Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Michelangelo did not want to be here.

The Hidden City was disgustingly humid, bustling and tumbling with yokai from all over and conversing together to form a crowd that smelled what the orange banded turtle could only describe as something akin to a pig farm. They’d been out since noon, and the heat had only worsened as it drew closer to four o'clock as his family made their way across the crowded city sidewalks, stopping to fawn over baubles, trinkets, and various decorations that the yokai had spent weeks lovingly preparing for the biggest holiday of the year.

His gaze slid over to his brothers, nose crinkling in distaste at the way they bounded forwards, seemingly filled with endless amounts of energy despite the heat and talking delightedly about the upcoming festivities. Master Splinter and Draxum strolled leisurely behind the three of them, chiming into the conversation occasionally to comment on the various booths lining both sides of the streets and waving to other yokai here and there. This left Michelangelo to bring up the rear, slouched forward and his feet hurting as he grumpily made his way along with his family. How were they not miserable? The lights were too bright and the people too noisy.

He brought his hand up to push his hair out of his face, immediately regretting it and flinching in annoyance as a sparkler went off nearby and sent a blast of neon yellow right across his eyeline. Yokai merchants were carting around heaps of meaty, slimy food, mixing with the piggy sweat smell and making the mystic warrior’s stomach turn.

He really did not want to be here.

“Mikey! Come on baby brother, hurry up!”

“Leave him be ‘Nardo, he’s on his period or something.”

Irritation flashed icy hot in his veins, and he grit his teeth to stop from retorting back with something nasty as his two middle brothers laughed at their stupid overplayed bit.

Oh, Mikey’s in a mood again, guess it’s that time of the month!

“Stop it,” Raph hissed at the two of them, turning to look over his shoulder at their youngest member in a way Mikey guessed he thought was sympathetic. It came off more like pity, and Mikey slumped forward even more to look down at his feet and ignore his big brothers' gaze as the irritation flared again.

“He’s going through a tough time.”

The orange one clenched his fists and shoved them deep into his pockets.

----------

Part of the Yokai New Year meant indulging in the Hidden City’s entertainment district, and this year would be the first time they would all be watching the NY Battle Nexus Championship together as a family. It was a pretty big deal for the yokai realm, they came from all over the globe to watch the winners from each of this year's monthly competitions battle it all out for the chance to win Big Mama’s solid gold belt, along with the grand prize.

April finally agreed to come see a yokai match in person for once as long as she could bring Cassandra, and Casey, after months of getting a hold on his anxiety now had the guts to venture further than the borderlines of the city to join in on the fun. He and Cass would be there already, waiting at the arena for them with April having wrestled some very pushy catfish yokai for some decent seats in the bleachers.

“Ugh seriously though! I can’t believe Big Mama won’t let me compete this year!”

Leonardo’s whine of exasperation snapped Mikey out of his gloomy train of thought, rolling his eyes as their ever-dramatic middle child threw his arms around their rat father’s shoulders.

“Daaaaaaaaaad! Can’t you talk to her about this?”

“That is what you get for pulling an illegal move last year ‘Nardo,” Donatello piped up, smirking as his twin threw his head back and let out another dramatic wail. Mikey grit his teeth, rubbing his two fingers into his temple and taking a deep, strained breath of annoyance. God the two of them were starting to give him a headache.

“Purple is right my son, you know this is the consequences of your actions.”

“Oh come on! I barely crushed that old lady when I fell, and they never said portalling wasn't allowed!”

“Yes, but weapons are not allowed Leonardo, you could be in there right now if you had just followed the rules,” Draxum added to the conversation, pulling up the map of the Hidden City he was using to guide them through the crowds towards the arena. Despite having lived there his whole life, he tended to get just as lost as the rest of them sometimes, especially since the city was ever expanding and growing as new mutants and yokai came along. He pushed his glasses further up his nose as they continued to stroll along, guiding them into a side street as they chatted away.

“Man, that belt should still be mine though, it would look so bad ass hung up with the others on my wall.”

Leo had won four years in a row the previous New Years, and the group usually stayed home to watch the events on TV instead of trying to wrestle their way into the arena overflowing with blood thirsty, aggressive yokai. After the winner was declared presentations usually followed, and dancers and gymnasts took over the arena to kick start the after-party festivities. During this time, they usually made their way down and then split off to do their own thing around the Hidden City. But this year Raph and dad had decided it would be a better idea for the family to partake in the events all together.

Well, more like they were forcing them to partake together.

There had been tension, building slowly for the past couple years as each of the boys began to form lifestyles outside of each other. Outside of being ninja.

Now that the yokai had pushed their way back up to the surface after the Krangg invasion, where they had been thriving eons before, the yokai lords and generals quickly became the main force of monetary wealth and political power in New York. They took over civilly to be fair, with months and months of trading and negotiating between themselves and the humanitarian government. Of course there were a few bad eggs here and there, yokai who thought humans should be used more like servants than coworkers and comrades, but overall, the yokai had turned the economy into a bustling dome for both humans and mutants alike. Even their own family’s financial situation improved drastically after the change, and the turtles found themselves living a lot nicer than they had been previously.

Mikey couldn’t blame the yokai for how quickly things took a turn, they saw their chance during the invasion, and they took it. He could understand, he knew what it felt like to be cooped up, the thought of being practically trapped underground for years and years to come was not pleasant.

To say some of the humans did not take this change well would be a gross understatement. As mutants and yokai were slowly making their way into the normal everyday lives of the New Yorkers, working in their businesses and renting from their landlords, the rise in hate crimes in the city unfortunately made a burst as well. The last three years had been particularly bad in that regard, and it had become the turtle’s responsibility to deal with protecting their fellow mutants and yokai from the hateful humans as night fell across New York city, when the anger and rage always seemed to come to a crescendo across their much loved streets.

Like all vigilantes they did their best to keep on the down low, sticking to the shadows as they fought and continued to stay in the sewers for their home lives. Only ever indulging in the violence under the cloak of the smoggy New York evenings. During the day though, Master Splinter and Baron allowed them to roam free with the rest of the city, giving them permission to enjoy everything they’d so desperately dreamed of from human culture since they’d been small, wandering children.

They still kept to the Hidden City mostly, but it was nice to take a walk to visit April or Casey and Cass at their apartment out in the warm daylight, even if humans did still tend to flinch and cross the street as they made their way. Maybe that’s when the divide started.

----------

Donnie was enrolled in yokai college now, all though Draxum had only allowed him to do online or zoom classes, Mikey could see that his body was bursting with knowledge and energy, just itching to get out of the singular space that was his laboratory in the lair. He had seen the brochures for the NYYU dorm rooms spread out along his brainy brother’s desk, pictures of long forbidden libraries and study halls calling out to the purple banded turtle while he flipped through them longingly. The classrooms filled to the brim along with mess halls of young, eager minds just like his.

Leo was more popular than ever, now the poster boy for the Battle Nexus he had multiple modeling contracts across the Hidden City. Truckloads of clothing, jewelry, shoes tailored just for their specific foot shape, you name it. And God the weapons Leonardo had been gifted. His mystic katana stayed on his back always, forever his favorites when they went out for their nightly patrols, but their expanded dojo and training ground now glistened with beautiful designer yokai metal across the walls. He always put in a good word for his brothers, and they each now had quite their own collections of human and mutant wardrobe. It was no surprise to any of them when the red eared slider quickly became intoxicated by the terra incognita of yokai nightlife, parties, concerts, alcohol and dancing like nothing they’d ever seen in any human movie before. Casual flings got involved in the mix early on, and often their brother came stumbling into the lair in the early mornings after the weekends covered in lipstick and reeking of cheap perfume. Michelangelo wondered if his older brother even realized he was using sexual validation to cope with his own shame. A few years ago, the stress of training and putting his work into being a part time model had become too much for the blue banded turtle, and he humbly requested to their Sensei that Raph be made leader and he put back at second in command once more, like he had been when they were teenagers.

As for Raphael. Big, sweet Raphael.

He’d become quite the home body after a while, and the youngest brother realized pretty quickly that their oldest brother had noticed the divide between the four of them around the same time that he had. The implication that one day they would all go their separate ways as the mystic society continued to progress around New York and beyond. Raph had decided early on that he would be the one to stay, to settle with being alone, to take care of Master Splinter and Draxum in their old age. Stuck grasping onto old memories as the lair continued to age around them and the four of them aged out of it. Giving up on the thought of making something of himself in the shiny and new yokai society, maybe having a family of his own. That was fine with him, anyways, who else was going to do it? It would be lonely, but in the meantime the red banded turtle could enjoy what they had while it was still going, even if the shutters they’d pulled over their issues and wants had started to bend and snap.

----------

“Come on dad! You really can’t seduce her or something?? Use some of that ol’ Lou Jitsu charm, eh?”

Master Splinter rolled his eyes as his katana wielding son gave him a wink, swatting away his nudging elbow and grabbing the bag of treats the mantis yokai in the booth in front of him had offered graciously as a gift.

“Anything for the father of the kappa protectors,” she gave a sweet smile, bowing lowly as Leonardo beamed at the praise.

“See dad! I can get you some sweet digs if you just have a nice long chat with Big Maaaaama.”

Master Splinter scoffed, thanking the lovely merchant before they made their way back out into the crowd of eager yokai heading for the Battle Nexus stadium.

“My son, even if I wanted to, I don’t think my body could take it at my current age,” the rat let out a weary sigh as laughter spilled from his family, plucking the fried snacks out of the gifted paper bag and popping a couple into his mouth.

“I am not as virile as your four are anymore, as I once was.”

Leonardo continued to playfully tease their father as Michelangelo pulled his orange parka tighter around his shoulders, blowing a strand of black hair out of his eyes as he shuffled along the sidewalk behind his family.

Healing after the invasion was hell, for all of them, stuck in Donnie’s lab for weeks curled together under a comically massive heat lamp as April and Casey did their best to tend to all of their needs, taking care of their wounds with a loving precision that could only come from a brother and sister. Mikey pretended they were all pet turtles again, soft and warm in a tank together as they were caringly wrapped with long thick bandages and fed warm soups and ice cream. Except they weren’t pets or even kids anymore, they were the aftermath of an alien war, and the ice cream didn’t taste as sweet as it used to.

After the healing process had come and gone, Baron had put them through all the necessary motions of physical therapy, and while the other three were making terrific and speedy progress, Mikey couldn’t help the resentment that began to build as his own body failed him over and over again. He was falling behind; his skin continuing to flake and crack every time he attempted to tap back into his mystic powers, and despite the comfort and coaching of his yokai father at his side throughout the whole ordeal, frustration had taken over and eventually the youngest turtle had settled for his chain artistry and nothing more. And even that, he eventually started to let go of.

He drew, he wrote in his journals, and he slept. That was his life. If Raph dragged him out of bed, he went on the patrols with them but besides that he didn’t care much to spend time or talk with any of his brothers anymore. Not like they each weren't off in their own worlds anyways. He could feel their worry, their disappointment at the fact their once most talented had become the weakest member of the quad. A shell of a young man, a shell of the turtle he used to be. Instead of taking their concern and empathy in stride he found that anger had started to grow, simmering deep in his heart and lashing out at random moments in the form of a nasty fucking attitude. That’s when the hair started to come as well. Thick, oily and black, streaks of warm brown highlighting it here and there as it sprouted out of his once bald head. He felt a touch of satisfaction at the jealousy it had inflicted from Leonardo but otherwise found it to be nothing more than a minor burden. With some help from an eager to please Casey Jones, he’d learned how to wash it and keep it neat fairly quickly, even figuring out how to trim it himself without Draxum’s help not long after. Once it started to reach past his shoulders he did try shaving it all off the first couple times, but it always came back, already having grown down to his chin the next morning after.

The hair was currently down to just below the lip of his plastron, thick and straight so he could pull it half up into a bun at the back of his head. Mikey had cut fringes around his face a couple months back to cope with a big fight he’d had with Leo, which he now regretted as he once again blew another chunk of bangs out of his eyes.

“You know, I think you are getting a little old to be going through what I believe is called a, moody teenager phase.”

The box turtle flinched in surprise at the voice positioned directly above his right shoulder, looking up to see Draxum had slowed down his pace to walk leisurely behind the group to align with the youngest one's steps. Mikey scowled slightly before looking back down at his feet again, burying his fists deeper in the pockets of his breezy dark grey haram pants. Leo called this his ‘depression fit’, which Michelangelo did not find as funny as the blue banded turtle had hoped he would.

“I’m fine, dad, and don’t call me old.”

Draxum frowned softly, looking over his youngest son from head to toe as they continued to follow the others as they got closer to the shrieking sounds of bending metal coming from the nearby arena. Earlier that morning the other three boys had excitedly put on their favorite articles of clothing from Leonardo’s ever-growing collection, clean and proud in their dress shirts and slacks while shoving their large feet into lovingly tailored leather shoes. They’d each donned a yokai robe in their respective colors over top, along with traditional black masks for the holiday festivities. Michelangelo on the other hand had once again donned his so aptly named ‘depression fit’ for the fourth day in a row, a dark and light orange Peruvian parka along with the pants, his hair unwashed and his feet shoved into an old pair of Master Splinter’s geta. He was also the only brother who hadn’t put on a mask, and as Draxum continued his once over he realized he hadn’t changed the wrappings around his arms or ankles either, his traditional robe left abandoned still in the dojo closet at home.

“Not old, huh? Is that a grey hair I see?”

Mikey didn’t want this, he didn’t want to be teased, and he didn’t want to banter. He just wished he was still safe and cool back home in bed with his music and his comic books.

“If I’m going grey it’s cause you all keep stressing me out.”

Baron immediately raised his eyebrows at the bite in the orange one's voice, blinking in surprise as he felt the flickers of anger dancing around his young sons ninpo. He let out a small breath before shrugging his shoulders, folding up the map in his hands to tuck safely away in his robe along with his glasses.

“I will leave you be then, my son...” The alchemist said softly, picking up his pace slightly to once again join the others in their party. Mikey regretted it the second he said it, his brow furrowing and a deep frown over-taking his features. He hated this, he hated his tone and he hated that he’d lashed out at his father. His head snapped up and he reached a bandage wrapped hand out towards his maker’s back.

“Wait! Dad-”

Draxum couldn’t hear him, the noise from the arena was becoming deafening as his family excitedly made their way towards the entrance gates to join the steadily forming line of yokai fans. Mikey clenched his outstretched hand into a fist, letting it drop to his side as he grit his teeth and glared angrily down at his feet, tears starting to burn at the corners of his eyes. Why couldn’t they understand? Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? He didn’t mean to be so difficult, he knew something was wrong with him, he wasn’t doing it on purpose!

But you’re making it everyone’s problem, aren’t you?

Michelangelo let out a small hiss of frustration before angrily rubbing away the unfallen tears with his arm, sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly before starting to make his way forward to join the line with his family as he pulled the hood of his parka tight up over his face.

“Oops sorry-!”

He let out a grunt of surprise as a yokai police officer slammed into his left shoulder, making him jolt off the sidewalk as he gripped his throbbing bicep and looked up wildly in confusion.

“Don’t let her leave!”

“I’m trying I’m trying!!”

Mikey growled in irritation as another officer sped past him, almost knocking into his other shoulder in its haste to follow the previous one in its pursuit. The pair of them were half pushing half bulldozing their way through the ever-growing crowd, yokai squawking in protest as they were knocked over left and right by the panicking cadets. Bags of decorations and food started spilling across the pavement.

“She’ll ruin the whole presentation! You have to get her!!”

Her?

Michelangelo felt it then, a spark of... something. His nostrils flared and his pupils shrank to pinpricks as a burst of pink scorched his eyes. It was hot and blinding, momentarily stunning him as he stumbled backwards.

What is that?

Shaking his head back and forth to snap out of his daze, he started to shove his way through the crowds, going in the same direction the officers had gone.

Someone is here. They’re here. Who are they? Where-

His head whipped desperately left and right, pulling his way past a cart full of vegetables and ignoring the yokai curses being hurled at the back of his head.

They’re scared. Where are they?

Mikey almost didn’t know what to do, he was so overwhelmed, he hadn’t felt this way since the invasion. Someone’s mystic energy was screaming, crying out to him in terror as he pushed and shoved his way further into the streets. It wasn’t one of his brothers, they were too far away from him to feel them so strongly anymore, it was someone new, someone who was running away, petrified.

His head began to throb with a burning migraine as his gaze snapped upwards towards a nearby rooftop.

You.

Chapter Text

A wave of nausea overtook him, coupled with a light and airy feeling that had his feet frozen on the sidewalk where he stood. Mikey felt his arms start to itch violently as a wave of mystic energy gave a long pulse along his nerves.  

You followed me.  

The energy was burning, almost scorching into his fingers as it pulsed again, hot pink flames dancing in the air between their gazes. He’d felt this way before, many times in fact, it had happened while he and his brothers fought Oroku Saki, when his ninpo had been released from the Krang and thrown back into his body during the invasion. He’d even felt it, years and years ago when he was still very small, lost in the sewer drains as his brothers fearfully called out for him, ropes of worried energy sliding out to him as they searched, and he unconsciously answered back.  

“Mikey! Where are you Mikey?!”  

“Here! I’m here !”  

His blue eyes were locked with deep, chocolate brown surrounded by murky yellow sclera's, the figure that had been carefully making their way across the noodle shop roof stopping dead in its tracks. Completely sheathed head to toe in black, a thick black cape swallowing their entire frame, and long black gloves covering their arms and hands. The hood was up and all Mikey could see were those big brown eyes, blown so wide in amazement he could see the rings of pink mystic energy dancing around the irises like flames. He felt the pulse again, hot, curious. It buzzed around his face and made his hair tickle his cheeks.  

He tore his eyes away from the piercing gaze to trail downwards, taking in the curved thighs and calves covered in black cotton leggings, stopping on the only pieces of flesh left uncovered.  

Green, double toed feet, wrapped in strappy black sandals.  

He gasped in shock; the air being sucked out of his lungs as he whipped his head up to meet the other turtle's eyes again.  

A shriek of surprise as thick, furry fingers wrapped around her ankle, ripping her down from the roof so forcefully Michelangelo heard her crash backwards onto the shingled rooftop. She was sent sliding downwards as the police officer dragged her onto the sidewalk, pulling her wrists behind her back forcefully as he screamed incorrigibly at the back of her skull. The other cadet joined him, grabbing her by the shoulders as they started to furiously force her through the crowd and further away from the orange banded turtle.  

Michelangelo surged forwards and crashed to knees.  

She was so loud , her ninpo was thrashing and shrieking in pain as she was dragged further from the arena. The anger from her mystic energy began to spark against him in a panic, scorching his fingers as he tried desperately to keep hold of her location.  

Help me! Help me find me-  

Her voice was soft, panicked but sweet, lilting in his head and making his head pound as sweat began soaking through his already oily black hair. The box turtle gagged loudly, smacking his hand over his lips to stop the bile that was rising in his throat from escaping as his own mystic energy started to spike violently along the nerves in his arms. His eyes screwed shut in pain as his ninpo gripped forcefully onto hers.  

PLEASE-  

It came to a screeching halt, her energy snuffing out like a candle, the pink bursts popping along the insides of his eyelids fogging away as his eyes snapped open in horror.  

No.  

“No NO! Please don’t fail me this time! Please!!” He choked out, moaning painfully as the skin on his fingers started to blister and crack. He couldn’t feel her reaching out to him anymore in the slightest, and he felt a sob making its way up his throat as he curled in on himself.  

Where did you go?  

“Mikey!”  

A surge of blue overtook his mind, snuffing out the last of the pink haze as Leonardo’s hands clutched onto the back of his shoulders. A rush of purple followed soon after along with red, making his head spin as he was grabbed and pulled at all angles until he was forced out of the crowd and pushed down onto a nearby bench that was surprisingly unoccupied.  

“Mikey! What happened?! Why didn’t you follow us to the line up?!”  

“We thought you were behind dad until we were a few feet away from the gate!”  

“How could you be so absentminded in a crowd like this Mikey?! Can’t you understand-”  

He lurched forward as stomach acid spewed out from his lips, clutching at his middle with shaking hands and coughing violently as his brothers stepped back and let out various noises of disgust and surprise.  

“Oh dude! You almost puked all over my new shoes!”  

“Jesus Mikey! You alright?” Raph was at his side in an instant, one hand reaching to pull his hair back as the other pulled a napkin out of his shirt pocket. Donnie’s eyes were narrowed and accusing, folding his arms across his chest as he glared down at his baby brother.  

“Have you been drinking? Is this why you wandered off?” The purple banded turtle waved one of his hands in the air passingly, looking mildly disgusted as Mikey sent him back a glare of his own.  

“You know they sell beer in the arena right bro?”  

“Guys, stop it” Raph huffed, looking at Leo pointedly as the red eared slider shrugged his shoulders casually in response. The nausea subsided as he wiped his mouth roughly with the napkin provided by his big brother, breathing heavily as his their ninpo retreated and allowed his body to calm down.  

“Mike, your hands.”  

Leo’s terrified, hushed words made him bring his palms up to his own face in surprise, staring wide eyed at the burns scorched around his blistered fingers, oozing pink glowing pus.  

“What happened?! ” Donatello shrieked at the top of his lungs, forcefully dropping to the ground and spilling the contents of his worn leather shoulder bag all over the sidewalk.  

“I, she, the girl -”  

“A girl?” Raph interrupted, frowning as Mikey shrunk away from his side and flinched as Donnie grabbed at him with fussing hands.  

“Why would you use your powers?! How reckless and impulsive!-”  

“She was in trouble! The police were chasing her!”  

“You used your powers on the police??!! ”  

Mikey groaned in exasperation at Donnie’s meltdown, Leo gawking in amazement at his baby brother and plopping down on the bench opposite Raph as their team doctor spread salve over the younger turtle's fingers.  

“Fuck- Of course not! They were trying to catch her, she was scared! She-she...” Mikey stuttered over his words, his brain working too fast for his mouth as he tried to figure out exactly how to describe what had happened.  

“Mike, if they were going after her she was probably a thief or somethin’, you know that happens a lot during the holidays down here” Raph said calmly, bringing his arm up to rub his brothers shell comfortingly.  

Mikey let out another groan, his head hanging down between his legs as Donnie pulled the plastic covering off a roll of thick black gauze.  

“Noooooo you guys don’t get it! I could feel her, feel her mystic power! She was crying out to me, I tried to...” he trailed off, seeing his older brothers shoot each other increasingly worried looks, making his teeth clench as another flare of anger sparked inside his already exhausted body.  

