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Raph had told Mikey that going above the manhole cover to their home was a bad idea, but Mikey couldn't believe it. A whole other world with cool people and even better food being a bad idea? No no no, that just wasn’t true. And he’d prove it to his big brother. But not by himself, that was crazy talk. No he’d take Donnie, cause Donnie wanted to go up and look for stuff in the human trash anyway. So that’s why the two kiddos were perusing through human garbage at around six in the evening, looking for some cool stuff. They had been at it for a while, and Mikey was getting tired. The five year old had wanted to go explore, but his brother was telling him it would be better to stay close to the manhole so they could get back to the lair. Which was boring!
It didn’t take long after that for Raph and Leo to realize they weren’t home, and Mikey hadn’t even got to do anything fun! He was sitting on top of Donnie’s ‘Take Back Home’ stack as Donnie went through the fifth bag when Leo’s little head popped up from the small cover.
“Oh Raph! Here they are!” He called down below him. Mikey looked at Donnie in shock and worry.
He jumped up off the pile and tried to run out of the alley way, but Donnie grabbed him by the hood of his jacket, and picked him up off the ground.
“Where are you even gonna go Angelo?” He asked with a shake of his head, “You’ll get lost. We gotta stay close to this alleyway.
“But they’re gonna make us go back home!” Mikey whined as he wiggled as hard as he could, kicking his feet to be free of the hold Donnie had.
“But home is safe.” Donnie countered, his eyes still on the pile of things he was collecting.
“Home is boring!” Mikey pourted, crossing his arms.
Donnie smiled as his brother’s display, and was about to let him down when Leo climbed out of the hole and Raph poked his head out.
“Mikey we’ve been looking all over for ya!” Raph said with a shake of his head as he crossed his arms. “I already told ya that the outside's dangerous!”
Mikey looked away from Raph with a pout, looking down the street. Raph was only seven, it wasn’t like he knew everything! Splinter had to get food somehow, and get their clothes, so it couldn’t be all bad. As he was stewing over how unfair it was, he noticed two pretty big black dogs on the sidewalk about two blocks down. He would go pet them, but they seemed kinda angry, barking at whoever came near.
“Hey Raphie.” He said, turning back to his brother who was on a full rant.
“What if you couldn’t find your way back? Or if someone saw you! Or if it got dark and you got scared?” He asked, counting on his fingers until he had none left. “It’s a bad idea Mikey!”
He looked from Raph back to the dogs who were getting closer. Maybe Mikey was looking too much into it, there was no reason for those dogs to come over here right? Besides, they probably had a doggie home they had to get back to. It was getting pretty dark.
Raph was still ranting angrily to him, and Mikey couldn’t bring himself to interrupt with his brother on such a roll. He’d probably be more upset if Mikey interrupted him since they left without telling. Was the dog story important enough to interrupt?
The dogs were getting even closer than before, they were almost at the corner of the alleyway. Now it was important enough to tell Raph.
“Raph!” He screamed, causing all his brothers to stop and look at him in confusion.
He blinked a few times at the silence, then slowly pointed to the dogs, “Puppies.”
The three turned their heads from Mikey to the dogs, which were bigger than all four of them. The turtles blinked at the large dogs as Mikey waved at them. He really wanted to pet them, but Donnie still hadn’t let him down, so he could only wave from a distance. The dogs were big and black, Mikey didn’t know types of breeds but they both had a wide skull, spooky looking jaws and a muscular, stocky body. The one on the left started to growl, and Donnie pulled Mikey closer to him as the both of them got behind Raph.
The alleyway they were in had an exit on both ends, one the dogs were blocking the one the boys had their backs to. The best course of action would be to get back in the hole, but the dogs had moved pretty quick, and were now in front of their escape, so the boys were running out of options. Mikey wished Donnie would put him down, so he could calm down the puppies and they could be on their way, but all the others were doing was taking more and more steps back! How was that going to help?
