This story could not have been written without my friend Mel, aka Melty94, who roleplays as August O'Neil. When we started this story, it was to explore how August meets Shard. But something wonderful happened, and I realized that I wanted to adopt it into Shard's official canon with April, as it so perfectly illustrates the difference between Shard's Karai and canon Karai, and why Karai hates April so very much. Mel graciously agreed to let me storify it. I've edited it somewhat so that it makes sense for April rather than August, and to smooth out the transitions between roleplays a bit, but for the most part, except for the final scene, Karai and Shard are written by me, and April (originally as August) was Mel.
This takes place around Christmas time during Season Two.
Another Mother
April took a deep breath and pushed open the door of the art store with her free foot, all while trying to balance the load of bags filled with art and decorative supplies that she held.
Grunting under their weight, April began to wonder just how much more money she could possibly spend on supplies before actually getting a chance to get Christmas gifts for her adoptive family. Shaking her head, April sighed. No matter. If it made Mikey happy, then it made April happy. That excited smile on his face when he was excited could brighten anyone's day.
April bit her lip as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Careful not to slip on the ice and sleet that covered the ground around her, April's thoughts drifted back to Mikey's words the day before.
"Remind me, why exactly are we making this card? You guys don't really celebrate Christmas, right?"
Mikey pulled out a red marker and started to color the ornaments he had drawn on the Christmas tree in his picture before responding. "Well, no. But you do! And unless TV lied to me, everyone knows you're supposed to make Christmas cards for your mom."
"Shard's...not my mom, Mikey."
"Well, yeah," Mikey laughed. "But she's like your mom, right?" Motioning towards the green marker, he added, "can you pass that over?"
April nodded, passing the marker to him as she considered that. A thought teased at her that had been bothering her more and more since her Dad's disappearance, and normally she would have jammed it down like she always did and not even thought about voicing it… but she and Mikey were alone, and he was probably the least judgemental person she knew when it came to that sort of thing. And something about his open innocence as he coloured the card gave her the courage to speak when she would normally have kept silent.
"Mikey...do you think I'm replacing my mom?"
He paused, setting down his marker as he looked at her. It wasn't often that she got his undivided attention, but when the full force of those blue eyes turned on her, sometimes it felt like he was looking straight into her heart. "Well… I've got a bunch of brothers. But I don't think having more than one brother means I like any of 'em any less. Except maybe when Raph's being a jerk. Or Donnie's being a know-it-all. Or Leo's being… Leo." He tilted his head. "Maybe it's the same way with moms. I've only ever had the one, but lots of people have two parents and like them both, right?"
"Oh." April leaned forward, looking at Mikey's card. A black-and-white cat was stationed on the center of the page, while a turtle wearing orange was placed to the right of her, and a red-headed human stood to her left, all of them, dwarfed by the Christmas tree in the background. April smiled.
"You're a pretty smart cookie, Mikey."
"Well duh! Finally someone realizes this! Hey, do you think you can stop on your way from school tomorrow and grab some art stuff? I need sparkles for the tree and envelopes and colored paper an-"
"Yeah yeah." She rubbed the top of his head lightly. "I got you covered."
April shook her head and smiled. Oh, Mikey. Trust the one turtle she thought she could count on for simple conversation to give her complex metaphysical concepts to pick her way through. She'd have to sit down and give it some serious thought at some point, but for now, she had to focus on getting these supplies back to Mikey. He was absolutely dying to get his Christmas cards done, and promised that there were New Year's cards to make afterward, which were apparently even more exciting.
Turning the corner, April couldn't help but let her thoughts once again drift back to the cat on the card. It was such a sweet, innocent family scene. So why did part of her feel like she was betraying her mother's memory by letting herself be part of it?
A tingle suddenly began in the back of April's mind. Startled, the teenager stopped in her tracks and rubbed her forehead. An odd sensation ran through her body, giving her goosebumps and making her feel funny. Still, April dismissed it as a side-effect of her complicated thoughts and proceeded down the sidewalk. But regardless of her efforts to ignore the feeling, it still lingered in the back of her mind, growing bigger and bigger until…
Danger!
Crying out in confusion, April closed her eyes tightly, the bags falling to the ground as she rubbed her temples in an effort to banish the sensation that refused to be ignored. Taking a few steps back, April looked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from. It was a feeling of being watched, and she didn't like it.
Again, despite every resolution that she wouldn't look at it again, Karai pulled the crumpled photograph out from its hiding place, smoothing the creases where she had balled it up countless times to throw it away.
But she could never bring herself to do it.
The dark eyes of the woman in the photo stared back at her, and once again, Karai could not reconcile the kindness and warmth in the woman's gaze with the heartless betrayal she had perpetrated. And yet, there it was. Her father had told her all the lies the deceitful woman would use to try to cover up her dishonour. She would claim that Saki had been cruel to her. That she had been forced to flee to save Karai's life. Worst of all, that Saki was not her father. Truly, there was no end to Tang Shen's treachery. In the end, the truth was there for all to see. Shen had faked her own death, abandoned her only child, because of the dishonour she had brought upon herself by being disloyal to her husband with the dead man, Hamato Yoshi. A man her father had once called friend.
Mother…why?
A wave of fury surged through her, and she crumpled the photo, disgusted with herself for acknowledging the relationship, even in her own thoughts. That creature was not her mother. She had given up all right to be so when she had left Karai behind.
And yet…
Karai still couldn't bring herself to throw the photo away. Sighing, she tucked it back where it had been and again cursed her weakness.
She stood, surveying the city below from her perch on the water tower as she readied herself to return home. She could not be gone long; her father was trusting her to lead the Foot, and she would not disappoint him again. But even as she readied herself, she caught a flash of familiar red hair down below.