“Micheal...” Donatello sighed, shaking his head slightly as he snapped a butterfly clip to the end of the gauze on Mikey’s right hand, securing the bandages together before leaning over to start repacking his beat-up satchel.  

“Don’t do that,” Mikey hissed, making the brainy one pause and lift his eyebrows up at his sibling in surprise.  

“You don’t believe me huh?”  

“Mike it’s not that we don’t believe you-” Raph started soothingly, his voice cutting off and his brow furrowing in hurt as Mikey shoved his arm off his shoulder. He stood up angrily in the middle of them, his eyes dancing with orange glimmers as he looked around at his three brothers.  

“This is such bullshit. ”  

“Angelo it’s just really unlikely, that’s never happened with anyone outside of the fam before,” Leo finished Raph’s thought process, spreading his arms out and gesturing to the never-ending stream of yokai around them.  

“There’s so much mystic energy goin’ on around here, maybe you felt something else buddy?”  

Michelangelo felt his breathing start to quicken, chest heaving slightly as he clenched his freshly bandaged fists angrily at his sides. It burned, but he didn't care. Raph, noticing the flare of temper, reached out to grab his baby brother’s hand, only to have it smacked away as Mikey’s furious gaze began to wildly bounce from brother to brother.  

“You guys always do this to me.”  

“Mikey, really, we’re just worried, we wanna help you-”  

“Fuck your help!” Raph shrunk back like he’d been smacked, a frown deepening his face as his baby brother snapped his glowing orange eyes towards him, glaring so deep and so angry. Raphael had never seen him like this before, so furious and so stubborn about the story he was telling them. So sure.  

“Hey, I didn’t mean to-”  

“It’s just always going to be like this now, isn’t it?! Treating me like some pathetic, wounded fucking puppy!”  

“Ok! Enough!” Donnie huffed exasperatedly, looking back and forth between his youngest and oldest brother in an angry panic. Leo grabbed his orange banded siblings' shoulder and Mikey quickly smacked it away, making the katana wielders eyes widen in shock before they started to glow as well, indignation seeping in.  

“You don’t get to talk to him like that! I’ve had just about enough of this snotty fucking attitude of yours,” Leo hissed furiously, jabbing a finger at Mikey’s face. The youngest let out a mocking laugh, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his plastron as he hissed back at the bigger turtle.  

“Oh, right cause you’re so great! Whoring around the Hidden City while the rest of us are stuck at home-”  

Suddenly there was a purple clad hand gripping the front of his poncho, the force of the grasp making him lift off his feet for a second as burgundy red eyes sparkling with bursts of lilac seared into his head.  

“I said, enough, ” Donatello growled lowly, his fangs long and bared in front of his baby brother’s face. Mikey felt his lip curl up as he flashed his own fangs in return, hissing as he grabbed his brother's wrist and wretched it away from his collar.  

Donnie pulled his arm back quickly, dusting off the front of his shirt with his hands before bending down and grabbing his discarded satchel. Mikey could see the faintest glow on his shoulders underneath his shirt where his marks resided.  

“ Now, we’re going to get back in that line, act like a good happy family-” he gave an overly threatening grimace, throwing the dark brown strap of the bag over his shoulder.  

“And then, we will never, speak of this nonsense again.”  

Donatello’s tone left no room for argument, and as he turned on his heel back towards the arena, Mikey had never felt more hateful towards his favorite brother ever in his entire life. Leo shot him a nasty glare before following his twin, leaving Mikey to deal with Raphael’s pleading look of hurt before he pushed forward to also join the other two. The frustration was overwhelming, the crushing feeling surrounding his heart so bad that he almost felt like he couldn’t breathe.  

Why couldn’t they just listen? Why was it so hard for them to just believe in him?  

Because you're the weakest link now, meaning the most desperate for something more . They can see it all over your face.  

He clicked his teeth together, letting out a shaky sigh as he reached up to pinch at the spot between his eyes.  

He was crazy. He was insatiable. He knew he was right and he wasn't gonna let this go.  

Mikey forced his feet to move forwards, heading towards what he couldn’t imagine would be no less than the worst family outing ever in the history of all family outings. All the while his headache was still pounding, and a young woman sat caged underneath the thundering arena with orange burns scorched into her fingers.  

----------  

April had brought him the biggest lemonade he’d ever seen in his life, and despite the burning warmth of thousands of bodies crammed together in the already overflowing arena, he could do no more than sip on it lazily. Donnie had angrily thrown an aspirin his way, and he almost didn’t take it out of spite but in an effort to try and at least be a little more pleasant for their friends, he choked it down when they’d found their saved seats in the bleachers.  

Casey had looked concerned when the four of them plopped down with the rest of the family, Mikey taking the farthest seat possible from the other three and slouching down in a huff. Their hockey loving friend had sat up to go sit with him instead, but Leonardo had put a hand on his shoulder and gently guided him back down into his seat. Despite how softly they whispered Mikey could still see the words passed between the pair.  

“What happened?”  

“Tell ya later.”  

He grunted in annoyance, sinking further down into an even more uncomfortable position than he was already in.  

“You know, I think you are getting a little old to be going through what I believe is called a,  moody teenager phase.”  

His brow furrowed and he let out a little huff, Draxum’s words from earlier rolling around in his skull as April and Donnie came back from getting more snacks for the whole family. Like they needed anymore, Raph had already downed two packs of starbursts.  

Because you hurt his feelings earlier. Now he’s gonna start binging.  

His own voice hissed wickedly inside his head. Mikey shuffled uncomfortably, finally giving in to the pain in his shell and sitting further up in his seat as another yokai went flying out of the stadium. He could admit the fights this year were good, even though a gnawing anxiety had started to claw at his stomach again as it got closer to the finalists. She was out there still; he just knew it. Maybe he could try finding her ninpo again after the show.  

He felt exhausted suddenly, his eyelids drooping and his ears turning the roaring of the crowd around him into white noise. Maybe just a quick nap, maybe that would help his stomach.  

---------------  

“Food!”  

He flinched in surprise, April’s cheery voice snapping him out of slumber as a plate was set tenderly in his lap. He looked up at her face, big smile glowing at him while worried eyes scanned his face for any sign of un-comfortability behind her glasses.  

“It’s your favorite Mike,” she whispered, sending him a wink as he looked down to see it was in fact, his favorite. Plain pepperoni pizza. He let himself give her a small smile, making her beam proudly as he reached out to rub her hand that was still holding the tray stacked with food for the others.  

“Thanks Apes.”  

“No problem Mi-”  

“HOTDOGS!!”  

Cassandra practically flew over his head, making him yelp in surprise as she snatched the two chili dogs overflowing with toppings from April’s tray, somersaulting wildly in the air before flipping over and landing snuggly in the seat right next to Casey.  

“Oh girl! That’s nasty!” April sneered in disgust, but Mikey could see the amusement in her eyes as Cass proceeded to shove one of the hot dogs' length first down her throat.  

“Is gud!”  

“Revolting” Donnie’s lip curled, gently taking the tray out of April’s hands as she shimmied into the seat between him and Raph.  

“Please, at least chew your food young lady,” Master Splinter sighed tiredly, taking the plate offered by his purple banded son.  

“Thank God it’s intermission; there’s no way I could eat during the fights,” Leo piped up, cheese from his own slice of pizza stringing down from his lips onto his plate.  

“Who’s the furry guy again?”  

“That’s Snake.”  

“I thought the guy in the black costume was Snake?”  

“No that’s Snare. ”  

“Ugh, too confusing” Raph rolled his eyes, taking a sip from his water bottle before grabbing a handful of candy out of the bag April was offering.  

“Are we having fun, my darlings?”  

Everyone let out various shrieks of surprise, popcorn tumbling out of laps as they collectively turned around to face the intruder.  

“Oh Big Mama! You scared us,” Leo laughed nervously, clutching his shirt and giving a big smile up to the large spider lady that had snuck up behind their group.  

“Sorry my turtlelyboo, I just wanted to come over and check on my golden star,” a wide, fangy grin stretched across the yokai’s face, and Leo smiled pridefully at the praise as she leaned forward and gave him a gentle pat on the head.  

“Although you’re not allowed to compete anymore silly willy, I’m quite glad you’ve all come to enjoy the festivities anyways.”  

“It’s been amazing this year!”  

“I hope you do not have anything devious up your sleeve this time,” Draxum drawled slowly, blinking in surprise at the speed Big Mama turned to tap him gently on the nose with a large claw.  

“Oh Draxy waxy poo! You know I don’t indulge anymore, the yokai counsel put a stop to all of that when they took over up top tippity top,” she let out a disappointed sigh, claws on her hips as she smiled down at the lot of them.  

“Besides! I’m only in charge of the violence this year, not the entertainment~” she sing-songed, smile growing wider at the looks of surprise she received in return.  

“Really, who's doing it this year then?”  

“Is that fire spitting guy still gonna be here?”  

“Ugh! That means no sexy bird lady dancers to fawn over me this time,” Leonardo whined, making Mikey roll his eyes for the fourth time that night. She chuckled at their inquisitions, settling down in a pair of seats on the right side of the group's bleacher positions.  

“All the events will be the same! As far as I know the opening number to congratulate the nexus champion will be the only difference.”  

“That doesn’t sound too bad, who’s running it?” Donnie repeated his earlier question, taking a bite of pizza as Big Mama shrugged and leaned back in her seats.  

“Not sure my diddly doo, some fancy aristocratic yokai from up North I believe. I’ve never met them, but I’ve heard their ringleader is quite the dish,” she giggled, making them all perk up in interest as they continued eating their meals.  

Mikey hadn’t even noticed his pizza had remained untouched, and despite the ever-present knot of anxiety still chewing on the inside of his stomach, he picked up the slice and began munching on it. Tuning out the rest of the conversation around him as yokai and mutants alike slowly began to refill the seats around them, signaling the intermission ending. He suddenly realized he was ravenous, taking large messy bites and completely forgetting that he’d even thrown up earlier.  

“Now must be off darlings! Enjoy the wamboozle and your New Years.”  

The group individually said their goodbyes to the spider lady as she shuffled out of her seats. Michelangelo didn’t even notice her coming his way until she was literally hovering right over him.  

“Oh! See ya Big Mama,” he said through his napkin, doing his best to wipe up the sauce that had smeared embarrassingly around his lips and chin.  

“How are you feeling, little one?”  

“Feeling?” Mikey looked up at her in confusion, leaning back in surprise as she knelt down closer to the side of his face.  

“I can sense your mystic essence bouncing around inside of you, something must’ve spook diddly ooked you earlier my sweet.”  

He felt himself tense at her words, the humiliation at his loss of temper at his brothers earlier rearing up as he squirmed and sighed dejectedly in his seat. He leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees and the rest of his pizza discarded to the side.  

“I just thought I’d felt...” he murmured, fiddling with the hem of his poncho as the spider lady looked down at him expectantly.  

“Yes? You felt?”  

Normally he’d talk to gram gram about stuff like this during his meditation, or even Draxum if he couldn’t go to his brothers. He felt weird and embarrassed; he wished he hadn’t scarfed down his pizza so roughly.  

“I just don’t feel well,” he finally mumbled, and he saw a look of disappointment flash across her six eyes before her large toothy smile filled her face again.  

“Well, if you ever want to tell me you know where I am, little darling,” she stroked his hair gently and he let himself enjoy the motherly notion. She placed a small kiss on the top of his head, singing her goodbyes once more as she scuttled off back towards her VIP box.  

He felt Draxum’s eyes on him but he kept his own focused on the match below, not that he was paying a lick of attention to it. Big Mama’s words were buzzing around in his brain insistently.  

“Something must’ve spook diddly ooked you earlier.”  

A warm hand covered his and his gaze snapped up to his yokai father, a smile, soft and concerned gracing his features as he offered the orange turtles forgotten lemonade towards him.  

“How about you drink this? It’ll help your stomach.”  

“How did you-” Mikey stuttered, gently taking the plastic cup with both hands as Baron’s hand reached up to squeeze his shoulder lovingly.  

“A father knows.”  

Mikey felt his eyes start to burn for a second time that day, quickly averting his gaze and ignoring his parent’s chuckle as he began insistently sucking down the watery lemonade.  

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad family outing. Maybe

Chapter Text

The minutes turned into hours, the sounds of the stadium blurring together in a mass of shrieking delight.  

Mikey allowed his worries to be pushed to the back of his head as he swallowed down another slice of pizza, slurping up the strings of cheese and smiling at the flavor.  

Draxum had been correct; his stomach felt a lot better after he’d finished his citrussy drink. He even felt himself getting into the excitement of the fights just like the rest of the family as the last two contestants battled for the win.  

“Hit him on the right! THE RIGHT!!”  

“Get his ass Snake!! GET ‘IM!!”  

Mikey was laughing gleefully as the yokai sporting the black costume hit the ground. The contender let out a growl, spitting out what the box turtle guessed were a couple of his own teeth before vaulting himself back up into the fight.  

“No don’t let him get up!” Leo shrieked in horror, grabbing Donnie by the shoulders and shaking him back and forth violently making the purple banded turtle let out choked yelps of surprise.  

They were all up out of their seats, jumping in place as the bleachers vibrated with energy from the stomps and hollers of the crowd.  

“Yes! Go Snake!” Mikey screamed joyfully, grabbing onto Casey from behind and jumping up and down in excitement. The furry, gorilla looking yokai had smashed his fist into the other competitor's nose for the second time.  

“NO!!” Leo, Donnie and April screamed in unison, watching as the yokai they’d been rooting for was ground into the dirt covering the arena floor, no chance of him rising again.  

“Yes!! YES!!” Mikey found himself shrieking along with Cassandra and Casey in delight, feeling his feet lift off the ground as Raph reached over and grabbed him by the waist before throwing him up in the air and catching him as he came back down.  

“AND THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR'S BATTLE NEXUS NEW YEAR IS NONE OTHER THAN SNAKE THE SKULL CRUSHER!! ”  

The stadium exploded as the announcer grabbed the winning yokai by the arm, throwing his fists up in the air as another pair of yokai came over to throw the gold-plated belt around his waist.  

“WE WON!! WE WON!!” Raph hollered, crushing Mikey to his chest in a spine splitting hug as he spun the youngest around in victory.  

“NO!! My money !!” Leonardo wailed, dropping to his knees next to Donatello who was on all fours and muttering in astonishment at the sticky bleacher flooring.  

“No, no there’s no way, my calculations...” the brainy turtle whimpered, Cassandra pointing and laughing as Casey jumped up and down on the edge of his seat like a trampoline, cheering victoriously.  

“We won! We beat you at the bet! Oh yes! Yes! Sweet sweet victory!!”  

“Well, there go my new boots,” April sighed pathetically, slumped back in her own chair at the defeat.  

“That’s right sister! Ya’ll got owned! ” Raphael whooped excitedly, his arm wrapped tight around Mikey’s shoulders as the orange banded turtle let out a shocked laugh.  

“I can’t believe we won Raph! I thought for sure we were goners after that second bell!”  

“Hell no! Raph knew Snake would kick ass no matter what,” the large turtle grinned down at his baby brother, winking at the dazzling smile the youngest gave him return.  

Mikey felt so good, he felt better than he had in months, and as he stared adoringly up at his oldest brother, he felt his heart soar as the red banded turtle returned the gaze just as sweetly.  

“Raph, I’m really sorry-”  

“Aw don’t worry about it Mike, you’ll always be my baby brother, trust me I know thing or two about losing my temper.”  

Michelangelo was so overwhelmed with love for his family that he thought his heart would burst. His mind was completely clear and all his worries from earlier had lifted, like a deep fog had floated from his mind. He threw himself into Raph’s chest, choking on a sob as big strong arms were wrapped around his shell in return.  

“I love you Raph.”  

“I love you too Mikey.”  

“Aw bring it in fam!”  

Mikey squeaked in surprise as Leo slammed into his left, shock turning into laughter as the red eared slider smooshed his face against the side of his cheek and rubbed rapidly back and forth.  

“Big brother Leon loves you too Mikey!”  

“Siblings I really don’t think this is the place to be doing this,” he heard Donnie sigh before a third body pressed into his right, the three of them cocooning him in a warm ball of muscle.  

“But I guess just this one time is fine,” the brainy one mumbled, and Mikey grinned through the tears pricking at his eyes as he nuzzled deeper into their affection.  

The rest of the family made various teasing but loving jabs at the four of them, Mikey ignoring them as he felt his brother’s ninpo rolling against his, warm and inviting.  

Forgiving. Soothing.  

He only let go when the announcer started to list off the entertainment for the evening, happily sliding into the seat between Raph and April as the crowd started to chatter excitedly amongst themselves. April handed him another lemonade and he sipped on it happily as various contraptions and rolls of fabric were pulled out onto the arena floor. The aftermath of the fights usually consisted of dancers, gymnasts, and various magical performances. Cool!  

“Sooooo about the money-”  

“No dice ‘Nardo, cash is ours once we get back to the lair,” Raph snickered, his blue banded brother deflating in his seat again.  

“Totally not fair! I bet the whole thing was rigged.”  

“Not possible unfortunately, they’ve got mystic blockers that throw you out the second someone cheats, as you well know,” Donnie smirked a bit, the others giggling as Leo sunk further down into his chair, a pout forming on his face.  

“Still think I should’ve won.”  

“Tsk tsk Leonard, you’ll get wrinkles if you keep brooding like that.”  

“ Shhh! It’s starting my sons,” Master Splinter whispered fiercely, waving at them in annoyance before sitting closer to the edge of his seat.  

As the arena started to go quiet they all positioned themselves accordingly, the first performance was usually the best next to the last one and everyone was anxious to see what the prize for the Battle Nexus Champion this year would be. Leo had gotten a charmed motorcycle two wins in a row, one of which he’d crashed into Donnie’s lab and the other one pawned for cash which was immediately blown on God knows what.  

“Ladies, gentlemen and whatever's! I am very proud to present our sponsor for this year's entertainment district, Lord Tatsu!”  

Cheers rung out, the Hamato family clapping along with the rest of the arena as an elegantly dressed dragon yokai strode out into the stadium, joining the announcer at his spot on the small stage that had risen in the middle.  

“Wow Big Mama was right, he’s pretty handsome,” April commented, Mikey couldn’t help but nod along in agreement as everyone took in the sight of the newcomer.  

Lord Tatsu was tall, probably as tall as Draxum and his skin was made up of thick, moss green scales. Lighter green glittering spikes ran down in two rows on the back of his head, all the way to the ends of his tail that dragged on the ground behind him. A long gray mustache and goatee along with bright yellow snake eyes graced his face, his snout long and crocodilelike. He was very distinguished, a long black yokai robe tied off around the middle with a thick satin stretch of fabric. Slender but still muscled, when he smiled up at the crowd Michelangelo could see one of his canines had been replaced with a shiny blue diamond fang.  

“Good evening New York!” His voice was deep and rough, booming outwards amongst the yokai. More cheering, the family still chatting away as the dragon waved professionally out to the crowd.  

“God how much do you think that suite costs?”  

“Don’t even think about it Leon.”  

The audience went on with their cries of appreciation as a podium came up from the bottom of the stage, the yokai lord striding confidently over and waving once more before gently tapping the microphone on top. A signal for the battleship watchers to go silent.  

“I cannot tell you how pleased I am to be hosting this New Years entertainment district for all you fine yokai in this beautiful Hidden City,” cheering arose once more, quieting down again with a raised hand from the presenting yokai and another flash of his toothy gleaming smile.  

“My men and I have come up with something very special to award this year's New Years Battle Nexus Champion!”  

Lord Tatsu threw his arm out towards one of the large barred doors on the far side of the stadium, the entire crowd absolutely thundering from the shrieks and hollers from happy fans as Snake made his way out to the stage, dressed head to toe in his winning golden costume, formal robe and all.  

The cheers and whoops were deafening as he met Lord Tatsu at the base of the stage, giving each other a good firm handshake before Snake threw fists up in the air in pride once again, drinking in the pride from his victory.  

“And now, for your prize my friend.”  

The crowd hushed to a frenzied chatter, excitement buzzing through the crowd as the dragon lord snapped his fingers and the stage began to sink back into the ground from where it came. All that was left was a large square shaped, endless black void, the audience letting out gasps of excitement as the large pillars around the main floor began to light fire.  

“Oh what’s it gonna be?!” Leo whisper shrieked gleefully, inflicting annoyed shushing from the others as they all bounced on the ends of their seats. The announcer handed the lord a small square shaped remote.  

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the dragon whispered into the microphone, gripping the wood of the podium with his free hand as an excited titter rippled through the crowd. The noise rose at the sound of gears working as the stage began to rise out from the darkness below.  

“Introducing, the stunning, the dazzling... ”  

A large towering form arrived on the platform, surrounded by four golden pillars and a thick silky black fabric covering its secrecy. Shifting from the movement as the stage locked into place, more dragon yokai came out from the sidelines to grab the wiggling sheet on the far side of the wooden platform. Lord Tatsu grinned, giving his comrades a nod before pressing down on the large white button at the top of his remote.  

“ Angelica~ ”  

Flames and sparks of red fireworks burst out of the golden pillars as the sheet was pulled down by the three dragons, and Michelangelo felt the breath get knocked forcefully out of his chest.  

She was sitting on top of a skeletal looking horse statue, made completely out of metal, her legs thrown to one side of the gleaming titanium saddle being blasted with various spotlights from the crowded arena. The jumbotron dropped downwards and the fans screamed in delight as they got a full body close up of the girl on the big screen. Her wrists were cuffed in front of her, pink sparks dancing off the steel as the chains wrapped around and attached to the collar of the metal horse. Her eyes, blazing with anger and her lips pulled back in a fanged snarl behind the gossamer black veil covering her mouth.  

“Oh come on! All I got were some lousy motorcycles and this guy gets a yokai hottie! And she’s a turtle no less!”  

“Shut up Leo,” Raph remarked, frowning at the blue brother after seeing the deep icy glare the orange once had sent the red eared sliders way.  

“Yeeeaaah I don’t think this a consensual situation guys,” Casey suddenly chimed in, the entire group flinching as an enraged shriek came from the young woman below.  

Mikey drank in every feature of her expression as she thrashed against her restraints. Big brown irises, circled pink.  

“It’s her!! ” He yelled suddenly, attracting his family's attention as he stood up from his seat, his lemonade spilling all over the back of the chair in front of him.  

