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Chapter Text

Alexandra Hamato stood by herself, her last safehouse destroyed by the red glaring lights and massive kraang machines. She hid behind one of the concrete pillars, mouth over her hand muffling her breath as the kraang monsters screamed behind her, sniffing and scouring through the rubble left of the building.

She slumped down, exhausted and tired. She had been fighting for so long alone sometimes she wondered if it was just better to let them win the last shred of hope she held close to her chest. She gripped Splinter's katana tighter and waited for them to discover her. Her father's sword and her sister's kamas were always with her. They were always with her reminding her to live.

She would not go down without fighting.

A strong blue light from the opposite direction of the Kraang's forces caught her attention. A swirling bright portal opened, a few hundred feet away from her. Kraang monsters growled at the light, alerting her that this was not from any Kraang tech, and well Splinter had always told her "The enemy of my enemy is an ally." Hope burned through her heart and in an instant she took off, sprinting to the portal hoping to reach it before it closed. Roars echoed behind her and she could feel the ground shake from the forces following her. Watching it slowly shrink she dove through just before it closed.

~

Leo wanted to test his current capabilities by creating as many portals as he could. Donnie and Raph stood to one side, recording how many he could create, while Mikey cheered him on.

Leo manages three small ones before Mikey places his hands on Leo's shoulders to jump higher while chanting his name. Donnie's machines pick up on a much stronger mystic energy than Leo had maintained earlier. Donnie looks at the beeping screen, almost missing the orange that swirled with Leo's trademark blue portal. They stop, looking at the curious new colored portal. "Uh, is it supposed to look like that?" Mikey lets go of Leo's shoulders and examine the blue swirling with orange stripes.

He screams, jumping back as a figure fell through the portal, closing behind it.

Raph was the first to take action, pulling Mikey behind him and taking a step in front of his brothers. The figure, no turtle, groaned rolling onto its back before making eye contact with Raph and screaming. The boys screamed back at them in fear? Attack? Confusion? There was a lot of screaming, okay?

"Okay. Okay! STOP SCREAMING!" Leo gets their attention.

"Who are you? Where am I?" The unknown turtle steps back into a fighting stance, a solid grip on its katana. The boys could see two other weapons on their belt, a rope dart and a pair of kamas. "I'm Leonardo. These are my brothers," He turned to point, "Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello," before turning back to the mystery turtle, "and you are in our home," He turns to his brothers arms outstretched with a 'can you believe this person?' energy, "mystery yokai who we do not know."

The turtle gave them all a once-over before sheathing the sword. "I'm Alexandra. I thought I was the last survivor. Where the hell have you guys been hiding?" Donnie spoke up, "Last survivor?" He stepped away from Raph's hovering older brother protectiveness. "Are there more people here?" Her voice cracked a bit. "Yeah, still not following. Survivors from what exactly?" Alex had a weird feeling run through her. "The Kraang." The boys looked at each other, clearly not recognizing what or who The Kraang is.

Alexandra stepped back nervously, "Where exactly am I?"

"New York?" Mikey chimed in, sensing her distress. Alex pulled out her rope dart, and before the boys could say cowabunga, she pulled herself to the higher levels of the giant domed area and opened the manhole cover.

The never sleeping bustling New York welcomed her into the night. Footsteps told her that she was followed by the other turtles. "What is this?" Donnie looked at her face searching for sarcasm or any sign that she wasn't just pulling their leg. He didn't respond and instead started typing on his wrist tablet. "New York." Mikey answered again. She laughed, "Yeah, when I was five. I..." She trailed off with one thought on her mind, 'I never thought I'd see my city so full of life again.' "How exactly did I get here? Did I time travel?"

"Not quite." Everyone turns to Donnie, who was still typing away at his screen. "It seems Mikey accidentally super-powered Leon's portal, strong enough to open to another dimension." The three brother's stare at Donnie, mouths wide open in shock. Leo grabbed Mikey's shoulders, "You know what this means?" Mikey nodded, "DIMENSIONAL DUO!" They cheered and jumped.