A slow, lazy smile curled her lip. "Well, at least this night's not a total loss."
She had promised her father she wouldn't go looking for the turtles or their little friend anymore until his return. But he hadn't said anything about seizing the opportunity when their little princess wandered straight into Karai's grasp.
"Who's there!?" April called out. Hand falling to her jacket, she reached around for her tessen, only to realize in horror that she had left it in her room. April cursed quietly. Taking a look around and scanning the rooftops, she swallowed hard as what appeared to be a shadowy figure shot across the gap between the buildings above her.
Crud.
Leaping from the water tower, Karai vaulted the gap between buildings and threw herself down a fire escape into April's path.
"Hey there princess." Karai folded her arms, giving her a good looking over. "Doing some Christmas shopping?"
Backing up, April held out her hands in front of her in a defensive stance. Shoot. Not good not good... April's breath hitched a little before she recovered herself, drawing her mask of disdain firmly into place. "Yeah, well, you know. That's what you do when you're not evil and you have people who actually care about you."
Karai's expression darkened. "And who would that be? I heard your Dad's a bat now. But hey, that's cool, I don't judge. If you're down with getting dead rats in your stocking or whatever, more power to you." Shifting her stance, Karai drew her katana, gazing over the blade with a grin. "I had something a little different in mind for my holiday celebrations. Forget about the Kraang; I bet the Cat will come out of hiding to get her little princess back."
Karai's grin widened as she feinted toward April, clearly enjoying the sensation of watching her flinch.
And then, bam, in a split-second, Karai was in front of April, catching her off-guard. April may not have been as skilled as Karai, but she was catching on fast, and instantly tried to recall what Shard had been teaching her for the past few months.
Watch your opponent. Move fast. Think later.
Stumbling backward, April clenched her teeth and tried her best to react hastily to Karai's movements, but to no avail. She moved too quickly, her motions much too swift and agile for April to read.
Before she knew it, Karai was in front of her, swinging her blade at April's head. April gasped and ducked, impulsively stretching her back as far as she could go. With a small thrill of victory, April realized that she had successfully avoided Karai's first swing, but her victory was short lived.
As soon as April came out of her backstretch, Karai had swung again - much harder this time - and brought the pommel of her blade across April's right temple.
April reeled and cried out as the sword came into contact with her skin. Feeling the harsh bite of steel against her head, April staggered for a moment or two before feeling her knees start to buckle beneath her. Collapsing onto the sidewalk, she moaned and raised a hand to the area where Karai struck, blinking in order to clear her blurred vision.
Wha-what happened?
Pulling her hand back down from her head, April dizzily eyed the warm, red liquid that oozed across her fingertips. She was bleeding. And it must be bad, in order for that much blood to show. Looking down, she could see drops of red staining the pavement. Feeling her head begin to pound violently and her heart begin to race, April attempted to stand, only to fall back on her knees again and moan in pain. Lifting her eyes, she could barely make out Karai's form in front of her before she started feeling a faint coming on. This wasn't good.
Seconds later, everything went black.
Karai stared down at the unconscious girl at her feet, prodding her with a toe and getting no response. Rolling her eyes, she pulled out her phone and summoned the Footbots she had at her disposal. "That was easier than I thought," she muttered. "Sad, really."
As she waited for her minions to arrive, she picked up the bags that April had dropped and examined their contents. Her brow furrowed as she sorted through them. Sparkles… shiny paper…. were they doing arts and crafts now? Karai dropped the bags in disgust, refusing to acknowledge the deep, dark corner of herself that wondered would it would be like to have a family so insipidly...domestic.
Glancing down at the unconscious teenager, Karai rolled her eyes again and knelt next to her with a grunt of frustration. Yanking off the the sash around her waist, Karai used it to bind the little princess's head wound. It wouldn't do to have April lose too much blood before Karai had a chance to set her trap. April was going to die, of course, but Karai had something much more interesting planned on that front than just bleeding to death in an alley. Something far more poetic, at any rate. And bait was much more effective when it was still breathing.
As the shadows that were her robotic soldiers fell around her, she stood and planted a hand on her hip. "Take her to the dojo and make her… comfortable," she said, her lip curling in delight at the thought. It was high time the little princess learned that not everyone was going to treat her like some perfect little porcelain doll.
As the soldiers moved to comply, one of them picking up the fallen bags — like good little ninja robots, they didn't leave anything behind - Karai stopped them with a raised hand and drew one of her tanto, using it to saw off a lock of that bright hair. That task accomplished, she let the Footbots bear their unconscious captive away, while she descended to the sewers to set up her invitation.
She had no idea where the turtles and their cat sensei holed up, but she had a vague idea of how to get close. She paused in the tunnels, surveying them critically. It had been a while since she had confronted April on this spot, but the memory of it was still raw and vivid, and she cursed the Kraang yet again for robbing her of the opportunity to do away with the spoiled brat when she had the chance.
Shaking off the memories, Karai left the first element of her invitation. She moved several paces down the tunnel before setting up the second part, and she was almost to the surface before she heard the explosion behind her. A satisfied smile crossed her face. Let the treacherous cat try to ignore that. Laughing in delight, she headed topside to see if her captive had come 'round yet. She had some serious gloating to do.
Shard was deep in meditation when the explosion rocked the tunnels, jolting her back to waking with a gasp. Seizing her staff, she was on her feet and running even as the rumbling faded, cursing the fact that her sons were off on a training mission deep in the tunnels. This was far more their territory than hers, but she could not let something of that magnitude go uninvestigated, not when the safety of her home was at stake.
