Raph rolled his eyes with a sigh as Leo jumped to chase her, blocking her path before she could make it out. His eye ridges creased with an equal irritation, and his tone was firm. "April, think about this." He started, holding up his arms about halfway, halfheartedly. "It could be dangerous."

He'd let her get into all the trouble she wanted, but Donnie likes her for whatever reason, so he didn't want to be on the other end of that stick. 

"You know what else could be dangerous?" April pointed an accusing finger, then crossed her arms, unmoving. "Standing between me and my father." 

Leo scoffed at her attitude, tilting his head and raising one of his eyes in major disbelief. "Really?" He laughed humorlessly. "You're gonna go interfere with the Kraang by yourself because you can't bother to be patient enough for us to help you at night?" 

April blinked, surprised at his words. Leo was never one to start an altercation, especially out of pettiness. Usually that was Raph's thing. But Raph's sitting on the couch, legs crossed and an elbow resting on his knee, his head in his hand. He watched this with a knowing smirk. This was Leo's time. 

"No, you know what?" Leo threw his hands in the air haphazardly. He sounded exasperated as all hell. "Go ahead and do whatever stupid wonton idea you have. I'm not molting my shell over it." 

"What is with you?" April barked back, her hands clenching to fists at her sides. "My father-" Leo cut her off before she could pull that card again. 

"Is not the only thing that matters right now, April. It's not all about you, and you won't get anywhere throwing these pissy fits because you want your dad back oh-so badly. We've offered to help, and still offering to help. However that attitude is not gonna get us to help. We have our reasons for not going to the surface right now- reasons that you can literally look at and see why." 

Leo was done with the bullshit today. Honestly, he might just go out to the surface to find a different love interest for Donnie, because this one was not it. 

"Well excuse me if I want to do something instead of waiting around all day!"

"You're not excused!" Leo shot back, walking back to where Raph was sitting. The red clad turtle was holding back laughter, having very rarely seen Leo get to this point with anyone, even his own brothers. The shit was hilarious, and the glare Leo gave him made it even harder not to laugh. 

April stared at him with her jaw on the floor, flabbergasted. Eventually she sported the angriest expression she could muster, and stomped her way out of the lair, even more determined to do her stupid plan on her own. 

Leo plopped down on the floor and looked through his Space Heroes collection. Watching and reciting the episodes always calmed him down. Raph couldn't help but snort, lying on his belly now. "You really couldn't hold that one in, huh?" He asked the leader. Leo scoffed again, his lips pressed in a thin line. "She's gonna either get herself in trouble, or get us in trouble." He said. 

"And I'll be damned if I let her get us in trouble."

Chapter Text

With this new scouting ship that came from the TCRI building, anxious feelings rose up from what it could possibly mean, and what else was planning on coming from the building. Karai, being present during its summoning, grew to realize the dangers and the looming threat of an alien invasion that the Kraang imposed. She had stopped Leo on that rooftop to ask for cooperation momentarily, to set a pause on their little war to save the Earth, but Leo thought it was justifiable how much he couldn't trust her. "Sorry, sister." was the answer she had received from him, but the interaction left a sour taste in his mouth. If Karai was really all that bad and deceptive and unreasonable, then why would she show genuine interest in teaming up to take down the Kraang? It didn't make sense. Leo, left confused about Karai's intentions, looked to his family for advice.

He and his brothers were sat on the dojo floor, Splinter standing above them, like their usual meetings. April, oddly enough, had been training when they walked in there. He knew she wanted to be a Kunoichi, but to actually try? That's a shock to him.

"I know we shouldn't trust Karai," Said the leader in blue, his tone clearly conflicted. He had the attention of all of his brothers, except for Raph, who definitely seemed deep in thought. "But still! I got the sense that she really is fed up with Shredder." 

And in his heart, he wanted that to be true. The way she spoke to him that night seemed to prove that. Shredder was an arrogant fool, whose goals and ambitions were to squash some teenagers and a rat man because.. he didn't know, they're living their best life? Shredder really did need a hobby. 