They’d all been shocked as well, the girl’s appearance stunning them into silence. She was wearing a floor-length black dress that had two slits going up to the tops of her thighs, exposing thick green hips. The skirt of the dress tapered off at her waist before splitting off into two long strips, crossing in an x-shape over her chest before tying up at the back of her neck. She had no hair, but she was adorned from the neck down with gold and turquoise crystalled jewelry, save for the thick mystic silver handcuffs on her wrists. There wasn’t a plastron like the guys had, more like a series of beigey yellow cartilage plates going up her stomach and ending right at the top of her ribs. When she twisted violently in her seat they could see over her shoulder, where no shell resided but again a series of thick, brown textured plates. Despite the difference in anatomy, there was no doubt.  

She was a turtle.  

“What do you mean that’s her?!” Donnie hissed out in frustration, turning to search his baby brother's horrified expression as the crowd began cat calling and roaring around them.  

“I mean that’s her! The girl! The one I felt earlier!” Mikey gasped in exasperation, waving his arms in the general direction of the imprisoned young woman down below. They all turned to stare at him, but he couldn’t tear his own gaze away from the woman on the statue, still thrashing below the thundering crowd.  

“What are you speaking of Orange?” Master Splinter demanded, standing up from his own seat to look up at his young son in confusion.  

“Earlier when I split off from the group, it’s cause I felt her, her mystic power, her ninpo , she was crying out to me for help,” Mikey finally turned around to look pleadingly at his father, whose own face had contorted in shock.  

“Michelangelo, the ninpo is something only ancient Japanese clans were able to obtain and pass on, this, yokai girl couldn’t possibly have one.”  

“Not necessarily.”  

They turned their eyes to Draxum who was staring in awe at the youngest turtle, his gaze snapping down to the woman as the chains around the horse statue were unclasped and thrown into the hands of Lord Tatsu.  

“What is it the Hidden City people call you four all the time? They have some sort of nickname?”  

The brothers passed brief looks amongst themselves before Leo shrugged and looked back up at their yokai father.  

“Uhhhh, super sexy- OW!”  

“Thank you Red,” Master Splinter sighed, rubbing his temples as the blue banded turtle glared up at the biggest brother who’d smacked him roughly on the back of the head. Casey’s hand was rubbing his chin thoughtfully, letting out a gasp and snapping his fingers in realization.  

“The kappa protectors!”  

“Yes, of course! The kappa! Japanese river turtles,” Baron smacked his fist into his palm, smiling at the revelation before his brow furrowed again in confusion.  

“But they were all wiped out almost 50 years ago, along with many other eastern yokai,” he said, puzzled as he leaned forward to get a better look down at the girl.  

“She must be a hybrid, explains the no shell part.”  

“Like she’s mixed with another kind of yokai?” April asked him inquisitively, using Donnie’s shoulder to leverage herself up to look up at the jumbotron.  

“Precisely Miss O’Neil.”  

The clanking of metal and the crowd roared in delight as the turtle girl continued to hiss and squirm against the chains now wrapped tightly around Lord Tatsu’s hands and wrists.  

“Come along my dear, let’s give our Nexus Champion a warm welcome!” The dragon grinned, now appearing cruel as he pulled her off the statue, forcing her to stumble across the stage before landing in the arena dirt. Michelangelo tensed and Baron grabbed him by the shoulder, seeing the youngest reach for his weapons before turning a furious expression over his shoulder at his father.  

“We need to help her.”  

“Mikey, be reasonable, there’s thousands of people here-” Leo started.  

“No!” The box turtle yelled, yanking his shoulder out of Draxum’s grip and turning towards the twins now standing together on his left.  

“You didn’t listen to me earlier and now look what’s happening! She’s in danger! ”  

“My son please! Control your temper-”  

“It must be wearing off,” Donnie hissed under his breath, only realizing everyone must’ve heard him as they all snapped their attention his way instead. Mikey went deadly silent, his pupils shrinking into slits as his gaze pierced through the genius's skull.  

“ What’s worn off?”  

“Dee?” Leo turned towards his twin as Donnie avoided their eyes, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest and letting out a huff of annoyance.  

“I just thought it would be best for everyone if you weren’t so cranky for once.”  

Mikey’s nerves buzzed, and he felt his mouth drop open as he remembered the little blue pill his older brother had thrown in his lap hours ago when they’d first sat down in the bleachers. The aspirin.  

“You mother fucker!! ”  

Donatello stumbled back as Mikey lunged at him, the box turtles unsheathed claws barely missing the purple one’s eyes as Raph tackled him around the middle, pulling back and crushing his baby brothers' arms against his sides to avoid getting himself injured from the flailing limbs.  

“You drugged me?!!”  

“I’d describe it more as an un-consensual emotional relaxant.”  

“Bastard!”  

“Boys! Enough of this!” Draxum’s voice rose, stepping over the seats and putting himself in the middle of the four turtles.  

“We have much more pressing matters to attend to!”  

“Barry’s right guys, please let’s just figure this out together,” April pleaded, pushing in between Leo and Donnie as Cass and Casey jumped the other chairs to comfort Michelangelo.  

“Are you serious?! He fucking drugged me-”  

“My son! I promise we will deal with that later but right now there’s someone in this arena who needs our help. You need to remain calm,” Master Splinter demanded firmly, putting his hand on his son's squirming chest. A short burst of green mystic energy soothed its way along the orange banded turtle, making Mikey let out a couple more heaving breaths before allowing himself to go limp, shaking out his shoulders as Raph cautiously let him drop back down on his feet. The others let out a collective sigh, Baron placing himself next to Master Splinter and making eye contact with his youngest son in a serious manner.  

“Now then, this is very important Michelangelo, can you still feel her? Right now? Can you feel her power from here?”  

Mikey frowned, turning back towards the pit and concentrating as much as he could down at the scene in front of him. The consuming protectiveness for the girl was setting every nerve in his body on fire; she couldn’t be even a year younger than him, and here she was, trapped as yokai bait. He pushed out his mystic aura, only stopping when Raph put a concerned hand on his wrist as the skin started to glow and crack. He couldn’t even feel a flicker of the ninpo that had slammed into him full force not even five hours ago.  

“No, no I can’t feel her, somethings wrong!” Mikey stumbled back in panic, his head snapping up as he backed into Draxum’s soothing hold. The alchemist looked down sadly at his son's hopeless expression, rubbing his shell in a comforting manner as he leaned forward to make the gap between them smaller.  

“It is not you, my son. Those bands, they’re locking off her mystic power, look.”  

Mikey turned his gaze to where his yokai father was pointing up at the jumbotron, once again seeing the pink aura sparking and igniting underneath the confining metal wrapped around her engulfed wrists.  

“She’s fighting it, that’s her ninpo trying to break away. Her powers are locked in the mystic bolts, that is why you cannot feel her, she probably cannot feel you anymore as well.” Draxum explained gently, smiling at the relieved breath his son seemed to let out at his father’s description.  

Snake had taken the chain from the dragon lord's hands, pulling the turtle girl towards his body forcefully and licking his lips slowly as she struggled fruitlessly against her restraints.  

“Ok so we gotta get her outta here right? Right??” April pleaded, looking around expectantly at her family as cogs started to shift in all of their heads.  

“No problem! Raph will figure out a way to get through this crowd of five thousand bloodthirsty yokai, find a way to enter the arena, get to the girl, somehow pull her away from a battle Nexus Champion that she apparently now belongs to, and get us all out...of...here...” the red banded turtle slowly started to slump downwards as he trailed off, one of his eyes twitching as he began violently cracking his own knuckles in a panic.  

“What if I just threw myself in there?! I bet I could take ‘em all!”  

“Yeah Cass, honey I don’t think a suicide mission is the way to go here.”  

“Well! When you say it like that -”  

A shriek of anger came from below and the family gasped, seeing that the turtle girl's legs were now kicking wildly in the air as Snake pulled her chains upwards until she was at eye level. The crowd was eating it up, jeering and hollering words of encouragement at the expense of the young lady's pain.  

“What do you think of your prize, champion?~”  

The audience started to whoop again at Lord Tatsu’s question, leering with greedy eyes up at the jumbotron as the gorilla yokai let out a sleezy round of chuckles.  

“Nice tits” he purred lowly, the audience roaring and wolf whistles filling the stadium as the yokai girl began violently thrashing against her captor. Seeing as he was built like a rock, it was barely even a nuisance.  

Michelangelo on the other hand was once again wrapped up in a bear hug from Raphael, arms pinned to his sides and his own legs now kicking furiously in rebellion at being held back in committing the flare of violence that’d erupted hot in his veins. The oldest brother gripped onto him desperately, almost not fast enough as his little brother had gone to lunge forward over the rows of people in front of them.  

“I’ll kill him!”  

“Woah! Easy there baby brother! We’ll find a way-”  

A surge of laughter from the fans around them as the girl was dropped and pushed back down onto the arena dirt, positioned on her hands and knees with her head hanging down, Snake’s large hand pushing down roughly on the middle of her back.  

“Nice ass too!” The gorilla cackled, inflicting more howling from the crowd as he grabbed the chain around her wrists again and forced her back up on her feet. White hot rage seared through the box turtle again, with renowned force this time.  

Kill him kill him I’ll fucking kill-  

Mikey felt Raph’s grip loosen slightly, not enough for him to get away but enough for him to stop squirming and go still again.  

“Ok, maybe we can kill him just a little.”  

“ No no no! ” Casey shrieked in panic, seeing the orange and red one’s eyes go white as he and April quickly grabbed them both by the arms in a vain attempt to ground them where they stood.  

“Kill the New Years Battle Nexus Champion? Yeah, not your best plan Raphie,” Leo sighed, his arms folding across his plastron as the two temperamental brothers shot him death glares.  

“We need to wait this out, the only way we’d be able to get access to her is when they move her out of the arena so the performances can start,” Donnie said calmly, shifting over to sit back in his seat again, a concerned scowl still present on his face.  

“Purple is right my sons, this disgusting display will be over soon enough and then we can help the girl, alright?” Master Splinter said softly, touching Raphael’s arm softly as they went limp and set Mikey gently back down in his seat between himself and April.  

“So we’re really just gonna sit here?” Mikey hissed, slumping back in his seat in defeat at the pointed look his sensei shot him.  

“It is the safest option, going down there at this current moment would only cause unnecessary destruction, and cause potential harm to the girl as well,” Draxum replied gently, the group letting out a collective sigh of disappointment as they slowly repositioned themselves in their own chairs. Well, nobody wanted that.  

They forced their eyes back up to the jumbotron, watching as Lord Tatsu made his way over to the turtle girl as wrapped what looked like a protective arm around her shoulders. Though judging by the way she froze up, they guessed it was anything but. Mikey could see the dragon’s claws digging into the meat of her bicep and he growled low in his throat, tensing up until April rubbed a soothing hand over the back of his shell.  

“Now now sweet one! Why don’t you give your champion a proper congratulations~” Lord Tatsu hissed, face bent down right next to the side of the turtle woman’s face. Eager titters and clicks from the various yokai fans rang out, and Snake smirked and began to step back while giving a little tug on the chain still wrapped around his fingers.  

“Come on doll, give us some sugar~” the gorilla growled, the fans in the stadium starting to ooh suggestively. The Hamato family watched as the turtle yokai sucked in a deep breath, a beat of silence passing over the arena before whooping up loud again as she gently started padding towards the Battle Nexus Champion. Mikey leaned forward, eyes widening a bit as the pink glow of the shackles lowered down to a dull haze, no longer sparking angrily.  

More whistling from the crowd as the girl stopped in front of their champion, her chest almost brushing his as he grinned down at her smaller frame.  

“That’s more like it! You got nice lips too doll,” he chuckled, eyebrows lifting in surprise as her hands reached up to gently grip the sides of his face, the cuffs hanging loosely on her wrist. The crowd went quiet suddenly, watching the girl smile sweetly up at their champion as a pleased expression came over the gorilla's face.  

“Nice broken nose.”  

A wave of confusion went over the crowd, soft chatter breaking out amongst the fans before an ear-splitting crack echoed across the domed walls. Horrified shrieks and gasps rang out, and Mikey’s jaw dropped along with the rest of his family as Snake reared back, roaring in pain and gripping his face with furry, blood covered hands.  

Angelica had drawn her head back, driving it forward and smashing her forehead directly into the other yokai’s nose. Roars of anger began to swallow up the stadium, fans stomping their feet in outrage as thick crimson began to spill out from between their champions fingers and into the dirt. They all stared in awe as she stepped back, her lips curled in disgust as her tongue rolled out to lick off the blood that had splattered all over her own nose.  

“And don’t call me doll.”  

The outrage came to a blinding tempo; bodies tensed and arched as the crowds surrounding the mutant family started to jump up and down in their seats, making the stadium shake with their ferocity.  

“How could you?!”  

“You’re supposed to be the gift!!!”  

“Idiotic concubine!!”  

Angelica snarled, looking upwards into the raging crowd as the sparks began flying out of her shackles once more, the hot pink now turning an icy white as her muscles flexed with rage.  

“I AM NOBODYS GIFT!! ” She roared as the dragon yokai began to crowd around her; Lord Tatsu’s face twisted in disgust and fury as he crept dangerously towards her.  

“I DON’T BELONG TO ANYONE!! ”  

Chapter Text

Gasps of fear exploded from the audience as the cuff on the girl’s right wrist exploded, sending metal flying in all directions as strikingly pink flames burst forth from her palm. The four dragons surrounding her yelped in surprise, covering their faces with their arms and ducking as the boiling mystic titanium sliced deep across their clothing. 

“Oh fuck!” Leo doubled over in pain; one arm wrapped around his stomach as his other reached up to slam his palm over his mouth. 

“I think I’m gonna hurl!” 

“What, what the fuck is happening?!” Donnie hissed out through gritted teeth, his fingers gripping the sides of his head so tight the fabric of his mask crinkled under the pressure. 

“Aw hell!” Raph moaned, his fingers cracking into the back of the chair in front of him as he leapt out of his seat, his breathing ragged and sick as sweat began pooling along the back of his neck. 

Her ninpo was a raging tsunami, overwhelming every single one of their senses as her fury slammed and pounded along each of their nerves. Her fangs were borne in uncontrollable wrath as they all let out choked gasps, another burst of flames rocketing from her fingers and slamming into the horse statue. Another explosion of metal as the crowd let out more terrified screams; red hot spears lodging into the protective barriers shielding the audience from the battle pit. 

“Be still my sons!” Master Splinter cried out desperately, shooting his own ninpo outwards to take over the boys overstimulated bodies. The four of them moaned in pain, curling in on themselves as April joined while Draxum began forming a cloud of mystic energy to seep into their lungs. 

“Calm yourselves my children! Take it in slowly!” 

Mikey was panting, coughing against the smog filling his throat before the pink wave started to lessen, dulling to manageable spurts until it was no more than a mild nuisance alongside his own ninpo. 

“I told you!” he choked out, turning to squint at Donnie and Leo who were staring wide eyed at the smaller turtle, their marks stuttering like neon signs as they both bent forwards to catch their breath. 

“Was that what you felt earlier?” Raph grunted, wiping the sweat from his forehead off with his clenched fist as April leaned into him comfortingly. He knew his baby brother hadn’t been lying; he knew it. 

“Yes, this is worse though,” the orange banded turtle coughed back, reaching up to grip Baron’s hand that was clutching his shoulder. 

“Yeah no shit,” Donnie hissed, staggering back into his seat and pushing his head down in between his bent knees. 

“What’s going on? What is she doing to us?” Leo croaked, his own knees hitting the floor as his head hung back to pant desperately up at the ceiling. 

“She is frightened my sons, she’s trying to get help,” Master Splinter replied calmly, and they watched in fascination as his hand stretched out, sending a long, winding tendril of green ninpo down into the shaking arena. 

She was completely out of control, lighting things on fire left and right as the stadium security continued to charge at her even though they were going down faster than they were coming in. 

“Back off!” she snarled, jumping into a spin kick that sent one of the dragon yokai flying, the chains now wrapped tightly around her legs twirling around and knocking a security guard out along the way. 

“Damn ‘Angelo, you found a bad bitch,” Leo chuckled tiredly, letting out a small whine as Donnie half assedly bopped him on the top of his head with a shaking fist. 

Angelica screeched to a halt, her rain of destruction freezing in confusion as she tripped over her own feet, her nostrils flaring as their sensei’s green swirl finally blew across her skin. Her hands slammed into the dirt as her knees hit the ground, her head snapping up as her blazing pink gaze scotched across the jumbotron and up into the frenzied bleachers. Mikey saw her eyes dance across Master Splinter before landing directly onto his own. 

You’re here , you came for me.  

Mikey felt tears start pouring out of his eyes and down his cheeks, sobs wracking his exhausted frame at the look of absolute adoration spilling from the memorizing brown eyes of the yokai girl. 

I did.   

“Guys!” Raph hollered, panic flaring between all of them as the three dragon yokai tackled the girl to the ground, pulling her wrists behind her back and snapping a pair of glowing red gauntlets back over them. 

“Enough!”  

Lord Tatsu had risen from behind the podium; his face pulled back in fury before slowly melting into one of mild irritation. He sucked in a deep breath, pressing his fingers together and letting it out in a giant foggy cloud. The fires immediately began to snuff out, and he turned to glare angrily at the still thrashing girl from her place on the ground. 

“Take her to the champions chambers, then start cleaning this mess up.” 

“No!” Mikey cried, watching helplessly and fighting against his father’s grasp as the girl was dragged to her feet and pulled towards one of the pit’s side doors, still shrieking and fighting with whatever energy she had left. Lord Tatsu was quickly dusting off his robe with his hands, making his way back over to the now singed podium and letting a professional mask slide over his face. The terrified crowd began to relax, slowly sitting back in their seats as the dragon raised a comforting hand. 

“My fellow yokai, please calm yourselves, I am so terribly sorry about this interruption” 

“More like explosion,” Cass snorted. 

“The remaining festivities will continue as planned after a brief intermission for clean up,” the dragon smiled now, charmingly so, the fans letting out a delighted gasp as he blew a grey, sparkling cloud up into the air. 

“On a lighter note, a woman that can cause that must damage must be a tiger in the bedroom.” 

Shocked, gasping laughter from the crowd, Baron’s eyes narrowed at the flecks of glitter that had begun dancing in the air. Charm magic, perhaps? 

“Please! Eat, drink! We will be back soon~.” 

Yokai immediately began to rise out of their seats, now chattering amongst themselves happily as they made their way towards the food courts and lounge bars. As if nothing had happened. 

“What do we do now?!” 

“I can barely feel her ninpo anymore!” Raph wailed, and Draxum let out a surprised gasp and whipped his head towards the red banded turtle. 

“You can still feel it?” 

“Faintly.” 

“Wonderful,” Draxum let out a relieved laugh, making the others look up at him in confusion as he took his hand off Michelangelo’s shoulder. 

“They must’ve used lava cuffs on her this time instead, they will quell her fire, but her ninpo will still hold out for a bit longer,” he grinned, turning to the rest of his sons. 

“Can you three still feel her as well?” 

“I mean, barely.”  

“There’s certainly a fog.” 

“But even just a little will be enough, right?” Mikey searched Draxum’s eyes desperately, hope flickering in his chest as his father gave a satisfied smile back at him. 

“Yes, even if there’s only a spark detectable, you boys will be able to find her in this building.” 

“Aw yeah son!” Leo whooped, wrapping his arm around Donnie’s shoulders and pulling him into a crushing side hug, making his twin squawk in displeasure. 

“Mad Dogs rescue team is in the hizzouse!” 

“But where do we even start?” Casey asked with wide eyes, gesturing around vaguely to the still noisy arena.  

“This place must have hundreds of rooms!” 

“Yeah, we can’t just start wildly sprinting down each floor looking for her ninpo.” 

“If we go to drainpipe on the outer left wall-” Donnie pulled up the screen on his arm cuff, displaying a set of the stadiums blueprints and zooming in on a particular spot. Always straight to the point, that one. 

“We’ll be able to head down below the battle pit, where she was before she came up on the stage, I bet we can find some clues about her new location.” 

“That’s perfect Donnie!” Raph grinned, giving his brother a firm pat on the shoulder and turning to address the rest of the group now standing behind him. 

“Alright, Master Splinter and the four of us will sneak under the battle pit while the rest of you head back to the tank, prep everything for us to get out of here as quickly as possible and be ready as backup if needed.” 

“Great plan Raph,” Casey beamed, pulling his robe up over his shoulders and starting to make his way over to the nearby exit staircase. 

“What?! No I want to come! Let me fight-” 

“Ok Cassandra girl, let’s go,” April sighed, giving a smile and a salute over her shoulder as she wrapped her arm around the other girl’s middle, pulling her up under her arm like a football before chasing after Casey. 

“We need to take the other set of stairs closer to the bathrooms,” Donnie gestured for them to follow, the other three turtles quickly matching his pace and making their way out of the bleachers. 

“You boys go ahead,” the quad turned at the sound of Master Splinter’s voice, who with an extremely dangerous look in his eye turned his gaze back up to Draxum. 

“I believe we need to pay a visit to Big Mama.” 

------------------------------------------ 

Finding the drain had been easy, even easier for Raph to pull the bars open and help his brothers jump into the large concrete cylinder. The insides were covered in slimy blue moss, various mushrooms and weeds sprouting up in clumps as they crept their way into the darkness. 

“Oh yuck! There better not be feces in this thing.” 

“We literally live in the sewers Dee.” 

“Leon these are yokai sewers, god know what washes up down here.” 

“Come on guys” Raph groaned, feeling his way along the side of the wall ignoring any slippery sensation that came along his fingers. 

“We need to be a bit quieter, we don’t know what’s at the end of this tunnel.” 

“Well whatever it is I’m guessing it’s not half as exciting as Papa and Barry’s mission.” 

“Man it’s dark in he-” an orange glow appeared suddenly, bright and illuminating as Mikey shimmed past his red brother’s larger frame, one of his nun chucks gripped in his fist. 

“Oh nice Mikey!” 

“Hey you're using your mystic powers!” Leo whispered excitedly, the younger turtle rolling his eyes as he made his way to the front of the line. 

“Well, this is important, we need to get to her before her ninpo shuts off again.” 

“I know I know, it’s just cool seeing you use them! You never do it anymore.” 

Mikey pressed his lips into a tight line, letting out a small grunt as he guided his brothers through the sludgy plant life pooling at the bottom of the drainpipe. They kept going for about fifteen minutes, flinching at small unknown creatures scuttling along the brass piping that was hanging low above their heads. 