She slowed as her sensitive nose picked up the scent of smoke and ash, but as she peered carefully around the corner of the next tunnel, keeping to the shadows, it appeared her stealth was unnecessary. The tunnel was deserted.
Still, she was cautious as she approached the source of the explosion. And well that she was, for she might have missed the bright flash of red otherwise, half buried beneath rubble as it was. But it caught her eye, and she bent to brush the dust away from it.
As the dust cleared, she drew back with a cry of alarm. She would know the colour of that hair anywhere. And the note beneath could have come from only one hand.
We're long overdue for a chat, Mother. Meet me at the dojo by midnight. Alone. Or the redhead dies.
"Take her to the dojo and make her…comfortable."
April couldn't remember much of anything after Karai's harsh words; there was only a blur of noise and sound, and the feel of cold arms and hands that hurt as she faded in and out of consciousness. She didn't fully return to herself until she was carelessly tossed to the floor.
The giant, cold metallic hands of her kidnappers roughly grabbed her arms and began binding her to one of the beams that held up the room they were in. The throbbing pain in her head kept her docile as a robot pulled her hands around behind the beam and bound them tightly. She cringed once or twice as the ropes bit into her skin, but it was hard to muster much fight given the pain in her head.
It was when the robots were finished that April finally decided to try to open her eyes. Pushing herself to inch up against the wood, she slowly forced her eyes open in order to get a look around her. Vision still slightly blurred, April squinted her eyes at her surroundings before gasping in surprise. The room was relatively dark, but April could see that it was a dojo. And not just any dojo, Bradford's dojo. The guys had told her what it looked like - Mikey in some great detail after his first triumphant visit there - but she'd never been there until now. She sighed quietly. She'd pictured her first visit more as part of a stealthy ninja rescue team. Not trussed up like a Christmas turkey.
Looking to both sides, April also took note of the Footbots that guarded her. They stood upright, hands folded behind their backs as they stared emotionlessly in front of them. Two robots were also stationed directly in front of April before they stepped aside to reveal their commander.
April breathed in slowly and heavily before gazing on the face on her smug captor.
Karai.
The girl stared at April from where she sat, expression mocking and a crooked smile across her lips, almost amused by April's crippling pain.
Feeling her eyelids begin to droop, April let out a soft, involuntary sound of dismay, suddenly feeling incredibly heavy, as if her body was being pulled down by an anchor. Her head was hurting much worse now, and she could barely keep her eyes on Karai. This was not what she had planned for this afternoon. In fact, April thought, as a slight wave of panic washed over her, she'd be lucky if she could even get out of this alive.
"You're, you're a j-jerk, y-you know that?" April uttered weakly from where she sat. Even the small movement of speaking jogged her, and she moaned again as her head began to scream once more. Succumbing to the pain, April let her head sink back against the wood. Better not to move anyway.
"Hey, would a jerk do this?" Rising to her feet, Karai plucked a long metal pole from the hands of one of her Footbots, examining the purple tip for a moment before jabbing it into April's ribs. April jerked against the ropes, a whimper escaping her as pain exploded across every nerve ending. She gritted her teeth together, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes as she fought against the pain, fought to keep from crying out. Karai grinned as the purple energy from the Kraang device flowed through April like a powerful shock, and then withdrew the tool. Kneeling next to April, Karai tugged off the bandage around April's head, brushing at the dried blood to reveal the newly-closed wound underneath.
"Pretty sweet, huh?" Waggling the rod in front of April's face, Karai reached out with her free hand and tousled April's hair, bringing a scowl to April's face in response. "The Kraang made it. Apparently their human test subjects are 'too fragile for the tests of Kraang' or something, so they made this to patch them up when they got broken."
"W-what?" April uttered breathlessly. Staring, April shook her head at Karai in disbelief. You slice open my head, drag me here, tie me up, then heal me? Unbelievable. The area still felt a little swollen and achy, but much better. It was as if the cut had never been there in the first place. "What do you want already?"
Tossing the device back to her Footbot, Karai stood and folded her arms. "Sorry, little princess. Can't have you passing out on me before she gets here. This is going to be way more effective if you're alert enough to call for help." She grinned. "Feel free to scream, by the way. Makes the whole thing more dramatic."
As Karai continued to speak, April shook her head in bewilderment at her, slowly beginning to lean forward, rubbing her wrists together in the most un-obvious way possible. Maybe, just maybe if she kept talking, April could loosen her binds. But Karai finally finished speaking; April froze and shifted her shoulders uncomfortably.
"You're kidding me." She raised an eyebrow at Karai, completely unimpressed with her words. "You seriously think I'm going to scream?" Rolling her eyes, she shifted her hands behind her, wriggling her wrists harder. Geez, why is this so difficult? "Sorry, but I'm not playing your damsel in distress, Karai."
Karai just grinned at her, making April's blood run cold. "Challenge accepted, princess."
The robots set to guard the building went down without even registering that she was there. Laughable, really. They had been programmed to adapt to a warrior's fighting style, but that meant little if the warrior beheaded them with her blade before they could detect her.
Keeping to the shadows, Shard eased herself forward until she could see the room beyond. There was Karai, flanked by her little toys, standing and gloating over her bound and helpless captive.
April...
Her heart twisted within her as she watched the daughter of her blood tormenting the daughter of her heart, and for a moment, indecision froze her. But when Karai reached out with an alien device, and April's little frame twisted in agony, that act of cruelty freed her of any indecision. She wanted her daughter back, more than words could possibly hope to express, but she could not simply step back and let April suffer through Shard's own self-doubt.
Shard reached into her obi. Seconds later, several kunai flew through the air, dispatching the remaining robots. As they crumpled to the ground and Karai stared at them in shock, Shard stepped into the light, drawing the scarf from her head as she did so.