Raph had several thoughts flooding his head. But he still didn’t know what to do. He could try and fight the dogs off long enough to get inside to the lair, but could he be sure that Mikey would actually go in it? And could he fight the dogs off long enough? Plus what if he hurt one of the dogs, he didn’t want to do that! And if they caused too much noise they’d attract more attention, and it’d be even harder to get home! But… if they ran around the dogs in one big circle then they could get in the hole before the dogs came around the corner! Yes! This was why pops put Raph in charge.
“Okay.” He said quietly. All his brothers were behind him, and he had his arms out to keep them back in case the dogs charged. Mikey squirmed out of Donnie’s grasp and climbed up Raph’s shoulders, and he nodded as he grabbed both Leo and Donnie by the shell, well Donnie’s pillow case shell he had over his shell, and bolted the other direction.
Mikey cried for them to stay, but it was too late as Raph kept running, taking a right turn once and running as fast as he could. Leo seemed to have the same idea as he squirmed out of Raph’s hands and started to pick up the pace running faster than Raph. They took another right turn but Leo let out scream as he turned the corner. It seemed the dogs had cut them off and Leo fumbled to get away, turning on his heels and turned to the right, directly towards a sidewalk and street! What if he was seen? Thinking quickly Raph grabbed Leo by his blue shirt and pulled him back as they turned left. Which was a problem as now Raph had no idea where they were going.
With the sun setting and lights turning on it was only a matter of time before they took the wrong turn. Leo led the group and since Raph didn't want them to get separated he was left with little choice but to follow his younger brother through the twists and turns of the back alleys of New York.
“You keep track of the turns!” Leo told Donnie after the first turn. “That way we can go back the way we came!”
And to his credit Donnie did try. But he kept squinting into the dark, and after the fifth turn no one knew where they were or where they were going. Up until their last turn led them to a dead end, with two dogs still running behind them.
April was the bravest seven year old alive, at least that's what her mom told her. And moms didn't lie that much so April believed her! That's why she explored the neighborhood! She'd track down the frogs and put them in more grassy areas, and shoo away the pesky weeds trying to get into her little garden. April O'Neil, the last line of defense for all the creatures and critters in this big ol' city!
That was why she was rounding the corner on the two big pit bulls barking in a back alley with her hair pulled up into two ponytails and her big square glasses. She had on green rain boots and her long yellow hoodie since it had rained yesterday and the grounds were soggy. She really wanted to spend the day finding frogs and worms, but the two puppies were causing problems in her neighborhood and she couldn’t have that! She called them Fido and Roar, mainly because they barked all the time. They weren't super scary and they had never attacked April, but they did like to chase cats. But not on April's watch!
She rounded the corner of the alley, taking two trash can lids with her. Seeing both of the dogs facing away from her she banged the lids together making as much noise as possible.
“Leave the kitty alone!!” She cried, as the dogs turned their attention to her. “APRIL O'NEIL!!”
The dogs raced past her and she threw a trash can lid at them for good measure, not that it hit them. It bounced a few feet short, but the sound was still loud. She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at them with a firm nod. So what if people on the sidewalk thought she looked weird, she was saving a cat!
“Don't worry kitty cat!” She told the shaking silhouettes in the back of the alley.
She couldn't see them very well but there was definitely more than one and they definitely weren't cats. She tilted her head slightly in confusion as she tried to get a better look. There were four… creatures in the alleway. They were all color coordinated, the big one in the middle in all red with a helmet and a jersey, and he had his arms out hiding the other three behind him. There was a blue one, hiding behind the red one’s right arm with a blue jersey on, a purple one on the other side with a purple hoodie and one on top of the big one wearing an orange hoodie. They all also had masks of the same color on, and they all were staring at her.
“Oh… hi!” She said, giving them a wave as they stayed silent.
She turned back to where the dogs had been, then turned to the four, “Were you scared of Fido and Roar?” April pointed a finger towards the dogs, then waved her hand as if they were not a big deal, “You don’t have to worry about them, they just like to yell but they won’t hurt ya!”
Taking a step towards them she saw the red one flatten himself further up the wall. They all looked pretty young. Then it hit April.
