Apologies for this being later than I had wanted it posted! The front half was a bit tougher to initially get down on paper, so hopefully all of the sentiment still comes across. Hey! If you like making animatics and are fans of 2012's Karai, MEET ME AT THE BOTTOM!

Part 1: January 1, 2002

"Leonardo, my son," Splinter gently shook his eldest son awake. He was currently snoozing on top of the pile of tired turtle tots. The boy blinked, his father gradually coming into focus.

"Huh?" Leo groaned.

"It's 4:30. Will you wake the others? We must prepare to be at the Murakamis' by 7:00am for sunrise." Splinter straightened. "It will take time for all of us to make it to the surface safely."

Leo stretched, causing the sleeping toddlers beneath him to stir. "Hai, Sensei." He murmured.

Splinter affectionately stroked his son's head as he left the room. "I am not your sensei today, my son. I am simply your father." Leo smiled at his touch.

"Hai, Father." The blue clad-turtle rolled off his place on the pile as Splinter began to pack for their day. "Time to wake up, guys. We gotta go see the sunrise!"

April groaned, snuggling her plush pup closer. "Noooooooo… It's too early…" She felt a tug on one of her ever present pigtails. Squinting open one eye revealed a gap-toothed grin smiling down at her.

"Come on, April," Donnie coaxed. "Seeing the first sunrise of the new year is important. Besides, this is the first year Splinter says that we're old enough to go up top to see it! And…" He squeezed her hand. "He's letting us have coffee this morning!"

"Alright, alright! I'm up!" April laughed. She wiggled her way out of the turtle plie, causing Mikey to fall on Raph with an OOF! "Let's go see that sunrise!"

xXx

April wrinkled her nose at her first sip of coffee. It was thin and bitter, nothing like the creamy hot chocolates Mama used to make… or was it Daddy that used to make… The girl shook her head. Her memories of her life before the turtles were starting to get hazy. She looked to Donnie to see how he was enjoying his coffee. She was surprised to see him sitting down with his second cup already.

"How do you drink this stuff? It's gross!" April sloshed the liquid in her mug.

Donnie shrugged. "I've been working on setting up my workshop and things to make the lair better. Sometimes… Splinter lets me stay up past our usual bedtime to finish a project. I may or may not sneak a cup here or there if the project takes longer than expected." He took another long swig. "It took me a while to figure out how I like it. I can show you how to doctor it up sometime. Y-you know, i-if you want…" Donnie didn't know why he was suddenly feeling flushed or why he was stuttering. His heart began beating out of his carapace when April laid a hand on his arm.

"I think I might leave coffee for special times or until I'm older, like Mai. But I'll take you up on that offer someday."

"Hehehe," Donnie giggled nervously. He was jostled as April shifted on their rooftop ledge facing west.

"So… are you gonna tell me why we got up so early to see a sunrise?"

The boy checked his watch before answering. 7:05am. Fifteen minutes. "Well, Splinter and the Murakamis' do their best to teach us traditions and stuff from Japan. Seeing the first sunrise is called the hatsu-hinode, or the welcoming of the New Year." He shifted until he was sitting crisscross. "It's supposed to represent hope and renewal after you've reflected on the past year." April's eyebrow quirked questionably. Donnie ducked his head. "Okay… I may have done a little extra research beyond what Dad's told us."

The first colors of the sun began to dust the horizon. "What does it mean to reflect on the past?" April squinted.

Donnie rocked back and forth. "I'll put it this way: what bad things have happened to you over the past year? What about the good things that balanced out the bad? Whatever happened, you're still here. Both the good and the bad added to the person you'll be in the new year." Donnie smiled at the girl who had started to lean into him. "New Year, new you."

"New me, huh?" April's gaze drifted to the now cold coffee in her mug. Maybe a new me 'snot so bad…

"Guys look!" Mikey squealed. "I can see the sun!"

The Murakamis, Splinter, and the remaining turtles stood next to April and Donnie sitting on the edge of the building. Splinter raised his mug as the group was bathed in first light of the new year.

"In the past year, many families have been struck by tragedy. We are fortunate to have expanded ours," He beamed at the red-head seated next to his son. "May the coming year be filled with healing, joy, and good friends by our side." The rat placed his arm around Mr. Murakami's shoulder. The blind man smiled, returning his friend's gesture. "Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimaso!"

"Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimaso!" The Murakamis shouted in return. The children simply shouted "Happy New Year!"

"Come, my friends." Murakami opened the roof-access door. "We have a New Year's breakfast feast prepared downstairs!"

xXx

"This looks amazing, Papa!" Mai settled herself in between her mother and April. Donnie nodded in agreement from his place on the other side of April. He glared at his brothers as they snickered from his earlier antics trying to sit next to April. But even they could not deny that the everything looked amazing. The table was covered with food carefully prepared for the first meal of the new year. Once everyone was settled, they bowed their head towards their host, Murakami, at the head of the table.