"Miwa," she said softly. "This is very poor hospitality."
Karai recovered herself quickly, looking up at Shard with a feral grin. "Well then, Hahaue. Why don't you teach me a lesson?"
In another instant, Karai launched herself across the dojo, and the air was shattered by the ringing of blades as mother and daughter met.
As soon as the Footbots fell and that soft, iron voice filled the dojo, April had been filled with a giddy elation. Master Shard was going to wipe the floor with Karai. That'd teach her to mess with Sensei's favourite student! Well, favourite female student anyway. But then her sensei's words penetrated her haze of elation and fear, and joy drained slowly away, replaced by a sick dread.
Miwa?
Miwa was Karai. Karai was Miwa. No. No.
Karai was Shard's long lost daughter, and she had been right under their noses all along. April didn't want to believe it. After everything that they had been through with Karai, her being Shard's daughter just didn't seem right. But the feelings that ran through her told April otherwise. It made sense. As much as April didn't want it to, it made perfect sense. The battles, the reason why Sensei had acted so strange when the topic of her family came up.
Taking in a deep breath, all she could do was watch helplessly as mother and daughter fought over April's fate
Shard was a master in her own right, and a seventeen-year-old opponent should have been nothing to her.
But her daughter had an advantage that Shard lacked. Shard was doing everything she could to avoid harming her opponent, but Miwa's blows were fuelled by years of grief, and longing, and hate, and betrayal. And throughout it all, Shard could not help but feel an incredible sense of pride in the grace and accomplishment that Karai displayed. Oh, there were certain skills lacking — skills that only a kunoichi could have taught her — but oh, if Shard could have Miwa under her instruction...
The girl disengaged, rolling to her feet near April with the Kraang device in her hand, rescued from the remains of the nearby robot Shard had destroyed. "You know, these things can't cause any actual damage," she said conversationally. "But I'm told they hurt like hell if they're used on a person more than once." Her eyes narrowed. "Let's find out."
Before Shard could act, the girl reached out and prodded April in the leg, sending a wave of sickly violet energy surging through her.
April watched with an anxious eye as Karai struck angrily at Shard. Flinching nearly every time Karai almost gave a death blow to the cat, April could almost sense the anger that was coming from her. Karai's face and sharp movements spoke so much about the hurt and grief she had been enduring for the past seventeen years. Seventeen years that she had lived without a mother.
As the battle raged, part of April couldn't help but feel for the girl. Sure, Karai had given her a blow that could have killed her, dragged her to an abandoned school and hurt her even worse, but the resentment and anger Karai held in her heart was somehow understandable. She had been lied to by the Shredder, and as a result, the girl was only trying to fill a hole in her life and rid herself of the pain she had felt for so many years.
April's thoughts could only continue for so long, because in that moment Karai backed towards her and pointed the Kraang device at April, taunting her mother. April barely had a chance to get a grip on what was happening, for in the next moment, as Shard's eyes widened in horror, Karai prodded the device directly into April's leg.
"Miwa, stop!"
April barely heard Shard cry out as Karai pressed the object harder into her leg. Screaming, April's entire body thrashed violently as the waves of purple energy surged through her, burning and crackling against her skin. Karai seemed to take great satisfaction in it, as she gave the device one final push against April's leg before tossing it aside and pressing on Shard again.
Shard's lunged toward her daughter, but she was already casting the cruel device aside and returning her attention to Shard.
"My name is Karai!" Enraged, Miwa… no, Karai, brought her blade up to meet Shard's once more, her expression darkening as Shard drove her away from her prey. "You lost the right to call me anything when you abandoned me."
"It was not like that," Shard pleaded, hard-pressed to keep up with the flurry of Karai's attack. "The Shredder is not—"
"Stop lying!" Karai leaped back, indicating April with her blade. "How long did it take you before you replaced me with her? What is it? The hair? The sickly sweetness? If dyed my hair and wore cute little clothes, would you give me the family heirloom tessen?" As Shard pursued, a note of desperation crept into Karai's voice. "You come running for a kid you're not even related to, but you can't even be bothered to find your own daughter?"
"I did not know!" Shard struck, sending the girl reeling. "And when I did, you would not listen! But I am here now."
Karai's eyes narrowed. "Too little. Too late." With a scream of rage, she drove her blade toward Shard.
Gasping for breath, April groaned as the last of the charge began to fade. Shaking violently from the shock, April cracked open her eyes, observing in dismay as Karai continued to shout at her mother, words of anger and hate dropping from her lips.
Karai believed her mother abandoned her, and despite Shard's pleas for her to let her back into her life, Karai ignored them and stuck harder. It then dawned on April...
Karai knew Shard was her mother, but she wanted her mother out of her life.
And seeing this from the perspective of a girl who had lost everything in her life, starting with her own mother, then having her father mutated and as good as lost to her forever... April couldn't understand. It enraged her that Karai was openly turning away a mother who wanted her back, when April couldn't have hers no matter how badly she wanted her. What April wouldn't give to see her mother's smiling face again, to have her back in her life…
Worming her feet underneath her, pushing herself up so that she was now standing, April turned back to the fight just in time to watch Karai driving her blade toward Shard's head, a blow that would surely end her life.
That was it. Feeling the emotions swell up in her heart, April let out a scream of fury. "Hey!" Catching the attention of both Karai and Shard, April could feel her face going red as she shouted. "You think I don't know what it's like to lose everything?" Her voice grated, and she could feel her throat swell up as she thought of her dad. "I lost the only person who I had left in my life! I'm basically an orphan now thanks to you and the Kraang!" Panting, April could only tug against her restraints and try to fight back the tears that she now felt. "All I've ever wanted is to have my Mother back, and you're just throwing yours away! How dare you?"