“You’re babies!” She cried, pointing a finger at them, “You’re all itty bitty! Like a little frog!”
The purple one crossed his arms, “We’re turtles.”
The red one glared at him and shushed him, but it was too late.
“AND YOU TALK?” April asked in excitement as she put her hands up to her face with wide eyes. “Oh my gosh you guys are like the cutest turtles ever!!”
Red guy glared and growled a little at her, and April looked at him with a frown. She put her hands on her hips as she walked up to him. The growl immediately stopped as all four of the turtles back up as April and the big red one stood toe to toe. April put a finger on his chest and poked him.
“Stop that!”
He blinked a few times at her, but stopped growling. April grinned and held out her hand. “I’m April. April O’Neil! Whatcha doing out so late? Mom gets worried when I’m gone this long.”
The orange one, who had been silent this whole time, began to sniffle before he fully began to cry.
“We’re lost!” He cried as he hid on the red guy's shoulders.
“Oh no!” April gasped, reaching her hands out for the orange one, even the others didn’t seem to like that very much.
Even with their bad looks, the orange one leaned over and fell into April’s arms. She held him tightly and rubbed his back… or well his shell. That’s what her mom did when she felt sad, so she was hoping he’d feel better too.
“Don’t worry!” She told him, “I can get you guys back home!”
The purple one stuck his hand out from behind the red, “You can?”
“Yea if you tell me where you live I can get you all back there.” April told him with a nod, “But only if you tell me your names!”
They all side eyed each other, as if discussing with their mind. The orange one in her arms looked up at her, “My name's Mikey.”
“Hi Mikey!” April said with a wide grin, she moved back a few inches away so she could sling the backpack she had taken with her off her shoulder. “Do you want a sticker? I’ve got a few.”
Mikey seemed to perk up at that as she pulled out a few different stickers. She had all the good stuff, scratch and sniff, neon, cute little animals, and glow in the dark. In the end he settled on a neon blue lighting sticker that he put on the lower left side of his shell.
“I have more at my house. I can bring you some.” April said with a wide grin.
The next one to approach her was the blue one, who slipped out under the big red one’s arm.
“I’m Leo.” He told her as he put his fingers on his heart in a very elegant manner.
“Pleased to me you!” April said with a grin as she gave him a bow. He grinned and bowed back to her.
After a few more moments April decided the other two would be harder to crack, so she’d have to get them later.
“Well those two pups don’t go super far out of my neighborhood, so if you tell me where you live I can probably get you back there.
The purple one crossed his arms at her, “We live in the sewer.”
April gave him a confused look, then turned to Leo and Mikey, “For real? You live down there?”
Mikey nodded and grinned at her. April put a finger to her chin as she thought about it. That was gonna be harder than she thought.
“How do ya get in?” She asked, looking at the red one in the middle.
He blinked a few times and stayed silent.
“Like into your house? How do you get into the sewer?” She asked him.
“Well uh…” The red one started. “W…we're not supposed to talk to strangers.”
April nodded at that, that was very important her mom told her that too!
“Right! But I'm not a stranger! I'm April! Remember?” She told him with a wide grin.
He seemed to think it over before slowly looking back up at her. He must be the oldest cause he was trying to look tough. But April knew he was scared too. It was scary to be in a place you didn't know, especially when it was getting dark out! But that's why April showed up. To help them!
He put his fingers together and nervously messed with his hands. “There's a little hole that we use. It's got a lid but… we took the lid off.”
“Perfect!” April cried as she stood up. “That's a great place to start. Onward new friends! To adventure!!”
She pointed ahead of her and grinned as Mikey and Leo followed behind her, keeping up as she turned the corner. The other two were a little further back, and as April took a better look at the purple one she had an idea why.
“Hey!” April yelled at him, getting his attention. “Why are you squinting at me like that?”
“I'm not squinting!” He snapped back, crossing his arms.
“Are too!”
“Are not!”
“Are too!” She said louder. “Do your eyes hurt?”
He looked down and didn't meet her eyes as he muttered something under his breath.
