CHAPTER 15: And undeniable change.

Leonardo's perspective.

This wasn't the situation Leonardo considered to find himself in this evening, sitting on the rooftops of New York with his brother for the second time that night. Sure being the leader often placed a lot of stress on his shoulders, but the way his younger brother threw his consideration out the window when it came to April O'Neil, well it was hard not to tease him from time to time. Scouting on top of the rooftops with Raphael taking the other side of the street was quick work for the affornicknamed "A Team", the two brothers reconvening at the end of the street, both having come up with nothing to show for their work.

Raphael: Man this is just great, Donnie loses April and now it's eating into my beauty sleep!

Leo: Trust me Raph, there's no amount of beauty sleep that can fix your mug.

Raphael shot his older brother a look of disapproval, about to spout off some insult of his own, only to be cut off by the aggressive ringtone he had assigned to Michelangelo with the help of a Mr. Casey Jones. Holding up his finger to Leo and clearing his throat before taking the call.

Raphael: You're talking to Raphael, whatcha want snot for breath?

The conversation didn't last long, but watching the expressions Raphael made was rather entertaining for Leonardo who was already looking out back across the rooftops they were just at. Turning back to watch Raphael end the call without saying all too much to punch Leo lightly in the arm.

Raphael: They found something.

Leo: Oh good, and here I thought I was going to have an easy night.

With a grunt from the red masked turtle, the two opted to traverse across the rooftops back to the Shell Razer where they met a stoic looking Donatello pacing inside the vehicle. Sitting down and preparing himself to drive, Leo decided to sit next to him in the passenger seat to attempt to offer some kind of reassurance to his brother. Before he could even say a word, he was plastered to the back of his seat from the speed of the vehicle heading back to the lair.

Pulling into the lair with a speed and recklessness that Leonardo would have connected more to Michelangelo, Donatello hadn't even looked away from the road, his attention fully on the world on the other side of the windshield. The first one to speak up was Michelangelo in the back of the car, carrying some kind of bundle quickly out of the Shell Razer, seeming to be scolding Donnie softly.

Mikey: Come on bro, you gotta chill out on the turns, goin' to make me up-chuck my pizza on this lil dude.

Donnie: I still can't believe you convinced me to come back with that thing…

Leo: Can someone explain to me and Raph what's going on exactly?

The brother's exit the vehicle into the lab, watching Mikey making quick work of clearing off a table where April typically did her work in the lab, setting down the bundle from his arms and exposing a bird which appeared to be struggling to breathe. Rapael offered the bird a sympathetic look, going to his baby brother's side to attempt and offer his animal-lovers assistance to the situation. However for Leonardo, the reveal of this bird was more confusing than anything he had been expecting.

He approached the little bird who was struggling to breathe, looking over them with a cautious curiosity. This was not like any of the muted colored birds he had ever seen before living in the city and the sewers. Growing up the turtles had come across their fair share of things like rats and a pigeon, dove or even a crow once or twice. This bird however was black with beautiful wings with red and orange feathers. Upon getting closer to inspect this creature, it seemed to cower away, giving Leonardo a look of displeasure. Backing away and choking it up to his own animal intuition before Donatello returned with his bag of medical tricks.

Donnie: Right right, so as Mikey and I were patrolling the streets, there was this…well this feeling if I am being honest-

Mikey: It was like super weird dude…

Donnie: Honestly, yeah it was super weird. Upon crossing an alleyway, Michelangelo pulled my attention to something he had seen down the alleyway. Of course I thought it was just a rat or something but-

Mikey: There was this super cool looking bird! I mean it looks super pretty, right?

Donnie:...anyway, I was going to write it off but Michelangelo wouldn't let me. I am just stressed and tired and…

Leonardo watched as his brother's face changed from annoyed to puzzled, leaning over to inspect the bird closer, only to receive the same look that Leo just had from the bird. Donatello pushed it off and reached a hand out to attempt to touch the bird on the wing, only to be slapped violently by the bird, stepping back with a gasp.

Donnie: gah! Hey! I'm no ornithologist but I thought Red-Winged Blackbirds were meant to be friendly!

Mikey: ahah dude, the bird totally showed you!

Raphael: tsk, been bird slapped. That's pretty rough dude.

Donnie: Like you know! Still, we shouldn't waste our time like this when we need to find April!

Leo: And we will find April, but there's not much we can do right now Donnie since it's about to be daylight. We may as well help this bird out while we can…

The bird seemed to respond to everything it heard, turning its head away with a huff at Donatello's unwillingness to help them but opening up a bit more to Leonardo's words and settling in the little bundle a bit more. Leo stopped for a moment before turning to leave the lab, Mikey excitedly running out past him with Raphael in tow, talking excitedly about what the bird will need besides water. Leonardo paused, looking to see Donatello with his head in his hands at his computer, starting to feel more guilty about his lack of expression.

Truth be told, Leonardo was pissed and scared. He felt upset that April and Donatello would go behind his back besides his orders stating to just allow him to meditate in thought on it. Honestly speaking Leonardo felt guilty about how he had been keeping April at an arm's length given the situation. He wanted to let her come with them freely and happily, to fight along them and keep her home safe just like them, but the reality was she just wasn't as good as them or as durable as him and his brothers. Sure she was cut throat when need be, and with her psychic abilities she definitely had a hand over Casey and his rough and tumble way of doing things.

Leo crossed the room one last time, placing a hand on his younger brother's back, pulling him against his plastron for a side hug. Surprised to feel one of Donnie's arms wrap around his back, keeping him there for a moment. The guilt coming off Donatello made Leo feel all the worse about keeping himself composed, but it was something that came along with being the leader. His voice seemed to creak out of him, resting his other hand on the top of Donatello's head.

Leo: I know…I know this is scary Donnie. But April..she is a strong, smart and capable girl. We have to give her more credit…we'll find her.

Donatello offered his brother a nod, looking at the bird on the table who was just staring at them and their display of brotherly love. Letting Donnie break their hug as Leo offered him a small bow before leaving for a second time out of the room. He felt conflicted in his words to his brother, he believed in what he said about April. She was one of the most stubborn, tough but compassionate and understanding people he knew, but even her with her newly found kunoichi skills was up against something they still were trying to understand. Leo just hoped his friend would be alright wherever she was.