“I think there’s a grate coming up on the right,” Donnie whispered, using his staff to feel along the ground in front of his feet to avoid stepping in anything squishy. Mikey raised his chucks higher towards the ceiling, picking up the pace when the outline of a ladder came into view. 

“Up there,” Raph whispered, pointing at the soft blue light seeping down through the grate bars above their heads. Mikey tucked his chucks safety back in the belt hidden under his waistband. They paused for a moment, listening for voices or signs of movement from above, each of them relaxing as nothing but silence followed. 

“Careful Mike,” Leo said gently as his younger brother immediately grabbed onto the first rung, the rusty metal creaking under his weight as he started pulling himself upwards. 

“I don’t think I’ll fit,” Raph chimed in, frowning at the size of the opening as Donnie turned towards him, blueprints pulled up again. 

“The only other ways in are main access doors which aren’t an option obviously,” the genius sighed, smirking up at the oldest turtle as a pout started to form. 

“Guess you’ll have to wait here big brother.” 

Raph let out a disappointed sigh, leaning back against the wall and sliding into a criss cross position as Leo gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. 

“Don’t worry Raphie, we’ll find the hottie in no time. Try meditating and talk to gram gram, maybe ask her about other clans that had ninpo.” 

The red banded turtle smiled, giving a firm nod in agreement as Leo turned and began following the youngest up the ladder, Donnie coming up close behind.  

When Mikey reached the top he gave an experimental press to the bottom of the grate, eyebrows lifting as he found it had already shifted slightly under the pressure. 

“Too easy,” he whispered, flattening the palm of his hand against the metal and lifting it above the divot before sliding it over to set gently on the floor above. He grabbed onto the ledge and hoisted himself up, leaning down to take Leonardo’s outstretched hand and pull him up as well. 

“What the...” the red eared slider looked around in confusion, taking in the porcelain tiles and the shower heads stationed around the small square room they were in. It was damp and musty, the soft blue glow of the hallway coming from the door at the far end being their only source of light. 

“It’s a locker room shower,” Donnie whispered, bringing himself up onto the floor and standing with his brothers. 

“I think we’re where the competitors get ready.” 

“No no, when I was competing we were in a completely different area. It was always one of the upper floors,” Leo responded softly, looking around slowly as Mikey started to pad towards the open hallway door. 

“What about the champions room that dragon was talking about?” 

“There’s never been a champions room before, the after parties and stuff were always held at a different building.” Leo shrugged, looking over as Mikey let out a small huff of annoyance. 

“That’s because they’ve never had a live person as the winner's gift before,” the box turtle whispered, glaring at the two of them over his shoulder as he paused at the doorway. 

“So can we please hurry up? ” 

The twins shared a look, eyes going back to their baby brother as he stepped out into the illuminated hallway. 

“Mikey be careful!” Donnie whisper yelled in frustration, the two of them quickly following and heading towards their brother's shadow. The hallway wasn’t very long, and when they caught up to the orange banded turtle he was already nearing the big black doorway that sat at the end. He pressed his ear up to the side of the wood, humming slightly when no noise came through from the other side. 

“These lights are all automatic,” the brainy turtle commented half handedly, looking over the rows of stretching blue orbs going along the ceiling. He looked to the far end of the hall, seeing an exit sign above a door he’d seen on his blueprints, it had a set of stairs on the other side that lead up to where the ticketing booths were. 

“This is the only other door going inwards too.” 

“Can you get it open? There’s a padlock,” Leo asked, pointing to the steel blue metal stuck on the doorknob. It was a standard one, like the kind you could get at a human hardware store, despite the navy-blue glimmers of mystic energy swimming across the metal.  

“Like you have to ask,” the purple banded turtle scoffed and knelt down, lifting the lock gently and giving it a once over. 

“But it’s mystic so picking it apart quietly might take a few minu-” 

The door caved in as Mikey’s foot connected with the wooden frame, banging open against the opposite wall and teetering precariously on it’s now busted hinges. 

“Too slow,” he snickered, his brothers' mouths gaping open as he strolled casually into the now open room. 

“Michelangelo...” Donnie hissed through gritted teeth, slowly rising from his kneeled position as he squeezed the spot between his eyes with his fingers. 

“Hurry up~” Mikey called breezily over his shoulder, making the blue banded brother cover his mouth to hide a snort as his twin’s eye started to twitch. 

“I swear to god-” 

“Come on give him a break, this is the most interested he’s been in anything outside of his own bedroom for months,” Leo smirked, patting Donnie on the back as he also stepped into the room. 

“Not that I can blame him, the girl is a fox. ” 

Donatello rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated huff before slinking into the room after his brothers. More automatic lights were on, dimmer and more yellowed with age. The room was bigger than the previous one. There were boxes stacked everywhere, and the second door at the far end had a large STAFF ONLY sign plastered over it. There was a small bathroom with a sink and a toilet, and a square dining table with no chairs pressed up against the wall they’d just walked in from. All the walls were grey and covered with various scorches and claw marks, thick and angry. The orange turtle breathed in deeply. 

She’d been here. 

Mikey quickly grabbed the two black garbage bags and the box that were sitting on top of the dining table and began rifling through them, gently setting the contents down on the ground and looking over each piece. Donnie decided to explore the boxes lined up on the other wall, letting out small huffs of frustration as he continued to pull out long strings of decorations and posters for past yokai events. 

“Oh well that’s comforting,” Leo said with a grimace, walking over to the farthest wall and making the other two pause in their poking. 

You could barely see it cause the lighting was so bad, but the last wall was pushed back into the concrete and a set of thick black bars had replaced the original framing. The door was wide open, a fold out bed set up against the retreating wall with worn blankets and pillows. There were chains and cuffs attached on the ends of the metal frame, gleaming and new. 

“Is this a, jail cell?” The red eared slider said in a concerned mumble, walking slowly into the small space and feeling a wave of claustrophobia hit him. 

“Check and see if there’s anything in there,” Donnie called over his shoulder, retreating from his own boxes to go crouch over where Michelangelo was on the floor. The youngest brother had cracked open the cardboard box and was going through what looked like a series of sketchbooks, flipping through the pages carefully and brushing his fingers over the pencil sketching inside. 

“These are good,” he commented softly, Donnie humming in agreement as he peered over his baby brother's shoulder. There were drawings of all different kinds of yokai, some colored in pencil crayon and others in black and white. As he kept flipping he came across a series of landscapes, two of the most common one's pictures a of small, quaint cottage in the woods and the other a large, traditional Japanese home surrounded by plant life. He froze on one of the drawings that had been colored in, the deep lines of red accentuating a tea house behind a polaroid that had been taped into the sketchbook. 

It was a picture of two young girls, no more than eleven and fourteen with their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders and their tongues sticking out, sporting red and blue popsicle stains from the frozen treats they’d gripped in their fingers. The one on the left was Angelica, and the other, a lizard girl with long straight brown hair and big yellow eyes. 

“These are her things,” Donnie said quietly, reaching into the box to pull out another, newer looking sketchbook. 

“I know, they smell like her.” 

Donnie’s head whipped around to his baby brother, the latter feigning nonchalant as the purple banded turtle raised a thick eyebrow. 

“You know what she smells like?” 

“I mean, yeah, don’t you? Can’t you feel her?” 

Donnie could, the second the handcuff on her wrist had exploded; he felt her ninpo now even, flickering softly somewhere in the distance. Lost. 

“Well yeah but, smell her-” 

“You guys' sound like a couple of old perverts!” Leo groaned in boredom, ignoring the glares that were shot his way as he bundled up a thick black piece of fabric in his arms. 

“And why would they bring all her things if they were planning on kidnapping her?” He asked in confusion over his shoulder, still rifling around in the piles of garbage that had accumulated in the tiny jail cell. 

“I don’t know, I’m hoping she’ll answer that herself when we find her,” Donnie responded, flipping through a few rough sketches before landing on one that looked like it had been done recently. He drew in a sharp breath, attracting the others' attention as he folded the sketchbook in half and turned it over. 

“Mikey, is this you?” 

The youngest brother looked up, letting out a choked sound of surprise as the book he was holding tumbled out of his hands. 

It was a drawing of him, a detailed sketch of his body from head to toe wearing the same outfit he’d been wearing all day. His hair, his face, his hands, his eyes glowing orange. She’d colored it in beautifully, and to add to his surprise she’d used a different orange pencil crayon to draw dreamy wisps of his mystic energy floating around his figure. Overall, the drawing clearly had quite a lot of effort put into it. 

“Wow! Her memory is incredible,” Donnie fawned, actually impressed as Mikey started to splutter in bewilderment as his brainy brother began to pull the page off of the book rings. 

“Don’t rip it!”  

“ What? I wanna take it with us.” 

“I assumed we’d be taking all of her stuff with us,” Leo chimed in inquisitively, padding over to his brothers and plopping down between them as he smiled at the drawing Mikey had wrestled out of Donnie’s grip. 

“Hey that’s really good!” 

“I think we should find the girl before we steal her things-” 

“Oh come on, she’s got like, what? A box and two garbage bags full of-” he reached into the bag Mikey hadn’t searched through yet, the three of them going silent as he pulled out a pair of lacy black underwear. 

“Ah-” 

“Put those back!” Mikey shrieked, ripping them out of his brother's hand and forcefully shoving them back in the bag, tying a knot tight to keep it closed. Leo snickered, patting him on the head as the orange banded turtle started to blush. 

“You’re such a virgin.” 

“Oh fuck off!” 

“These must be all the clothes she has,” Donnie hummed, ignoring the little spat between his siblings as he stood up and grabbed the cardboard box to lift onto his shoulder before letting out a small sigh of resignation. 

“I’m gonna message April and let her know to park the turtle tank around this side of the building, that way I can hand this stuff down to Raph and he can store it.” 

Leo and Mikey stood up as well, still shoving at each other before handing the garbage bags over to their brother and watching him sling them over his other arm. 

“You guys keep looking for anything regarding that champions room, let's get a move on saving her,” Donnie called over his shoulder as he began walking back down the hall towards the locker room. 

“Finally,” Mikey sighed, clutching the drawing to his chest. He raised an eyebrow as Leo unfurled the black bundle in his arms, fluttering it out before wrapping it around his shoulders dramatically. 

“What is that? ” 

“I found it on the floor!” 

Mikey rolled his eyes and let out a huff, watching his brother slide back and do a small twirl on his foot. He turned his back to the red eared slider, gently pulling the sketchbook paper away from his plastron and looking at it with a burning feeling in his chest. It really was such a good drawing, cool and collected like a superhero would be, definitely not the portrayal of the oily haired, cranky loser he’d been for the past three months. 

“Aren’t I just the pinnacle of prince charming Miguel?”  

“More like the pinnacle pain in my-” Mikey turned around to retort and his eyes widened, seeing that his brother had stepped closer to one of the light fixtures fully displaying the new garment. Leo let out a yelp of surprise as his brother snatched the collar of the cape and ripped it off his shoulders. 

“This is what she was wearing earlier!” 

“Well you didn’t have to be so aggressive about it! Jeez! ” 

“Ugh please, don’t be such a crybaby.” 

“Oh I’m the crybaby-” 

“Children!”  

They spun around to face Donnie, having come back from dropping Angelica’s belongings next to a meditating Raphael in the drainpipe with his eye now twitching furiously as his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. 

“If you’d been paying attention... ” he ground out, quickly stepping up to the two of them and pointing a finger angrily at the drawing once again clutched to Mikey’s chest along with the cape. 

“Instead of fighting, you would have noticed that there’s a fucking map on the back of that thing.” 

Mikey blinked, quickly pulling the drawing up and flipping it over to the backside. There were a series of squares and circles drawn hastily all over the paper, some with little labels written on them and others with arrows pointing in different directions. 

“See, these are the blueprints,” Donnie let out a small tsk, pulling up his arm band and positioning it next to Mikey’s drawing, lining up the pencil sketching with the white lines running up and down his screen. 

“It’s crudely done, but her drawing shows the floor where the champions room is, one of us just has to go through the stage prep under the fight pit and then take the servants elevator,” he said calmly, screwing up his mouth in an effort to hide his smile as Mikey started bouncing on the balls of his feet. He pointed at the blueprints, swiping across the screen and displaying a photo of a long white marble hallway trimmed with gold. 

“It’s better to go solo to lessen the chances of getting caught, so when you get up to this floor, her ninpo should be strong enough that you can find the room she’s in.” 

“Don’t worry fam! Leon’s got it-” 

“Oh no you don’t!” Donnie grabbed the back of his twin’s collar, preventing him from sprinting over to the staff door and pulling him back towards the hallway. 

“ We are getting Raph and waiting for April, Mikey’s grabbing the girl.” 

“Aw what?! But I’m the face man!” 

“You’re also the ‘one of the most famous in the hidden city’ men.” Donnie snorted, ignoring Leo’s whines as he shoved his brother in the direction of the locker room. 

“Call dad, figure out where he is and tell him where to meet us.” 

“Fine fine, guess this is my punishment for being so ruggedly delicious, poor darling probably wouldn’t have been able to handle all this.” 

“Oh for the love a- MOVE!” 

Leo squawked as Donnie finally shoved the back of his shell forcefully, sending him stumbling towards the locker room. The purple banded turtle turned back towards the youngest, watching him carefully fold up his drawing and tuck it into the front left pocket of his pants. 

“Stick to the walls, try and avoid the bellhop station-” 

“I’m still a ninja too, you know.” 

Donnie raised an eyebrow, sighing slightly and averting his gaze from the box turtle's glare. 

“Yes, I know.” 

Mikey scoffed under his breath, pulling Angelica’s cape up over his poncho and clasping it tightly at the front. He ran over to the rusted staff door, gripping the handle and pushing it open just a crack. 

“Mike.” 

The orange banded turtle looked over his shoulder. Donnie’s gaze had softened for the first time all evening, and Mikey felt a small, comforting lick of purple brush up against his ninpo. 

“I’m sorry for, you know, before.” 

He stared at his older brother for a moment, gripping the handle just a bit tighter before pushing out into the dark hallway. 

“You’re on thin ice, Dee.” 

Chapter Text

Raph’s eyes popped open as two of his brothers landed in front of the ladder he’d been sitting next to, looking up with his brow furrowing in confusion when Michelangelo did not join them.   

“We found her floor,” Donnie smiled softly, making the red banded turtle grin in response and get to his feet.   

“Nice! Mikey went to get her?”   

“Ha! Like he would’ve let  us  do it,” Leo snorted, rolling his eyes and pulling his phone out of his pocket to click on Master Splinter’s contact.   

“We need to get her stuff outside, April just texted and they’re parked around back already.”   

“What’d gram gram say?” Donnie asked his oldest brother, picking up Angelica’s box from off the ground as Leo started heading back down the drainpipe. He’d meant to ask him earlier, but since his brother was too deep in meditation Donnie had decided to let him rest until he and Leo got back.   

“It was...” Raphael drawled slowly, mimicking his brother and picking up the garbage bags as they followed the red eared slider.   

“A lot.”   

Donnie raised an eyebrow, craning his neck up to look at his older brother’s face as they started trudging through the swampy flooring side by side.   

“A lot, like, confusing? Or a lot as in you guys were speaking Japanese again?”   

“A lot like Grandma Atsuko showed up too.”   

Donnie flinched, stopping in his tracks as he stared up at his brother wide eyed. Raph stopped a couple paces in front of him, turning his narrowed eyes over his shoulder to give the soft-shell turtle a knowing look.   

“I told them everything, got our story straight from the beginning," the red banded turtle let out a tired sigh, reaching up to rub his temple to sooth the forming headache. 

"She’s not too happy with you.”   

Donnie cringed, turning his face to look at a patch of fungus on the far side of the drain wall to avoid his brother's gaze. Master Splinter’s mother was kind, soft spoken, and gentle at heart, but she got just as frustrated and angry as Karai did when it came to their values and the honor code that came with being ninja. They’d all received more than one furious chewing out during meditation time in the last few years.   

“What you did was unacceptable, it was an embarrassment to the Hamato clan, to the family.”   

“You don’t think I know that?” Donnie hissed, tensing up as Raph spun around and began walking back his way.   

“Donnie...”   

The purple one slowly turned his face back up, the snarl in his leader's voice making him freeze as glowing green eyes tinged with red came into his vision. Raphael had leaned forward, his hand landing on Donatello’s shoulder firmly and his face lowered inches from his own.   

“You will  never,  do something like that again, do you understand me?” Raph whispered slowly, a deep, animalistic growl in his voice that made the other turtles flesh break out in goosebumps. Raph had always been the softest of the four, an animal lover and the most protective. Which also meant he could be quite the terrifying force as their leader when he needed to be.   

“Raph I...” Donnie paused, and his big brother's face melted into a look of concern as the purple banded turtle bit into his bottom lip to choke back a miserable, wounded sound.   

“I don’t know how to help him,” Donatello whispered, reaching up with his free hand to press his wrist up against one of his eyes.   

“I don’t know how to fix this, why won’t he let me try?”   

Raph felt tears start to burn in his sockets, letting out a deep sigh as he reached his own free arm up to wrap snuggly around the lankier turtle. Donnie let out a choked whine, still gripping Angelica’s box to his right side as his other hand went up to grip his brother's thick forearm. His ninpo was pulsing softly, full of emotion that would have normally been embarrassing to show for the brainy one, and the snapping turtle cupped it comfortingly with his own anxiety stuttered mystic energy.   

“It’ll be ok Dee,” Raph responded gently, his chin resting softly on top of Donnie’s head as he started to rub the back of his battle shell in a soothing motion.   

“You know Mikey, he always bounces back eventually.”   

-----------------------------------------------------   

Michelangelo quickly muffled a sneeze, going still from his spot against a rack of costumes as two audio engineers walked by, chatting breezily. He kept his breathing even, watching them carefully and letting out a small sigh as they headed through a staff door on the far side of the depot. A group of witches were performing above currently, and he squinted as dust from the rafters above sprinkled down into his hair as the crowd cheered in excitement.   

“Guess they’re talking about me,” he mumbled, narrowing his eyes as the mental image of his brothers talking amongst themselves in the drainpipe fazed in and out quickly.   

He slid forwards away from the wall the racks were pushed up against, getting on his hands and knees and ducking underneath a table coated in various splatters of paint and glue. He peeked over the side, making sure no more staff members were coming before pulling out one of his chucks, giving it a good spin and letting one end fly into the air and wrap around a large steel ceiling pole. He jumped up onto the table, sucking in a deep breath before the chain retracted and he was sent shooting up into the air, leaping cleanly onto one of the wooden posts hanging above.   

He stood up straight, sheathing his chuck and stretching out his toes. Flexing his fingers before he jumped onto the next one, he gripped onto a long cable that was connected to the main energy box that opened the depot and raised the stage into the middle of the battle pit. He moved forward, toes poised as his feet slid back and forth, one after the other heel to toe as he crossed over the junction full of yokai prepping for their performances just behind the stage. There was a group of porcupines in hard hats sanding down the left side of the platform, slowly etching away a large black burn mark that had cracked through the wood.   

Mikey felt a grin creep up, and he had to hold back a small giggle as he vaulted himself into the third junction.   

Nice.    

It was a big open room holding some storage containers along with the large metal breaker box that controlled the sound systems, no staff in sight as he slid down the cable leading down from the stage circuitry. He felt his grin widen, speed walking over to the large cargo elevator and pushing firmly on the startup button.   

“Piece of cake.”   

“Hey! Kid-”   

Mikey couldn’t stop himself before one of his chucks went flying out from his belt, smacking into the porcupine worker's mouth, hissing in regret as the older man was immediately knocked out and fell backwards into the dirt.   

“Oops! Sorry old dude!” He whisper yelled bashfully, quickly jumping into the elevator and sighing in relief as the doors slid shut. He slumped against the wall, chest heaving as his grin came back full force, staring in wonder up at the ceiling.   

“All right, here we go,” he turned his head to look at the long row of buttons on the silver-plated panel next to the door.   

“Now which...” he raised an eyebrow, letting out a small scoff when his eyes landed on the big, star shaped gold button in the middle of the row.   

“You’re kidding right?”   

He quickly jabbed at it with his index finger, letting out a shriek as the elevator thundered to life and immediately shot rocket speed up through the arena.   

“Oh shit oh shit oh shit!-” he yelped as he was thrown into the air, grunting in pain when the elevator screeched to a halt and he was slammed back onto the metal flooring.   

“Welcome, to the newly renovated champions sector, all staff please make your way through the gray entrance doors.”    

He groaned at the squeaky voice recording over the intercom, giving his head a small shake as he pulled himself up. He gave himself a quick dust off, peering around as he stepped gently into the room the elevator landed in.   

The lighting was dim and warm, rows of bar carts and racks of towels and cleaning supplies lining the walls. The room was no more than 30-feet long, and he quickly made haste towards the two doors opposite end of the elevator. One gleaming gold and the other steely gray. He pressed himself to the gold door, leaning into it gently so he could peer through the crack and see what was on the other side.   

Chatter fluttered along his ears, and his eyes danced over the various yokai strolling through the long marble corridor. They were all dressed to the nines, sipping champagne on velvety sofas and gazing at various pieces of art hung along the 40-foot ceilings. Chandeliers lit the hall, crystal glass vases spilling with exotic flowers and woven strings of gold sitting on top Greek pillars spaced out between the picture frames. There was a white kitsune leaning against one of the walls nearby, large purple jewels dripping all over her body.   

Alright, not that way.    

Mikey tensed, his face twisting in a grimace as the blisters on his hands began to burn. He let out a smooth, deep breath, turning towards the gray door. He pushed his ninpo to flare through the pain, letting out a relieved laugh as he felt a familiar flicker come to light at the other end of the hallway behind the door.   

There you are.    

He ran to grab the doorknob, not giving himself a moment to think as he shoved the door open and burst into the corridor. It was identical to the one he’d already seen, except the wall on the left had three identical brass doors lining it instead of art, the right wall empty save for a long line of portraits placed inside thick wooden frames. The fourth door at the very end of the hall was plated with solid gold, a thick slab of marble with the word NEXUS carved into the rock hung at the top. Two human sized vases overflowing with lilac and white roses sat on each side, filling the hallway with  a thick perfume.   

Mikey began quietly making his way to the champion's room, taking note of the sound of yokai coming from behind each of the brass doors. He turned his gaze up to the framed pictures, snorting as he walked past the four in a row displaying his blue banded brother posing dramatically in each portrait, the year they were taken and the word champion printed on the label below.   

