CH.9: Creating a new tomorrow pt 2

"I'm going to kill you!" Donnie felt a rage explode within, a unsettling feeling surging forth and overwhelming him. His weapon gripped tightly in his hands as he races forth…intent on destroying the man who had taken everything from him.

"Donatello…cease this action, it is not the way of the ninja!" Leo calls out to him but he cannot hear anything. Blood pounds in his ears and he leaps forth bringing his weapon down; all sense of thought or reason escaping him.

"I see, so, she meant that much to you did she?" Davison wears a cruel sneer. He manages to side step his attack and lets the brunt butt of the weapon jab him in the chest sending him careening off course and into the arms of Raph.

"I got you bro. Listen to Leo here; you can't let Davison get under your skin. I know I am the last person you'd hear this from but…we have to think this through. We can't lose you…not again." Donnie groans a bit but understands. Once he is on his feet he lets a calm wash over him. Davison appears taken aback by this.

"What, is that it? Did you feel nothing for her? Why do you not kill me?" He brandishes his weapon slicing through the air but Donatello can see reason now.

"No…that would be wrong," he stumbles forward a bit but Leo and Mikey are there to steady him. The attack was brunt and it sent reverberations throughout his turtle body. It was hard to breathe but he focused on Davison standing there.

"Always the scientist aren't we? How do you bring about change if you are afraid to take those steps? That girl told you how she felt…and yet…you said nothing, why?" He takes a few steps forward and Donnie wears a crooked grin.

"Hearing it said…there was no reason for me to say words that would not reach her. I aim to bring April back…and say them to her face to face." Donatello stood tall and his brothers along with Mona Lisa, Casey, and Karai stood with him.

"Do you think you can bring her back? She is gone, move on, there is no-." Donatello laughed and Davison became unnerved. "What is so funny?"

"Here is the thing Davison, no one is ever truly gone. Long as we have memories of them, and, knowing that the spirit can find its way back to the body…I aim on beating you the honorable way, no cheats."

"You will regret challenging me. I will take you all on and when I am through…no one will know of this project and I will seek out a new scientist to lend aide to my cause!" Davison charges forth swinging his weapon and as one Donnie and his friends do the same aiming to put this nightmare behind them.


April stirred and as she shot up she notices her body covered in blue. She appeared lighter than she was and her weapons were no longer on her. "Am I dead?"

"No, not quite yet." April startles till she realizes the voice belongs to someone she knows. Sure enough he is seated nearby meditating.

"Master Splinter!" She rushed over but remembering her place she bows and takes a position on her knees before him.

"Yes, it is good to see you too. However I would not have wished to meet like this. Davison has a scythe of remarkable dark spiritual energy that can trap a person's soul in the weapon. Right now you are trapped between two worlds. He will eventually draw upon your spirit to channel energy into himself and when he does…you will truly be gone."

April was relieved to know she wasn't gone, and yet, she felt regret over confessing her feelings for Donnie just as she was about to go. It was not fair on him and she wished she could have gone back to say something a bit more…simple. She could tell Master Splinter was waiting on her so she lifts her head. "How do I stop him?"

"At the moment you can do nothing…it is on Donatello and the others to get the weapon from him. He may not look it but Davison is truly old. He draws upon those who serve him but also those he has fought in the past. He has kept this secret good and buried but having looked in from time to time I have begun to remember him. Davison is vain and until he accomplishes his goal he will not desist.

"April…while you are here I will teach you something that may very well help you. It is a sacred dance that can only be done once, and, in doing so you can free yourself from here. The only downside to it is once you do it…I will not be making anymore visits from here-."

"Wait, what, no I can't do that to…" She had heard Leo talking before and had assumed that he was talking to himself. However having seen for herself she knew it was Master Splinter offering him sage advice.

"It is time that I remain here…for good. I have lived a long life and my sons deserve to make their own mistakes, celebrate their own triumphs without guidance or a gentle fatherly push. Do not waste your youth…trapped here when you could be out there carrying on my teaching."