Raph stepped between the two, "I'd say don't go dimension jumping anytime soon though." They both started whining briefly until Raph cut them off, "Alexandra, said he was the last survivor of his world."

"Uh, she."

"Huh?"

"I'm a girl."

Raph blinks once, twice, before embarrassment crawls onto his face. Donnie and Leo start laughing at their older brother. Even Alexandra covers her mouth trying to not laugh at the snapper. Mikey also missed that fact, a dumbfounded look on his face, which causes Leo to only laugh louder at his reaction. He clasps a hand on his shoulder, trying to catch his breath, "Mikey, her name is Alexandra. The girl version of Alexander."

They all laughed, including their new friend.

The laughter dies out, leaving smiles on their faces. Alexandra glances out to the bright untouched city.

What now? Was this some sort of second chance? Could she really be that lucky? She briefly touching the kamas on her belt before turning to the other turtles, her mind made up in an instant.

"Tell me about this world." Alex sat down on the roof, the others following suit, and began telling her stories of all they'd begun to discover in the city. Tales of their adventures and powers and the hidden yokai.

Chapter Text

"Oops, April's texting. She got the pizza and we are being threatened to come back to the lair before she tells Splinter we snuck out." Raph's phone echoes a series of beeps back before he stands, the rest of the turtles following except Alex. She was very confused by two things, the first being Splinter existed in this universe? And the second was what the hell was that piece of tech Raphael was using?

"Alexandra? You good?" Donatello asks, moving towards the turtle and holding his hand out. She snaps out of it, taking his hand and pulling herself up, "Yeah. You can just call me Alex. Alexandra is kind of a mouthful and only my dad called me it." Her questions could wait until later, right now their family was waiting for them. "Then call me Dee, Don, Donnie, Donald, or any other variation of my name you see fit." Donatello spoke. Mikey elbowed his older brother with a smile on his face. "You can call any of us by our nicknames. I prefer Mikey." Raph raised his hand with a simple, "Raph." Leo smirked, hand stroking an imaginary beard, "The coolest ninja you've ever met- ouf! Alright fine! Leo's just fine." Leo glared at Donnie who turned his head and whistled innocently, making Alex laugh.

Mikey ran out ahead of them, flipping to the next rooftop, "Last one there is a loser!"

"Hey, no fair!" Leo is right behind him. Alex feeling excited and carefree for the first time in a while chases after them both.
The turtles dive down the manhole cover, falling down into the lair. Alex was the only one who stuck the landing and moved out of the way before Raph crashed onto them.

Mikey was the first to extract himself from the pile, grabbing Alex's hand and running to the kitchen, "Apriiiilllll!! Look at what we found!"

April turns around, "Whoa! Turtle Yokai!"

Alex tilted her head, "Leo called me that earlier. Is that what you guys call mutants?" Mikey's eyes lit up in excitement. "You're a mutant too?! Like us?!"

Alex took a step back from the bouncing turtle, "Yes?QuestionmarkIdon'treallyknow? I was originally just a sea turtle and I was mutated so... yes. But can we back up to 'what's the difference?' Please?" Mikey nodded, "Remember that hidden city we were telling you about and the crazy monsters we've been fighting? They've been around for hundreds of years and have been recently turning humans and animals into creatures like them. So the ones who weren't originally yokai are mutants!"
"That... doesn't seem good. Shouldn't we stop them?" Alex thought aloud, a frown on her face. Raph's voice joins them as he enters with Don and Leo following, "We need more of Big Mama's spider web goop, but she doesn't really like us." Don goes for the pizza, "Understatement of the year." Leo waves his arms, "She tried to kidnap us!"

Everyone grabs a slice of pizza so Alex copies them. She takes a hesitant bite of the gooey cheese. Her eyes lit up in stars, "What is this?!" Excitement laced in her voice as she eagerly takes another bite.
"You've never had pizza?" Leo asks incredulously.

Alex shakes her head, "I was on the run and hiding from the Kraang for nearly a year alone. I didn't really get to do much besides survive and fight back." She continues devouring the pizza, not noticing the rest of their sad faces at her explanation. A silent agreement that Alex would get to do everything she could not in the seemingly apocalyptic universe she came from. They could adopt her too, right? I mean they did the same with April.

