Chapter 7 – Reign of the Turtles

"Guys, watch out!" April screamed as an unnoticed Kraang snuck around the back of the tight circle.

She subconsciously swung her arm around and connected with the side of the Kraang-bot's head rendering it inert. Casey had noticed the mishap and pushed us both to the ground defensively. Quick as a shot, he rallied up April and the two regrouped, leaving us exposed.

"Is this real? Or part of the holo-trainer?!" I asked urgently.

Shelle didn't quite look like she was with it. Her eyes were glazed over with the sort of fear that could paralyse a person. This experience was getting more intense by the second and even though I was petrified, the fight in me was surfacing.

While the turtles, April, and Casey were battling furiously with the Kraang, I spotted a fleshy pink creature closing in on us. It was much quicker than I could have anticipated, and before I had the chance to react, it had pushed down on the ground with its slimy tentacles. It then launched itself into the air, aiming right for us.

I don't know what made me act the way I did. I hadn't practiced martial arts for many years, however, it seemed that the instincts which I'd been taught had been hardwired into me. A fraction of a second before the alien attached itself to me, I swung my leg round and pelted it with all my might. My instep caught it right between its eyes, and it squealed in pain. The Kraang hit the floor with a squelch and scurried off in the opposite direction.

I turned to check on Shelle. She had covered her face with her arms, but was otherwise unharmed. "Are you alright?" I enquired, squatting down next to her.

"This can't be happening!" she cried, grasping my hands in panic.

"I don't think it is… I honestly think this is a simulation. Look around. We're in New York. There's no way that we've transported there. We're in space remember?" I was desperate to reassure her, and I truly believed that was I was saying was correct. The scene around us was almost directly from an episode of the show. I began to wonder if that was a coincidence.

Before I knew it, the others had surrounded us, after finishing off the attackers. Broken bots and unconscious Kraang littered the street around us like some sort of alien graveyard.

"Is everyone okay?" Leo probed, bending down to examine Shelle and me.

"Yes, we're-" I began, but was cut off by a crackling sound. It almost sounded like white noise. We all eyed over the area as, once again, the scene began to change.

"Wait a second…"

"But that's…"

"This is too weird, dudes."

"I do not look good from this angle."

We were upon a rooftop, standing in a row, staring down at… April and her Father.

Leo gasped. "Guys, this is the first time that we came topside."

Donnie glanced nervously at April, who was gawping at her past self. "The day we met April…" he whispered. She returned his gaze and a delicate smile fleeted past her lips.

The moment was cut short by a loud cough from Raph. "Guys! You both remember what happens next! Time to kick butt!" he yelled and leaped off the side of the building.

"Raph! Wait!" Leo shouted after him, but admitted defeat. "Ugh, come on…" he mumbled irritably, and darted after his rash brother.

"Um…" a hesitant noise escaped my mouth as Shelle and I peered over the boundaries of the roof top. Before I could even express my concerns about how we'd descend the building, Mikey had spun me around and pushed his shell against me.

"Grab on, Pie!" he beamed, and as I wrapped my arms around his neck, he shot down the side of the building. Allowing gravity to aide him, Mikey sprang from fire escape to window ledge with such ease that I felt completely safe hanging on to his carapace. I snuck a momentary look above us and saw that Donnie was giving Shelle the same treatment. She appeared utterly thrilled, her teeth on full show, shrieking with excitement. Donnie gave the impression of enjoying her reaction. I could tell that he was attempting to keep a serious look on his face, but the exposure of his tooth gap gave him away.

April and Casey had eloquently followed us, showing no fear of scaling a forty foot building. They both landed seconds after us and shared a quick high five. We scanned the area for Raph and Leo, and spotted them crouching in the shadows. Leo lifted his finger to his lips. We all obeyed his silent order, and crept up behind them.

"This is just before April and her Dad get attacked," our leader whispered in a hushed tone. Mikey opened his mouth, but Leo immediately snapped his arm up, fist balled up to hush his baby brother's potential outburst.

Sure enough, we watched mutely as a large, white van pulled up the alley, cutting April and her Dad off.

"What if your past counterparts are here too?" I asked cautiously, "I mean, if April's past self is here, what's to stop yourselves being here too?"