Help came from an unexpected source in the end. But even as Shard's heart ached at April's plaintive cry, Karai whirled on the girl, her eyes wide, almost as though April had struck her.
"Shut up!" Karai screamed at her. "What do you know? You don't know anything! I bet your adorable little head is all stuffed full of happy memories with your mother. At least you know you were loved! Do you have any idea what it's like thinking your father's best friend killed your mother, only to find out that she wanted you to die in a fire so that she could hide her shame! How can I know what it's like to lose everything when I never had anything!"
Shard had been inching closer as Karai railed at April but with those final words, Karai whirled back around, her sword meeting Shard's with a ringing clang. "Don't!"
"You must listen," Shard pleaded as Karai's frenzied attack drove her away from April. "Please. Had I know you were alive, there is not a force in this world that could have stopped me from finding you."
Karai's eyes narrowed as she glared at Shard, but her voice was ominously low as she growled, "then prove it."
The girl's hand dipped into her belt, and Shard had only a second to bring up her staff, knocking Karai's wrist even as several shuriken flew toward April. Thanks to Shard's interference, only one found its mark, and that just barely, slicing through April's jacket and scoring a thin red line along her arm, so shallow that the blood only beaded and did not flow. Sighing in relief, Shard returned her attention to her daughter.
But what she saw froze her blood in her veins. For the expression on her daughter's face wasn't one of an opponent thwarted. It was a smile of deep, abiding satisfaction.
"Child," Shard breathed. "What have you done?"
"You ought to know, Hahaue." Mother. Karai wielded the word like a weapon. "After all, you created it. 'Gentle mercy,' isn't that what you called it?" Karai grinned. "Catchy."
Gentle mercy. Shard glanced at April in mounting horror. Oh, no. Miwa, no.
"Nice little poison," Karai continued. "No pain. No side effects. Just an hour or so of feeling really good, and then you drift away to sleep." She looked over at April, the muscles of her jaw clenching a little. "And you never wake up."
April had flinched and tried to avoid the spinning weapon, but due to the rope holding her fast to the beam, there was nowhere for her to go. She hissed through clenched teeth when the sharp sting of the shuriken grazed her arm before coming to rest in the wall behind her. Letting out her breath in a rush of relief, April looked down at the area before lifting her head to gaze at Karai, and her heart sank as she took in Karai's satisfied grin.
Gentle mercy? April shuddered as the words dropped into the shocked silence. Eyes falling to her arm, they widened in horror before glancing up and meeting Shard's gaze, and for the first time that day, April felt legitimately afraid. For the look that Shard was giving her was enough to make the pit of her stomach fall in fear, as she realized what Karai had done.
She…she…
She poisoned me?
April began to tremble violently, lifting her head to stare in horror at Karai.
What did I ever do to you?
Turning back to Shard, April gave her one more look; a scared, lost, look that begged her for rescue.
You made this.
You know what it's going to do to me.
Help.
Shard caught April's gaze, and the fear in those deep blue eyes all but broke her heart. She schooled her expression, her own shock and fear fleeing in exchange for calm resolve, and though April could not hear her, she projected comfort and reassurance in hopes that April's strange connection to the universe would carry them to her.
It will be all right. Do not be afraid. The euphoria will reach you soon. You will feel as if you are entering a pleasant dream.
Only then did she turn back to Karai. "Why?" Shard asked softly. "Why would you do this?"
Her daughter's sword was still drawn, but there was a different expression on her face now, and Shard's heart sank to see it. Hope? But why…?
"I'm giving you a choice, Mother," Karai said, and for the first time, that word was spoken not with biting contempt, but with open earnestness. "It's your poison. You know how to counteract it, but I'm asking you to prove what you said. Prove that you really want me." Karai took a step forward, her brown eyes wide and pleading. "I'm being nice. She'll feel really good at the end. Just let her go. Let her go, and I'll go with you. I'll believe anything you say, I promise. Just prove that you want me. That I haven't… haven't been replaced. Choose me."
Shard's breath caught with a hitch as she stared down into the raw, anguished pain in her daughter's eyes. She could almost have forgiven the Shredder for his actions, for he had saved her daughter from the fire, in the end, and given her a home, and raised her, however dark that upbringing had been. It was not that dissimilar to Shard's own; she had also been raised in a household loyal to the Foot. But that had been when the Foot stood for something very, very different.
And she would never, never forgive Oroku Saki for the twisted, tortured wreck he had made of her daughter's mind.
She stepped forward, gently pushing Karai's blade aside, and very, very softly cupped the girl's cheek in her hand. Karai flinched a little, as though expecting pain from the gesture, but she did not pull away. Shard's thumb brushed away the tears that slipped down Karai's face, smearing the paint around her child's eyes. Her mask was cracking, and for the first time, Shard could see what lay beneath. And what she saw shattered her already broken heart.
"When you were very small," Shard said, and she could feel the child trembling beneath her hand, "we took you to the sakura festival. And oh, how you laughed as the petals fell around you, as though those flowers were the most glorious thing in all creation. And your laugh… I had never in my life heard a sound that brought me so much pure, intoxicating joy."
A small sound escaped her daughter, and Shard bent her head. She could no longer kiss, and she did not think that Karai was ready for the gesture that had replaced it, but she pressed her muzzle very lightly to the girl's brow.
"When I looked down into your eyes that day, my little Miwa, I knew that I would never love anything in the world quite the way that I loved you. And I promised us both on that day that I would protect you at all costs. Your body, your life, your honour… and your soul."
"Kaasan," Karai choked. "I… wait, what?"
But even as realization dawned on Karai, Shard was already dropping the smoke bomb she had plucked from Karai's own arsenal when April had distracted her with her shouted tirade.
