a/n: Whew! Enough of dark chapters...let's do something a bit lighter... Thanks again to Brittany of Angels, Diana Fay, The Silent Hunter and kaaayyytteee for your reviews and kind words. This is a short chapter, but I figure every now and then you need one of these. Also, a new character introduced in this one, but she's really just for a single plot point and not too important otherwise. She's a use and toss character. I hope none of you mind. I won't be delving into her very much.

Standard disclaimer applies

A few days later, New Years Eve

"Too bad you can't stay! Are you sure you really have to leave?" a woman with long, platinum blonde hair asked.

April smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I've got a family thing. It's a great party though! Thanks!"

Waving, April turned and walked out into the cool night air. After a few moments to herself, Casey pulled up to the curb.

"Hey beautiful. Need a ride?"

April laughed as she got into the car. "Ugh, I'm glad to be leaving, that's for sure."

"What? That was a great party! And, ya gotta admit, being invited is an honour!" exclaimed Casey.

"Yeah...Felicia is a really important client. And her circle is small and full of important people. Still...it doesn't excuse the fact that she's a cold-hearted bitch."

Felicia Smythe was the foremost leader in genetics and a new client of Winters Corp. She had just secured a large financial backing from April, and had so invited her to her New Year's party. A cold and calculating woman, it was her research that had won April over. Felicia's field of research encompassed many things, but one part was wholly dedicated to trying to manipulate the human genome to be immune to cancer.

"I'm just curious to see what Juno's got going on." Casey swerved to avoid a slow car.

"I know! She's been at the house all day. Said she didn't need any help. I can't wait though. It'll be good to see the guys again," April said, grabbing the 'oh shit!' bar as Casey ran a stale yellow light.

A few streets later, after narrowly missing a truck, Casey turned a hard left and rolled into the driveway at the abandoned warehouse that connected to the turtles' underground lair.

Some minutes later, underground, a doorbell rang

"Got it!" yelled Michelangelo, somersaulting and front-flipping his way to the intercom. "Raphie's Meat and Video Shop, Raphie speaking! How may I help you?"

"Hi Mikey! It's just us!" April's voice came through the intercom small and tinny.

"Elevator up!" Mikey pressed a series of buttons and the familiar hum of the elevator started up."

"You forgot to ask for the secret phrase, Mikey. How do we know April's not being held at gunpoint?" asked Donatello, strolling by.

"Uh, duh bro," replied Mikey, sticking out his tongue and pulling up the camera feed on the small monitor. "You can see them!"

Donnie shrugged and waited with his brother in front of the elevator doors.

"Wow! April you look amazing!" smiled Donnie as the doors opened.

"Why thank you, kind sir!" said April, curtseying as Donatello kissed her hand. "We just came from Felicia Smythe's soiree."

"Isn't that the brilliant geneticist?" asked Leo, coming out of the kitchen.

"That's the one! And man does that lady got taste! Dom Perigon and hoors doorves..."

"I think ya mean Dom Perignon and hors d'oeuvres, blockhead," Raph smirked as he wheeled himself into view.

"Whatever, Raph! It was good!" dismissed Casey.

"Anyway, what's this 'great invention' you were talking about earlier, Donnie?" April asked.

Smiling smugly, he gestured for everyone to follow him. "I've been waiting for someone to ask that!" he said excitedly.

Marching into his lab, Donatello cleared a spot in the middle.

"What's this all about, Donnie?" asked Leo.

"Wait, oh Fearless One!"

Donatello grabbed Juno's omni-tool and stood in the centre.

"Okay, so firstly, I have to confess, it's not exactly *my* invention per se, but I *did* do all the calculations and-"

"Alright Don! Jus' get on with it!" Raphael yelled.

"Funny you should be the one to say that," said Donatello, walking over and wheeling Raphael back to the middle.

"Okay, so we're all heading over to April's penthouse for New Year's. Leo, Mikey and I – no problem. We'll just get up high and use the rooftops. Raph however, with his broken leg, poses a problem," explained Don.

"Aw no...if you got some rocket contraption or some shit you gonna attach to this chair, you got another thing comin' bro!"

Laughing, Donatello shook his head. "No no, Raph. ...Although that would be cool... Anyway...watch."