“More like  cheater,  ” he snickered to himself, turning back towards the end of the hallway.   

He froze, feeling the wind get knocked out of his chest as panic flooded his senses.   

There was a thunderbird, no older than thirteen, staring at him with terrified eyes from where he stood just in front of the last brass door. Mikey could see the yokai’s knees shaking, both his wings tightly gripping a small glass of water as his feathers began to puff up in fear. He was wearing a bus boy uniform, his tie knotted poorly and hanging in a weird angle on his neck.   

Michelangelo’s chest started to heave, one hand going up to make a shushing gesture against his lips and the other reaching down towards one of his chucks. 

This was bad,  really  bad. What the hell was he supposed to do? He didn’t want to hurt the kid, but if he let him run away and the thunderbird went shrieking for security...   

As Mikey’s brain was going a mile a minute, debating if he should knock the young yokai out and deal with the guilt later, the boy’s eyes began to light up with recognition. His feathers settled back down along his skin and his grip on the glass softened, his posture loosening to comfortability as he gazed adoringly up at the ninja turtle.   

“Mr. Kappa protector?”   

Mikey blinked in surprise, giving a shaky breath before his head rolled back and he let out a soft groan of relief. He pulled his hand away from his weapons, rolling his shoulder slightly before folding his arms across his chest and smiling down at the boy.   

“Hey, how you doin’ kid?”   

A thousand-volt smile lit up the teenager's face, making Mikey smirk as he stumbled towards the older mutant, nearly spilling the glass of water.   

“It’s such an honor sir!”   

“Don’t mention it.”   

“Are you here to save miss Angelica?”   

Mikey’s eyebrows raised in surprise and he quickly knelt down, making himself eye to eye with the young thunderbird as he gestured over at the golden door.   

“She’s in there, right?”   

“Yes sir!” The boy beamed and Mikey couldn’t help but grin back, raising his hand to smooth brotherly over the feathers at the top of the small yokai’s head.   

“Can you get me in?”   

“Absolutely!” The thunderbird gasped, quickly running over to a small panel placed on the wall next to the brass door he’d come out of earlier.   

“Miss Angelica’s very nice, they sent me to check on her,” the boy chirped, pulling open the little covering on the panel to reveal a nine squared keyboard made up of yokai lettering. 

“How much time can you buy me?” 

“I think, twenty minutes? If I’m annoying enough.” 

“Hm, good to know,” Mikey smiled again, walking over to the door as the boy pressed a five-digit code into the key card.   

“It’ll unlock in sixty seconds, sir.”   

“Thanks little man.”   

The thunderbird’s face split open into that delighted smile again as Mikey threw him a wink over his shoulder, the yokai turning nervous as he tapped one of his shoes quietly against the other.   

“Uh, Mr. Kappa protector, sir, I don’t mean to be rude but...”   

Mikey turned towards the boy, giving him a questioning look as he smiled bashfully up at the box turtle.   

“You kinda stink.”   

The orange banded turtle's eyes widened before narrowing in offense, glaring at the teenager for a second before lifting his arm over his head to sniff at his own armpit.   

“Ohmigosh!-” he gagged and stumbled backwards, shaking his head back and forth as the boy giggled, hiding his smile behind his wing.   

Mikey looked around, quickly grabbing a rose and a handful of lilacs from one of the overflowing vases and grinding the flowers up into his armpits. He threw the bundle back into the flowerpot, wiping his hands off on his pants. He started running his fingers through his hair after noticing the rubber band must’ve fallen out back in the arena, now hanging loose and long down the back of his neck.   

“Better,” the thunderbird smiled, giving him a thumbs up which he happily returned before the boy pushed back into the kitchen.   

Michelangelo turned towards the door, breathing in and out deeply, feeling the pink haze start to form as he placed his hand right over the nexus plaque.   

“Let’s fucking go,” he whispered, blue eyes glistening with orange as he pushed the door inwards roughly after hearing the click of the lock shifting open.   

-------------------------------------   

A loud scream of determination was sent rocketing through his ears the second he stepped into the bedroom, his right arm flying up to block the hit as Angelica’s scorching red gauntlets came flying at the side of his face.   

“Woah! Hold on a secon-”   

She let out another battle cry as her foot went soaring thought the air towards his stomach, his fingers latching onto her ankle and pushing her backwards before he raised his hands in a surrendering position.   

“Hey! Girl, can you just-”   

She hissed in rage, charging forwards and Michelangelo raised his left arm instinctively just in time for her fangs to sink into the flexed muscle of his forearm instead of his neck.   

“OW! Damnit!” He growled lowly, meeting her infuriated glare with his own as his free hand snapped up to grab her roughly by the jaw.   

“I’m  trying  to help you.”   

She growled loudly at the force of his grip, making the skin around her bite vibrate and he let out a hiss at the sting it caused. His own fangs now bared, and his back teeth grinding together as his feet pressed deep into the cream colored carpeting to keep her from pushing him backwards.   

“Just  calm down  , it’s  me.  ”   

Angelica’s growl dimmed to a low hum, her brown eyed glare bouncing back and forth between his orange-tinged irises before starting to soften bit by bit. Recognition filled her face, and she slowly unhooked her teeth from his arm as he let his fingers slide off her jaw. Mikey watched her tongue slide up and lick the blood off her canines, ignoring the part of himself that really liked it.  

She stepped back, her caged arms dropping to hang in front of her as shock left her standing breathless. He straightened his posture, shaking his hand slightly and sending a few blood droplets flying. 

“Ok then,” he hissed softly at the pain, loosening the ripped bandages around his arm and pulling it taunt to start wrapping them back around his wound carefully. 

Damn she bit hard.  

“It  is  you.”   

Mikey felt himself flush unexpectedly at the sound of her voice, not even noticing the blood beginning to run down his arm as his heartbeat sped up. She was staring at him so intensely, absolutely elated that he was there in the room with her. 

“Hi,” she said softly, making a warm tingle race up his spine. 

“Hi,” he tried not to sound wheezy, tugging the gauze a bit tighter than he should have as he began slowly walking around the room, taking in their surroundings.   

It was a huge bedroom; there were rose petals sprinkled everywhere and the bed was big and circle shaped, covered in white crushed velvet bedding and placed right in the middle of the plush flooring. Mikey’s eyes went to the floor to wall windows that took up the back wall, sheer glittery curtains tied off at the sides to reveal a breathtaking view of the entire Hidden City. His gaze slid over to a foggy glass door he guessed headed into a bathroom before moving upwards, the delayed heat immediately flooding his cheeks as he realized the length and width of the ceiling was made entirely out of mirror.   

Thank  God  Donnie hadn’t let Leo come here, they’d never hear the end of it.   

“You saw me, back in the streets.” 

“Y-Yeah, I heard you when you were calling for help.” Mikey coughed, feeling the girl's eyes follow him as he stopped at the foot of the mattress.   

“I can’t  believe  you found me.”   

He raised an eyebrow in confusion, turning around to face her again as she continued to gawk in astonishment.   

“Didn’t you feel me coming?”   

“No, these things cut me off,” she let out a sigh, seeming exhausted as she lifted the gauntlets up in front of her chest.   

“I can’t use my powers, and I can’t feel yours right now either. Jay Jay did tell me he overheard the security guards saying they only lock inwards though, not outwards like the other ones did.”   

“Jay Jay?”   

“The bird boy,” Angelica answered, walking towards him so that she could speak quietly as her eyes went up and down his frame. She was wearing the same outfit she had been on stage earlier, and Mikey forced his eyes up at the ceiling and held back the groan that threatened to slide out from between his lips.   

“That was quite the warm welcome for a guy so small.”   

“He always calls out to me before the door opens, when it unlocked without warning I knew.”   

“He’s a good kid, he’s the one who let me in here.”   

“I figured,” she smiled shyly, revealing the tips of the pointy canines that had ripped through the flesh of his arm. Michelangelo’s ninpo pumped along his arms in glee at the site, making him turn away in embarrassment again as she continued to get closer.  She noticed the uncomfortableness he was letting off, backing down and taking a step away to give him some space. 

“I’m sorry, I’ve never met another kappa besides my mom before.”   

Mom?

“Oh, I’m not kappa, I’m a mutant,” he replied anxiously, his nostrils flaring as he turned around to find her a couple feet away from him now. She had a splattering of freckles along her cheeks, neck, and shoulders. 

“You’re still a turtle, aren’t you?” Angelica’s eyes beamed with hope, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth as he began to splutter.   

“Yeah- I mean yes, yes I’m a turtle also.”   

“You have hair though, are you samurai?” Her irises glittered and he felt the heat starting to pump along his fingers again, clenching his fists desperately at his sides. Her chest had freckles all over it too. 

“Uh, ninja, technically?”   

“Can you get these off me then?” She asked gently, her brow furrowing questioningly as she lifted the gauntlets higher up in his direction. Mikey realized he was at least three inches taller than her, and he felt butterflies erupt in his stomach.   

“Um, I think so?” He replied shakily, reaching into the back pocket of his pants.  

The gauntlets were mystical, but they looked like the standard bolt locks Donnie had repurposed to upgrade Sheldon a year or two back. You know, when he was still spending time in the lab with his brother.   

“I bet...” he mumbled as he pulled out a thick pocketknife, giving it a spin before clicking the release and letting the blade snap out. It was an old-fashioned metallic silver one, a birthday present from Raph last summer, a soft, orange glow starting to envelope it as he clicked his teeth softly.   

Angelica couldn’t stop staring at him, watching him carefully as he took the gauntlets in his hands softly, flipping the knife upside down and sliding it into the T-shaped lock in the middle part where the metal was connected. He grunted a bit in pain and she bit her tongue, her nostrils flaring as his scent wafted over her frame. Along with, lilac and roses?   

“I’m sorry, I know they’re boiling, they really didn’t want me having access to my reiki.”   

“Reiki?” Mikey raised an eyebrow, still concentrating on the lock and twisting the knife slightly as he let another small burst of his mystic energy escape.   

“You know, the power and everything,” she mumbled the last part, watching his hands carefully and furrowing her brow slightly at the flecks of orange that seemed to be blistering his skin. 

“Oh, my family calls it our ninpo.”   

“There’s more?”   

He looked up at her gasp, feeling the blood start to thunder in his ears as her piercing eyes seemed to slice through his chest and grip onto his pounding heart.   

“Yeah, there’s more turtles.”   

The gauntlets went crashing to the ground and Mikey clicked the knife closed, feeling the butterflies begin an uproar in his stomach as her ninpo (reiki) began billowing out of her and washing over his own in smothering waves. Her fingertips glowing as she clasped her hands together and brought them up to her lips, her smile a dazzling euphoria and full of hope.   

“You’re amazing!”   

Oh no.   

Sparks erupted out of his fingers, making them both shriek in surprise as Mikey violently waved his hands back and forth, trying to snuff out the bolts.   

“Sorry sorry!-”   

“It’s fine it’s fine!” She laughed, so sweet it made his hands freeze and another flush race up his spine.   

She was so happy he was here. She didn’t know if he’d been able to come for her, or if he even wanted to. Seeing another turtle out in the wild had changed her world completely, and she was glad the feeling seemed to be mutual as she felt his reiki (ninpo) bubbling around and twirling up inside of him.   

She was finally going to be free from this awful place.   

“Oh uh! This is yours by the way!” Mikey squeaked out, unclasping the cape from around his shoulders and shoving it towards her a bit more roughly than he’d intended.   

Angelica didn’t seem to mind though as she let out a small, excited gasp, grabbing the fabric and twirling it behind her neck to rest over her shoulders. She clasped it happily in front of her collar bones, giving a twirl that made the length of it billow around her. It reached her knees, brushing up against him as she twirled a second time.   

“My cape! Oh thank you, thank you  so much.  ”   

He felt so weird, so goddamn  weird  . What was he, some hormonal teenager? He didn’t understand why he was reacting like this, but it still took every muscle in his face to stop a stupid, drunken smile from enveloping his lips.   

“You’re welcome,” he answered as calmly as he could, his heart thumping giddily as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet in excitement.  

"I can't believe it!" Angelica let herself spin once more, flashes of light dancing around her fingertips.

"Are we able to leave now? Do you know the way out?"

“Well, the kid said about twenty minutes, so by now I’d say more like seven-”   

An alarm blasted ferociously, red lights flaring angrily from the hallway behind them as Mikey let out a sigh of exasperation.   

Every time.   

“Ok well, let’s make that estimate zero. Let's go!"

"Wait wait!" she shrieked in protest, digging her heels into the carpet as he grabbed her by the wrist and attempted to pull her towards the door.

"We can't go that way! That's where-"

"There's no other way out of here!" He yelled back in a panic, eyes darting back out where the brass doors were as he heard voices begin hollaring at each other from the other sides.

"We can't! Please just listen to me!"

He froze as her hands flew up and gripped forcefully onto his, her ninpo slithering into his arms and making him choke in surprise as his biceps flexed roughly at the sensation. He frowned, looking down at the way her smaller frame shook and her fingers dug almost painfully into his palms.

"You guys always do this to me."

His own words from earlier reverberated in his head, dregging up unpleasant feelings about the pain, lonliness, and the isolation he'd felt from his brothers the last three months. How much he wished they would just understand. 

He let out a small sigh, his muscles relaxing as he let a comforting smile grace his features as he looked down at her.

"Alright, we'll go another way."

She visibly went limp, relief flooding her body as she kept holding his hands tightly. He felt himself give her palms a small squeeze in return, holding back a delighted noise in his throat as he saw her cheeks turn rosy in repsonse.

“Look, I know this is a lot, and I know we just met but I really  really  need you to trust me then, ok?” Michelangelo pleaded, feeling her ninpo rolling in anxious waves against his own as their eyes locked together, dancing with fear but also glimmers of excitement. Something more.

I’m here. I’m here with you. I won’t let anything bad happen, I  promise.     

She sucked in a deep breath, letting it out and giving him a tiny, nervous smile. 

Ok, I'll trust you, Mikan.

Michelangelo's mystic energy soared, enveloping the two of them in a burst of glowing chains as he grinned and turned determinedly towards the floor to ceiling windows, glittering and bright.

"You'll need to hold on tight then."

---------------------------------------------------

"Alright, alright well call me later when you guys are heading our way, love you pops."

April smiled up at Leo as he let out a sigh of exhaustion, sliding into his seat next to her and throwing a limp arm over her shoulder.

"Master Splinter said we can go ahead without them, he and dad will meet us back at the lair."

"Did you tell him we've been sitting here for fourty minutes already?" Cass groaned in frustration from her spot on the floor, lying on her back with her arms and legs spread out like a starfish.

"Yeeeesssssss Cassandra dearest and I let him know that you're being very brave about it too."

"Do you and Casey wanna take the motorcycle and go ahead? Might be good to have some of us at the lair beforehand," Raph piped up from the drivers side, throwing his arm over the back of his seat and twisting around to get a good look at his family.

After the invasion the original turtle tank had been destroyed, so Donnie had repurposed an old school bus to make a new one. It was smaller than what they'd had before but it still fit them all fairly comfortably as well as Leo's crashed motorcycle, now fully refburshed and decked out with the brainy turtles latest tec. While it was still made for fighting and held an infinite amount of weapons, it also was the perfect cover for an everyday vehical when they were out moving across both of their cities. It blended in just like every other school bus wonderfully.

"Are you sure Raph? We don't mind waiting," Casey answered softly from his spot across from April, making Cass shoot him an incredulous glare.

"I'm sure, you two go ahead, set up the living room and stuff, I'm guessing you're all staying at the lair tonight right?"

"You know it big guy," April smiled, Leo squeezing her shoulder and letting out a small cheer.

"Hamato clan sleepover let's gooooooooooooooo!"

Casey stood up, leaning down to grab Cass's outstreched arm and pull her up with him before heading towards the back of the bus where the motorcyle was chained up, waiting. April leaned into Leo's shoulder, letting out a tired sigh before turning her gaze to look at the back of the purple banded brothers head positioned on her right. He was sittng in the passenger side seat, having been silent the whole time since the three of them had joined their human friends back in the truck.

"You good Dee?" she asked, concern lacing her voice as Leo leaned back to also look over at his brainy twin over April's head.

"Yeah Dontron, you've been so quiet."

The motorcycle roared to life as Casey and Cassandra made their exit, the back doors of the bus slamming shut as they slid out onto the dirt road circling around the arena. Donatello's lips were pressed into a thin, worried line, his brows furrowed as he let out a deep sigh and leaned further back into his chair.

"I'm just worried we're not doing the right thing here."

The remaining three members shared a few quick looks of confusion, April scooting down the bench to get closer to the soft shelled turtle.

"What, saving someone from sex trafficking Donnie? That's not the right thing?"

"No! No of course it's great we're doing that, I mean the part where she's coming home with us."

Donnie shuffled slightly in his seat, feeling his family's eyes on him as he lifted his arms up in exasperation.

"I mean, we all saw her in that arena, she was a demon. It is really safe to let her stay in the lair with us until we figure something else out?"

Silence followed, not even Leo taking the chance to pipe up as they all sat with the brainy turtle's words for a second. Raph finally let out a sigh, him and his second in command sharing a look as the younger of the pair shruggled before turning his gaze down to his friend snuggled up against his side.

"What I saw..." April started gently, once again leaning back into the red eared slider's arm as her eyes pierced through the back of her best friend's head.

"Was a woman, just like me, stuck in the one of the worst positions possible that any woman could ever be in, yokai or not."

Donnie slowly turned to look at her over his shoulder, flinching when Raph put a comforting hand on his shoulder, forcing his eyes his way instead.

"And what I saw, was another turtle, scared, alone, needing our help."

"We know you're worried Don," Leo finally decided to chime in, letting out a small giggle as his twin shrunk away bashfully at the attention all three of them were giving him.

"But you gotta go with the flow sometimes buddy, otherwise, how're you gonna live?"

Donnie let out another, anxiety filled sigh, Leo's fingers going up to tug comfortingly at the long black mask tails trailing down the back of his brothers seat behind his head.

"Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

Something heavy violently slammed into the roof of the school bus, making the team shriek in unision as glass began to rain around them. It was sliding off the sides of the protective metal casing, falling past the windows positioned on each wall of the turtle tank as the four of them struggled to unsheathe their weapons in their confusion.

"What the-"

The side door rammed open, Michelangelo vaulting himself into the cab of the bus with Angelica clutched tightly against his body as his glowing mystic chains flew out amongst them. He landed next to April and Leo, quickly setting his companion down and whipping around to face the two older brothers postioned at the front.

"Start the fucking truck!!"

Chapter Text

“Mikey! What did you do?! ” 

They were speeding through the Hidden City, passing banner after banner of glaring WANTED signs glowing neon red amongst the buildings and shops they passed by. Stills from the jumbotron of the turtle girl lighting things on fire were plastered all over them; her fangs bared and sharp. 

“WARNING! EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! DO NOT APPROACH AND CONTACT LOCAL AUTHORITIES IF FOUND!”  

Raph turned a bend, sending the rest of them careening to the left as he struggled to keep up with the high paced Hidden City traffic. 

“Can you watch her for a second please?” 

Angel was plopped gently down on the bus bench next to April, Michelangelo’s chains loosening their hold from her upper arms and thighs before retreating towards his body. He ripped his parka off, sending little sprinkles of glass to the floor as he leaned between the driver and passenger seats. She felt her face flush at the reveal of his thickly toned arms and back of his brightly patterned shell. 

“Hi!” 

She turned to her gaze to the woman next to her, red rimmed glasses and a friendly smile stretched across her full lips as she put a gentle hand on the yokai’s shoulder. 

“I’m April, are you hurt?” 

Angel blinked in surprise, sitting still as a statue as the other girl gently unclipped the clasp at the front of her cape, separating the fabric down the middle and folding the sides to rest softly over her shoulders. The other four members of their party were talking amongst themselves rapidly, but she was completely tuned into the woman sitting next to her and barely noticed. 

“You are human?” 

April smirked slightly, giving a small nod as she began gently running her hands up and down the girl’s arms, checking for damaged skin. 

“Last time I checked.” 

“And you- Are you not disgusted by me?” 

April felt a frown deepen her face, a rush of sympathy and a need to protect flooding her at the shocked look in the girls' eyes. So much anxiety dancing along the ninpo floating around her irises. 

“Of course not sugar!” 

Angel titled her head slightly, letting her stiff posture relax as she scanned the human’s face up and down for signs of anything mistrusting, relieved to find none. 

“You are very beautiful.” 

April beamed, her smile reigniting her face and washing away the frown as a flattered blush lit her cheeks up with warmth. 

“Aw! Thanks girl, so are you!” 

“You can call me Angel.” 

“Are you cut anywhere?” Mikey asked over his shoulder, making her raise her head up over April’s to get a good look at him. Her jaw dropped, finally noticing the other three mutants spread out amongst their youngest brother. 

“Oh, fuck me.” 

“What an offer~” 

“LEO!” Raph shrieked, throwing a hand around the side of his seat to smack his brother on the shoulder in indignation. 

Angel blushed, embarrassed by the outburst before clearing her throat and pressing her fist to her palm, bowing her head graciously. 

“Gomen nasai, it’s my first time meeting other turtles.” 

“Omigosh us too!” Leo leaned forward from his spot on the bench across from her, grabbing her hands in excitement and beaming widely. 

“You speak Japanese?!” Donnie yelled the question politely over his shoulder, his fingers flying across the screens in front of him as he tried to figure out which road to take to get as far from the Hidden City as quickly as possible. 

“I was born there!” Angel yelled back, jumping in surprise as Michelangelo smacked Leo’s hands out of her own, replacing them with his as he knelt down on the floor in front of her. 

“Coming on way too strong there big brother,” he snorted, his eyes meeting her as a soft look graced his features and she smiled down at him in return. 

“You need to put your seatbelt on.” 

“Miss Angel, you sure you’re not hurt?” Raph asked, glancing back at her over his seat briefly before quickly turning his eyes back to the road. 

“Yes!” She squeaked out an answer, raising her arms up as Mikey and April helped each other secure the gray nylon around her waist in a comfortable position, one of Mikey’s hands still holding hers tightly. 

She didn’t know what was going on. She'd been so confident earlier, now she was a nervous wreck as she jostled back and forth inside the humid school bus.  

They must have seen my temper tantrum back at the arena.  

She remembered the moment clearly, a flicker of green washing across her reiki and then dotting with red, purple and blue before a familiar gush of orange flooded her senses. 