Donnie mulled this over for a moment. "Well, it's not like we've actually time travelled. It's just a projection. So there's no danger of us altering the future."

"I guess we just wait and see then. Maybe if we let this play out, it will stop the holo-trainer," Leo pondered.

We nodded in agreement and all settled our eyes on the unfolding scene. The man we all knew as Snake exited the van first, his gaze trained on the budding victims. Next, the back doors swung open and four suited men launched themselves out of it. Eight sharp intakes of breath followed. We all knew that these were no ordinary men in black pinstripe suits.

"Kraang…" we chanted in harmony.

The four identical men marched up to April and Mr O'Neil, blank expressions on their faces. From the angle in which we were watching, we could see the Kraang close in on them, and it looked even more menacing than any TV episode I'd ever seen.

"What is this?!" Mr O'Neil demanded, as his daughter grabbed fearfully onto his arm.

I couldn't see her face, but I knew she must have been terrified; after all, this was April's first real encounter with the strange alien species.

"This is messed up…" our April mumbled from behind me.

The turtles all began throwing their gazes towards the rooftops, clearly searching for some indication that their younger equivalents were about to rescue April.

Meanwhile, the rest of us watched on as April and her Father were manhandled towards the van. Mr O'Neil was forced to the ground where he passed out from shock. April screamed desperately for help, but her calls seemed unanswered. I looked to the turtles while April's Dad was being thrown like a ragdoll into the back of the vehicle. We all shared an unspoken thought.

This was the moment where the turtles were supposed to attack.

But they were nowhere to be seen.

Panicked faces all darted amongst each other, before finally resting on Leo. He took one second to make his decision. "Go."

One by one the turtles piled out, each taking a Kraang and incapacitating them with very little effort. A dead silence rang over us as us humans ventured out of the shadows.

"I remember that being a lot harder last time," Raph remarked, peering down at the small pile of debilitated robots.

"Yeah, that seemed almost… too easy," Donnie nodded in agreement.

"It shows just how much you've grown," Shelle beamed with pride at the boys. "Something that was almost impossible a couple of years ago, is second nature to you now. You've grown up."

"Wait! Where's April?" Donnie suddenly exclaimed.

"Right here…" April cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Not- not- no… the other April?"

"Lookin' for dis… freaks?"

We all spun around to find Snake clutching a belligerent April, self-righteous smirk claiming his face. Behind us an ominous beeping sound caused us all to about turn. The Kraang were waking up and heading right for us. Leo, Raph and Mikey sprang into action, giving it their all. However, Donnie stood rooted to the spot, refusing to remove his eyes from Snake and April.

Casey and our April threw themselves into the fight to help out the heroic ninjas, while Shelle and I retreated back to the shadows for safety. Suddenly, I was aware of a tight grip around my ankle. One of the pink alien brains had wrapped its slimy tentacle around my limb and was pulling me backwards.

"Help!" I screamed. Shelle tried to grab my hand, but the Kraang was too quick. I was dragged out of her reach, clawing desperately at the ground, to no avail.

Donnie was vacillating between saving April and rescuing me. He had obtained a large rock and was poised, ready to lob it at Snake. Leo must have caught sight of this, because he shouted directly at Donnie.

"Donnie! She isn't real! Get to Pie! Now!" he aimed a left hook at the bot he was fighting and it clattered to the ground, robotic face now exposed.

The purple masked ninja hesitated at his brother's words. He must have been so torn, but deep down knew that I was the one who needed his attention. He aimed the rock at Snake and released. What happened next seemed to be transpiring in a much slower fashion than reality dictated.

Donatello dashed towards me, and using his momentum, launched himself into the air. Extending his leg, his foot connected with the Kraang's fleshy face and it released its grasp on me. At the same time the rock in which Donnie had heaved at Snake, connected with his stomach and propelled him backwards. April was flung into the air. Without hesitation, Shelle sprinted towards the falling girl and caught her perfectly in her arms.

For a split second we all stopped and gawped at the scene. The next moment the images around us had fizzled out and we were left standing awkwardly in the cylindrical white room. The door opened, revealing the Fugitoid.

"Oh thank goodness you're all safe!"