Things had been tense since team M&M had bonded. Shredder and the krang had doubled their efforts to find them making it impossible to even go up to search for basic necessities. Thankfully supplies were full, but how long would they really last?
Donnie and Irma were working over time on the retro mutagen. Leo, Raph, Alopex, April and the rest of the alpha team were trying to figure out where they could go to make a supply run while Splinter and Miwa were doing their best to keep both the humans and the mutants calm.
That left Mikey and Maya to try and figure out a plan to take down the krag using their own environment. The couple had asked Vixen for her input on what she could remember. They can been working on it for several hours in the dojo, going through maps of the city to find a way to use the element of surprise.
"It's not just the krang we gotta worry about. The angry tin can is looking to make a turtle soup out of us to," Mikey said.
"You leave him to me. He and I have some unfinished business to discuss," Vixen replied in a cold voice that made team M&M shiver.
"You're a wicked ninja but even Splinter couldn't defeat him. What makes you think you gotta better chance?" the orange masked turtle asked.
Vixen just looked back at him and said, "Oroko Saki never knew what became of me after the battle. He will underestimate me and it will be his downfall."
Mikey stared at the deadly expression on the fox's face awkwardly before he gave her a thumbs up and said, "Sounds good to me."
"Beloved," Maya called over from where she was looking over some research.
"What's up sweet scales," Mikey called back as he walked over to her.
The mermaid smiled at her one before she replied, "This one may have an idea to kill two prey with one spear."
"Those sound like fightin' words. You know what happens when I hear you use fightin' words," Mikey saud wrapping his arms around his mate's waist.
"Mortal combat?" Maya asked in a cheeky tone.
"Yes!" the orange masked turtle cried.
"No," Vixen said making team M&M look at her sadly.
"Plan now, succumb to your hormones later," Vixen said trying not to laugh at the kicked puppy expressions the pair was giving her.
"Maya what's your plan?" she asked the mermiad getting them all back on track.
…
Casey plopped down on the ground outside the lair after the meeting. The alpha team had decided that the best course of action was to send a small team to travel to the edge of the city to search for supplies. He tried to volunteer to go but his father refused to let it happen. He kept talking about how he was needed here and that this could take several weeks. In the end a small group of humans and mutants were chosen to take on the supply run.
Needless to say, the teen was frustrated with the decision. He knew that he could make that mission successful but it was like he was deliberately being held back. In an attempt to keep his temper in check, the teen remained silent for the rest of the meeting and was the first to leave.
The teen leaned his head back against the wall with his eyes closed and ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to understand his dad's logic. The sounds of footsteps caught the teen's attention before he felt a warm body sit beside him.
"Not like you to chase after a guy," Casey said already knowing who was sitting beside him.
"You seemed upset. Thought you could use some company," April replied.
Casey sighed before he replied, "I'm just tired of doing nothing. This is the first time that there is a chance to do something useful and I'm being benched."
April squeezed the boy's hand before she said, "We need you here Casey. The fight is close, I can feel it…and I can't imagine us fighting that battle without you."
The teen gave her a curious look before he asked, "You just admit you need me?"
"Maybe," she replied with a blush.
This in turn caught the vigilante off guard. He had made the comment to tease the other girl a little not coax her into a confession.
"April, that shit ain't funny. Casey Jones don't wanna hear that if you aren't serious," the teen replied tensely.
The boy had dealt with to many people in the past lying through their teeth about caring about him. He couldn't take it if April was just messing with him when it came to this.
"What if I am being serious?" the girl asked nervously not realizing she was squeezing his hand a little tighter.
Casey looked down at April's hand before looking back up at her. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know.
"Well if you are then I might have to do this," the teen said before leaning forward and caught the girl's lips in a kiss.
It was only a second but it was sweet. Casey quickly pulled away to see the surprised look on the girl's face. He didn't know what to make of her lack of reaction. The teen was about to apologize before April surprised him by grabbing him by the collar of his t-shirt and pulling him into a deeper kiss.
As the pair became more passionate, they were completely unaware that they had attracted an audience. Donnie felt the tears coming and turned away. He leaned against the entrance way and put his hand over his mouth to muffle the pain filled sobs that were escaping him. He had left the lab to grab something out of his room when he saw April leaving the lair. He was curious about where she was going but now quickly regretted his decision to follow her.
The purple masked turtle decided he couldn't stay there a moment longer. Silently as the ninja he was trained to be, Donny slipped away from his two friends. He wasn't watching where he was going when he slammed into someone's chest.
"Donatello…are you alright?" the voice asked with the voice of a concerned mother.
The purple masked turtle looked up to see it was Vixen looking at him with worried eyes. Without a word the turtle burst into tears as he wrapped his arms around the fox's middle. The fox quickly wrapped her arms and tail around the teen and held him tight as he silently sobbed his heart out.
She noticed a few people staring and glared at them before leading her charge into Splinter's room which was currently empty. The fox had stepped out to give Mikey and Maya a chance to tweak their plan. She was going to find her daughter but she quickly assessed that this child needed her more.
She quickly shut the door behind her before guiding Donny over to Splinter's bed and sat him down. The fox then grabbed a blanket and draped it over the thin turtle before sitting down beside him.
"What has got you so upset?" she asked.