Conversations picked up as April and Alex introduced themselves and shared. The teens all fell into a comfortable vibe together as they ate.

"Oh, Raph! I wanted to ask you something." Alex finishes her third slice.

Raph nearly finished with an entire box himself, froze, mouth full of pizza, and swallows before speaking, "What's up?" Alex pointed at his belt, "What was that beeping thing you were using to talk to April on the rooftop?" Raph pulls out his phone, "You mean this? It's a smartphone. You can send messages and calls to communicate with other people. It can do a lot more, but if you want Don could make you one or explain it better." Alex nodded eagerly. Raph handed the phone over to her as Don sat next to her, to show her how to work the touch screen.

"Whoa, this is way different than Kraang tech, or any old human tech I found." Donnie put a hand on his chin, "I guess that would make sense as most tech development would stop if the world was under invasion."

Mikey jumped in his seat, "We should have Alex join us in our maker's time! You could show her modern human tech and I could show her my art!" Alex was ecstatic at the idea, nodding her head eagerly.

"Well, what are we waiting for, Angelo? Let's go!" Donnie grabbed Alex's hand racing off. Alex Grabbed Mikey who grabbed a whole box of pizza despite the rest of the teens' protests.

Chapter Text

"Whoa..." Alex wandered into Donnie's lab, eyes wide taking in the incredible tech that surrounded the place. "I call dibs!" Mikey grabs Alex's hand and pulls her over to Mikey's workstation next to Donnie's. It wasn't that big, nor did it have all of it's usual supplies but because Mikey had his own space in the lair, with a similar mini set up for Dee.

Mikey leads Alex over to all of his supplies, showing her his current project. "Wanna help?" He smiled brightly at her. The drawing seemed much more complex than something she could accomplish, "I can just watch, I don't want to ruin it." Mikey pulls her seat closer, "There are only happy accidents in art."

He handed her some pencils and directed her to add whatever she thought fit, It was just a sketch so it didn't matter if they put something they didn't like because they could always take it out or cover it up. Alex added stars and patterns and swirls to the background at Mikey's encouragement.

Mikey glances over at her work, noting it's more flat and abstract but impressive nonetheless. He pauses a moment to admire all the patterns she made in the background of his piece. He notices her hand moving slower and more carefully as it starts to tremble. It gets harder to make the lines smooth as her hand shakes more and more though.

"Are you okay?" Mikey asks as Alex puts the pencil down, gripping her hands tightly together. "Yeah, I've had this forever. It's like when I need my hands to be still they shake so much." Her voice came out smaller than she intended. Alex pushes away memories of having to clean her older sister's wound with shaky hands.

Mikey frowns, slipping into his Dr. Feelings persona, placing a hand over hers, "It's alright to take a break and just breath. We've all gotten the shakes before. If you want, you could take your mind off of it by just watching me draw or listening to Donnie's science rambles." Donnie perked up from his computer, "I heard my name." Alex hesitated, glancing between them both.

"Cause I'm passing off Alex to you!" Mikey grinned, pushing her rolly chair over to Donnie. Donnie grabbed her chair and pulled her towards the desk, "Perfect timing! I'm almost done with her new phone! I'm just installing the same blockers on her phone as we do on all of our phones. Then of course comes adding our contacts. I can then begin explaining all the functions of her phone and-" Donnie continued to trail off, typing away at his computer. Alex glanced around his workspace grabbing a wad of tin foil that was poorly shaped in Donatello's likeness. Alex began molding it herself, constantly checking the actual Donnie next to her to make sure it was coming out right. With leftover foil on the desk, she used it to smooth out parts and add his goggles.

During that time Raph joins the group silently, book in hand, and settles down on a bean bag and cracks it open. The turtles notice his arrival but not commenting on it.