Raph only tilted his head slightly to look at his brother, his eyes low and unamused. "That's probably just what she wants you to think." He responded matter-of-factly. Leo, looking down at the patterned carpet they sat upon, responded quickly. "I know but-.." He stopped himself with a heavy sigh. This was all extremely conflicting. "Sensei, is there any chance she's for real?"

"It is possible." Splinter gave a half nod. "Loyalties have been known to shift. But the Kunoichi is trained to use deception to her advantage." He reminded him, all of his sons. That's one thing Leo wouldn't be able to forget. After the whole fiasco at the last TCRI building, he learned the hard way that Karai was certainly not to be trusted. But.. why was he so conflicted about it now?

Reluctantly, Leo put his advice into place. "So she either will, or won't, betray us?" 

"Correct. You must trust your instincts." Said Splinter. "But, beware the trap of believing something to be true simply because you wish it to be so." As he spoke, he began to make his way back to his room. 

"So, I should trust my instincts.. unless my instincts are wrong?" Leo squinted one of his eyes, the simplification not at all being helpful. And of course, he got a rather playful, "correct." from their father. 

"Uh.. thanks, Sensei.." Leo looked on with a demented expression, 

"Woahh.." Mikey's amazed drawl gained his brothers' attention. "You know it's good advice when you're still confused afterwards." 

Raph turned in indignation, leaning forward a bit more on his legs. "Guys, seriously. An alliance with Karai? No way! Why are we even talking about this?" His arms waved in disbelief, his tone growing ever more riled as he spoke. Leo knew his whole issue with Karai, and he didn't blame him. Hiding her from his brothers only did more damage than outright telling them. Now he was trying to get with her again?- Well, he wasn't trying to get with her, she tried to get with him- not like that! The blue leader's face flushed slightly as his own thoughts rambled. 

"It's too bad we can't trust her." Said Donnie. "It would be nice to have a Kunoichi on our side." 

"Um, hello? What about me?"

Leo felt his blood pressure tick the moment she spoke. April approached the group, hands on her hips with a slightly agitated expression on her face. He felt the energy shift with the others as well. Well, Donnie's for other reasons. 

"No, I mean a real kunoichi. I-I mean not that you're not a real one, just that Karai is better. I mean! Not-Not better! Just more experienced- is it.. is it hot in here?" The purple clad turtle awkward pulled at the top of his plastron, a panicked smile on his face. Just say what you really feel.. is what Leo wanted so desperately to say to him. And not in the "profess your love" kind of way but "I need to be brutally honest with you" kind of way. 

"It's okay, I get it." April rolled her eyes slightly with the fakest smile Leo's ever seen. Even so, he hoped she actually did and wouldn't take it the wrong way.

He was wrong.

The "kunoichi" in training continued on with a sarcastic tone. "She's your mortal enemy but hey! She's purty." The girl huffed, shooting Donnie a flat look, eyebrows angled. 

"No she's not-" Donnie began to say, but was interrupted by Leo's groan of annoyance. "No, April, that is not what anyone is saying. Karai's been training under The Shredder for years, and you started, what, maybe a couple weeks ago? A month ago?" He leaned back on the carpet to glare at her. Raph immediately doubled over, but slapped a hand over his mouth, and Donnie began waving his hands in a desperate attempt to get Leo to stop talking. Of course, failing.

"For a kunoichi in training, you seem to take everything extremely personally." He shot her a small smirk. April scoffed at him, marching over to stand over top of him. "What is your problem Leonardo? All I said was that I'm an available kunoichi, yet you guys want Karai?" 

"If you were listening you'd hear the reasoning behind that. And no, you're not an available kunoichi. You're barely a kunoichi in training." Leo closed his eyes with confidence. Honestly, her short circuited attitude was just becoming a bother at this point. It was obnoxious, and distracting to the real issue at play here. 

"LEO!" Donnie's voice cut between the two, and so too did Raph's laughter he was holding back. Mikey had just been watching the interaction go back and forth with a dumb look on his face, but when does he never? The scientist mentioned shot up as April began to leave, wanting to walk her out. Of course she pushed back, yanking her arm away from him, but he persisted. Leo sighed. His poor baby brother is gonna get his heart broken by this.. girl.