April wanted to argue, and yet, she also knew that he was right. A tear rolls down her cheek but she quickly wipes it away as she is determined to see this through. "Very well Master Splinter…one last lesson…"


Donatello dives as the weapon slices along his shell and he feels a bit drained. It was hard getting in close range when that weapon kept them at a distance. Leo was holding his own but it appeared Davison also knew a few close combat taijutsu that sent Leo flat onto his back and Raph and Mona Lisa became entangled in one another as they were sent careening away.

"You, all of you, do you feel ready to give up?" Davison gets knocked on the back of the head and Donatello smiles knowing who it was.

"Do you see any of us calling for a time out? No way bro, we are ready to see this through no matter what. You just took our dear friend away…and we will not forgive you for that. If there is a chance of saving her…you can bet we are going to figure it out."

Mikey spun his weapons about and that seemed to give them all a boost. Mikey was hard to sway in most decisions and while a prankster and jokester of sorts he held his own in combat. The children, those not tied down…were watching with wide eyes.

"Listen, all of you children here, do you now see for yourself just what sort of man this Master of yours is? He cares not for your existence…only that you serve him, obey him and see his dream come to reality, a dream that makes others like you suffer. Each and every one of you deserves to be your own unique self…just like I am, like my brothers before me are. Go on…free those of you that would be sacrifices for one's own gain. Don't worry…we will protect you, just…believe in us."

Donatello ducks under a swipe from the weapon and charging forth he sends Davison back a few feet. It was the first attack they had done so far and it riled up Davison.

"No, don't listen to this traitor…he would undo all we have strived to accomplish!" Davison tries to reach out to them and the children look down. It was the first real sign they were taking to claiming back their individuality.

"No father. He is right. We are done being your pawns. It is time for us to go back to the way things were…without you." The children set forth freeing those bound…and Donatello is touched. However as Davison sets his sights on him he feels his weapon shot free of his hands and he winds up crashing along the ground feeling each impact of his roll.

Donatello struggles to get up and he watches as Raph and Mona Lisa rush in. The two of them, along with Leo, Karai, and Casey are upon him giving it their all. Davison keeps his guard up slipping through their weapons and sending out kicks and spins that send them crashing around him. Donatello feels helpless then.


April stood there before Master Splinter…feeling a tad embarrassed as this sort of dance was awkward. "I feel awkward-."

"April, it is perfectly natural to feel so, but even this being the case you must not let it stop you. Release all fear you may have and embrace the feelings you have and focus on them. He is waiting with the others…do this for him."

April blinked a few times not really sure what he meant, no wait she did…still…when did he know? Her confusion must have been quite clear cause Splinter chuckles.

"Young love…it is something I know too well. It was never my place to step in on or offer advice but rather allowing my sons to find their own way. It wasn't an easy conversation to have…and even then my views on life above the sewers was sort of behind me. Standards up here being the way they are…I told them to live in the shadows and to never expose themselves to the light. I was trying to protect them…however now I see I was wrong. Any little light is worth it. April, you have made me proud and long as you do not hurt him…go and be with him."

April nods her head as she performs the dance. It starts out with a few steps forward and then a few awkward hand gestures followed by a step back extending one leg out. There is a faint beat she can't quite place and she continues dancing as the beat picks up. Her body is a blur of motion that she cannot pretend to understand. The air is thick around her and she feels like she is ascending.

"April…tell my sons I am proud of all of them. And to not rush in joining me, they should explore the world and see things in their own time. It is time they stop seeing themselves as students…" April does not hear the rest though but continues dancing, knowing that when she comes to she will no longer be some spectral blue body of death…and she would be reunited with the one she loved.


Donatello rolls away from the weapon and kicking out he sends Davison flat onto his back. Pain shot through him but he makes his way to the machine and inputs a few command keys. "Davison, it was nice playing around with you…but I'd say it is time to say goodbye."

