Ch.10: Tobogganing

Five teens sat around the lair's living room, each reveling in the peaceful silence.

"I'm so booooorrreeeedddd!" That was quickly shattered by the turtle clad in orange. Leonardo let out a sigh as his brother continued to whine.

"Shut up, knucklehead!" Raphael snapped, emerald eyes glaring at the little turtle from above the comic he held.

"Why don't you play one of your video games?" Donatello suggested, pointing at the ragged looking game console.

"I've already passed all my games!" Michelangelo complained, a pout forming on his face. He turned his bright blue eyes onto the human girl sitting on the couch, making sure his expression looked pitiful.

"Do you know anything fun we could do April?" he asked, his lower lips jutting out slightly. The redhead looked at the freckled teen thoughtfully, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Well, we could go out and play in the snow, it's been piling up nicely," the teenage girl mused, "I know this spot that my dad and I used to go to because it was so closed off that no one goes there." Michelangelo immediately brightened with excitement. Raphael and Leonardo gave the redheaded girl doubtful looks.

"And what exactly are we gonna do in the snow? Freeze our tails off?" Raphael asked sarcastically. April glared in response.

"Actually, I think my aunt has some toboggans in the house. We could play around with those." April offered with a smile.

"I don't know April," Leonardo replied hesitantly, "It's still light out. What if someone sees us?"

"It's okay Leo," the girl said reassuringly, "I promise that no one will see you guys; this place is really hidden."

"And if someone does see us, then we can just induce memory loss," Raphael smirked, cracking his knuckles. Michelangelo nodded his head eagerly, excitement evident on his face. Leonardo wearily glanced at Donatello, hoping for some sort of support, but he should have known better. It involved April. Of course the purple clad ninja would go along with whatever it was she wanted.

"Well it's obvious that it doesn't matter what I say, but Master Splinter will never let us go!" Leonardo sighed in agitation.

"Have you tried asking him, oh wise leader?" April asked in perfect Raphael style sarcasm. The other three brothers snickered, and the red clad turtle gave the redhead an approving nod.

"No," Leonardo scowled, "I haven't asked because I know that he'll just say no." April raised a brow at the blue masked turtle leader.

"Challenge accepted," the girl said, moving from her place on the couch next to Donatello, "Where's Master Splinter?" Three of the turtle brothers gazed up at the redhead in awe. The blue clad turtle simply returned her challenging glare.

"He's in the meditation room," Leonardo said casually, "Go ahead and ask. But I can guarantee you that he'll say no." April simply stuck her tongue out at him and headed out of the room. Making her way through the lair she learned to memorize, April walked quietly into the meditation room and found herself staring at a broad back that was sitting down. An ear gave a small twitch at her entrance, and the aging rat craned his neck to look at her.

"Um, hello," April greeted sheepishly from the doorway. The wise master simply gazed knowingly at her.

"I know what you have come to ask me, Miss O'Neil," he said mystically. April could only look at him incredulously, her eyes wide with surprise. The old rat took in her expression and chuckled, twitching his ears as he spoke.

"These ears are not large for show, Miss O'Neil," he said in amusement, "Now, would you care to ask me if you and my sons may play in the snow?" Recovering from her shock, April composed herself quickly and put on a pleading face.

"Master Splinter, may your sons and I please go out to play in the snow?"

"No," Splinter replied curtly. April only glared and decided to immediately resort to drastic measures. She put on the puppy eyes that she spent sixteen years of her life perfecting on her father. She never lost.

"Please Master Splinter? I promise that no one will see them, and I'll accept full responsibility for whatever happens," April begged, making sure to form small tears in the corners of eyes as she clasped her hands in front of her chest. Splinter sighed at the expression the human girl was making, feeling his resolve crumbling ever so slightly. He knew the girl was stubborn and most likely would continue pleading until she got her way. Well, determination was an admirable virtue, and he enjoyed messing around with his sons every once in a while. Besides, he wasn't completely strict.

"I shall let them go, BUT in return, training will be doubled tomorrow. For all of you." ... Well okay, maybe he was a little strict. April's face broke out into a wide grin and she squealed out her thanks. Splinter smiled as she ran out of the room, rushing to tell the four turtles the news.

"Alright boys, let's move out," April commanded as she entered the living room. She gave the blue clad turtle a haughty look, "We're going tobogganing." Three voices let out excited whoops as they headed out of the lair, but Leonardo could only stare at her with a slackened jaw and wide eyes.

"How did you-"

"I don't lose Leo," April said casually, leaving the lair. Leonardo could only follow her and his brothers out, a bewildered look still plastered on his face. As the five teens made their way through to April's aunt's apartment, Michelangelo suddenly rushed up in between April and Donatello, who had been having a quiet conversation, and turned to the redhead with a playful grin.

"Hey April, I'll race you to the apartment," Michelangelo challenged, ignoring the glare his older purple clad brother threw at him.

"Okay, you're on," April said, just as playful, "But get ready to lose." Leonardo let out a snort, still a bit sore over his earlier loss.

"Are you sure about that April? We're highly trained, extremely skilled ninjas," the blue clad leader began, "And as much as I hate to admit it, Mikey is the fastest of us all. Plus, all this snow is gonna make this race a lot harder. Are you sure you wanna take him on?" Michelangelo gave the girl a smug grin, and the redhead countered with a competitive glare.

"Let's do this," April declared. The two teens then got into position, making sure to start from the same place.

"You can do it April!" Donatello yelled out in encouragement, "Kick his shell!" April grinned, feeling a small blush form on her cheeks. He was cheering for her. She couldn't lose.