Karai screamed, a sound raw with pain and rage, her blade slashing through the smoke, but Shard was already gone. Her claws made short work of the rope binding April, which had already been loosened for her by April's stubborn struggles, and she gathered April into her arms, fleeing into the night as the screams of her daughter chased at her heels.
"Come back! You traitor! I thought you loved me!"
Fighting back the keen that welled in her throat, Shard dropped into the safety of the sewers, carrying her precious burden with her. For all that she had done, there was still a spark of Miwa left in the twisted shell that was Karai. But if she claimed April's life in cold blood, there would be no coming back. That spark would be extinguished forever.
Shard would protect Miwa at all costs. Even from herself.
Cradling April against her, the child's head bouncing lightly against Shard's shoulder, she raced through the tunnels toward home. There was time enough to administer the antidote to the poison, but little time to waste.
"You are safe now, April. Be at peace, and trust me. I promise, all will be well."
April felt weird.
Neither good weird or bad weird, but rather just plain, strange. Shaking herself to see if it would go away on its own, April had diverted her attention away from the fight and back to her arm, embracing a new feeling that came over her, a new feeling that was oddly...
Pleasant. It felt good. April exhaled and slowly felt herself beginning to relax, forgetting about the mother and daughter in front of her, and forgetting the situation at hand.
April felt calm. Like everything was going to be fine.
But the shuriken, Karai had struck her with it, it could be dead-
Calm…
The room slowly became hazed and swirly, along with the people in it. A heavy dizziness came over her, sleep dragging at her eyes as the images of both Karai and Shard began to fade in front of her. Her legs buckled, and April slowly slid against the beam down to the floor, letting her chin fall against her chest.
She dreamed of her mother. She was safe, and at home, laughing, and loving, bringing a slight smile to the teenager's face. She loved her mother. And for the first time in months, April felt happy. At peace. No more problems for a long while.
Her mother was so happy... April was so happy... The smell of her mother's perfume swirled around her, and her mother's bright blue eyes greeted hers. She was so pretty...
Oh, so pretty...
Hands suddenly pulled at her, rough, violent and panicked, pulled her towards them, jolting her away from the gentle thoughts and feelings. April suddenly felt it again - that pang of fear that surged through her system, making her blood turn cold and the pit of her stomach fall.
And was she...moving?
Feeling her head bob up and down against another's shoulder, April lifted her gaze, but saw nothing, only a blur. Who was carrying her? What was going on? Why did she feel so...
A gentle voice. Calm, in the dark...
All will be well...
...
All will be well...
Those were the last words April could make out before slowly feeling herself slip away.
Calm...
"April," Shard said, her voice smooth and even despite the fact that she was in the process of vaulting the turnstiles. It was the voice reserved for the dojo. The voice that demanded compliance and tolerated no dissent. "You must stay awake, sweetheart. For a little while."
She carried April straight to the kitchen, clearing the table of gadgets and old pizza boxes with a sweep of her hand so that she colud lay the girl out upon it. Quickly, she set a kettle to boil and yanked open her cupboard of supplies, hastily mixing what she needed.
"Talk to me, April. Tell me..." she poured hot water into a mortar and began to pound the ingredients she had selected into a paste while the water finished boiling. "...tell me about your fondest memory. I would like to hear it."
Pulling open the cupboard containing the first-aid kit, she tugged open the box and grabbed the bandages within. Shard's claws made quick work of April's sleeve, baring the thin scratch that would be the cause of so much misfortune. Smearing the warm poultice on the wound, she bound the mixture in place with the strips of gauze from the kit. Then, as the kettle boiled, she reached over and poured the boiling water over the leaves in a second cup. It would take a few minutes for the antidote to reach full potency and cool enough to be drinkable
Returning to April's side, she took the child's hand between hers. "Now, April," she said, gently insistent. "Tell me."
April was sleepy. No doubt about it. Thoughts seeping in and out of her mind, the world felt hazy around her. Nothing felt clear, and geez,was she tired.
So tired...
Fighting back the fatigue that was creeping over her, April flinched when she suddenly heard Shard's voice. Strong and firm it ordered her, commanding her to stay awake.
But I'm so tired...
April shuddered as the warmth surrounding her was replaced by cold. Noise as something clattered around her, something else screeching and loud, but the redhead hardly noticed. She slowly felt herself getting lost in the deep memories of her own mind...safe...secure.
Once again, Shard's voice reached her ears, almost pleading for April to stay with her.
"Tell me about your fondest memory..."
My fondest memory?
"I would like to hear it..."
"Mom..." she uttered softly. The image of her mother glanced at her through the fog of memory. She smiled softly at her daughter, bringing her hands down to April's face and stroking her cheek lovingly.
"When I was little...we used...hide underneath..."
Her eyes burned and threatened to spill, but still April continued. "...underneath...the sinks in our-h-home." She stuttered slightly as she spoke, trying to remember. "She'd teach me to do all...this stuff, like crafts and t-tell me stories, bu-" Even as she scanned her mind for a single thought, she felt the sleep dragging her under once more.
Suddenly, a warm hand clasped her own, making April's eyes flutter open in weak surprise. Blinking twice, she could barely make out the face of her caretaker, but it seemed so warm and kind, much like...like...
Mom...
Keeping her eyes locked on the blurred form, April struggled to finish. "S-stories, and then Dad would f-find us and cha-se us...b-e fore Mom would make-"
April stopped abruptly in the middle of her sentence and hissed, feeling the pain that suddenly stabbed through her arm. Grunting, she clutched at Shard's hand, seeking reassurance.
What was happening?