"Itadakimasu!" The group chorused. April mumbled along, not knowing this strange new word.

Murakami inclined his head to acknowledge their gratitude for their meal. With that, the group dug in.

Splinter raised his glass that Mrs. Murakami had filled with sparkling cider. "Friends," He nodded to the Murakamis." "Family," Splinter smiled at the children seated around the table. "Before we indulge in this magnificent spread, I have a special announcement I'd like to make. I have decided to that this is the year I will begin to formally teaching my children in the ways of ninjutsu."

"Really?!" Leo leapt to his feet, eyes beaming. "You mean it, Father? You'll finally start teaching us to be ninjas?"

"Yes, my son. Given all that has happened within with world and our family in the past year, I believe the timing is right." Splinter grinned as Leo and the other turtles chittered excitedly amongst themselves. His smile faded into a frown as he noticed April grumpily pushing her eggs around on her plate, having barely touched her breakfast. "What is it, dear one?"

Donnie shifted his attention from his brothers to the girl sitting next to him. Everyone jumped, startled as April threw her fork into her uneaten eggs.

"I want to know why everyone's so excited!" She whined. "It's not my fault I don't know what nin-gut-soo is!" The adults chuckled at the girl's outburst. Donnie patted her arm.

"It's okay, April." He soothed. Raph groaned, knowing his brother was about to enter 'professor mode'. "The discipline of ninjutsu is an ancient Japanese martial art. It combines fighting and strategy in a way-"

"That looks REALLY cool!" Mikey interrupted. His enthusiasm was tempered at Donnie's glare for being interrupted. "Sorry, Dee. It's just that… that's how Pops always makes it look…" He grinned sheepishly at his father.

Splinter chuckled. "I am honored, Michelangelo."

"Can anyone be a ninja?" All eyes returned to April.

"Say again, dear?" Mrs. Murakami adjusted her large glasses.

"You said that you were going to teach your kids, right? Can you teach me to be a ninja too?" April bounced excitedly in her chair.

"Tch. Girls can't be ninjas!" Raph scoffed. Following Mikey's lead, he also shrunk down in his chair under everyone's combined glare. A sniffle brought the group's attention back to a now crying April.

"Is it true?" She whimpered. "Girls can't be ninjas?"

Everyone suddenly found something else to look at, not wanting to get dragged into the issue. Splinter choked on the cider he had been drinking when April had asked her question. How to be truthful with the girl without breaking her heart… He sighed in relief when Mrs. Murakami reached across her daughter's place to squeeze April's hand.

"Well, sweetie, it is mostly the boys who become ninjas. But," The woman smirked. "The girls get to be something even better."

April gasped, her tears forgotten. "Really? What do the girls do? Tell me tellmetellme!"

Splinter sat straighter in his chair. "You can become a kunoichi- a female ninja."

"Whoa…" April breathed, flopping back in her seat. "A kunoichi…"

Part 2: Summer, 2003

Splinter lit the last of the lanterns scattered about the limbs of the impressive bonsai tree at the center of the Dojo. The rat turned to face his children-no. Right now, they were his students. Knowing the weight of this ceremony, everyone was uncharacteristically still.

April touched the yellow ribbon adorning her hair. Mikey pointed out that since the boys all had their masks with each of their colors, why shouldn't April have something like that too? She smiled at the thoughtfulness of the turtle who had become one of her brothers. The girl snapped her attention to the center of the room as Splinter cleared his throat.

"Our little family has come together through many twists of fate. Each of our journeys have progressed in ways we could not have imagined." Splinter slowly paced in front of his line of students. "For the past year and a half, you have all been conditioning your minds and your bodies to prepare for the next stage of your journeys. Today, I will present each of you with a gift that will aid you in this next stage." All eyes remained on Splinter as he retrieved one item at a time from a low table against the wall.

"Leonardo." The boy on the far right straightened. "For you, the katana- a royal samurai weapon, for those with courage and keen skill." Leo accepted the swords with a reverent nod.

"Hai, Sensei."

Splinter returned the nod before retrieving the next item. "Raphael." The red turtle shifted his gaze to meet his father's. "For you, the sai- for a fierce and fearless warrior, who will always fight the hardest for his family." Raph bit his lip as he examined his new weapons.

"Thank you, Sensei." He bowed.

"Donatello." Donnie blinked as his gaze returned from April's encouraging smile to his father standing in front of him holding… a stick? "For you, the bo staff- for a thoughtful soul and a peaceful heart."

The boy's face scrunched up as the staff was placed in his hands. "Aw, man… A stick?"

"Hey!" April leaned around behind Mikey to poke her best friend. "A stick's not so bad, Dee. It's tall, like you!"

"Hmm… Maybe the stick's not so bad…" He mused. "Thank you, