Sorry, not in order due to the way my brain works. Hopefully I can soon focus enough on the origin story to get it posted. Eventually this will all be posted in a single fic, in order. For now they are separate Ficlets.
Steampunk Turtles
The Crow's Nest
The wind whipped along the deck, blowing strands of April's hair across her face. She had wanted to crop it short, to keep this very thing from happening. But Leonardo had asked her not to. They may end up needing a presentable human aboard at some point. Short hair on a woman would be even more controversial than the trousers she wore, hence the trunk of frills in the hold.
She wore third hand trousers, patched in many places and worn in some odd ones. They had belonged to Michelangelo when he was smaller as was the shirt she wore and the jacket that was tied to her waist.
April shoved the strands from her face as she began to climb, resolving to purchase a cap the next time they put down for supplies. She snapped her safety harness to the ropes along the balloon. She and Mikey were the only two tiny enough to climb the rigging and not change the balance of the ship at full speed.
When she reached the small basket atop the mottled green surface, Mikey greeted her as if they hadn't switched shifts four hours before.
"Hullo April!" He said, cheerfully, giving her a warm hug. Only Mikey would be able to be cheerful in the midst of the dismal conditions of running an airship with minimal crew.
She gave him a weary smile and shoved her hair out of her face again.
"Ooh! Here," he said, yanking his flight helmet off his head and handing it to her. "You can use this while you're up here, until we stop again,"
She pulled it on and tucked the loose strands of hair back into it. It was a bit big, but it was warm and kept her hair from whipping across her face. She pulled her jacket on and buttoned it all the way up. It had been warm work, climbing up, but standing still on the even more open top of the balloon the wind was harsher. The sun was slowing sinking promising a cold night ahead.
April slid the flight goggles over her eyes and switched the lenses to the clear ones.
"We're running dark again tonight," she told Mikey as he handed her the binoculars. Or they were supposed to be binoculars. Donatello had added a plethora of other gadgets to them that she and Mikey were just now beginning to figure out.
"I think the lever on the bottom switches it to night vision," Mikey shrugged. "I tried it earlier, in daylight you can't see nothin, just a bright blur,"
April nodded. "Thank you. Get some rest,"
Mikey sighed, "Yeah, maybe Leo will let us stop tomorrow. We haven't sighted anyone for two days."
April shook her head, "Not the way he was talking earlier,"
Mikey visibly wilted, the first he actually showed the effect lack of a proper night's sleep was having on him.
"And you may want to avoid Raph, he's being especially pugnacious," she added.
Mikey groaned and swung himself over the side of the basket. He paused before climbing down. "Stay safe," he said.
"Always," she answered with a nod. She watched as he descended over the curve, and then turned her attention to the horizon.