Shard smiled as April spoke, and there was but a little sadness in it. Of course her memories would be of her mother. But they kept her talking. Shard stroked April's hand lightly as she stumbled through her story, and clasped it firmly when a flash of pain flickered across her expression.
Good. The poultice is working.
"Before your mother would make...?" She reached over and plucked the cup from the counter before she stood, shifting April so that she could sit up cradled in Shard's arms and pillowed against the soft fur of her chest.
"You cannot leave a story so unfinished, dear one. It is terribly impolite. But first, you must drink this."
She held the cup to April's lips, letting the steam wreath her head. For that was one of the gentlest mercies of the poison — the toxin itself was usually administered as Karai had done, for the poison was unspeakably bitter. But the antidote... the antidote tasted of sunshine and springtime and a hundred wonderful things.
She knew it well. The final test of a kunoichi's poison was to administer both the poison and the antidote to onesself. Hers was not a profession that lent itself to failure.
"Drink, April. Drink to live. Drink for your mother. For your father. And then finish your tale. For me."
April writhed in pain as Shard spoke to her, feeling beads of sweat beginning to form on her forehead and slowly slide down her face. She could feel it now. That burning feeling that shot through her arm and made the rest of her body shiver and ache in terrible pain.
Trembling now, April moaned a little as she opened her eyes, her gaze falling on the cup that Shard pressed towards her face. She looked up at her sensei, shaking her head. Don't make me drink that, please, she silently pleaded. Shard didn't seem swayed in the least as she softly ordered her to consume the liquid.
Those deep green eyes looked intently down at her, firmly ordering her to obey.
"Drink for your mother."
Of course, she had no choice. She couldn't argue that. As Shard held the cup to her lips, April hesitantly took a brief sip. But she was so tired, so weak, she could barely swallow. Choking, sputtering, she coughed half of it back up, wetting her shirt and making her shake violently.
She couldn't do this.
Shard's soft, furred hand suddenly ran over her forehead and stroked her in comfort, encouraging her to try again. Gasping lightly, April recalled a distant memory of her mother. Many times, she would stroke April's forehead, bringing peace and comfort when she was hurt or unwell...
And now, with Shard gently stroking her brow, April felt like she was there again.
Relaxing beneath the cat's loving touch, April lifted her head and tried again, despite the pain that she now felt in every corner of her body. Swallowing hard, she slowly but surely began to consume the drink bit by bit. She paused every few seconds for breath, but let Shard pour the rest of the antidote into her mouth. Slowly, she became aware of a pleasant euphoria stealing over her again, and the drink reminded her of rainbows, and playtime, and long summer picnics in the park...
When she finished, April collapsed back into Shard's arms and coughed, harder this time, and let her eyes come to a close as she rested against Shard's soft fur.
Taking in a deep breath, she whispered, "Mom...w-would-d m-make d-dinner and we-we'd watch S-space Heroes." Finally finished, April let out a sigh as the bittersweet memory clashed with the strange pleasant fuzziness. Dreams weren't supposed to hurt...
Grasping Shard's kimono in sudden pain, April gasped, a sharp intake of breath.
Why did she feel so cold, and so...strange?
Clenching her teeth, April squeezed his eyes shut and leant up against Shard, burying her face in her robes as her arm started to burn once more. "W-what's h-happening t-to me?" she whimpered, in a voice that even she strained to hear. Feeling panic and fear wash over her once again, she clutched tighter at Shard. Her head spun, and the world was becoming a hazy blur once more.
Shard held April close, offering soothing noises of encouragement as she set the cup down in order to dry the spilled potion from April's face and gently stroke the sweat-soaked hair from her brow. It had been difficult to get her to take the medicine, but Shard had been resolute. She had raised four teenage boys and knew how to deal with a stubborn teenager — she did not take no for an answer. She would have gotten the antidote into April if it had meant holding her down and pouring it down her throat — but she rather thought it wouldn't come to that.
And like the good girl Shard knew April to be, she finally took her medicine, collapsing against Shard as she finished. Shard wrapped her arms around the child, letting the sleeves of her houmongi drape around her, and smiled she finished her story.
"I have passed many an evening with my own sons that way," she said gently. "It is a pleasant memory, indeed, and I thank you for sharing it with me."
April inhaled sharply, grabbing at the folds of her kimono, and she clucked her tongue lightly as she gathered the girl into her arms. "You are healing, sweetheart," she told her as she carried her up the stairs and through the dojo into her room — the dim candle light from her lanterns there would be kinder on April's eyes as she recovered, as the toxin could leave them somewhat sensitive to light.
She knelt on her futon, tugging blankets around April to cocoon her in warmth, but she did not let her go. Instead, she rocked her gently, stroking her hair as she reached for Shard. Around them, the pinpricks of light from her lanterns painted the room with stars.
"It is all right, April. Relax. The healing can be pleasant if you do not fight it, like a warm breeze on a summer's day." Her purr began, rumbling through the room like soft thunder. "I am here. I will let nothing hurt you. Trust in me, dear one."
Softly, she began to sing. It was an old lullaby, and not in April's native tongue, but it had always brought her children comfort against the fears that lurked in the dark.
April cuddled against Shard, taking comfort in her purrs. Although her body ached terribly, she felt a strange safeness and security in the feline's loving arms.
And when she sang, April could only listen in quiet awe. She had heard Shard sing before, but not like this. Shard's voice blanketed the room and seemed to flow through her, washing away the pain and the fear and leaving only the gentle euphoria behind.
Letting her head fall limp against Shard's shoulder, the teenager sighed and let her cheek rub against Shard's fur. She was so soft, and strangely, April was reminded of her mother, holding her so long ago as April's cheek rested against the soft sweater that she wore. The love in Shard's voice was like her father's, the way he used to sing to her at night when she was afraid.