Chapter Text

Even though it was incredibly rocky, Leo's plan to trap Mr. O'Neil in the warehouse was a success. After he and his brothers skidded to a halt on the concrete floor, positioning the mutant perfectly under the metal cage Donnie manufactured, he hopped away to the nearest wall, on which rested the crank to lower the cage. 

Boom, very easily a success if he did say so himself.

He approached the temporary cell, feeling sympathetic for the man inside. "Sorry, Kirby." He said, and the man simply thrashed around, hissing and growling. "It's only temporary."

The leader looked over to the open garage door while Raph hit Mikey upside the head for making yet another bug pun, and watched as April rushed inside, Donnie coming in close after, making sure to close the entrance behind him. Honestly, he didn't know how long they could keep Mr. O'Neil inside this place before some humans who work here found him. They would have to locate him pretty frequently..

"Yo, we did it, Don." Mikey gestured happily when his brother approached. Donnie flashed him an unamused look. "We caught the Kirby Bat-" 

Donnie cut off his mocking growl to elbow him in the stomach, to which the youngest whined in pain. "Mikey.." Came his warning mutter. 

"Dad!" April cried in what sounded to be relief, now that he was in one place. She ran up to the cage, quick to reach in between the bars and reach for his head, giving him a comforting pat on the head. Leo watched on thoughtfully. He seemed much calmer when April was around, or at least when the turtles weren't trying to hit him for getting too close. He was still unstable in this state of being, he could harm her and the turtles without meaning to. It was only a precautionary measure. Yes, this was April's dad, but he was still a mutant.

The young girl turned to the turtles. Distress was written all over her features, her eyebrows pinched together, and mouth twisted in a deep frown. Leo would care if he didn't dislike her so much. 

"What are we gonna do with him?" Asked April. "I mean- keep him caged forever? Feed him a steady diet of mice and flies?" 

"Actually, bats love moths and spiders too so-" Donnie quickly shut up when April let out a small gasp, her face twisting ever further. "..Sorry.."

April sighed sadly, looking to the floor. "This is all my fault.. if I hadn't lied to dad-"

"Listen, don't blame yourself, April." Mikey started, walking over to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Leo hadn't thought much of it,

Until he kept talking.

Mikey continued on with this chill persona, placing his hands on his chest in acceptance. "It was our fault, we spilled the mutagen, we'll fix it."

At this point all of his brothers were waving their hands from behind April to get up to stop talking- to shut the ever loving fuck up. Leo knew if he could, Raph would suplex the shit out of him right here and now.

"What?" April turned to him in shock. Leo only smacked a hand over his own face in exasperation. This was about to be a problem..

"You guys spilled.. The mutagen?"

"Yeah, we accidentally unleashed all that mutagen all over the city." Mikey stated, continuing on as if he couldn't fucking see his brothers telling him to shut up. "But, don't worry. We'll get it back."

This was the one time where "honesty is the best policy" should not have been used.

Leo let out the heaviest sigh possible, knowing the way April looked back at them would spell nothing but trouble. 

"You.." April began, angry with disbelief. Her eyes locked onto Leo, and he couldn't hold back the scoff he let out, looking away. "YOU.." She said more intensely, pointing a finger at him specifically. Donnie tried to mediate the situation. "I.. swear.. by Darwin's beard, we'll cure him!" He said, but she didn't listen. Mr. O'Neil grew more and more distressed as she did, his hissing growing louder in volume. 

Raph swallowed and took a step to the side, while Leo grinded his teeth behind closed lips. "Okay, and why are you pointing at me?"  The eldest turtle damn near sneered. 

"You MUTATED my father!" April yelled, and as she did so, Mr. O'Neil exploded from the stress, tearing his arms through the ceiling of the cage. "What- NO!" April cried out when the new mutant ascended out of the cage's hold, immediately attempting to find an exit. Leo clicked his teeth as he and his brothers readied their weapons. Mr. O'Neil swooped down, wings spread wide while the turtles and April dodged the attack.

The mutant circled back around to have another go at her, seeming to attempt another steal as he had before, but Donnie was there this time to make sure he couldn't. He leapt into action, swinging his bo staff straight at his head, knocking him off course. That was enough to get him to fly away, of course, with his daughter screaming out after him. They lost him. Again. Leo thought Donnie would have made the cage out of better material.. Either that or Mr. O'Neil was just that strong..

