This chapter is a bit longer than normal. I had a hard time trying to end this chapter and split it into two different chapters so I decided to just let it be one longer one. Also HI! I hope you guys are enjoying this strange little story I have written. Soon I'll be going back to more April X Donnie stuff, don't worry.
CHAPTER 8: Into the Night.
The way the city lights cascaded from Manhattan down into the more calm neighborhoods of New York was always something that April loved. Since she moved to the city as a child, when her mother was just starting to get ill, she would look out her window to the ethereal glow that would come off the mountainous buildings only a few miles away. Somehow standing on a rooftop with her four closest friends, looking at the same city she had looked at for the past ten years was more fulfilling to her than any time previously. Looking across the rooftops to the new world above, watching the people walking and living the last of their days before going home to the safety of their beds, she understood a bit better now how the turtles viewed other humans besides herself. So distant and away from themselves.
She turned to watch Michelangelo and Raphael take off from the rooftop they were all sharing, the amount of effort they had to put into crossing the buildings besides herself monumental. Somehow through the past hour she had managed to keep up with the others, although she knew they were going slower than normal for her sake. She wouldn't voice it but she definitely appreciated it. She appreciated it also when Donatello would stay back to assist her traversing over larger gaps where intersections were. Although she was just human compared to her friends, she was determined to make herself useful to this team.
Gathering herself, April threw herself over the side of the building, landing on the fire escape sitting just below with as little noise as she could. Sitting on the side of the railing and propelling herself across the slightly larger gap that sat before her, entering a light jog to keep up with the others. Getting a whoop of approval from Michelangelo who was definitely attempting to show off his flipping skills.
Leonardo: You know Mikey, the thing about being a ninja is to be silent.
Raphael: Ya know, I don't think barf-for-brains has picked up on that Leo, you'd think 16 years of training would have done it by now.
April fought off a chuckle, standing between Raphael and Michelangelo to watch the squabble ensue. Michelangelo made a twisted face as he shook his hand in dismissal of the critique, gesturing to the rooftops around them.
Mikey: Say what you want dude, up here I am Dr. Flip-einstein, master of all aerial movement!
Mikey ran over to a satellite sitting on the roof, using it as a sort of jumping board over to the next roof with another impressive flip that would make any olympian jealous. April gestured to the impressive move, causing Raphael to grumble and follow his jolly brother across the roof.
April: You have to admit, he is pretty good at it..
Raphael: I guess..if you're into that kind of thing…
April rolled her eyes at the poor attempt of hidden jealousy mixed with annoyance from the red clad brother, putting her hands on her hips to watch as the two attempted to race across the rooftops. Raphael's leaps and bounds clunky and unrefined verses his youngest brother's which in all honesty were quite elegant when he wasn't whooping and hollering for all of the city to hear. She looked to her side to see a new companion standing next to her, Donatello looking down with his kind and caring chocolate brown eyes, almost inspecting her.
Donatello: How are you doing? Tired at all? We can always head back if this is too much for you..
April exhaled, shaking her head at the notion of turning back. It was far too soon for her to throw in the towel at tonight's adventure being officially part of the group, not to mention she hasn't been topside in over a month. It was nice to see the sky and the city, even if it was in the backdrop of the inky black night. April put a hand reassuringly on Donnies arm, causing a bit of warmth on his cheeks.
April: Donnie, I know you're just worried but trust me, I am okay. I promise the first thing I will do if I am tired is let you know..Deal?
Donatello stared at her for a moment, trying to see if she was telling the truth or simply writing him off, eventually getting the clear from his overthinking mind and giving her a light smile and nod in agreement. Giving her a light tap on the back, April and Donatello together traversed the fifteen or so rooftops the other three brothers had crossed since stopping to chat. Finally approaching the leader in blue, Leonardo gestured for Donnie and April to look over the edge at what had captivated them.
On the street below, sitting under a blinking streetlight sat a crisp white van with the back doors open and boxes with slightly faded printing sitting, bed to ceiling. Along with the boxes were the familiar faces of two of the Purple Dragons, unloading the truck into a warehouse-like building. Raphael scoffed, taking his sai's from his belt, itching to go down and pound the street gang into dirt for the street cleaner to blow away the next day. Leonardo gave his antsy brother a look, not impressed by his inability to be patient.
Raphael: Finally! Some kind of entertainment this evening!
Leonardo: Raph, please. I know how much you enjoy beating the snot out of these guys, but let's observe them a bit longer before we act. We should set up a plan..
Raph: A plan? For the Purple Dragons? Please tell me you're joking Leo…
April felt her stomach tighten in annoyance as Leonardo cleared his throat and gestured dramatically to her standing between the arguing brothers. Putting a hand on her hip and giving Leo her own disapproving look, holding her hand up to silence any rebuttal.
Leo: Normally Raph I would be, but considering we have other things to attend to tonight.
April: Oh so I am a thing now? No, no you've made your point. Please continue to treat me as an incompetent child, it makes my ego feel far lighter..
Raphael rolled his eyes, starting to climb over the roof, the need to throw some punches starting to get the better of him. Donatello and Leonardo were already giving her the look she knew all too well, throwing her hands up and walking away from the edge of the roof.
April: Well don't let my presence stop you, I know the rules already, "No fighting yadda yadda" just go already.