"Alex, are you paying atten- whoa." Donnie looked at the nearly completed remake of his head. Alex held it out proudly to Donnie, "Ta! Da! I fixed it!" Donnie took the foil sculpture carefully and marveled at it. "This is definitely going on my shelf." He noticed Raph walking over and turned around to show Raph, "El look at this!" Raph admired the small statue. Mikey joined them too, asking Alex to make them all one. "It perfectly captures Donald's massive forehead!" Donnie squawks indignantly. Raph grins at the sound of Alex's laughter, it's quiet and she hides it behind a hand. It sparks that same protectiveness he feels over his brothers, wanting to always protect their smiles.

Donnie set the tin foil sculpture to the side carefully before unplugging the phone still connected to the computer. "This is for you. Your very own cellular device. Do you remember how to unlock it and send messages and calls?" Alex nodded, showing off her typing in Donnie's name and texting 'hello'. Don smiled and pat her head with one of his metallic arms. "I'm going to finish a personal project of mine that includes a lot of soldering, so you can go back to Mikey or Raph if you don't want to stick around and just watch me work." Alex jumped up, following him, "No way! I wanna see!" Mikey drags his chair over as well as they sit and chat, watching Donnie's careful handy work. Before long, Raph retreats to his book again, sat beside them this time, left with just Mikey chatting as Alex listens, hand propping up her cheek, smiling.

~

Alex doesn't remember falling asleep but wakes up as a blanket is pulled over her, Mikey and Raph's quiet words echoing in the background noise of the busy city above. She felt like a little kid, safe with Splinter and Miwa again.

"Hey, guys!" April's voice echoes in the lab with two very aggressive, "Shush!" fighting the noise back. Alex didn't move but was fully conscious at this point. Still too tired and comfortable to move. "Oh, Leo was wondering if they should bring her to meet Splinter and try and find her a subway car for a new room, but I guess I can just go ahead and cancel her meeting for tonight. Splints is the one who suggested a subway car but you can both help with that tomorrow." They nod. "You guys can lay her down in my spare room if you want." They looked at each other, then Alex, not knowing she had already woken up. Raph touches, the turtle's shell, startling her. Alex jumped, not expecting the touch. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Alex turns around to Raph with sad eyes. She rubbed her eyes, "You're fine I was awake." She yawned and stretched, several loud pops echoing.

Raph smirked, "Sure you were awake." Alex frowned, though in her tired state it was more like a pout, "I can meet Splinter now it's fine. I was awake. Just resting." Mikey frowned when he heard her, understanding it was likely a skill she developed for survival to go longer without sleeping, but she was still getting a visit from Dr. Feelings sooner or later.

April smiled at Alex, "Nah, it's already late and I'm sure Splints wants to go to bed too." Raph scooped up Alex with ease, making her tense before she relaxed into his hold. "There's time tomorrow. For now, we're ALL going to bed." Raph narrowed his eyes at Donnie. Donnie held his hands up in surrender, "I will actually go to sleep this time, just let me clean up."

Mikey left with April, escorting her to the exit of the sewers like a good host.

Raph carried Alex who was lighter than she seemed for her size to April's spare room. Growing sleepier as Raph hummed, Alex almost didn't let go of the snapper when he placed her in the bed. "Night Alex." She hummed contently, safe in the soft bed and utterly exhausted.

Chapter Text

Alex wakes with a start, almost forgetting where she was. Voices echoed from outside into the closed-off tunnel everyone had put her to bed in. Her weapons were laid with care right next to the bed. Alex smiled and took out the photo of her, Splinter, and Miwa. Leaving it by them and venturing out into the sewer these turtles called home.

"Oh! We could plan a night out on the town for Alex too! Pizza joints and everything!" Mikey's voice echoes a bit louder than expected followed by louder shushing. "Okay boys," April declares, "This is a good list to start with. We're going to make sure Alex can do all the fun stuff a kid should get to do.... did we ever ask how old Alex is?"

Alex chooses now to step in, "I'm fourteen. Though I'm only telling you my birthday if you tell me yours." She smiles and crosses her arms. Everyone yelps, not having noticed the large turtle.