Her adrenaline had made her cocky despite the mask of shyness she displayed when the box turtle had entered the room she'd been trapped in all day, eager and easy to get close to the mutant. Excited to feel something, anything outside of the hell she’d been in for the last forty-eight hours. But now, there were four of them, and suddenly the mystic warrior in front of her was extremely intimidating. Especially when he was all sweaty and shirtless, his left arm dripping with his own blood. 

“Oh right! I bit you earlier,” she gasped, Mikey’s eyes blinking in confusion as Donnie whipped around ferociously in his seat, his face scorching hot. 

“Sorry did what now?!” 

“Oh shit Mike!” Raph gawked, seeing the blood in the rearview mirror as Leo pulled his baby brother down onto the bench next to him.  

“You must’ve put up quite a fight when he came to get you,” April scoffed in amazement, smiling at the girl’s look of embarrassment as Donnie shot out of his chair and slid onto the bench opposite side of Leonardo. 

“He blocked all my hits though, Mikan is incredible.” 

“Mikan?” April raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh,” she turned to look over at the other three turtles, Mikey’s eyes already on her and a blush crawling up the back of his neck as his brothers stared. They were still holding hands. 

“I just realized I never even asked you for your name?” 

Mikey smirked, ignoring the throb of pain that spiked up his arm as Donnie began rapidly stripping the soaked black bandages off the skin around his injury. 

“I’m Michelangelo,” he said softly, sending the girl a wink that made April’s eyebrows shoot up into her hairline. 

“But I like Mikan.” 

Angel blushed, her mouth screwing up as she tried desperately not to let a goofy smile split open her face. Mikey squeezed her palm, his thumb starting to rub back and forth softly against the skin on the back of her hand. 

Leonardo hadn’t taken his eyes off the pair since they’d busted through the turtle tank doors, his extremely attentive gaze now locked on their conjoined grasp. They’d left the Hidden City and had popped out in the abandoned construction site where the portal resided, Raph veering off to head towards the woods on the outskirts of New York. Best not to go back to the lair just yet, in case they were being followed 

“Sooooooooooo yeah, whatcha’ guys been up to while we were waiting for an hour?” 

“Nardo,” April sighed pointedly, narrowing her eyes as the blue banded turtle quickly switched back and forth between making eye contact with the human and staring pointedly at the pair’s interlocked fingers.  

Mikey let go, noticing the interaction and feeling the blush on the back of his neck flare up strongly. Angel blinked innocently, titling her head as she looked over at the red eared slider. 

“We were escaping from the arena, Shinobi-san.” 

The four boys froze, Leo going completely stiff before his eyes started to widen and he began to laugh gleefully, the pitch growing increasingly higher and making the others let out exhausted groans of aggravation. 

“ Here we go-” 

“Shinobi-san?! Oh I love that!” 

“Sorry about him, that’s Leonardo, this is Donatello,” Raph jumped in, pointing at each brother before jabbing a thumb at his own chest. 

“I’m the leader of this party, Raphael.” 

“It’s an honor,” Angel grinned, leaning forward and taking the hand he stretched backwards in invitation to give it a good, firm handshake. His palms were rough and calloused, her gaze going down to the sai placed on the inner consul next to him. 

“Warriors hands,” she mumbled unintentionally, making Raph turn his face around to beam at the unexpected blush that flooded her face. 

“Oh! Thank you-” 

“RAPH THE ROAD!” Donatello shrieked suddenly, the red banded turtle yelping in response before slamming his large foot roughly down on the breaks. 

They all let out guttural screams of shock and surprise, the bus lurching violently as the group went flailing and slamming against each other because of the harsh motion. They’d passed over the tree line, the school bus now shrouded with leaves and large clumps of snow. A huge log was blocking the path they normally took to circle back around to the lair after missions, thick and unmovable. 

“Everyone ok?!” 

“Damnit!” Donnie hissed, jumping back over to the passenger side seat and pulling up the screen in a flurry of tapping fingers. 

“Angel! You alright??” Mikey asked panickily, pushing against his whining blue banded brother to stumble over to the yokai. 

“She’s the only one who had her seatbelt on,” Leo groaned, pulling himself up and rubbing the sore spot forming on the back of his skull. 

“Man, that hurt,” April groaned, Angel unclicking said seatbelt to get out of her spot and help the other girl up. She smiled up at the yokai, taking her hand and letting herself get pulled upwards before dusting off her clothes and turning to look out the front windshield. 

“Woah! That thing’s huge!” 

“We can’t go back around; we’d knock too many trees down and leave a huge mess behind,” Donnie said through gritted teeth, frustrated as he scrolled over the map on his dashboard. 

“I don't think I can lift that,” Raph cringed, turning to look over his shoulder as Mikey came up behind him. 

“Mike, you think you can-” 

The orange banded turtle lifted his arms, long cracks of orange blistered skin going down his fingers and disappearing under the new bandages Donnie had put on. 

“Ok! Yep, never mind-” 

“Would you like me to burn it down for you, Raphael-san?” 

They all turned to look at Angel as she squeezed her way to the middle of the group, jaws dropping as she lifted a fist and a scorching ball of pink engulfed her skin. Raph began to sputter, waving his hands back and forth as he continued to stare in astonishment. 

“Oh no! No we couldn’t ask you to do that Miss Angel-” 

“It really is no trouble, Jonin,” Angel smiled at the large mutant sweetly, making his eyes light up as the words died off in his throat. 

“J-Jonin?” 

“Oh-ho I can’t wait to see this!” Leo rubbed his palms together excitedly, watching Angel in delight as she went over the truck door and pulled it open with her free hand. Mikey began to splutter in protest, April’s hand landing comfortingly on his shoulder to pull him back as she gave a polite smile. 

“I’ll go with her,” she gave him a quick side hug, sending a wink over her shoulder as she followed behind the yokai girl. 

“You might wanna put a shirt on also, little brother.” 

Mikey’s face erupted as the door slid shut behind April, letting out a couple mumbles of frustration as he turned towards the bench behind him, flipping the top open to start searching inside amongst the clumps of clothing they’d shoved in there for backups over the years. Leo’s grin never faltered as he spun around to face his brothers, snapping his fingers and shooting out some finger guns in their direction as he posed excitedly. 

“Alright! We saved the girl, how we feelin’?” 

“Well, we’re harboring a wanted yokai Battle Nexus prize soooooo, pretty good I think,” Donnie’s tongue clicked in his mouth, Leo sliding forwards to settle himself between the driver and passengers' seat where his brothers sat.  

The red eared slider leaned forward, eagerly watching the scene in front of him as Angel and April padded up to the huge log thirty feet in front of the turtle tank. 

“Do you think she’ll be able to scorch the whole thing?” 

“We’ll see,” Donnie sighed in a singsong way, gaze flicking to his youngest brother over his shoulder as he walked up behind him and grabbed the back of the seat’s headrest. Mikey pulled the white t-shirt he’d found over his chest briskly with his free hand, a size too small as it rode up and exposed his lower stomach just above the pants-line. 

“Damn you’re getting buff baby bro,” Leo chuckled, the box turtle rolling his eyes before leaning down and placing his face in the spot between the two twins. 

The four of them watched with baited breaths as Angel motioned for April to step back a bit, doing it a few more times until their friend was basically standing right in front of the school bus. 

“How is she not freezing?” Raph asked quietly, seeing as April was clutching at her arms and rubbing them up and down briskly, even with her winter coat on over her yokai robe. 

“She’s a turtle like us; shouldn’t she be shaking in her sandals?” 

“It is a bit odd,” Donnie mused back, his eyes narrowing in concentration as the yokai girl began to widen her stance, the snow not seeming to faze her one bit.  

He’d noticed that the inside of the turtle tank had gotten increasingly warmer when she’d vaulted inside with Michelangelo earlier, now cooled significantly after she’d stepped back outside. Fascinating.  

Angelica closed her eyes, sucking in a deep, long sigh before letting it out, her breath fogging out in a large cloud that simmered up into the air. She pressed the bottoms of her palms together, her fingers flexing and her forearms slotting against one another as she shifted her shoulders from side to side. Leo let out a small gasp as her arms flew up above her head, her hips spinning and her entire body fully rotating as she jumped into the air. Her ninpo was floating around her in thick, coiling waves, bright and blinding against the white winter surrounding. She landed, her leg stretching out and making a large arch in the snow, her foot sliding through the white powder before she spun again, her arms clutched to her chest before she threw them out in front of her. 

They all let out various noises of shock as fire burst forth from her palms in a long, endless stream, pulsing a glowing neon as her feet dug into the snow, flecks of frozen dirt starting to snap up onto her ankles from the brute force of the motion. It hit the wood with an ear-splitting crack, flames engulfing the entire length of the wood instantly as they began to dance and curl into the space high up above the trees. 

“She’ll start a forest fire!” Donatello shrieked in alarm, moving to jump out of his seat before Mikey’s hand landed firmly on his shoulder. 

“Just wait man,” Michelangelo said breathlessly, the look of pure adoration in his eyes making the soft-shell pause and stare up at the orange banded turtle in amazement. His baby brother hadn’t looked at anything, let alone anyone, like that in eons. 

Donnie settled back into his seat, slowly turning his gaze around to land on the girl again. He watched, mesmerized as she pulled one of her hands away from the stream of fire to twirl her fingers lightly in the air. The motion seemed to create some sort of invisible dome around the log, the blazing inferno now controlled and no longer flickering towards the surrounding trees. 

“Wow,” Raphael gasped lowly, the palms of his hands pressing into the dashboard as he practically shoved his face into the glass of the windshield to get a closer look. 

April was cheering, jumping up and down in the snow and whooping in delight. Leo was happy to join in, practically vibrating in his seat as he bounced up and down from the excitement racing up and down his nerves. 

“She’s fucking amazing!” Mikey cackled, Donnie’s body frozen and pushed as far back into his seat as it would allow. Her ninpo was so powerful, it was overwhelming him, sliding along the purple banded turtle’s own mystic energy in delight. It felt insanely good, he thought he might pass out. 

“God I am, so damn horny.” 

“Ew Leo!” Raph stuck out his tongue in disgust, his eyes never leaving the dazzling performance taking place in front of him. 

“No he’s got a point,” Donnie managed to wheeze out, hearing Mikey’s claws release into the headrest right next to his face. He was so fucking confused. He didn’t like this. What exactly was she doing to them?? 

“Easy...” Mikey growled, Donatello rolling his eyes and finally leaning forwards to get a better look like his brothers. 

The log was rapidly starting to shrink now, and after a few more billowing pulses of fire, it became nothing more than a charred strip starting to drown in a thick pool of melted snow. 

“Is that good?!” Angel called out over her shoulder, making them jump at the sound of her voice as she snapped her palms together, immediately snuffing out the fire stream. 

“Y-Yeah! We can drive over it now!” Raph called back, leaning his head out the side window as she beamed and gave him a thumbs up. 

“That was insane! Holy shit!” April squealed, Donnie twisting around in his seat to look at her as she jumped back up through the truck doors. 

“How do you feel? Are you ok?” 

“Ok?! I’m wonderful!” The human grinned, her cheeks rosy pink and her skin practically glowing as they made eye contact. Donnie thought she looked lovely, and he felt a small seed of anxiety start to form as a knot in his stomach.  

Angel pulled herself up next to April, closing the doors behind her before turning to smile at the group softly. The purple banded turtle’s stomach gave a small lurch as the plug tightened, finding that he thought the turtle girl looked beautiful too. 

What, is she?  

“Let’s roll fam!” Leo grinned, plopping down on the bench next to Mikey who’d sat himself in the spot behind Raph. April landed behind Donnie, her fingers going up to start playing with his mask tails as he reached back to brush his knuckles down to side of her arm in a soothing manner. 

Mikey was staring at Angel, his eyes twinkling and bright as the girl positioned herself on April’s other side, smiling wide and fiddling with her fingers nervously after clicking her seatbelt back around her hips. 

Did I help, Mikan?  

The box turtle smirked, reaching out to take her hand in his again as Raph started up the engine. 

More than you know, Angel Cakes.  

The truck sped through the woods, leaving thick tracks in the glistening snow as they moved further and further away from the now incinerated fallen log. Long after they were gone, daisies and small weeds started to sprout up from the wreckage, strong, and pulsing with magic. 

----------------------------------------------------------------- 

“Sooooooo are your dads like, a couple?” 

“ We’ve been trying to figure that out for years, trust me.” 

Leonardo had decided to take it upon himself to explain their entire origin story on the rest of the ride home, Angelica’s eyes wide and bulging in disbelief as he recounted the battle with Shredder and everything that had happened since then as well. Mikey noted that he’d casually left out everything that went down in the invasion, only sprinkling minor details to explain how Casey came into their lives.

They finally made it to the lair, parking in the garage and heading up the abandoned stairway towards the open area designated as the living room. 

“And we’ve got kind of a stepmom too; it just gets more complicated from there.” 

“You’ve all had such amazing lives,” Angel said, completely in awe as April stepped up next to her, matching her pace and giving the yokai girl a lopsided smirk. 

“Oh honey, you have no idea.” 

“Wait until we take you to the mutant pizza parlor,” Leo grinned, walking backwards on the staircase and matching the girl's steps on the other side. 

“She’s a wanted fugitive ‘Nardo. ” 

“I mean after we fix that obviously Donald! ” 

Angel beamed, April linking their arms together as they walked a bit further up while the purple and blue banded turtle started to bicker. 

“Don’t mind them, they’re twins.” 

“It’s nice,” Angel smiled, raising her hand to rest gently on April’s arm. 

“I miss my sister, sometimes, even the fighting.” 

“You have a sis-” 

“THEY’RE BACK!!” 

April went flying out of Angel’s grasp, making her blink in surprise as a red and black blur hurtled past and went skidding over to the row of arcade games on the inner right wall. 

“Guys!” Casey called excitedly, getting up from the couch and jogging his way over. He was wearing Batman pajama pants and an NHL jersey, thick fuzzy black socks covering his feet. 

“Hey, you two,” April wheezed, Cassandra’s arms in a vice grip around her own as the other girl grinned over at the rest of the party. 

“Where’s the yokai-” Cass paused mid-sentence, her wide brown eyes landing on the girl who had quietly moved to hide halfway behind Raphael’s large shell. 

She squirmed nervously, the bigger turtle shifting sideways to give her an empathetic smile. 

“It’s ok, I’m guessing humans are still a sore spot for you?” 

“This is Cassandra and Casey, right? The Jones’s?” Angel whispered softly, cupping her hand around her lips as Raph leaned back to hear her better. 

“Yep, don’t worry they’re all good, like April,” Raph chuckled, watching the younger turtle give a nervous nod before making her way slowly out from behind his large frame.  

She coughed slightly, smoothing out her cape before clasping her hands in front of her stomach and giving a small bow. 

“Konbanwa, Cassandra-san and Casey-san.” 

Cassandra’s grasp went completely limp around April, the other girl squawking in surprise as she was dropped to the floor like a rag doll. 

“Hello!” Casey said cheerfully, giving the girl a wide smile as Leo walked over and threw his arm around the human boy. 

“Angel, this is my son-” 

“YOU’RE SO CUTE!” Cassandra was in front of her in an instant, her hands grasping Angel’s as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. Angel blinked in surprise, her eyes widening as the girl began rapid firing questions at her in Japanese. 

*“I love your cape! Where did you get it? How’d the guys break you out? How old are you? Are you staying-”* 

“Woah Cass! Let’s slow down on the Dr. Pepper consumption maybe,” Raph laughed, feeling bad for the yokai girl as he grabbed the kunoichi by the back of her burgundy-colored sweater. 

“I’m twenty-two,” Angel answered the last question she’d heard politely, the black-haired girl giving a grin as Raph sat her feet back down on the floor next to Casey. 

“You’re the same age as Mikey,” Casey smiled, putting his hand out for the turtle girl to shake shyly. 

“You’re Angelica, right?” 

“Angel’s fine.” 

“Where is Mikey by the way?” April asked, having straightened herself up and rejoining the group while she fixed her glass that had strayed from the force of Cassandra’s hug. 

“I’m here!” Michelangelo grunted, Angel’s garbage bags and her box of things held tight in his arms as he made his way up the staircase. He’d gone back to the truck to get them while the others had been talking, distracted. 

“You have my things!” Angel gasped in surprise, rushing over to the box turtle as he placed the items on the nearby pool table. 

“We loaded them into the truck while Miguel was being your knight in shining armor,” Leo smirked, ignoring his youngest brother’s returning glare.  

Angel pulled one of the bags open, stuffing her arm shoulder deep into the pile of fabric as she searched for something particular inside. 

“Yes! My iPod!” She shrieked in delight, pulling out a small, rectangular lime green device and a pair of corded over-the-ear black headphones. 

“IPod? Who the hell still has an iPod anymo- OW!” Leo whined in pain as he was smacked on the shoulder, glaring up at Raph who raised an eyebrow and shook his head slightly. 

“Thank you so much, you know, for everything,” Angel had turned back to Mikey, setting her found treasure down on the pool table so that she could grasp his hands happily with her own. 

“No problem girl,” Mikey grinned, fangs gleaming as he leaned into her touch and intertwined their digits together, his smile widening as their double sets of fingers slotted together perfectly.  

We fit.  

The group began chatting amongst themselves, heading into the living room as Angel continued to give out thanks to the rest of the family members for each part they played in her rescue. 

“Hey Case,” Leo pulled his friend back a bit, giving them some space. 

“Yeah sensei?”  

“Did Mike have like, a girlfriend, or a wife even, in the future?” 

Casey frowned slightly, giving a small shake of his head as he looked up at the blue-banded turtle. 

“No, not that I know of, we didn’t really have time for that kinda stuff. You know, with the world ending and all.” 

“Right right, never mind, forget I asked,” Leo chuckled, giving the hockey player a good pat on the back before pushing him forwards and stepping back into the group.

Angel was gaping at the space, letting out oohs and ahhs as Raph pointed at the different open tunnels and staircases leading around the lair. 

“Hey! We should order food!” 

“Ooh good idea Leon!” 

“I’ve been craving Chinese.” 

“TACO BELL! TACO BELL!-”  

“No way! We got Chinese last week-” 

“Guys guys! C’mon! Where’s that famous Hamato Clan hospitality?~” Leo laughed, gesturing towards Angel who was watching them all politely from her spot next to Michelangelo. 

“Let our guest decide!” 

All eyes turned to Angelica suddenly, making her freeze up as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment from the amount of attention. She looked up when Mikey gave her hand a nice squeeze, returning his soft, kind smile with one of her own before turning back to the group. 

“Um, could we get pizza?” 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

“Well, that was exhausting.” 

Baron nodded his head in agreement at Master Splinter’s words, rubbing his temples to soothe the headache that had been slowly building over the last few hours. 
They’d finally made it back to the lair, enduring a sweaty taxi ride from a chatty griffin yokai to the nearest manhole cover outside the Hidden City portal.

“Mhm, my thoughts exactly.” 

“Do you think the boys were able to find her?” The rat mutant asked his partner, making their way up the stairs towards the large entrance of their underground home.

He looked down at his companion, a soft smile gracing his features at the worried look in the samurai masters eyes. 

Draxum was about to answer when the sounds of laughter filled both their ears, making them raise their eyebrows and share a look before heading into the large family living room. 

The group of young adults were all spread out together, the human’s sleeping bags zipped open and laid on top of a group of air-mattresses that they’d pulled out of the bathroom closet and blown up. The boy’s four bean bag chairs had been pulled up on both sides of the worn leather couch, blankets and pillows spilling out in rolling heaps as their children giggled and talked animatedly amongst each other. 

Raphael was sitting on the couch next to Cassandra, braiding April’s hair delicately with big but gentle hands while Casey sat next to her, his own hair being brushed and pulled backwards by the kunoichi. Donatello was on April’s right, leaning sideways into her lap and his phone in his hands as he pointed to something on the screen that made her snort into her hand. Leonardo was sitting next to Casey, their legs tangled together as the blue banded turtle made excited gestures in the air with his hands. And at April and Casey’s feet, Michelangelo and Angelica lay next to each other, their shoulders and the sides of the heads pressed together as her hands lifted above them, making pink, glowing swirls of fish dance in their above the group. The box turtle eventually lifted one of his own hands as well, sending a small swarm of butterflies to dance between the fish in orange bursts. They were all in various states of pajamas, even Angel wearing a large, oversized yellow t-shirt with tweedy bird on it borrowed from April’s emergency stash of lair clothing, along with Mikey’s spiderman pajama pants. 

After showing her the kitchen and the bathroom, the group had lovingly helped Angel put her things in the laundry room to be sorted and washed later, the girls helping her carefully strip off her how now dirty costume and jewelry which she offered to a humble Raphael.

”Please, take it! You guys can pawn it and get some money in return, please let me pay you back.”

The leader had been deeply touched by the gesture, putting bandages and salve over her bruised wrists before the girls helped her wash her face and get into her pajamas like the others had.

“Well, that answers our question,” Draxum smiled softly, everyone’s heads snapping their way as various responses of excitement spilled from the party. 

“Dad!” 

“Papa!” 

“It’s so great you’re home!” Raph was the first to get up, rushing over to Master Splinter and leaning down to give him a warm hug. 

“So much stuff happened! I’ve gotta tell you all about it.” 

“As is the same for us, my son, but let us save that for tomorrow, I’d like the meet the girl first,” Master Splinter answered, smiling up at his eldest son and patting him on the arm before making his was over to the pile of turtles and humans. 

They all got up from their seats, giving Angel encouraging smiles as she shuffled shyly up to the front of the group. 

The alchemist took in her appearance, eyes going down to the bandages around her wrists and feeling a rush of paternal instinct.

“It is nice to meet you, young lady, my name is Baron Draxum,” Baron introduced himself, giving a small bow and smiling in a way he hoped was inviting. She gave a small bow back, her fingers still gripping tightly to the hem of her t-shirt nervously. 

“You’re the Warrior Alchemist?” 

“That I am.” 

“Thank you for letting me into your home, Master Draxum, I’m really very grateful.” 

“You’re welcome Angelica, I’m sure my boys were happy to save you” Draxum smiled over at the turtles, each one responding happily to their parent’s praise. 

“And I am Hamato Yoshi, also their father,” Master Splinter smiled, going to take the girl’s hands in his as she made another, lower bow. 

“Yoshi? Like, Lou Jitsu?” she questioned curiously, her hands relaxing gently in his grasp.