The group watched him fly away into the night, helpless to stop him. April whipped her head around, and Leo's brothers looked down in shame. Leo looked off to the side. Yes, it was partially their fault. In fact he could almost say it was all their fault, but April's acting like they did it on purpose.

"You must have wanted this.." The human girl started, her tone dangerously low. The brothers looked at her in surprised, then moved back when they saw the target for her venomous words. Leonardo himself.

"What?" Leo scoffed the word, even smiling a little in incredulity. "There's no way you're saying I coordinated this effort to mutate your father."

"You already don't like me!" April pointed an accusing finger once more. "You already act like you don't want me here, and because of this stupid ability I have, I'm forced to be around you for my own safety. You must have done this to get back at me!"

"Get back at you for what?!" Leo yelled back. He could see Mikey shrink into his shell a little from his volume. "Sure, you're nothing but a hinderance to our plans, a liability to our team, and a distraction for Donnie, but I would never add another mutant to the city's streets just because I dislike you." 

Leo's expression was ice cold. April looked as if she could pop a blood vessel, and his brothers had no idea what the hell to do. They shouldn't do anything, in Leo's opinion. At this point, April was more a danger than she was a help to this team. 

"Look, Leo-" Raph tried to speak up, but Leo gave him that look, and he shut right up. 

Donnie tried his best to pacify the situation, reaching out a shaky hand, but April immediately jerked back, visibly bristling. "DON'T. Don't touch me. You keep away from me." She spat. "I never want to see your faces ever again." 

With that, she sped off, out of the warehouse, what Donnie would've thought of as out of their lives. 

"April..!" Donnie called out, but Raph put a hand on his shoulders, muttering something about letting her go. 

Leo simply turned on his heels to make his way back to the lair. HIs brothers would follow, now, or eventually later.

Chapter Text

"They found me.." 

The newfound detective "Kurtzman" spoke with worry while three kraangdroids bursted into the already cramped apartment. The turtles and April formed a defensive ring around the man, readying their weapons. 

"I don't know how, but they found me!"

"Kraang," The rightmost kraangdroid started. "The one known as Kurtzman has aligned himself with the ones called the turtles, who are turtles." It said, their blasters drawn as well. The leftmost kraangdroid followed up that thought. "Observe, Kraang, disintegrate first, capture for interrogation later." 

And all hell broke loose. 

The group scattered as the blasters rained their lethal fire inside the apartment. Raph chose to do what he always does, and that was charge head on. He slid over the coffee table, letting out a battle cry while leaping feet in the air at the isolated kraangdroid. He took a hold of its arms, almost gripping tight enough to tear through the fabric as they both struggled for dominance. It would be a well tactic for a friendly wrestling match. The kraangdroid managed to push Raph against the wall, earning a grunt from the turtle. His eyes scattered along his surroundings for an object to use, something in his environment. He settled on kicking its leg in, then its torso. When he got it off balance, he threw it against the wall, harsh enough to leave a crack in the cement behind. One down.

Mikey cried out in terror as plasma bullets whizzed past him every second, curling up on the couch, then on the coffee table, eventually scattering away to the opposite end of the apartment, throwing ninja stars as he clumsily threw himself over and behind the sizzling, dark green love seat, though he managed to hit his attacker.

More kraangdroids began to file in, taking advantage of the turtles' busyness to hunt for the ones more important to them.

April crawled out from her hiding place beside the holey couch, only to look up and see one of the enemies standing above her. Before she was able to react, Donnie swooped in like the hero he always wanted to feel like he was. 

Aye, Leo wouldn't knock him for it.

With a cry, the genius swatted away the kraangdroid with his bo staff, holding out a hand in an eager, friendly gesture. "I'll protect you, April!" 

Sure the line was cheesy, borderline cringe, but it was cute enough.

"Protect yourself!" April spat rather aggressively toward him. 

He slumped over and frowned with a dejected whimper.

But, as she was so eager to tell someone more trained than she, the girl watched while the others defended themselves, slicing and dicing away at each kraangdroid that came at them. Eventually she found herself alone, with more kraang piling into the doorway.