"Wait! Because me and Donnie-"

"Donnie and I"

"Shut up. Our birthday is in October." Leo stares at Alex for an answer. She narrows her eyes, hoping he'll give up the date too. "December." Leo cheers, flopping back on Don who shoves him off. "We got a little sister!" Alex shook her head, trying to not laugh at Leo's antics, walking over and peering at Mikey's list of... something's for Alex. "So what exactly are you guys up to?"

Mikey clutches the paper to his chest, "NoThing!" Donnie steps up to Alex with a measuring tape, "If you're younger than us, that makes sense that you would be nearly Raph's size being a saltwater turtle. Specifically, one known to swim in the open ocean. I would like to know exactly which species of sea turtles are known to have incredibly strong shells." Leo grabbed Donnie's mask tails and pulled lightly, "You're entering speech mode." Donnie closed his mouth abruptly. Alex tilted her head, "I don't mind. And I'm already aware of what species. Loggerhead Turtle."

"I am glad you are awake. It seems you are adjusting quite easily." Splinter's voice sounded the same. Alex spun around to find this version of Splinter much smaller and... pudgier. "Master Splinter!" Alex bowed. Splinter stopped her, "There's no need for that." His eyes held the same sadness as her own.

"What do I call you then?"

Splinter held a hand to April, "Call me what feels normal. April calls me Splints. The boys call me dad." Alex nods, "J-Just Splinter then?" Splinter smiles, "If that's what you want. Tell me, are you comfortable? Okay? I have heard parts of your story." He didn't elaborate that her story sounded lonely, and too much for a 14-year-old girl to bear on her own. Alex was grateful for that. "I'm going to be okay. I... I'm good at adjusting I promise. I'll be okay." Splinter smiles, placing a hand on hers, "If you ever need me or want to talk, I am here. Just try not to interrupt my TV programs." He continued his way to the living room and Alex watched him walk out. Would her Splinter be this calm and laid back if the invasion never happened? Maybe.

"Oh! Alex! We're going to get an abandoned subway car for your new room! You want to come with?" Mikey bounced around excitedly. Alex nodded, letting herself be led down the New York subway system by the other kids. "Should we take the turtle tank?" Raph asked Donnie. "Some of the tunnels will be too small to fit them, we can take the bikes though. It will be easier to pull the cars back." Leo jumped on Alex's back, "I wanna ride with Alex! You're gonna love the bikes, they're super cool. Donnie built them!" She smiled at them. This is something she could get used to. Brothers. Mikey took off towards the garage, Alex following behind, laughter echoing in her voice.

~

Alex panted in a cold sweat. Eyes darting around the half-decorated subway car.

Safe.

She was safe.

There were no Kraang here.

Her mind didn't believe her though.

She repeated the mantra in her head a few times, almost wanting to reach out for Miwa when remembered why she was sleeping by herself in the first place.

Alex didn't want to go back to sleep by herself. Her chest tightened at the thought and her breathing quickened.

Calm.

Deep breaths.

She didn't need to go back to sleep if she didn't want to.
Alex was always good at keeping a level head, even by herself.

She thought about drawing or sculpting but all the supplies were in Donnie's and Mikey's rooms. Oh! She could go to the arcade that Leo showed her. She didn't really like playing the games but it's better than nothing.

~

Raph woke to the quiet sounds of gaming coming from their arcade. Donnie was probably trying to pull an all-nighter again playing that stupid purple game. He groaned and rolled out of bed, fully prepared to scold Donnie but stopped in his tracks to find Alex's green bandana thrown on the floor and a blanket wrapped around the turtle. She wasn't even playing the game anymore, slowly nodding off.

"Hey, Alex," Raph speaks softly, stepping into her view. "What are you doing up?" Alex frowns, ducking into her shell slightly, "I couldn't sleep." Raph's eyes soften, reminded of Mikey's late nights and insistence on sleeping with one of his brothers almost every week. "Wanna sleep over in my room?" Raph offers. Alex nods and turns off the game and follows him out.

Passing by Donnie's lab turns out he was in fact still awake, leading to him being dragged along at Alex's demand he gets some sleep too.