”That’s right! You must be Japanese,” Master Splinter chuckled, the groups expressions turning into various looks of surprise at the way the turtle girl seemed to visibly brighten.

“It is an honor, Master Yoshi!” She gasped, making the rat beam as the girl whipped her head around to the others.

”You didn’t tell me your dad was Lou Jitsu!”

”We didn’t think you’d know who that was!” Raphael laughed, ignoring his father’s glare as the girl continued to gush.

”Excuse me! I was much more famous than you all think I was!”

”I love your movies! Your family has been very kind to me.” 

“Have my children been behaving?” He raised an eyebrow, ignoring the embarrassed guffaws and indignant huffs of his four turtles. 

“Your sons are lovely, Otousan.” 

“They better be, you’re my only hope now of having grandchildren.” 

“DAD!”  

Four, identical shrieks of horror as green faces turned pink, Angel blinking in confusion as the others laughed as the rat master and his sons began to argue back and forth. 

“What! She is a very nice girl! Anyone of you would end up having strong, healthy babies with a girl like that!” 

“You can’t just say stuff like that pops!” 

“ Completely inappropriate!” 

“Hey! I’m popular! I could give you grandchildren any day of the week!” 

Mikey had split off from the other three to stand next to Angel, holding up the pizza box and smiling down at her before blowing a chunk of bangs out of his eyes. Draxum watched the interaction carefully, seeing the girl relax and almost lean into Michelangelo’s presence. 

They fit.  

“Do you want the last slice?” The box turtle asked gently, pulling the lid open to reveal a lone slice of pepperoni pizza. The arguing scratched to a halt, the rest of the family turning to stare in awe at the youngest turtle. Mikey never offered anyone the last slice, ever.  

“Hey I wanted that!” Cassandra piped up, coming over to join the pair before the others began to crowd around as well. 

“She’s new here! Let her have the last slice!” Raph replied, coming up behind Angel and putting his hands on her shoulders protectively. 

“Well she’s part of the family now actually so let her fight for it like the rest of us!” Leo grinned, wrapping his arms around Mikey’s neck from behind. 

“You wanna battle the woman with fire powers ‘Nardo?” 

“Why yes Donald dearest! For pizza, I’ll do anything!” 

“Why don’t the four of you stop bickering and figure out who’s going to be giving Miss Angelica a place to sleep for the night?” Master Splinter sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave each of his sons a pointed look.

Three of the four turtles exchanged glances, rolling their eyes as Leo excitedly put his hand up to volunteer as tribute. 

“Angel can stay with me! She can sleep in the room of a true Battle Nexus Champion-” 

“She will stay in Michelangelo’s room with him,” Draxum declared suddenly, turning around to hide the smug look on his face at the shocked reaction his family gave him, his youngest son in particular having turned a beet red. 

“Goodnight~,” he called casually over his shoulder, making his way to the bedrooms on the upper floor where he and Master Splinter resided. 

“Oyasuminasai Master Draxum!”

“Well, that’s settled then,” April couldn’t help but smirk, grabbing her sleeping bag and fluffing it down to settle in next to Cassandra. 

“Will you be comfortable out here? There’s not a lot of room,” Angel commented softly, making April smile as the yokai crouched down to be at eye level with her. 

“I’ll probably just crash in Don’s lab with him later anyways,” April giggled, making Angel let out a few soft blinks in response. 

“Is Donnie your boyfriend?” 

Violent, choking gasps came wheezing out of April’s throat, smacking her hand repeatedly on the air mattress below her as she struggled to breathe through her own laughter. 

“Ok, Apes you don’t need to be doing all of that,” Donnie sighed, rolling his eyes in irritation as his brothers and friends began joining in on the laughter as well. 

“I’m going to bed then.” 

“Donatello.” 

He stopped at the top of the stairwell leading down to his lab, peeking over at his shoulder at Master Splinters calculated, knowing gaze. 

“Before you go, your grandmother would like to speak with you.” 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

“Wow.” 

Angel was sitting on a cloud, or more so, Mikey’s bed. 

He had drawings everywhere ; paint splatters having dripped dry along to metal floor and ceilings of the abandoned subway car. He had action figures and endless stacks of comic books on the shelves bolted into the walls around his room, so many CDs you couldn’t even count them if you tried. A large, brown oak wooden wardrobe was on the wall to her right, as many shades of orange as you can think of spilling out of it in various patterns and textures. To the right of that was a dresser, with a small, boxy TV and a VHS player sitting on top, along with some sort of gaming system and a big fat speakered disc player tying the whole tangled mess of wires together. A small beside table painted neon green was on the left side of his bed with a lamp and a few pencils on it, and on the right his extremely lengthy office desk, covered in books and pens and empty cups. He had done his best to pick up while she sat and chatted with April, but he was still fumbling around and shoving pieces of paper into the desk drawers when she came into the room to join him. 

“Sorry, I know it’s cluttered.” 

“I like it, it’s so warm,” Angel mumbled, pulling his thick, tie-dyed comforter up to her face and burying her nose in the softness of it. Michelangelo also had a seemingly never-ending stream of stuffed animals which she’d happily placed around her on the bed, squishing and touching each one to pick the textures she’d liked the most. 

It’s like she’s building a nest for us.  

Mikey thought to himself, his cheeks getting warm and forcing his gaze back down at the task of shoving more stacks of paper into his drawers. 

“Your brothers must come in this room all the time,” she chirped, making him snort as he brushed a few flecks of eraser crumbs off the desk, satisfied that it was now clean enough. 

“No, never,” he chuckled, going over to the closet and beginning to force his clothes back inwards. 

“Why not?” She asked innocently, the blanket falling off her shoulders as she sat up to sit with her knees spread slightly and her feet tucked under her backside. 

“They don't like me very much right now,” he grunted, giving the fabric one last good shove with his shoulder before slamming the wardrobe door shut.  

He moved away from the wall to turn towards her, picking up a sweater off the floor and throwing it in his almost overflowing hamper before kicking his skateboard under the queen-sized bed so it wouldn’t be a tripping hazard. 

“ I like you.” 

It was soft and comforting. Platonic. He raised his head slightly, making eye contact with Angelic as she smiled at him, tips of her canines poking out again over her lips.  

“Are you gonna sleep in the bed with me?” 

She looked silly in her tweedy bird shirt and his spiderman fleece jammies; her shoulders slumped with exhaustion as she fiddled with the edge of his comforter. And yet, he still felt a fire begin to burn deep in his stomach, hot and lustful at the words. She must have noticed because her nostrils flared and her smile dropped. He sucked in a breath when he saw her pupils begin to dilate. 

“Maybe we should turn it down a notch,” he said, louder than he meant to. Placing one hand palm down on the tips of his fingers on the other one to make a time-out signal. 

She startled, blinking in surprise, and he felt horrible at the look of humiliation that seemed to flood her face as she fiddled harder with the comforter. He wanted to eat his words; he barely even meant them anyways. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” 

“I like you too,” he interrupted her. Once again, a bit too loud. 

Angelica froze, fingers gripping the tie-dye bedding so hard that her knuckles turned light green. He realized then that her skin was the color of a fern plant, like the ones he and his brothers used to play in when they were kids. 

And man, did his heart just pound so fiercely in his chest. 

He watched her thighs clench together and he bit back a keening, wanting noise, squeezing his eyes shut while stopping the rumble before it could escape his throat. 

“I just, I don’t-” he couldn’t find the words, running his fingers through his hair to try and soothe the stress headache that had started forming once they’d exited the turtle tank. 

What could he say? That he was a scared? That he was now only a half-shelled ninja with oily, tangled hair and barely any clean clothes left? That she was so beautiful and he’d been going crazy since she’d attacked him like an animal? 

Man was he lame. 

Mikey let out a sigh, defeated. 

“I’m just exhausted, exhausted by everything, and I don’t wanna be weird and mess up us becoming friends,” he finally said quietly, watching her reaction with worried, hopeful eyes. 

“You do wanna be friends, right?” 

God was he desperate.  

“Yes! Of course,” she almost shrieked, gasping and turning pink as his eyes widened in surprise. 

Maybe I’m not the only one.  

“Very much so,” Angel said, quieter this time before biting her lip and avoiding his gaze. He thought about her teeth sinking into his arm earlier, the way she licked his blood off her fangs afterwards. 

The ache burned hotter, making his lower stomach cramp in an unavoidable way. 

“Ok, well! I think I’ll go sleep in the living room with Casey-” 

“No wait! Please stay, I need you.” 

Lord was he really being tested by a higher power tonight.  

“Wait no, I’m sorry! I meant, I mean...” She trailed off, and his eyes widened as his heart clenched at the site of her starting to choke up.

He felt insane. He'd known her for less than twenty four hours and this was so hard for him.

“I’m just scared; I don’t wanna be alone again,” Angel finally mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut. 

He wanted to touch her so badly.

“But I don’t want you to force yourself, I want you to be comfortable, Mikan.” 

Michelangelo thought of the jail cell underneath the stadium, of the way the gorilla yokai had grabbed her and thrown her around as her ninpo was locked away, burning agony in her wrists. He thought of the drawing of himself, so lovingly sketched, now stashed safely away in the lock box underneath his bed. He thought about going to sleep in the living room with Cass and Casey. 

Fuck that.  

The main light was shut off, leaving his bedside lamp and some fairy lights to glow softly in his enclosed space. The door had been shut, and he gently grabbed his nun chucks from off the floor to set them on his now clean desk. He’d changed earlier like everyone else had, now wearing a large, faded orange wife-beater with a black dog on it and flimsy flannel pajama pants. 

Angel blinked in surprise as Mikey took the edge of the covers and pulled them open, her heart racing as he slid onto the bed in front of her. Palms pressing flat into the mattress on either side of her thighs. His pupils were blown wide, Angel only seeing them for a second before he leaned forward and pressed his cheek against hers. She continued to grip onto the comforter, fighting the urge to reach up and grab onto his exposed arms. 

“I’ll stay then,” he mumbled, a soft, rumbling sound making its way through his chest. 

He hoped he could do this; he hoped he could be soft and warm and comforting and not some stupid, rutting mutant. He wanted to make her feel better.  

Mikey felt her smile against the side of his face, warm, grateful as her arms went up around his neck and pulled him close, her fingers tangling up in her hair. She smelled so nice. 

He’d wanted to do this all day. In the champions room, while they were flying through the air after busting through the windows, in the turtle tank, even when they’d all been snuggling together and enjoying their pizza. 

“Thank you, I’m sorry I'm forcing you to babysit me.” 

“I’m not forced to do anything,” he mumbled, pressing his mouth into the side of her neck as his arms went up around her middle. 

“I wanna be here with you.” 

He felt her shiver, and he squeezed his eyes shut. 

Keep it together, baby brother.  

He ignored Raph’s leader voice mocking him inside his head, letting out a small huff as he began to shift her sideways, pulling the blanket up over their bodies as they lay facing each other. He felt his hands instinctively go up the back of her shirt, enjoying the small gasp she made and the way she tugged his hair as he ran his hands over the thick, plated bits of shell on her back. The skin around the plates was smooth, reptillian like his own.

We're the same. We fit. She fits me.

“Your kokaku is nice,” she mumbled, making him shiver and his eyelids flutter as her own hands went to his shell and began caressing the grooves and whirls there. 

Keep it together.  

He felt the exhaustion starting to seep in, curling further into her warmth as he reached over to turn off the lamp on his bedside table before continuing to rub her back soothingly. Mikey felt Angel going limp in his arms, one of her legs wrapping up the tangle in his. A soft, rumbling sound was coming from her chest, and he buried his face in her neck to hide the soft delighted churr he made in response as sleep began to invade his senses. 

“Oyasumi, Mikan.” 

Chapter Text

Casey’s eyelids fluttered slightly before squeezing shut again, the heel of his palm going up to dig into the itching socket as a yawn came, heavy and tired from his lips. 

He always woke up before the rest of them. 

The hockey played stretched his arms up above his head, arching his back and cracking his neck before sitting up slowly, Cassandra’s arm sliding off from its spot splayed over his chest. He ran his fingers through his hair, snagging on a knot that he tugged out before leaning over and smacking a kiss on the snoring kunoichi's temple. It wouldn’t wake her; she slept like a rock. 

They’d left the TV on, falling asleep to an old Spanish film, so he quickly reached over a pile of pillows to grab the remote and snap it off before standing up and letting himself stretch again. He started walking in the direction of the bathroom, smiling softly and letting out another yawn when he heard April and Donnie snoring together as he passed by the tunnel leading to the brainy turtle’s lab. Casey’s footsteps halted as another figure appeared, the bathroom door opening quietly and a billow of pine scented steam making its exit. 

“Michelangelo?” 

The turtle shook his head from side to side, little droplets of water hitting the floor as he took the rag around his head and rubbed it against his cheek and jaw, his other hand holding up the fluffy white towel around his hips. 

“Hey Case.” 

“You’re up?” The human said, surprised. Mikey had been sleeping in till noon at the earliest, three at the latest, for the past four months. Usually it was either Raph or Master Draxum that joined him next in the wakeup line. 

“Wanted to do some laundry,” the box turtle replied, Casey’s eyebrows shooting up as he pulled the rag off his head. Mikey had cut a good eight inches off and washed his hair, now shoulder length and shaggy. 

“What...” 

“It’s better right?” Mikey said over his shoulder, heading over to the laundry room. Casey followed along behind him, scratching the back of his neck as he watched the box turtle begin to go through a pile of folded shirts placed on top of the dryer.  

Mikey had woken up at six, tangled in a warm heap of blankets and his face pressed deep into the back of Angelica’s neck. They’d shifted in their sleep, and he felt like he’d melted into a pile of burning, lovesick goo as he spooned against her back. He realized the dilemma quickly when she’d slid down in her sleep, his hips instinctually bucking up to press against her backside in response. 

The youngest brother had carefully untangled himself from around her, grabbing his laundry hamper and planning to spend a long time in the shower as he headed out into the lair. While dumping his clothing, reeking of sweat and pizza, into the washing machine, he’d spotted the fabric shears they kept to cut wrapping for their arms and legs hanging on the drying rack beside him. 

Mikey’s brain flashed to Angelica, soft and warm and still sleeping in his bedroom, how pretty she looked, how clean she'd smelt . He really wanted to keep her there, safe and wrapped in his arms every night. And he didn’t want to keep being all oily and grimy while he did it. 

“It looks great, you did a good job,” Casey responded quickly, feeling his heart warm at the big smile Mikey gave him in response as he pulled a rust-colored t-shirt out of the stack he’d been messing with. 

“Whatcha want for breakfast?” Mikey asked his friend happily, grabbing a pair of gray sweatpants from another stack of laundry and tossing his towel into the big white bin in the corner. 

“Y-You’re cooking?” Casey was starting to feel a little freaked out, watching Mikey jump to pull his pants up over his hips before grabbing his shirt and walking past the human to head towards the kitchen.  

Three months. Three months of sulking, of skipping meals and refusing to leave his bedroom unless he was physically dragged out of it. No trying to tune into his mystic powers, no joining the others in training unless he could go crazy on the punching bag in the corner of the gym in seemingly endless, blind fury.  

And now here was his friend, his brother, a young man he’d called his Master and his uncle once, humming cheerfully as he began rooting through the kitchen cupboards.  

Mikey let out a small grunt of surprise as Casey slammed into the back of his shell, his arms wrapping tight around his middle as the boy pressed his full body weight into the hug. 

“I missed you.” 

The box turtle’s eyes widened, and he was shocked to feel them start to burn with emotion, shaking his head to dismiss the feeling as he gently spun around to wrap his arms sideways around the human. 

“I missed you too, Case,” Mikey mumbled, pulling back to grin at his blurry eyed friend and give a few comforting pats to the side of his arm. 

“Now, why don’t you go brush your teeth cause your breath fuckin’ reeks-” a small shove to his shoulder, making Mikey laugh. 

“And then go wake Raph up so he can help me with this French toast.” 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Angel had slid rather regretfully out of Mikey’s bed onto the floor, pressing her face into his blankets and sighing deeply before stretching her arms high above her head to crack her back. It felt amazing to sleep in a proper bed again, even more amazing to wake up surrounded by everything Michelangelo scented.  

She stood up to stretch her legs out, looking up at the Pikachu wall clock hung next to the door. Eight-thirty. 

“Donnie! Come on! You’re lucky dad said April and I could help you with the garbage anyways!” 

“Alright alright damnit!” 

Angelica opened Mikey’s door, almost slamming into Leonardo whose fist was now hanging limply in the air, having intended to knock. 

“Oh yes, you’re up already!” 

“Ohayo, Shinobi-san,” Angel smiled up at the older turtle. 

Leo beamed, putting his elbow up to lean against the doorframe and raising his eyebrow at the girl. 

“Ohayo, Angel-chan~,” the red eared slider grinned, delighted at the way the yokai’s eyes lit up as he shuffled to the side to let her exit his brother’s bedroom. 

*”I’m guessing you guys all speak Japanese, right?”* 

*”Yep! It’s our first language, we started speaking English more when we were like, five-six I think? We taught April, too.”* 

The pair continued chatting in their native language as they headed up the stairs, turning into the hallway that headed towards the kitchen. 

“I speak Spanish too,” the blue banded turtle chirped, switching back to English as the curtained entrance came into view. 

“Oh cool! Did you teach yourself, Shinobi-san?” 

“You can call me Leo, suitohato~,” he grinned, putting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her gently through the bamboo curtains hanging in the kitchen doorway. 

“We’re here for breakfast!” 

“Ohayo gozaimasu, Jonin,” Angel smiled, her eyes landing on Raph first at his spot at the kitchen table. 

“Morning Angel, did you sleep well?” The red banded turtle choked a bit on his food, cheeks tinging at being called the honorific again. 

“Oh so he gets the fancy welcoming and I get the regular one?” Leo huffed in fake irritation, grinning wickedly as Angel started to splutter out an apology. 

*“Angel-chan! Come sit with me!”* Cass waved excitedly, pulling out the seat next to her and beaming when Leo lead the girl over by her shoulders. 

“I slept great Raphael, thank you, Mikan’s room is really nice.” 

“Well that’s something you don’t hear every day,” Donnie mumbled grumpily, a comically massive mug of coffee in his hands as he entered the kitchen behind April. 

“Mornin’ ya’ll!” 

“This looks great Raphie,” Leo smiled over at his eldest brother, plopping into the seat next to Angel, sandwiching her between him and Cass. 

“This was Mike, mostly.” 

“Really?” Donnie’s eyebrows raised, sliding into the seat between the red banded turtle and April who’d sat on Leo’s other side. 

“Really really,” Raph responded, his own eyebrows raised slightly as he took a sip from his own mug of coffee. 

“He’s been up since like, six or something,” Casey replied as he also entered the kitchen, sitting next to Cass and leaving the open seat between him and Raphael for said orange banded turtle. 

“Where is he now?” 

“Training, I think? I heard him in the dojo earlier with the punching bag, he already ate,” Raph responded, starting to hand out plates and cutlery to his family. 

“Angel, you want some coffee girl?” 

“Yes please,” Angel smiled, taking the pink mug the human had poured out and offered her way. 

“Arigato, April-san.” 

“You’re taking out the garbage right?” Raph raised his eyebrows in Donnie’s direction, pointing at the big black bags that had been piling up in the corner with his fork. 

“Can I eat first?” Donnie snapped back, making Raph roll his eyes before starting to cut into his French toast. 

“Just checkin’, no need to bite my head off.” 

*”Would you like some help?”* Angel smiled over at the purple banded turtle from across the table, Leo pouring syrup all over her plate before sliding it in front of her. 

*“No thanks,”* Donatello huffed in response, cringing when he realized he’d unintentionally reacted to her speaking his first language. He started shoving eggs into his mouth to distract from the blush that had tinged his cheeks. 

“Leo and April are already helping.” 

“Angel-chan can help us!” Leo piped up, smirking at the icy glare his twin sent him in response. 

“Can I come too?” Casey asked, Donnie letting out a groan of irritation before pushing back from the kitchen table. 

“Fine! Fine just, hurry up,” he grumbled, his brothers giggling behind his back as he turned and made his way out of the kitchen, grabbing some of the garbage bags along with him. 

“I guess you and I are joining Mikey in the dojo,” Raph smiled over at Cass, chuckling as she let out a whoop in response. 

“Yeesssssssss! Battle with Big Red to start the morning!” 

“After we clean the kitchen, that is.” 

“Aw man! Seriously?” 

*”I don’t think he likes me very much?”* Angel leaned over to whisper to Leo, gesturing with her chin towards the direction Donnie had gone in. 

*”Aw don’t take it personal sugar, he’s just overprotective, you’re quite the force to reckon with you know?”* Leo winked at her, making her cringe in embarrassment as she turned her gaze back to her breakfast. 

“Sorry if I freaked you guys out at the arena yesterday, I was just frightened.” 

“Don’t be sorry Angel girl, you haven’t heard half of the things these dorks have done when they’re wigging out over something,” April laughed, getting up to pass her plate to Cass who’d started washing her own dishes. 

“How did you guys meet, by the way?” 

April grinned, turning around the lean against the counter and folding her arms humorously over her chest. 

“How about we go catch up with Donnie and I’ll tell you all about it?” 

---------------------------------------------------------------- 

“Ok, so you were visiting your dad at his construction job and fell right down the manhole?” 

“Yep! Right on top of Raphie-boy,” April giggled, hiking the garbage bag up onto the sidewalk before tossing it into the large industrial pizza parlor bin. It was the same place they’d ordered from the night before, the delivery boy gawking in confusion at the hockey player raising his hand full of cash up through the drainage grate towards him. 

“It’s funny, with Splints and Draxum it’s kind of like I have three dads now.” 

“Trust me I’m not judging; I’ve got two moms myself,” Angel chirped, sliding back down the ladder and landing in Leo’s outstretched, waiting arms. 

“Oh cool! They’re both yokai right?” April piped up, Donnie catching her and setting her down after Leo had moved out of the way.  

The human straightened before joining the red eared slider and the yokai girl in their footsteps, Casey and Donnie strolling leisurely behind. 

“Yep, they’re not a couple though, they’re just best friends, basically sisters. My birthmother’s a Kappa and my other mom, Beverly, is a Kumi!” 

“A Ku-whatta?” Casey chimed in from the back. 

“A lizard,” Angel giggled, April smiling back at her and linking their arms together as they walked. 

“That explains the no shell part.” 

“Oh, Beverly didn’t help create me or anything, I had a birthfather too.” 