Donatello took his brother's left arm and inserted it into the omni-tool. He pressed a few buttons, turning it translucent. Then he pressed a few more buttons and stepped back.

"Donnie..this thing ain't gonna-"

"Shh," shushed Donatello, holding a finger up to his mouth.

Moments later, the omni-tool glowed slightly, enveloping Raphael's body in a dim light Slowly his skin colour began to change...his facial features too. Then, in a bright flash, the omni-cool was done its work.

"Woah..." came the collective gasp.

"Wha...wha...the fuck?" Angry, Raphael reached up and hooked his fingers over the top of Donatello's plastron and yanked him down to face level. "What did you do to me?"

"Calm down, Raphael. It's not permanent! It's just a hologram!" yelped Donnie.

"Oh this is fucked..." whispered Raphael, marvelling at his now five-fingered hand. He touched his face...then his head. "Yaah!" he yelled when he felt hair. "Mirror!"

Mikey ran at once.

"Oh. My. God. Raph...you...you look *human*!" squeaked Casey.

"Pretty sweet, don't you think?" asked Donatello, beaming.

"How did you do it, Donnie?" Leo asked, wide-eyed.

"Who cares! This is awesome!" Mikey yelled, running back into the room carrying a large mirror.

Raphael peered cautiously into it. He didn't recognize the face looking back at him. His amber eyes grew wide as he ran a hand through the unruly brown hair on his head.

"It feels real, Don..."

"Well of course it does! I didn't want you getting found out because someone accidentally brushes by. What's happened, is I've phase shifted you down to the molecular level. The hologram has become sort of a shell encasing your own body. So if I were to touch you," and here Donatello grabbed Raph's arm, "I would feel a human."

"Why does he have shorts on?" pointed Leo. "He wasn't wearing those before."

"Oh...uh...haha...funny story..." Donatello laughed nervously. "I tried it on myself before...and found out that I don't really like what the male human body looks like from the waist down..."

"Hey! That's fightin' words, Don!" yelled Casey, shaking a fist in the air.

"Oh come on, Casey! It's just...*there*. Like hanging out in front! It's weird!" exclaimed Donnie.

"Weird? I'll have you know the male form ain't weird, Donnie! You gotta stand tall and be proud'o what ya got!" Casey raised an eyebrow and put his hands on his hips.

"Man, what are you guys *talking* about?" Raphael cried exasperatedly. He was about to continue when he had a thought. Carefully, slowly, he lifted the garter of his shorts and peeked inside. "Oh." He cocked his head to one side. "Well wouldja look at that. It's right there, layin' on its side." He nodded, appraising it. Just then, a snigger came from his right. Then a guffaw.

It was April. She had burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Okay," she tried to talk between bursts. "I'm in a room, where four turtles and an ape," she looked at Casey, "are talking about their penises! Or penii, or whatever the plural is!" April continued to laugh and had to put a hand on Casey's shoulder to lean on.

"Dude, you *had* to make the hologram anatomically correct? What is wrong with you, Donnie?"

"I'm a scientist, not an immature bozo, Mikey! And I covered it up with shorts anyway!" he defended.

"Well male appendage or not, can we get back to the point?" interrupted Leo.

"Aw, *now* ya wanna get to the point! *You* were the one askin' about my shorts, Leo!" Raph pointed out.

"Yeah, *shorts* Raph. *Not* what's under them!"

April had finally calmed down enough to walk over to Raphael. She laid a hand on his head and ruffled his brown hair.

"Wow! It feels real." She walked around to the front of him and smiled. "You are one sexy dude, Raph!" she exclaimed, looking at his human physique.

Crossing his arms, Raph smiled. "I know, right? I been tryin' ta tell these guys! I'm the best looking one!"

"But you aren't the *cutest* one, Raphie! That title belongs to me! Oh, oh, oh! And do you know what *other* title belongs to me? Wait for it...wait for it... BATTLE NEXUS CHAMPION! YEAHH!" (a/n: do I even need to write out who said this line? =P )

"Really?" Raph deadpanned. "Ya gonna bring *that* up again? It's been years, Mike."

Donatello sighed and walked over to the corner of his lab. He brought back some clothes and handed them to Raph.

"Come on bro, let's get you dressed."

a/n: Hope you all liked it. Short and sweet this one. Feel free to leave a comment!