"I don't understand. You were up too. I can stay up." Donnie grumbles. "Yeah, but now I'm going to bed, so your argument falls flat." Alex smirks. "You both shouldn't have been up, and should be sleeping." Raph reminds them.

"Excuse you." Alex scoffs

"Hey, this is our argument, butt out of it." Donnie crosses his arms.

"And you were awake too." Alex smirks, high-threeing Donnie.

Raph sighs, but smiles. "Whatever... Mikey?!"

The two shorter turtles peek out from behind Raph, spotting Mikey in the corridor alone, clearly heading to Leo's room. "Oh, there you guys are. I couldn't find anyone."

Raph shakes his head as the two turtles snicker behind him.
"Why is everyone up?" Mikey questions before his eyes light up, "Are we having a sleeping pile?! I'll go get Leo!"

"Wait Mikey! No-! And he's gone." Raph face palms, making the other turtles break out in full laughter. "This is your fault." Raph points at the two turtles.

"This is pure coincidence." Donnie defends.

Alex smiles, "Correction: This is hilarious." Donnie smiles as well, "True. True."

Mikey appears not too soon later with a clearly tired but smiling Leo. "Man, it's been forever since we've had one of these. Which movie should we pick?" Mikey drags Leo straight past them into the living room. Raph and Donnie follow, leaving a confused Alex to catch up.

"Wait, what's happening?" She catches up to them, seeing them grab bean bags and blankets from around the room and piling them in the middle.

Mikey's mouth drops open comically wide, "Alex has never had a sleepover?!"

"I thought we were just sleeping together. I've done that before." Leo hooked an arm around Alex, "Oh mi hermana, a sleepover is that and much more." He gestured dramatically around, "You got the comfy pillow pile, the snacks, the movie, and of course the great company." Leo gestured to himself. "Right we need good company. Should I invite April?" Donnie asks, phone in hand, grinning at Leo's squawk. "Hey, I'm plently great company! Also don't you dare wake April she has school tomorrow." Don shrugs and tucks his phone away.

They all settle down quickly, chips and popcorn in bowls around them, and tucked in the swaddle of blankets and limbs. Alex watches the Lou Jitsu movie they insisted on and smiles.

Leo is the first to knock out followed quickly by Mikey. Alex yawns as well by the second movie. Raph whispers to her, "If you ever have trouble sleeping you can always come to any of us. Mikey does all the time, which is probably why he was up and wandering around too." Alex nods, "Thanks Raph." She leans against him and closes her eyes.

Safe.

And this time her mind believed her.

Chapter Text

April burst into the lair with an entrance, gathering everyone's attention. "I brought someone for Alex to meet!"

Alex perked up at the sound of her name. She immediately spotted the girl with straight short hair. April dragged the girl over and pulled Alex off the bean bag, "Alex, Sunita. Sunita, Alex." They shook hands briefly before April whisked them both off, "I'm stealing Alex for girl's time!" She shouted with no time for arguments.

Alex laughed as the boys protested behind her. April brought them to Alex's room.

"So what is all of this about?"

April waved her arms to the inside of the car. "This! There's nothing in your room!" Alex pulled a strange face, "Excuse you I have plenty-"

Sunita jumped on Alex's arm, "So we're taking you shopping!"
Alex pulled away and crossed her arms, her voice going a pitch higher, "I have plenty of stuff! I got my bed, my human disguise, my weapons... plenty!" April smiled, "Yeah, but you don't have any decorations! You know, to make the space yours!"

"Plus, we're taking you to the hidden city," Sunita added. Alex's eyes sparkled. She heard the boys talking about it on occasion and has secretly been wanting to go. "Are you sure it's safe?" They both nodded. "Okay.... Okay! Well, then let's go."

~

Donnie laid out the plan before the boys, "Okay, when they're done shopping. April and Sunita agreed to take Alex to drop off the items picked out in the main lair before taking her elsewhere. Mikey, you can go ahead to Alex's room and get started on your mural." Mikey nods, a determined look on his face as he picks up his art supplies and races off.

"Raph, I'm gonna need your help for more of the heavy lifting stuff and construction. Like Alex's dresser and shelves." Raph took a small paper from Donnie listing out the power tools and things they'd need from his lab.