Donny could hear the worry in her voice and started to feel really stupid about what just happened. He basically threw a temper tantrum over the girl he knew he'd never have kissing the guy he knew she would eventually choose.
"I'm sorry. It's not really anything important," the purple masked turtle replied quietly.
Vixen stared silently at the boy as she watched his body language. Emily was born with a gift for reading people, she could have easily been mistaken for an empath or a psychic with her abilities. It was how she knew that she would never have Yoshi's heart. The boy sitting beside her very much reminded her of another girl who lost her first love to her best friend.
"Is it safe to say April and Casey finally stopped tip toeing around each other?" Vixen asked.
Donatello looked up at Vixen with a shocked, tear stained face before he asked, "How did you-"
"It is no secret that April had your heart as well as Casey's. To see you this distressed while your family is in good health tells me that you lost the battle to gain her heart in return," the fox explained.
The teen was silent for a moment before his body began to shake and he nodded his head before he replied, "I followed her out to see what she was doing…I watched them kiss."
The fox quickly grabbed the boy and hugged him to her chest. In that moment she was no longer Vixen, the fierce warrior and mother. Instead, she was Emily again, vulnerable and understanding as she recalled what happened all those years ago.
"There is no shame in grieving your first love," she said gently.
"How did you do it?" Donny asked quietly.
"Do what?" Vixen replied.
"How did you make it stop hurting when father got together with Tang Shen?" the tech savvy turtle asked desperately.
Emily was quiet for a moment as she considered her answer. She recalled the pain of heart break and the feeling of utter loss.
"I suppose it didn't feel like losing when I knew their love was true. I still loved them both and they still loved me. Our friendship was my greatest treasure and I refused to allow something as mundane as jealousy take that from me," Emily explained.
"You're strong. I wish I could have that strength," Donny said sounding defeated.
Vixen gave the teen a thoughtful look before she said, "Tell me something, child. Does your heart now feel hatred to April, the girl that broke your heart?"
Donny looked up at her surprised before he replied, "Of course not. She was our first human friend and has been our rock since day one. I couldn't imagine my life without her in it."
"What of Casey Jones then? Surely you must hate him for stealing April from you. He couldn't possibly care for her the way that you can," Vixen said calmly.
The purple masked turtle looked at the fox like she grew a second head before he argued, "Casey might be kind of a psycho but he's our psycho. He's as close as a brother to us, I'm not just going to throw that away because April chose him."
"Why are you trying to convince me to hate people I care about?" Donnie demanded.
"To prove a point. You Donatello, are very much stronger then you give yourself credit for," Vixen explained.
Donnie stared at the ground with wet eyes and a sad smile before he whispered, "I'm just being logical. I lost to a good guy who I know will treat April the way she deserves to be treated. Even though it hurts like a bitch and it feels as though they betrayed me…I still can't bring myself to hate them."
Vixen grabbed the turtle's chin and lifted his head so that they were eye to eye before she explained, "That is the sign of just how big a heart you have, child. Someday you will find someone in your life that will fight to death to protect that heart if you find yourself willing to trust them with it."
"Did your love for Patrick feel as passionate as it did for father's?" Donnie asked.
"No," Vixen replied simply.
"Patrick was quite different. In his eyes I was this treasure that he had the pleasure to discover. I was his everything…and he was mine," Vixen explained as she recalled her husband and how much she loved him.
"Wow," Donnie said.
In his young scientific mind he was fascinated by the idea of two people being that in love. He wanted that for himself so badly…but who would wanna have that with something like him?
"Irma," Vixen said suddenly catching the boy off guard.
"What?" Donnie asked.
"I heard her voice just now. I think she's looking for you," Vixen explained.
Donnie 'eyes widened when he realized he had left Irma in the lab. He was supposed to be back a while ago.
"Oh crap. I hope she wasn't waiting long," Donnie said as he shot off the bed and headed to the door.
Before he left, he turned back to Vixen and just for a moment Donnie thought he saw Emily in those piercing green eyes.
"Emily…thank you," Donnie said before he left to find his lab partner.
The fox sat in shock as her true name was spoken on the turtle's lips. She never thought she would hear it from anyone other then Yoshi again.
"Emily," a voice said.
Her heart stopped when she saw Yoshi in the doorway looking at her as if it were for the first time. She realized quickly that he had heard their conversation.
"I had no idea," he said as stood there staring at her in shock.
"We can discuss this another time Yoshi. I am afraid this isn't the time to speak of the past," Emily said quickly before she stood up and left to resume her original plan to find her daughter.
…
Team M&M walked out of the dojo looking quite pleased with themselves as if they had just planned the greatest masterpiece of all pranks. The moment they appeared in front of everyone they had the undivided attention of everyone present.
"Oh no what are you two up to?" Raph asked as he recognized the expression on their faces.
"Good news we have a plan," Maya announced.
"Why do I get the feeling there is bad news attached to this?" Leo asked.
"Cause you're not gonna like it," Mikey answered.
Leo and Raph looked at each other before looking back at the pair skeptically.
"You'll have to trust us and let us take the lead on this. First we gotta get the others, this is gonna be all hands on deck," the orange masked turtle explained.
That's all for now don't forget to leave a review to let me know what you think