“It's okay!” April told him as she stopped walking.
Leo and Mikey groaned as they bumped into her, but she didn't let it stop her as she swung her backpack over her shoulder again.
“I keep losing my glasses.” She told him as she dug through her bag. “So mom makes me keep a spare.”
She pulled out a glasses case with a triumphant TA DA!! She opened the case to show a pair of red rimmed cat winged glasses. She went to hand them to him, but stopped halfway as she looked at him with a concentrated frown.
“No… not these.” She told him with a shake of her head. Taking off the black glasses on her nose she swapped them with the new glasses and handed the other pair to him. "These ones."
He stared at them for a bit, then rolled his eyes at her as he pointed to her ears.
“They won't stay.”
“Not with that attitude.” She told him as she pulled out two circle purple smiley face stickers and handed one over.
The turtle looked them over for a few seconds, before looking over to his brother, who shrugged and nodded.
The purple turtle went to put them on as April took a sticker and put it over the ear piece. After the first one she held her hand out for the other one she gave him, and he handed it over. “There! How’s that?”
He opened his eyes wider, then blinked a few times as he looked around, “Better.” He said simply, giving her a nod.
She gave a fist pump, then held out her hand for him, “Come on don’t wanna fall behind!”
He looked at it before slowly taking it as April brought her to the line with the others, the only one behind now was the big red one, who still looked pretty suspicious of her.
“Donnie.” The purple one said quietly.
“Huh?” April asked, turning back to him as they kept walking.
“My name is Donnie.” He told her, shrugging his shoulders, “Since you wanted to know.”
“Nice to meet you Donnie!” She told him with a grin, swinging his arm back and forth as he let out a small chuckle.
“I haven’t seen you out here before.” April said as she turned to Leo. Mikey grabbed her other hand and she was swinging them back and forth as they both giggled. “How come?”
“Normally we don’t go outside like this.” Leo told her as he jumped over Mikey. He jumped super high up and April watched in awe.
“How’d you do that? I can’t jump that high!” She told him with wide eyes.
“Dats cause… uh…” Leo turned and looked at the big turtle in the back. “Hey Raph can we tell her we’re ninjas?”
“YOU GUYS ARE NINJAS?” April screamed loudly, causing all the turtles to shush her. She giggled a let go of Donnie’s hand to put it over her mouth.
After walking a little bit longer April stopped and turned around to Raph, who was still walking behind the others.
“Hey Raph?”
He looked at her with a mixture of concern and distrust. But April got it now, he was worried about his brothers. And what if April was some kind of weirdo? That wouldn’t be good for them; they were all so tiny!
“Can I be a ninja?” She asked, grinning up at him.
“I don’t know.” He told her with a shrug, looking away from her, “Our dad’s teaching us how to be ninjas.”
She stuck her bottom lip out and gave her best pout, “Can you ask him for me? Pllleeeeaaaaaaaasssseeeee?”
Mikey and Leo joined on either side of her, mimicking her pout, while Donnie stayed behind her and gave a small nod to Raph.
“Uh… okay I can try.” He said, giving a soft smile as he shrugged. April could tell he still wasn’t sure, but that was okay. Raph looked like he was still worried about getting home, so he wasn’t gonna think about much else until they got there. Which was okay. If April was right they were getting closer to it anyway.
There were only two little holes around her neighborhood, mainly because her mom told her she could never go there. One on the far left, and one right by her house. Was she being a little biased because she wanted the turtles to be by her house so she was checking there first? Maybe. But hey, it was closer, so it was a smart first choice.
“So what do you do up here?” Leo asked as they continued walking.
“Hmm… I go to school most days. Learning a lot of things, like how to count and math and science and stuff.”
“Science?” Donnie asked, perking up as he tried to get closer.
“Uh huh.” April told him. “I’m in first grade now, so I’m even learning how to write!”
“Whoa really?” Mikey asked.
April nodded excitedly, “Mom even let me pick up a comic book from the store so I can read it! It’s about this really cool space guy named Jupiter Jim. He goes all over the place!”