Leo grinned, "Don't worry I remember my job. Lookout, update, and extra hands."

"AAAAnd, decorating with whatever the girls have gotten from their shopping trip." Donnie begins walking to the subway car, Leo following him with a smile on his face.

They enter the car and find Mikey already working on the farther end of the car, a colorful splash of greens, reds, purples, blues, and oranges. Raph has most of the power tools on the floor beside him as he looks at something in his hands by Alex's bedside.

"Whatcha got there Raphie?" Leo peeks around Raph's massive form. Two small pictures in his hands. One was framed though it looked like it had been through hell and back and the other was slightly crumpled and old but well taken care of. Donnie and Mikey both joined, looking at the photos.

The framed one was of a human family, Japanese clearly by their faces and clothes, with a small newborn baby. The other was obviously Alex's family, her small turtle form, barely taller than the human girl she stood next to, and a tall, serious-looking version of Splinter. He was looking down at the two girls, a soft smile on his face.

"Who's the human family then if that's Alex's family?" Mikey pointed at the framed photo. Leo shrugged, "No idea, but we should get new frames for these." Leo lit up with an idea, "Oh! Donnie! Send me that selfie you took with all of us that sleepover night! We can make a picture board for Alex!" Donnie typed away on his phone, "That's... a great idea Nardo. I'll send a few more photos for you to use." Leo raced out to Mikey's room looking for the photo printer Don made him a few Christmases ago. Or was it for his birthday? There it is!

Leo raced out, going to find frames for the pictures. Maybe a corkboard too! That would be really cool. Stay focused Leo, frames take priority.

Alex was going to love her new room.

~

Alex screamed as she fell through the entrance to the hidden city. Still landed on her feet, but her heart racing from the drop. She glares at Sunita who lands without a peep and April who fell flat on her face.

"A warning would've been nice- whoa."

The city stretched for miles underneath the surface of New York, with yokai of all kinds wandering, even flying, around! Sunita raced past them, leading them to a massive Bazar they could see at the bottom of the hill. All sorts of stands from foods to jewelry to strange mystic contraptions.

"Come on!"

Alex never thought she'd have fun shopping. The movies she watched as a kid, always made it seem so boring and exhausting. She was getting tired, but there were so many cool and shiny things. Apparently, Mikey and Leo had made a fortune helping Senor Hueso as waiters and never used the money. They let April and Sunita take it and spend it on Alex.

Her arms felt sore from the random things they were picking out. A mystic mirror that could call others (Sunita already had one so she could call her), floating pots for plants, and matching mystic floating lanterns, not to mention all the random articles of clothing they've impulsively bought.

Alex froze, passing a bar with some sort of holoscreen inside. The fight on the screen looked intense and insane and so cool! The bartender smiled at Alex's starry-eyed gaze, "You interested in the Battle Nexus?" Alex turned her attention to him briefly before looking back at the screen, "I guess if that's what it's called." He smiled, handing her the business card for his bar, "You should come back next week when they have the Battlefest." The yokai now had her full attention, "Battlefest?"

"A night where anyone over 16 can enter to fight. You get some crazy characters in the fights and some really weak stupid ones too. It's fun. You should stop by and watch the fight."

Alex began to respond when her name was called out harshly behind her.

"There you are!" Sunita hooked her arm around Alex's back and led her away. The bartender waved goodbye to Alex as she smiled back at him.

"Hey, isn't this a lot already?" April looked at Alex's full arms.

Sunita looked at Alex, thinking aloud, "In terms of just decoration, that's probably enough. Especially since the bo-." Sunita was cut off by April smacking her hand over her mouth. Alex raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

April texted Leo who opened a portal for them to the lair to drop the items off. Leo stood there with a smile on his face, "You guys have fun?" Alex nodded, "Mhm, my arms are dead though. And I'm hungry." Leo smiled even wider. Alex's first week here she had never expressed feeling hungry and didn't eat much either. Leo knew it was because she probably didn't have a lot of food in her universe and was used to the lower intake. He and Mikey worked together to get her to a normal appetite.