She held up her tanto blade, attempting to block the shots fired by the kraang, but it only burned her hand. Soon, she was face to face with a blaster ready to end her, and she braced.

But of course, as per usual, it never came.

Leo swiped his sword, effortlessly cutting the disgusting robot in half. He scoffed, spitting a "protect yourself" in a mocking tone while shooting her a glare. "You should take your own advice. Takes a little practice, April." 

He was absolutely right about her being a liability.

Chapter Text

"You're not just a mutant, Donnie.. You're my mutant."

Leo could hear the interaction all the way from his rocking chair on the porch. He may have been drastically injured in the fight against the entire foot clan and The Shredder, but his ear holes could still work. It wasn't the first time April's kissed Donnie, after time and time again leaving him confused, emotionally vulnerable, hurt. Something as solid as "my mutant" will be replaying in his little brother's head for days. His blood boiled as he watched the girl walk off like she didn't just change Donnie's entire life, and as his brother damn there fell over from his shock, and very visible happiness.

"Leo-!" Raph's voice rooted him to his seat before he could get up. He still felt too weak to get into anything anyway. The blue clad leader's heated glare transferred over to Raph, who held his hands up in surrender. 

"Woah, what's up with you? You look like you're ready to massacre.." The hothead commented. Leo sighed heavily, gripping his crutch tightly at his side. He didn't answer at first. Instead, he looked along the field, Donatello floating above the grass, entirely love struck. He scoffed. "I'm sure you can guess."

It was already hard enough, reeling from a three month coma, having to get used to the feel and sound of his new voice due to his numerous injuries, restrengthening his muscles. It was all a lot already, but having to be in the same damn building as April 24/7 because of the stupid kraang invasion. Not only that, but they're all stuck together, meaning April gets more chances to fuck around with Donnie. As presented before him not even ten minutes ago.

"Wh.. Is this about April?" Raph had settled against the door frame, one leg propped under his butt, and his arms crossed. Leo noticed the pensive expression his brother shot him. "I know you don't agree with the shit she does, but do you really have to hate her?"

"I don't hate her. Hating takes too much energy. Hate does nothing but blind you." Leo sneered in response. He always was the one who took most of Splinter's advice and internalized it. "I simply dislike her. A lot."

"Well with all this training, she's not exactly useless anymore-"

"But what about Donnie?"

Raph cocked his head, surprised. The two made eye contact, and the look in Leo's eyes made him itchy. The eldest repeated his question. "What about Donnie."

"What about him?" Raph scoffed. "That big lug is so smart, but if he can't see he's never gonna get with her, that's his problem."

"April is in our circle, Raph. There is too much going on right now to let this insanity continue. He's gonna get his feelings hurt, and next thing you know, someone's getting physically hurt." Leo went on, his right hand clutching onto the crutch a little too tightly. His finger nails caused the outer layer to splinter. 

Raph snurked under his breath, looking at Leo from the side of his face. "You mean like you're gonna hurt her or-"

"I'm serious, Raph." Leo sighed wearily. Great, this is just the kind of stress he needed after being out of commission for three months. Who knew what she did to him in that time period? Everyone but him, apparently. Raph's half smile fell momentarily. Leo wasn't sure if it was because he got what he meant, or something else. Maybe he'd finally understand..

"Genius, six o'clock." 

The leader peered back over the field, almost wincing in his seat when he noticed how close Donnie was damn there sauntering to the staircase. "Heyyy Raph, hey Leo.." The tallest of the brothers clumsily made his way onto the porch. His tone was elated, slurred almost. He was on cloud nine. 

"Donnie.." Leo started, quickly grabbing his hand before he could continue. 

"What's up Leo?" The turtle in question smiled brightly. If sparkles could fly spontaneously off of someone's face, it'd be happening with Donnie's right now. Leo swallowed nervously. He wanted to shut it down, on him he wanted to shut this entire love triangle fiasco down. Even with how happy Donnie was when he got his kisses or hugs. He knew it wouldn't last long. He knew it certainly wouldn't be too soon for April to give him the cold shoulder once again, leaving him hurt. Embarrassed. Heartbroken.