“A space guy?” Leo looked really excited at that.
“Yea! Oh I know!” April said as she turned to Leo, “I’ll teach you to read and do math and stuff, and you teach me how to be a ninja!”
She turned to Raph with wide excited eyes. The four of them began to pout to Raph, and it seemed to finally crack at his armor.
“If… if Pops says she can.” Raph told his brothers as he put his hands up. But then he turned and glared at her, “Do you even know where you’re taking us?”
She put a hand to her heart and let out a gasp, absolutely offended. “Of course I do!” She cried to him.
“Of course she does!” Leo said, copying her moment right beside her.
“Just one more corner okay?” She said, turning down another corner to where she knew the manhole cover was. And she was right! Score for O’Neil! April did a happy fist pump in the air as the turtles all gasped in excitement.
“See!” She said turning to Raph, “Told you! And get this!!” She pointed to a window on the second story, “My house is right there! So I can come see you guys!!”
She saw the worried look on his face and backed down a little, looking down on her shoe, “I…if you want me to.”
He gave her a small smile as Mikey started to climb down the ladder, “I’ll talk to Pops for ya!”
April did another fist pump and a small happy dance. But as Donnie started to go down the ladder she got an idea as she smacked her head, “Oh wait! Leo!”
He turned to her and gave her a confused look, “Huh?”
She dug in her bag and pulled out her Jupiter Jim comic issue one comic, “Here!”
April handed the comic over to an incredibly excited Leo, “For you to practice with! And I can come read it with you later!”
Leo nodded excitedly as he opened the pages and ooh at all the pictures.
“He looks so cool! I can’t wait to show Dad!” He called as he danced happily in front of the ladder, waiting for Donnie to go down.
“Oh and and Raph!” She told him as she put a hand on his shoulder. “Can you wait for me? I gotta getcha something!”
He gave her a confused look, and she knew she needed to give him a reason or he might not do it.
“If you don’t wait I’ll come down there to find you!” She told him with a mischievous grin.
His eyes widened, “I’ll wait for you!”
April cheered and sprinted to her house, not bothering to say hi to any of her neighbors as she unlocked her door. Her mom wasn’t home yet, which was probably good! If her mom saw her she’d probably say something like ‘You shouldn’t be out so late April! You have school tomorrow! Did you pick up any more bugs and put them on our window sill?’ Which April just didn’t have time for. Rushing into her room she checked through the huge pile of stuffed animals and plushies she had gotten from birthdays and holidays, looking for the perfect one. Finally, she settled on a brown teddy bear that had already been loved a lot. It was perfect!
She double checked out her window to make sure before she left, and was thrilled to see Raph was still there, waiting for her as he swayed side to side. Making sure to lock the door behind her, and keep the key in her pocket and not in the lock, which she had never done before, April made her way back down to her new friend.
“Here!” April cried as she got close to him, holding out the bear in her hands as she grinned excitedly at him.
“W…what's this?” Raph asked as she ran up to him and the teddy was thrown in his hands.
“This is Captain Cuddle Cakes!” April said with a grin, “See he helped me a lot when I was scared…”
“Oh.” Raph said looking at him, then slowly turning to hand him back to April, “Then you need him.”
“Nuh uh!” She told him as she shook her head, “See, he’s here to help you when you’re scared. You’re the biggest brother right? You gotta keep everybody safe? I have to do that too with all the little bugs and animals. But I’ve got my mom and uh… maybe some new friends too. So you keep him, and he’ll keep you safe even when you’re trying to keep your brothers safe!”
Raph looked at the teddy and back up to April, who gave him a wide grin. “And I have even more!” She told him, “So if you need another one let me know okay?”
He gave her a real smile and pulled her into a hug as she giggled happily, “Okay! I can do that, April!”
She let out a happy laugh when he used her name and as he picked her up off her feet in the hug. He placed her down gently and hugged the teddy to his chest.
“See you tomorrow?” She asked as she waved him goodbye.
He looked down at the ladder and looked back up at her with a wide grin, “Yea! See you tomorrow!”