It was also perfect timing to get Alex out of the lair so they could fix up her room. "Great! Which means you guys can go to Senior Hueso!" Leo opened another portal to the pizza place.
"Wait. You're hiding something." Alex froze.

Leo sweated nervously, because wow it took her no time to see through him. "Whaaat? No, I'm not... Okayhavefunbye!" He shoved the three of them through the portal and checked his phone for updates on Alex's room.

~

Alex watched Sunita stare at April with a dopey smile. April was talking about the latest news scoop at her high school reporter club. It was about some football game and the school that's supposedly their rival but they always beat.

"Can I ask an off-topic question?" Alex bit into her pizza waiting for an answer. April nodded, biting into her own slice. "How long have you two been dating?"

Sunita's hand explodes goop everywhere.

She sheepishly recollects her hand, "Sorry."

April looked off in another direction, a blush evident on her face, "We're not dating." Alex frowned, "But you both obviously like each other." Both of the older girls stare at Alex before the other. Alex grins, "I think this is something I can excuse myself for. I'm gonna place a to-go order for the boys." She doesn't wait for a response, leaving the table.

From the hostess's stand, Alex snaps a picture and sends it to the boys. Her phone floods with texts and emojis that Alex can only partially decipher. She laughs quietly to herself, before shooting a text that she was on her way home with pizza.

~

The boys started scrambling around the room in a rush. Mikey was nearly done with his mural as Leo put up the last of the posters. Raph and Donnie placed Alex's photo of her sister and other Splinter in the frame carefully. They placed a photo of all of them together next to it on the freshly installed shelves. A few other trinkets and items as well. The ivy vines hanging from the potted planters and lanterns lit the room. And finally a rack for Alex's weapons.

"Hellooo!" Alex's voice echoed in the tunnels making the boy trip over each other as they grabbed their tools and raced out to hide them.

Alex was still unloading the pizzas in the kitchen by the time they found her. She turned around to them, her smile quickly turning to a frown, "Mikey you have paint on your cheek and hands." He ran off excitedly, "I'll go wash up now!"

Leo grabbed Alex by the shoulders sitting her down, "Tell us everything that happened with Sunita and April." Alex chuckled and retold their time in Hueso's with detail knowing Leo wouldn't have the story any other way.

~

Eventually, Sunita and April walked into the kitchen hand in hand.
"Finally! We thought you guys were going to make goo-goo eyes at each other forever!" Leo complained. Raph knocked his shoulder, a smile on his face. Mikey grinned, "It only took Alex bluntly telling you both you like each other. Like come on, she hasn't even been here that long and even Alex could tell you were crushing on each other."

April grabbed Mikey and rubbed his head, "Hey, don't tease me!" Her smile betrayed her words. Mikey giggled and wriggled out of her grip. She stood proudly and asked, "Has Alex seen her surprise yet?"

"Actually, yes, please. Let's see my surprise. You guys have been acting suspicious all day long." Alex stood up. Raph chuckled, "I guess we weren't the best at hiding it. Come on." Alex followed the giant snapper. Everyone followed behind her chatting excitedly.

They stood outside the closed doors of Alex's room, Leo stepped up to the doors, "Now if you don't like anything, feel free to change any of it. This is just to make you feel more comfortable here."

He swung the doors open before Alex could question anything. Everyone watched nervously as Alex walked in silently. She looked over the new lights and plants. Shelves with some books she had been reading with Raph and a new dresser. She stopped in front of the wall of pictures, her family right in the middle.

"Do you like it?" Donnie asked nervously.

Alex just started crying making everyone panic.

"Do you not like it?"

"Does she not like the photos?"

"We shouldn't have touched your stuff! We're sorry!"

"Maybe it's the plants!"

Alex laughed through her tears. She hugged Mikey and Leo, "I love it. A lot. Thank you, guys." Raph joins on his own. April and Sunita joining too.

Alex looked at Donnie with a smug look on her face. Donnie slumped, "Fiiine. Just one hug." Raph grabbed his brother and pulled him into the giant hug pile.