He paused..

"..Try to keep your eyes open when you're walking up the stairs." 

Chapter Text

What the hell..

Leo stared in pure horror as particles of his brother dispersed among the rainy wind. Without Donnie obscuring his vision, he could see April hovering in the sky, clearly the source for the chaotic weather. The aura, the glowing white eyes, the levitating hair.. It was demonic. At first, the outbursts were a minor inconvenience, even a little annoying, borderline creepy, but now, Donnie is..

What the hell??? 

The Terrapin had no idea if he was looking at this whole situation correctly. Maybe Donnie didn't just get literally reduced to atoms. Maybe it was a joke. Maybe it was a nightmare- there was just no way this shit could be real. 

"Donnie.." Leo whispered, mostly to himself, as if his brother would hear him- appear in front of him, reassure him everything's alright, Leo, it was just a prank. 

The leader could hear the strangled cry of their usually hot headed brother to his left, nearly drowned out by the heavy pattering of the rainstorm. His hands shook as he squeezed his fingers around his katanas, feeling multiple pops in his joints, and the discomfort of straining his phalanges. He wallowed in denial, even as that familiar purple mask drifted down towards them, that being the only thing left of him. Of his existence. He caught it in his hand and stared at it. He stared for a long moment. 

"Leo.." Raph's voice cut through the baffled, disbelieving silence. It shook, something Raph would usually kick himself for. "What.. just happened?"  He asked. Leo didn't know for sure what the fuck just happened, but he knew it did something to Donnie. Something.. unthinkable. Leo collapsed onto the concrete rooftop, his knee pads colliding harshly with the surface in a way that rattled his body. "Is Donnie.." Mikey's voice started up, small, unsure. ".. Is he gone?" 

"What the hell did she do ta him?!" Raph boomed angrily. "Poor Donnie.." Casey murmured. The three standing by began to circle the leader. Each of their comments and cries of confusion fell on deaf ears while Leo continued to stare at the purple bandana, as if that alone would make Donnie materialize into his arms. 

He already didn't like her.. to hell if this wasn't even her. If she weren't here this wouldn't have happened. 

The three bodies around him fell silent as he rose from the ground, smooth and thoughtful. He tied Donnie's bandana to the hilt of his sword, to keep it safe, then turned in the direction April left in. They had to find her. Then, they make her fix this.

"We track her down." Leo said. He noticed Raph stiffen in his peripheral. Whenever his voice dropped like this, the others, Raphael especially, knew Leo wasn't playing any games. Oh, it's on now. "When we find her, by any means we make her undo what she just did."

"Leo-" Mikey started, but Leo snapped his fucking neck to look at him. The color of his eyes were gone, a sheen white. The intensity of the look stopped the youngest from breathing almost.

"By any means."

It didn't take long for the group to track April down. She had stopped in and alley way to give punishment to some purple dragons attempting to rob an old lady. He'd care if the circumstances weren't what they are. While he approached her from behind, silently, Raph, Casey, and Mikey rounded the front, just feet away from where Hun was thrown into a car. If they never had to worry about him again, it would be too soon. 

"April!" Mikey called out, the being that what once was April O'Neil coming to his attention. "You gotta stop bro! This isn't right!"

Leo watched their baby brother try to reason with her. He was still shaken. The image was surely still fresh in his mind. 

"Do not stand in my way," The entity spoke, holding out a hand in warning. "Or you will be cleansed, just as Donatello was." 

Leo's eye twitched as she so casually poured more salt in the wound. Cleansed? As in cleansing the Earth? If she's trying to "make the world a better place" by taking the bad out of it, she just contradicted herself. Donnie was one of the brightest minds on the planet, and with age he'd probably be even better than Einstein. He could fucking solve climate change singlehandedly, maybe, yet she just took him. She doesn't even make any fucking sense. 

It seemed like April was still in there to some degree, though. She was still fighting, sadly enough, as evidence of her struggle against Za-Naron or whoever the fuck was in that damn crystal. Leo honestly couldn't care. 