"On your mark," Leonardo started, "Get set. GO!" And then the two were off. April didn't give the little orange masked ninja enough credit. He was definitely fast. He was already ahead of her, and getting farther.

"But he doesn't know the city," April thought suddenly. With a grin, she immediately veered into an alleyway, her kunoichi training paying off as she leapt over fences and ran through multiple alleyways and crevices. Grasping onto a familiar fire escape, the teenage girl quickly hoisted herself up and opened the window she knew was unlocked. She had just stepped into the room when a familiar blur of green and orange stumbled in.

"Oh yeah! Michelangelo wins a- April?" the orange clad turtle let out in surprise as he noticed the redhead in the room. April gave the teen a sly wave.

"Hey Mikey," April said smugly. Michelangelo let out a groan.

"No way! I lost?!" Michelangelo exclaimed in disbelief just as his brothers entered the room.

"You lost? To April?!" Raphael cackled, "Man, you guys are pathetic! She's just a human girl! How hard can it be to beat her?" Both April and Donatello glared at the hotheaded turtle. Slipping her hand into his, April gave the blushing purple masked turtle a wink before turning back to his red clad brother, that competitive spark back in her eyes.

"Alright Raph," April started casually, "Then let's have a toboggan race. You and whoever you want versus me and Donnie."

"You're on, Gingersnap," Raphael sneered, "Prepare to lose. In fact, I'll even give you a handicap and take Mikey. And I'll still win!" A resounding 'hey' was heard, but was ignored.

"I don't think you get it yet Raph," April glared, tightening her grip on Donatello's hand, "I don't lose. Especially when I have Donnie on my side." Raphael snorted.

"Right. Like I'm gonna lose to the princess and her blushing boyfriend." April gave the turtle one last heated glare before quickly leaving the room and returning a few seconds later, two wooden toboggans in her arms.

"Let's do this," the girl said, tossing one of the toys to the red masked teen. He caught it easily, and then the five made their way out of the room. April led the four boys to an area in a forest-like park that was completely hidden by trees, a rather large snow covered hill in the middle of the clearing. Trudging up the hill, four of the teens split into two teams, Leonardo standing between them.

"Alright guys, get ready," Leonardo said. Both April and Raphael got on their toboggans, sending each other competitive glares. Michelangelo quickly got on behind his brother, and Donatello followed his brother's example, blushing heavily as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around April's waist. The redhead smiled and cuddled into the mutant turtle's comfortable plastron ever so slightly, trying to make sure he didn't notice, although the effort was futile.

"Okay guys, here's how it's gonna work. I'm gonna head down to the bottom of the hill and keep my arms out. The first team to touch my hand wins."

"We got it, Captain," Raphael said sarcastically, "Hurry it up will ya? I wanna beat the lovebirds before sundown."

"Yeah, let's go Leo," April glared, "Raph needs plenty of time to eat his words." Leonardo shrugged at the two teams and walked to the base of the hill, stretching his arms out wide.

"On your mark, get set,...GO!" And then the two teams were off, quickly sliding down the hill. April leaned forward, bringing Donatello with her as she let out a laugh. He let out a squeak and clung to her even tighter, trying to ignore his rapid heartbeat. April found it both hard to breathe and to see, snow flying at her face and Donatello's body pressing against hers as he tightened his powerful grip. She reached out with her hand anyway, wincing as she felt the sharp sting of smooth skin. She heard a voice that sounded like Leonardo, but she couldn't be sure, the wind left her slightly deaf. She felt the ride slowing to a halt, but her riding partner's hold on her didn't loosen. As they passes the base of the hill, April looked over to the approaching red and orange team. The red clad turtle and the teenage girl glared at each other heatedly as they waited for the results, standing up slowly.

"And the winners are," Leonardo sighed, "April and Donnie. Of course." Raphael let out a growl of frustration as the purple clad turtle and his human companion cheered in delight. Throwing her arms around the scarf wearing turtle's neck, April reached up and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek, her happiness momentarily winning against her embarrassment. Donatello let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Then the two turned to look smugly at the remaining three turtles. One was scowling, the other was pouting, and the last one was growling while spouting curses under his breath.

"Well, looks like April kicked all three of your shells," Donatello said casually, "I think she deserves a prize."

"Donnie," Leonardo warned, wary of the mischievous look in his brother's brown eyes, "What are you planning?"

"Nothing. Hey April," Donatello said nonchalantly, turning to the amused girl he had kept an arm around, "Leo cries whenever he hears the story of Hachiko, Raph talks and sings to his pet turtle, and Mikey's afraid of teletubbies. Also, they all keep stuffed animals that they sleep with." All three of the brothers burst into blushes as April began to laugh, not bothering to hide it as she had with Donatello.

"Donnie!" Michelangelo exclaimed, blushing bright red, "What did you tell her that for?!" Donatello gave his brothers a smug grin.

"Like I said, April deserved a prize," Donatello shrugged, "But consider it a bit of payback for a few days ago." The purple clad turtle then removed his arm from April and took off running, knowing that his brothers were hot on his tail. April continued to laugh as she watched the wrestling brothers, but somehow, she felt...colder. She didn't have a warm, powerful arm on her, protecting her, comforting her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She knew what was happening to her, but she was scared. After all, this wasn't normal. Well, okay, her life no longer classified as 'normal', but this was outrageous. How could she ever hope for an even slightly normal life if she lost this fight?

But as she gazed at the purple clad ninja, taking in his warm brown eyes and gap-toothed smile, she wasn't sure if this was a battle she wanted to win anymore.