She threw herself down on the roof, crossing her legs and waving her hand for them to get out of there. Raph and Mikey are already jumping down into the frey, Leo calling for them to wait up for him. Donatello gave April a look of thanks before leaping over the side of the roof himself. April grumbled to herself, she should have put up some level of a fight to join in, but not wanting to have her patrolling privileges revoked the same night she had earnt them, she opted to just let Leo and Donnie have this one.
I'll make sure they let me join in on the next one, so help me…
April listened to the sounds of Mikey's excited calls, the sounds of Kraang laser guns and the crashing of metal, her brows furrowing at the thought of how they never disturbed anyone or got anyone to come see what was going on. Shaking her head at the idea of a blurry photo taken from someone's window of the turtles fighting an alien robot being put on the front page of the tabloids was enough to break her from the fighting. Standing up and taking a peek over the edge of the roof, ducking out of the way from a stray Kraang laser, seeing the fighting had gone indoors of the warehouse.
April: Aw man it looks like a really good fight in there too…hrm?
April looked back to the van, seeing the boxes left unattended by both parties, getting that sensation of wanting to go down there herself to investigate. Without another thought, April had begun her descent down the building, using the ledges from the windows as some kind of makeshift rockwall, praising herself at her own improvement of traversing the terrain. Getting to the empty street before her and sneaking across the road even though the sounds of fighting and lasers really would have covered any noises she would have made. Kneeling down besides one of the boxes, inspecting the faded printing on it a bit before whipping her T-Phone out to shoot a couple photo's of the scene to inspect at a later date.
April: What in the world?
April sucked in a breath, opening the box to see what looked like medical supplies. Sifting through the box and taking quick photos of everything inside, going through medical grade syringes, pipettes, parts that appear to be for high grade microscopes. She stood up, looking down at the box in a quizzical manner, putting her hand on her chin, looking to the inside of the van.
April: What do the Purple Dragons want with medical supplies like this? Let alone the Kraang…
Taking the risk, April hopped into the back of the unmarked van, sifting through some of the boxes sitting in the back of the vehicle to find more and more of the same materials she had found before. Pushing herself in deeper, smirking to herself at the job only she would be able to do, knowing the turtles wouldn't have been able to fit between the stacks of boxes. Shifting through and finding a slip at the top of one of the boxes towards the back.
April: Hunora Medical? I have never heard of this company before…
Taking her T-Phone one last time and shooting a photo of the slip before returning it to the box. Her new found psychic abilities sending a tingle through her body as if to warn her of something, April quickly wiggled and writherd her way out of the box maze within the van. Making it to the back open doors of the van in the nick of time, feeling the vehicle pulling away from her as she leapt from the back. She stood on the street, simply looking at where the van and herself were just seconds before, nothing but the street staring at her back as the vehicle propelled itself into the darkness.
Finding her footing after the shock of what almost just happened to her, April turned to the warehouse where the fight had continued on.
They're really struggling this time aren't they? Should I go in and help or?
April edged her way closer to the warehouse where the sounds of fighting emanate from, diligently but light footed darting to the doorway of the building and peeking inside. The warehouse itself was full of boxes from various companies, some of the printing faded, some newer, some in english and some in various other languages. The floor was scattered with various Kraang droid parts and one knocked out Purple Dragon. Not many Kraang droids stood but enough for the brothers to have a decent workout.
April slid back from the door as the turtles kept fighting on, slipping back to the side of the active fight scene, inching along the thinner alleyway to wait out the fighting.
The last thing I want tonight is a lecture from either Leo or Donnie…
April sighed, crouching down in the narrow, dark space and watched the building intently, rocking back and forth on her feet to pass the time. Since training to become a Kunoichi as well as starting to come into her own with her psychic powers, just sitting and waiting has become a much easier task than it had been previously. Learning to sit and listen, observing the surrounding and getting a feel and understanding of the area. Taking in a breath only for it to be cut short by that same tingling she had gotten before. It wasn't much of an issue regarding getting these psychic-esque tingles, the issue was far more trying to understand them.
April rose from her position, the tingling in her mind maintaining itself. She found inching forward back towards the warehouse made the tingle subside, however if she inched back towards the darkness of the narrow alleyway, the tingle increased. Her curiosity gets the better of her, inching back into the unknown dark behind her. Her steps were small, the tightness between the buildings starting to make her skin crawl from the claustrophobia, unable to turn her head to see behind her as she edged away from the light on the other side of the building.
Well I've gone this far…might as well…
Squeezing her eyes shut to match the darkness around her, she began scooting back with larger strides, half expecting to run into a wall only to be spat out on the other side of the buildings. Falling back onto the pavement, doing a quick roll she learnt during her first week of training and getting back on her feet. April's eyes darted frantically in the dark attempting to determine her whereabouts, to determine if she should ready herself for possible enemy attack. Centering herself and finding herself alone on the street, the tingling in her head had evolved into a full on pounding. Still playing this strange psychic powered marco polo with herself, April paced the side of the street, leaning into the pounding as if it was an indicator of left or right in a car.
Finding herself standing before a small looking brick building, peering into the darkness to attempt to read the sign on the shudders. The pounding within her head getting to the point it's debilitating. Holding her head in her hands and crouching in on herself, the ringing in her ears made it even harder to get her bearings. The spontaneous killer headache made April want to cry outward for help but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. Similar to a small flame flickering on in a dark room, her headache suddenly dispelled, a small voice from within her head calling out to her.
"Help me".