"We have to stop her." He declared. "W-What if April is still in there?" Casey immediately argued, and the snarl on Raph's face showed he wasn't listening. "Are you kidding?" The red turtle shot back, sais gripped tightly in hand. "That is not April. We have no choice. We take her down. We need to do what we gotta do." 

Leo agreed with his sentiment, as much as Casey looked he wanted to turn the other way. 

As she lowered to the ground, Raph didn't give her a chance to think before he charged her, managing to grapple her shoulders and hold her arms close to her person. She yelled out in anger as he turned around, looking to Mikey, who was the closest, weapon ready in hand. "Do it! C'mon!" He called out, but his little brother only shook, doubt written all over his features. "I can't!" He cried. "I can't hurt her!" 

Leo wouldn't take the moment of weakness though. He launched himself over the youngest, ready- BEYOND ready, to deal the killing blow with his katana. Clearly she was more powerful than he fully anticipated. A burst of energy fleeted from her form, knocking Leo away and lifting Raph into the air. Leo rolled skillfully to reclaim his footing, growling as the easy ticket was snatched away from him. He looked up just to see his brother crying in pain as the demon got its hold on him, leaving him eagle spread, and seeming to be trying to tear his limbs away from his body. He could hear the popping joints and sickening rips of tendons at a point just from where he stood. It was horrible, gut wrenching. And she was about to take another brother. 

He thought quick, snatching a chain from his belt to wrap around her. Thankfully, Mikey got the memo to imitate his action, and they both got their knots on snug. The pulled her back, slamming a foot on the chain to limit her reach. It was successful in distracting her, and allowed their brother to fall from the air, whom Casey quickly caught and held after hitting a car on the way down.

What were they supposed to do? He couldn't reach her from here. He couldn't accurately throw a blade while restraining her, and no one else had the guts to end her but him. He wanted to hurt her. To make her pay for what happened to his brother. Whether he was thinking about April or Za-Naron was up for debate. Right now they were one in the same for him. He was about to try something reckless, something that could get him killed, until Casey started talking. 

"We know you're in there, Red!" He exclaimed, and at his words Leo knew the route they were gonna take. To try and reach her. He himself was too blinded by rage and hatred to contribute anything meaningful. He knew it was a flaw. It was him not thinking straight. but what should he care? She took his brother. 

"We're your family!" Mikey added on. If there was anyone who wanted to solve this passively the most, it was Mikey. He didn't want to hurt her. And Leo knew he didn't like it when he and April had their arguments and their dangerous moments. He knew he didn't like the fighting. But he didn't understand. "Remember who you are! You're April O'Neil! Remember everything-" Mikey stopped with a strain grunt to pull at the chain some more. "Everything we've been through together!"

"Yeah!" Casey continued. "L-Like that time we fought that mutagen man! And our dope missions in space!" 

"And Master Splinter.. And pizza parties.. And Ice cream kitty..!" Mikey's voice took on a more somber, softer tone than before. Leo could see the tears building in his eyes, the tremble in his hands having not died down ever since they were on that rooftop with Donnie. 

Leo had been grasping at straws for a reason to hurt her. He had all the reason to hate her, in his opinion, but to end her? It was fleeting. It almost seemed to be getting to her until she rejected it. Another burst of energy, and she destroyed the chains entirely, launching Leo and Mikey yards away. The concrete burned as he skidded across it, and he fought to gather his bearings. He looked to his left. Mikey was already sitting up. Good, he was okay. He got up after, only to watch her go for Raph again. He wanted to vomit at the familiar blue glow that came from him. The same glow that disintegrated Donnie. 

Even through the pain, Raph managed to say his piece, to lodge a thought into her brain that would take. "Remember.. Donnie!" 

She hesitated, stopped, even. Everything stopped for five seconds that felt like five years. Leo wanted to take his chance, and he was about to, when she hollered and dropped him. It must be working.. She gripped at her head and shook it, and he and the others watched in anticipation as she scrambled at herself. A few moments later and she was pulling on the crystal. She pulled and struggled until it came free, and even further, she threw it onto the ground, shattering it to pieces. 