Gosh, how she missed them...
And yet, with Shard there and rocking her the way she did, she couldn't help but feel comforted. That there was some hope left. That maybe, not all was lost and she could get her father back someday...
She shivered slightly and tried to open her eyes to gaze upon her caretaker, but her eyes refused to obey. She was exhausted. Struggling to lift her hand despite the pain and weariness, she tugged at Shard's robe to gain her attention. The pleasant fog was fading, and she felt like she was swimming in darkness.
"C-can I sleep?" She felt horribly guilty for interrupting, but she couldn't help it; she could barely stay awake. "My head... I feel terrible..."
"Poor head," Shard murmured gently, smoothing April's hair away from her brow to drop a quick, feline kiss there. "Of course you may sleep, dear one. Let yourself heal, and all will be well when you wake. And fear not; I shall be right here."
She lifted April from where she was cradled against her lap and settled her on the futon, adjusting pillows beneath her head, removing her boots and coat, and making certain that the blankets were tucked firmly around her. April murmured her soft thanks, finally letting herself go. She could sleep safely, secure in the knowledge that no matter what happened, Shard would be there to chase the nightmares away.
It was a strange thing, Shard thought, as she regarded April. She could not be sure when exactly it had happened, but April's kindness, her bravery, her stubbornness in the face of adversity, had won her over completely.
Rising to her feet, Shard crossed the room to her record player, keeping the volume very low as the soft strains of Japanese lullabies filled the air. She returned to April's side and took the girl's hand carefully between her furred ones. Softly, she raised her voice in song, paving the way to sleep for April as she had done for her own boys so very many times over the years.
True to her word, Shard remained at April's bedside, the child's hand clasped in hers long after the record finished and the room was filled only with the soft hiss of the needle bumping against the run out groove. But getting up to turn it off would require letting go of that hand, and so she stayed, watching as April's breathing evened out and her colour returned to normal.
April would live. She would be fine. And Karai's hands would remain unsullied by the blood of an innocent life.
April groaned as her eyes eased open; it felt like they'd been spackled shut. As she blinked through the crust around her eyes, a green face swam into view above her.
"April?" She'd know that anxious, uptight voice anywhere, and she felt a huge hand tighten around hers. "Can you hear me?"
"Donnie?" she croaked, and frowned. Her mouth felt like it'd been stuffed full of old gym socks. "Wh-what happened?" She'd...been hurt? Or something. She frowned. It was like her brain was wrapped in wet cotton.
"April." A soft voice, and a dark shape over her. Sensei? Then a damp cloth was over her eyes, wiping that thick crust away, and as April blinked again, her vision cleared enough to make out Shard's concerned face. Mikey knelt at his mother's side, his blue eyes wide and anxious, and Raph and Leo leaned against the walls of the room, both watching her. She felt the colour creep to her cheeks, and wanted to shrink down beneath the blankets, but Shard's hand was on her head. "How much do you remember?" Shard asked gently.
April frowned, trying to force her way through the fog surrounding her memories. "I...I remember Karai. And... and you came to get me. And then..." Her frown deepened, but there was only a white fog where the memories should have been. "My arm hurts. That's it." She glanced anxiously up at Shard.
But Shard just smiled and patted April's hand. "There is nothing to fear. Karai cut your arm, and there was poison in the wound. I have treated you and you will be fine, but this particular toxin has a way of clouding one's mind. It is normal, and will do you no lasting harm."
Shard straightened, looking at her sons. "You four should go and prepare something to help April's recovery. Some tea - the blue tin, I think. And something light to eat." She looked down at Michelangelo. "No pepperoni."
"Awww," Mikey said, but he did as he was told, and if nothing else told April how serious the situation was, it was the fact that he didn't offer anything more than that token protest.
Donnie lingered the longest, reluctant to release her hand, but after a long look from his mother, he finally let go and followed after the others. It wasn't until they were alone that April released the breath she hadn't quite realized she was holding and looked up at Shard. "You came for me," she repeated softly.
"Of course I did." Shard's hand moved gently against her hair. "You are family, child. I would never leave you behind."
"No, but..."
Words drifted through the fog of memory. Maybe it's the same way with moms. I've only ever had the one, but lots of people have two parents and like them both, right?
There was a word the guys used, though April had always been reluctant to do so, warring with feelings of guilt and loyalty. But as her eyes filled with tears, that word rose in her throat, filling her mouth, and she ached with the need to speak it.
"Kaasan," she whispered. "Thank you..."
And as the tears spilled down her face, she struggled to sit up enough to throw her arms around her sensei and bury her face against that soft fur.
Kaasan...
Shock lanced through Shard as that whispered word broke over her, and she reached out to catch April's trembling form as the girl wept against her. Murmuring quietly, Shard's hand moved over April's back, gently soothing even as she fought to make sense of the snarl of emotions inside her.
After some time, April took a shuddering breath, and Shard's hand stilled in silent encouragement. "Mikey said something the other day," April said. "Something about...about how a daughter can love one mom...without loving the other any less..."
A soft smile crept across Shard's face as she rubbed her cheek against April's hair. "My youngest son can be quite wise in matters of the heart. He surprises us all sometimes."
"Do you..." April raised her head, blue eyes searching Shard's. "Do you mind?"
Shard drew a deep breath as she looked down into those wide eyes, so desperate for the love of a mother so long denied to her. But Michelangelo was right. The love of a mother for a daughter was not limited to one. And she could love one daughter with all her heart... and still open that heart to another.
"No," she said, and bent to gently lick April's brow, bringing a soft, sheepish smile to the girl's face. But April's arms remained tight around her just the same. "I do not mind at all, my child."