“Had?” Leo asked gently, making Angel give him a small, sad smile. 

“He went away when I was six, left and never came home, business trip or something.” 

“I’m sorry,” Leo winced, feeling bad for asking. 

“It’s fine, it’s not your fault, I’m glad you’re telling me all your guy’s stuff too,” Angel replied, looking over her shoulder at the other two boys. 

“I never thought there’d be more turtles out there somewhere, it’s amazing actually.” 

“Barry said the Kappa got wiped out a long time ago?” April asked, leaning into the girl’s shoulder as she gave a quick nod. 

“Yeah, it was pretty bad, lots of eastern yokai got wiped out from this big colonization thing that happened, before my mom was born even. She ended up being like, the last one around after her parents died, I think that’s why she ended up with my dad.” 

“What kind of yokai was he? ” Donnie asked pointedly, his eyes narrowed.  

The soft-shelled turtle’s anxiety hadn’t lessened since they’d left the lair, seeming to worsen in comparison to the level it’d been in the kitchen as they got deeper back into their home tunnels.  

He’d gotten a pretty good chewing out from his grandmother and gram gram last night. Yes, he felt terrible about what he did. Yes, he realized trying to force Michelangelo to be happy would do more harm than good. And yes he accepted that he would be put on garbage duty for the whole month of February. 

When he’d tried to bring up Angel, Karai had merely shaken her head and said it was against their code to reveal the yokai’s business to him. That just left him with more questions than answers, and he frustratedly made his way to the lab to throw himself in bed with an already sleeping April afterwards. 

He wanted to know what was going on with this girl.  

The yokai had paused at his question, stopping in the middle of the staircase they’d begun to ascend to look over her shoulder once again. Surprising Donnie with a polite, warm smile. 

“You’re the one who figured out which floor I was on, aren’t you?” 

Donnie choked, spluttering in surprise as his brother’s muffled their snorts and sniggers at his expense. 

“I-Well-Yes, I was,” he finally managed to blurt out, his fingers twitching nervously as she started to giggle as well. 

“I thought so,” she let go of April’s arm, a small hop in her step as she went up the stairs a couple paces. 

“He was a Ryuu, a dragon yokai.” 

Donnie felt the air woosh out of his lungs, hundreds of lightbulbs lighting up in his already overflowing mind. 

“Like the man at the stadium?” 

Angel froze, and Donnie felt a twinge of regret as she seemed to tense up in an almost pain-like manner. 

“No, not like the man at the stadium,” she whispered, barely audible to the ones around her.  

April sent her best friend an icy, furious glare while Casey nudged the side of his shell with his elbow, raising his eyebrows and gesturing up at the girl. Donnie flinched, frowning as he took a few quick strides to bring himself closer to her spot on the stairs. 

“My ap- Sumimasen,” he quickly switched over to Japanese, hoping it would make a better impression. 

“Kamaimasen,” she sighed softly, turning around to flash him a kind, grateful smile. 

“Tell you what, I’ll go get dressed and then you can ask me whatever you like, okay?” 

The purple banded turtle felt himself flush as his brothers giggled again, poking into his sides as they came up behind him on the staircase. 

He was a cautious turtle now, more than he’d ever been in the past, but damnit he was still a scientist at the end of the day. He picked up his pace a bit. 

---------------------------------------------------------- 

*Flashback to yesterday*  

“Really you two, I’m a bit insulted you think so little of me.” 

After arguing with the bellhop for twenty minutes and then pulling out an emergency fifty-dollar bill, the irritated wolf yokai had finally let the rat master and the warrior alchemist up to the VIP box to pull Big Mama into the now empty catering room to grill her on the spectacle they just witness. 

“You really think if I’d known the young lady was a turtle I wouldn’t have said something to you both, my darlings? If not the boys?” 

“I can’t believe you agreed to this! Even if she hadn’t been a turtle, a concubine for the Nexus Prize?! Really?!” 

“They had their own separate contracts with each of their employees! Her included!” 

“Oh please! You’ve kept things from both of us multiple times before!” 

“Not when it comes to the children snuggle muffins! Besides! I want grandchildren just as much as you two if not more, and she’s quite lovely from what I’ve heard.” 

“She is not a heifer meant for breeding!” Draxum joined in on the argument finally, spreading his arms out in indignation at his second partner. 

“Quite the contrary!” Big Mama smirked, making both men glare as she put her hands confidently on her hips. 

“I don’t think you understand what’s happened here, my lovely loves. If our Michelangelo was successful, you have now come into the possession of a Ryuu hybrid, and a fertility dragon, no less.” 

“A what? ” 

Master Splinter turned to look at Draxum in confusion, surprised to find the look of astonishment already plastered all over the alchemist’s face. 

“A fertility dragon? Impossible! They were all wiped out in-” 

“The Great Yokai Divide in 1972 , yes, but so were the kappa apparently, and yet she lives and breathes, a perfect mix of the two,” Big Mama clicked her fangs together excitedly, Draxum bringing a hand up to run over his face in exhaustion. 

“She is in incredible danger, then?” 

“In normal circumstances yes, but as you said, our babies are already trying to save her, are they not?” 

“Yes,” Master Splinter let out a disappointed sigh, his shoulders slumping forwards. 

“But our sons have not been getting along lately, I do not think they-” 

Draxum and Splinter jumped in surprise as a series of alarms started to go off, the yokai in the other rooms started to panic and scream through the walls. 

“Well then, this has gotten exciting,” Big Mama grinned toothily, Draxum walking over to put his hands gently on her shoulders. 

“There is no way all of this could have been a part of her contract, something illegal must have gone on, can you not do something? ” He begged the spider woman, Master Splinter walking over to put his hand on his arm comfortingly. 

“Please?” 

The yokai woman smiled, reaching up to put her hand over the alchemist’s cheek lovingly. 

“I will see what I can do, my sweets.” 

-------------------------------------------------------------- 

*Present*  

“You’re back!” 

Angel grinned as they trotted into the living room, spotting Mikey shoot up from his spot on the couch next to Cassandra before making his way over to the group. 

“Your hair! ” She gasped excitedly as the orange banded turtle extended his arms to put his hands on her hips, her own hands going up to the shaggy strands on his head. 

“Ya like it?” Mikey smirked, pulling her closer as she nodded enthusiastically, running her hands in and out of the strands as it began to stick up at the sides. 

“Well, that’s an escalation,” Leo mumbled to April, making the human snort and cover her hand with her mouth. Donnie’s brow furrowed, his gaze locked on Mikey’s hands cupping the sides of Angel’s waist. 

“Pops and dad are just waiting in the dojo for us, they wanna have a talk with everybody.” 

“I’ll go get dressed!” Angelica pulled away from Michenagelo’s hold reluctantly, running towards the laundry room as the mutant let out a contented sigh. 

He turned towards his family, blinking at the various amused/confused looks they were giving him. 

“What?” 

“You cut your hair,” Donnie spoke up first, accusation is his tone. 

“Yeah?” 

“And put on clean clothes,” Leo snickered, his arm still around April. 

“Is that not allowed all the sudden?” 

“What’s going on with you?” Donnie asked, his eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to his youngest brother. Mikey rolled his eyes, picking up his orange zip-up from off the couch and pulling it over his shoulders. 

“Nothin’, don’t worry about it.” 

“He wants to get it on with the dragon girl~” Leo teased, giggling at the small smack April gave to his plastron with the back of her hand. 

“The what girl?” Raph raised an eyebrow, his mouth popping open slightly. 

“You’re one to talk,” April snorted, making Leo shrug as Casey and Cass giggled. 

“Sensei wants to get it on with anything that moves though.” 

“That’s not true! I said no when-” 

“Is anyone gonna explain what he meant by dragon girl-” 

“BOYS!” 

They all yelped and jumped about three feet in the air, whipping around in shock to find Master Splinter standing in front of the laundry room with Angel. His face was scrunched up in a deep scowl, Angel’s hands pressed to her mouth to hold in her laughter, her shaking shoulders giving herself away. 

She was wearing a thick, knitted pink sweater with matching flared jogging pants, the waist folded over to create a comfy snugged belt. Mikey had washed all her clothes earlier and stacked them up on the shelf with his own in the laundry room. The orange banded turtle felt himself smile involuntarily when he looked down, seeing a pair of white socks with little orange hearts printed all over them on her feet. 

“Let us all head into the dojo and display the art of silence while we listen to Miss Angelica explain what has happened to her, shall we?” 

“Hai Sensei!” They quickly responded, watching their father nod and turn towards one of the nearby tunnels that headed into the dojo. Angel sent them all a wink over her shoulder, quickly padding along after the rat mutant. 

*“Dibs on sitting with Angel-chan!”* Cassandra shrieked as she vaulted off the couch, making Casey yelp in surprise as the force of the action made him crash to the floor. 

*”No fair Cass I was gonna sit with Angel-chan!”* Leo hollered after the human, chasing her into the tunnel. 

“Guys! The dojos huge!” Raph groaned in exasperation, helping Casey off the floor before the two of them also made their way towards the tunnel. 

“Alright you two,” April sighed, smiling as she threw her arms over Mikey and Donnie’s shoulders before guiding them in the same direction. 

“Let’s see what our girls really about hm?” 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

“Would you like me to start, Master Yoshi?” 

Draxum had sternly instructed his squabbling children to form a circle in the middle of the dojo, telling them it didn’t matter where they sat anyways since the plan was to create a ring around Angel so that they’d all be able to hear her clearly as she began her story. 

“Whenever you're ready, my dear.” 

“Hai,” she smiled softly, turning to look at each family member before sitting cross-legged in the middle of the group.  

The dojo was lovely, plants everywhere making the air smell clean and rows and rows of weapons as far as the eye could see. All gifts for the blue banded turned, who’d been happy to brag once everyone had settled in. 

"Are we gonna like, sing kumbaya or some shit?"

"BLUE!"

"OUCH!" Leo whined as his father's tail smacked against his bicep.

"You didn't have to go that hard!"

"Our guest is going to be sharing a lot of their private information, you'd think that would signal for you to be a bit more sensitive."

The blue banded turtle flinched, rubbing his arm as he turned to look at the yokai girl.

"Sorry Angel-chan."

"I thought it was funny!"

"Miss Jones..."

"Right right! Sorry, go ahead."

Angel giggled, beaming when the orange banded turtle sitting directly in front of her sent her a wink, not going unnoticed by the alchemist sitting next to him.

“I guess I’ll start at the very beginning, before I was born and stuff.” 

The groups let out a series of surprised gasps and delighted noises as Angel’s hands started to glow, small bursts of light leaving her palms to make various shapes in the air above her head. 

"If you get confused, let me know alright?"

"I'm sure Dontron will be taking notes," Leo snorted, earning a scoff from the purple banded turtle.

"Well obviously, I wasn't raised in a barn," Donnie rolled his eyes, pulling up his arm band and clicking on the screen activation. 

"Ready?" Angel smiled polietly at the softshell, making his mouth screw up before turning to avoid her gaze as he cleared his throat. Her eyes were glowing pink.

"Yes yes, you may begin."

"Okie dokie," her brow furrowed in concentration, turning her gaze up to the ceiling as she released something akin to a small firework up into the air.

“In the 70s, a bunch of yokai from the West took advantage of the human war in Vietnam to travel to the east and create a lot of chaos. My mother’s parents were driven from their village in the Bungo Takada hidden district of Japan and were forced into the mountains with the other very few native species of yokai. They were the only kappa to survive.” 

Angel made various motions with her fingers, little figurines of people and houses coming into view in her light show. 

“The yokai in the east believed that the Ryuu, the dragon yokai were the most powerful creatures in existence, they worshipped them like gods and built temples and even whole villages in their names.” 

A beautiful, arching spark that formed a rugged, snakelike figure formed in the air. 

“The reason they believed this is because the Ryuu’s power didn’t come from the Krangg Oni, like your Shredder's dark armor did. They are dangerous and ancient things, and they don’t need the Imperium that flows through all the worlds Hidden Cities to fuel their gifts. The Ryuu have been around much, much longer than that. Longer than any other yokai. They sent armies of Krangg crying and begging on their tentacles for mercy.” 

They group watched in fascination, sharing momentary glances at each other at the mention of the aliens that had infected their city five years prior.

“Damn, where were they during the apocalypse?” Casey mumbled, feeling April’s elbow jab him in the side in response. 

Angel gave a quick snap, and multiple dragons began to appear, floating and roaring above the family. 

“There are many different kinds of Ryuu, ones that can bring wealth, ones that bring famine, ones that can destroy worlds. But all Ryuu are connected to one of five characteristics. Wind, water, fire, earth, and ice. Although, there’s not many of them left, of any element.” 

One of the dragons began to shrink, becoming more humanoid. 

“They have their true form, that of a real dragon, and their yokai form.” 

More sparks, and a lone figure of a small turtle girl came into view. 

“As the human war went on, my grandparents left Japan and went west to Canada. They raised my mom in the northern mountains, where the indigenous people lived. They believed my family to be good luck charms for their reservation, seeing as Canada and the US is known as ‘turtle island’.” 

A line of trees appeared in Angel’s demonstration, along with long winding strips of light, the aurora borealis. 

“Shortly after my grandparents died, a healing dragon crashed into my mother’s forest, instinctually called by the nearby oil spill that was killing the local wildlife.” 

A humanoid dragon figure appeared next to the turtle girl, the lights flickering as they held hands. 

“My mom fell in love with him, and she got pregnant. He would come in and out of the forest at random, sometimes leaving for weeks at a time. And when she was 6 months along, he never re-appeared.” 

The turtle figurine was alone again, now round and heavy. 

“Even as a fetus my power called out to my father, and my mom found herself drawn back to Japan, back to her old village. Except there was no longer a Hidden City in that area, and her travels took her to the yokai Metropolis just outside of the Kanto region.” 

Skyscrapers appeared, and then a large, traditional Japanese villa, the one from the drawings Mikey had seen earlier in her sketchbooks. 

“That’s where my mom found Beverly, and discovered that she was actually my father’s mistress, he had been using his healing business trips as an excuse to cheat on his wife with my mom.” 

“Oh shit...” Leo mumbled under his breath, watching as two lizards appeared in the animation, one young and one old. 

“His wife already had a three-year-old daughter, my half-sister. Beverly comes from a long line of aristocratic yokai called the Kumi, a very traditional type of lizard yokai. Most of them are trained to be ninjas or doctors since birth like you guys were, and they descend from Japanese yokai royalty, like the Ryuu.” 

The animation changed, and suddenly there was another turtle in the group, very small and holding hands with the lizard child. 

“Despite everything she’d ever been taught, Beverly, my new mother, went against generational rules and welcomed my mom, Morgana, into her home, divorcing my dad and kicking him out of her family's villa. In simpler terms, they both dumped his cheating ass and formed a life to raise me and my sister together, as a family.” 

The scene changed, the yokai children now bigger. 

“He was allowed to visit sometimes, and we would have awkward family dinners and holidays, or he’d take us to movies and to parks and stuff in the Hidden City there when we were smaller. When I was six and my sister was nine though he just, disappeared...” 

"Damn, he pulled two baddies then dipped- OW!” 

“Thank you Purple, please, continue Miss Angelica.” 

Angel snickered slightly, clearing her throat before twirling her index finger in a slow circle. 

“Like I said before, the Ryuu power is deeply worshipped where we grew up," she paused, tapping her ring fingers together.

"But so is music. Music has always been at the heart of eastern yokai gifts, and I was trained to dance and learn acrobatics to help strengthen my reiki along with learning basic combat, or as your family calls it, my ninpo.” 

She pushed her palm up into the air, the figure of the turtle girl and the lizard girl reappearing, the turtle spinning around as the lizard played violin. 

“My sister was taught to play instruments and harness her training that way, so that was could always count on each other to keep the reiki strong. I was born a fertility dragon, like my father’s mother had been, and my sister a healing dragon like he was. I was pulled from fire, her from ice.” 

The figures faded away, a small cottage in a large stretch of forest taking over. 

“When I was about twelve my mom decided she wanted to go back to Canada, Japan was hard for her, and mama Beverly’s family wasn’t the kindest. She took me back to the forest where she grew up and we built a home there. We’d visit them in the winter, and they’d come out west in the summer so we could all be together.” 

Angel’s fist burst into flames, and she sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. 

“With our father gone and presumably dead, my sister and I are the last of our kinds. Besides us, there are no more fertility or healing dragons alive on this planet.” 

She cracked her neck, shaking her fingers out before giving them another twirl. 

“When I was eighteen, I decided to get away, the pressure of it all got a bit too much, and I joined the mutant circus in California. I stopped visiting Japan, stopped calling my sister.” 

Angel blew out a long, neon pink burst of flames, making Casey yelp and dive behind Cassandra in surprise. 

“I worked as a fire breather for four years with them, I made a whole new family for myself. One day, I accidentally set fire to one of the huge tents, got in a lot of trouble. They’d just hired a new ringleader, a human, he didn’t like me very much, I think he could tell I was a yokai and not a mutant.” 

Her wrists bent and she spun them around as the Battle Nexus Arena appeared. 

“He sold off my contract to the Lord Tatsu to get rid of me, he’d come looking for entertainment for the yokai holiday events in New York. I wasn’t too disappointed, I thought since I would be with another dragon it wouldn’t be so bad. When we got here though, he told me he knew what I was and he’d be using me as a concubine for the Battle Nexus Champion before we moved on to a different city.” 

Angel's eyes watered slightly, and she wiped them off with her arm before raising her hands up in the air again. April scootched forward from her place in the circle, putting a hand on the yokai's shoulder. Her skin was burning.

“You can take a break if you need to, Angel honey.” 

“I’m ok,” she mumbled, giving a small snap with her index and her thumbs. Her stomach hurt, but she wanted to get through this. She wanted them to know.

“Lord Tatsu is a charm dragon, and he said it was very interesting to find a hybrid like me out in the wild, let alone a kappa one. He said I was rare, and expensive. I was locked up under the arena for about three weeks until the Battle Nexus started, and you guys found me.” 

"Three weeks?" Raph gasped, glancing at his baby brother as Mikey's hands flew up to cover his mouth.

"It sounds a lot worse than it was."

"Miss Angel..."

"I'm fine! Really, don't worry about me Jonin," she smiled at the snapping turtle softly, ignoring the concerned looks the group were exchanging as she twirled her fingers in the air again.

The turtle figure appeared once again, now fully grown, bits of fire waving around it’s body. 

“You see, our powers, mine and my sisters and Lord Tatsu’s, along with any other Ryuu you might come across, are completely unique to any other kind of mystic yokai magic. In the spirit realm, our true dragons reside, the ones I showed you earlier. They’re taken care of by ghosts, usually old family members, ancestors.” 

She lifted a palm, furrowing her brows together as her eyes went white and then pink, glowing and vibrant. One of the potted plants closest to her began to grow a little faster than the pace it had been a second ago. Mikey gasped and Donnie's tapping screeched to a halt, his eyes bulging as he watched the leaves pulse and stretch.

"No fucking way..." Leo was leaning forward on his hands and knees, his jaw to his chest.

“My powers don’t reside within me like yours do, your ninpo is a part of your soul and your soul alone, while my reiki is split down the middle between two worlds. They belong to my dragon, so they’re with her always. I summon her powers and pull the energy from the other side into my body here while I’m alive, and when I die, I will join her there for eternity.” 

The plant swelled with life, the growing becoming faster and faster as the leaves spread wide along the wall. 

“She and I are both sides of the same coin. When I was born, she hatched, like many before her. We share a soul; her memories are my memories, and her feelings are my feelings. While I sleep, or if I meditate well, I can visit her in the dragon region of the spirit realm. That’s why the Krangg fear them, they can’t revoke their mystic energy, cause to do so you’d have to enter that space on the spiritual plane, which is impossible unless you’re a Ryuu, or a ghost.” 

Another snap of her fingers and the plant finally paused, now lush and greener than it had been before. 

“And as far as I know, the krangg go somewhere dark, deep and lonely when they die, not the spirit realm.” 

Donnie felt like he couldn’t breathe. He thought back to his grandmother’s words spoken to him last night while he himself had been visiting the spiritual plane. 

“It is against our code for me to reveal Angelica’s business, but I promise you magomusuko, she is something to be protected, not feared.”  

He was absolutely terrified, petrified even, and he'd also never been more thrilled in his life. He slowly turned to face the yokai girl again, his chest starting to heave with how heavily he was sucking oxygen in and out of his throat.

Angel's hands began to create shapes in the air again. 

“Sometimes, if I care for someone enough, and I concentrate really really hard, I can pull parts of her physical form into myself, her strength, her smarts. It needs to be selfless though, or else it won’t work, she won’t let me.” 

The turtle figurine started to grow a tail, long and crocodile like as the flames continued to dance around it.

“So, the dragons are protectors then, not weapons?” Raph asked, breathless, his knees pulled up to his chest. 

“Exactly, although many Ryuu thought it was the other way around, that’s not how my sister and I were raised though. We were raised to give and give and give until we physically couldn’t give anymore, like true warriors.” 

Angel gave Raph a small, sad smile. 

“My sister is angry with me because I’ve procrastinated my duties in her eyes. She thinks I’ve should’ve been travelling in the east from yokai village to village, helping the birth rates go up and the crops flourish once I aged out and turned eighteen. But ended up joining the circus instead after my travels, I wanted more from life,” she mumbled the last part, her gaze locking on Mikey’s wide, invested eyes. 

“I wanted to be an artist.” 

The box turtle felt his heart lurch up into his throat. She was so beautiful.

“She’s a paramedic now in the Tokyo Hidden City, she’s brilliant, amazing. No one could ever do the job better than she can, she's saved so many lives, yokai and mutant alike. I wanted to be like her desperately when I was a kid.” 

“But, you don't speak to her anymore?” April asked gently, recalling the girls' earlier comments about her sister. Angel gave a second, sad smile. 

“No, I do not.” 

“Wait wait WAIT!” 

All eyes snapped to Donatello, now up on his feet, waving his arms violently back and forth until they became a blur in front of him. The adrenaline rushing in his body as Angel’s story went on had come to an overflowing bubble, ready to burst at any moment and now expanding to its full capacity. 

“Are you telling me, that on your father’s side, you have the genetic mutation of an ANCIENT MYSTIC DRAGON?!” 

Angel blinked, raising an eyebrow as the soft-shelled turtle began to shake violently from his spot in the family circle. 

“Well, yes? In simple terms?” 

“Oh my god! Oh my god can I have some of your blood?!” 

“PURPLE!”