Leo didn't know exactly what happened after that. Something came out of her.. like a spirit fleeting a body. April fell over, but the thing continued to rise into the air until it.. materialized. It came to be one of the creatures they were battling on that alien planet long ago, the one that made them argue aimlessly and housed bat looking creatures. She spat some nonsense, some shit about being able to have all the power of the world. Relative evil spiel, but then it hit him.

This thing caused all of this. 

It swooped down and rushed towards April, and it seemed she was gonna defend herself, but Leo was quicker. He sped forward, launching off of a car to bring his sword down from the air. It didn't even have a chance to react before he beheaded it. He could feel the air stop once she was down, and he landed on one knee. He heard the thump of the body against the ground, then stood. The sharp look in his eyes never left, so April was reasonable to back away from him when he caught it. 

"Red!" Casey called, pulling her away from him. "Is that really you?" He approached, supporting Raph by the arm, who wouldn't look at her. She nodded. "Yeah." Her expression soured suddenly. "Oh, but Donnie.." Her voice stressed, and she looked at her hands. "What have I done?" 

"It's not your fault, April.." Mikey muttered somberly. Leo had half a mind to tear into her right then, right there. Easily, to say some of the most hurtful things he could think of. To really beat into her skull that he did, in fact, think it was all her fault. 

But he didn't.

"But it is!"

Oh, okay, thank goodness she understood then. 

"It was all me in a way.. if only.." She stopped, and a gasp left her. Leo bit back a sigh at whatever she was seeing now. Whatever would hurt his brothers again, she needed to leave it.

"Donnie's not gone!"

The exclamation had everyone buzzing in confusion, even more so when she hopped up to rush over to something shiny on the ground. He trailed loosely behind, while Mikey ran after her. "He wasn't really destroyed," She said once they gathered around her, holding.. something in her hands. Looked like pixie dust or something. "Just molecularly scattered."

With that, she held up her hand, like she was summoning something. Hope welled in Leo's chest, and the sky seemed to fill with similar looking particles, all converging mid air some way from them. It wasn't long until it took shape, a rather familiar one at that. Eventually, it was unmistakable. Donnie, their brother, formed above, then lowered to the ground. He was clearly disoriented, attempting to regain his footing and looking over his body like he was aware of what happened to him to a degree. 

"Donnie!" April cried with joy as she raced to the turtle, and embraced him in a hug. He didn't.. necessarily hug back, however. Leo's eyes widened at the sight. Mikey's jaw dropped. He didn't reciprocate. He didn't hug her back. If she wanted to question it, she didn't get to, since right after she let go she passed out.

They brought her to the lair after that. After Donnie did his best to patch up what he could of Donnie, they converged in the loft area, waiting for her to awaken. "April?" Leo heard his Master Splinter's voice call, once, then twice. He didn't look when she jostled from her sleep, and sat up on the couch. The others, more notably Casey, perked up at her coming back to consciousness. 

When he did look, he definitely could see the remorse in her face. She couldn't hold the gaze for long, looking down to her knees in shame. "I'm so sorry. I guess I should've listened to you about the crystal. Especially you, Donnie."

"You think?" Leo mumbled under his breath. He promptly received a nudge from Mikey. He'd hold his tongue for now. 

She paused, discomfort twisting onto her face. "I'm sorry.. for.."

"For what?" Donnie started casually, looking pensive. "Reducing me to a quantum smear? Yeah, still feel kinda wacked outta my head but.. I'll be fine." 

"I am impressed, April." Splinter said calmly. "You literally destroyed your demons." 

"She almost destroyed all of us." Raph piped up. Leo hummed in agreement. "And what about your powers?" He asked her. He could see clearly now, he could think clearly. Unlike before when he was almost literally seeing red. "Should we have to worry about something like this happening again?" 

His tone was accusatory, and she knew that. She gingerly held her wrist, and responded accordingly. "My powers were always a part of me.." She said. "I can't harness the power of the Aons anymore, but I can control my powers better."

"Good." Was all Leo had left to say. 

As if to solidify her point, she held out a hand. Everyone jumped, Raph painfully so since moving too fast had him wincing, and Leo grabbed at his sword on pure instinct. They relaxed when they saw she was just calling her blade to her hand.

Bad timing, Leo would say, but there was a change today. A change he could get behind.