Davison looks around and sure enough all of his children are free. Donatello grins as the machine begins to emit some sort of electronic beep similar to that of a bird.

"W-What have you done?" Davison rushes to the machine shoving Donatello away. He is caught by Leo and Karai and he smirks.

"I just activated a self-destruct on the machine. Did you really think I would help you deny mutants their identity? Next time you'd be wise to closely monitor me instead of believing that as a fellow scientist I would see the world through your eyes. Big mistake."

"I will kill you all…I will…what?" The weapon was glowing a bright blue and he dropped it as it became too hot to bear. The explosion of pure energy scattered about other forms of spirits and one of them happened to be April as she went back to her body.

"Whoa…right on, now this is a party!" Mikey shouts. Donatello walks over to April and slowly picks her up. His body is wracked with pain but right now they had to get out of here.

"Donatello…I swear, I will hunt you down! I found you before and I will find you again." Davison makes a step but that is all he can afford as the children grip him.

"I feel you will have your hands full Davison, good luck doing that. Also all of you…find me in the sewers and I will reverse your condition, trust me, you will be back to your usual selves again." Donatello looks to his friends who are beaten and Casey is mourning his broken hokey mask, still, it could be worse.

The children nod their heads and as they take their father away Donatello does not bother asking what his fate will be. Right now they have to hurry…even now he feels like just taking a very long nap.


A week later

April took a bit of time to heal properly after being brought back into her body. Donatello had been busy recovering but also giving these children their old bodies back. It took a bit but once the process was reversed they had decided to stay together and maybe see about searching for others like them, those looking to belong. April was proud of Donnie for all he had done for them.

Leo and Karai were taking things slow but the two of them were holding hands and embracing what may come their way. Raph and Mona Lisa were going to go on some adventures together but they would be back if needed. Mikey was also taking some time to party and travel around. April knocks on Donnie's door or rather what could be accounted for a door.

"Hey!" April says and smiles some as she sees that Donnie's eye has healed some. However whether or not it would fully open remained to be seen. He was looking better for wear though she imagined the experience with Davison would stay with him.

"April, um, you are better…not that you weren't, cause rest and all is good for you…" He is rambling but she doesn't mind it, in fact she finds it endearing of his character.

"I wanted to check up on you…and…about what happened," April had no time to talk to him since the recuperation they had all been put through. April had been busy also with her personal life getting her studies together and reliving the long time she had been apart from him.

"Oh right, that, well you were dying so you just said what was…there…" Donatello rubs his head and he shifts about in his seat.

"That is the thing Donnie…it wasn't in the moment, I do…love you. I am sorry it took so long to say, to get out there. I don't want to be apart from you again." April moves further into the lab feeling her cheeks darken. Her hand absently runs through her short hair and she feels awkward. "You don't need to say it back, I know you want me to move on, but even so…you mean a lot to me-."

Donatello slowly gets up and he has a slight limp. However regardless that his smile lit her heart up and she stares at him. His hand reaches out as it is resting on her shoulder. "April, what took you so long? Cause I've loved you for a long time…and…even if you were a tad slow, I didn't mind waiting…cause in the end April…you were worth the wait."

They kiss then…arms holding one another close as a pleasing sensation overcomes her. Donnie was hers, and she was his…and that is how it should be. She deepens the kiss and does not want to let go…no matter what happens from here on…she was never letting him go again.

THE END

Authors note: I feel like these two should have become a couple, a true established couple and the series had to end without confirming it, which blows. Aside from a bit of a playfulness or such shown nothing romantic guaranteed their fate. Whether it was on account of the creators leaving it to the fans to carry that on or not…hard to say. In writing this I wanted to capture their romance and bring it about. I know others have done this before me and this is just my interpretation, still, I am glad to be an Apritello shipper and to those who have stuck with this story from beginning to end, thank you and even those who joined in the middle or just caught onto it…thanks as well. I wanted to finish this, give it a proper ending…and with that on to my next stories.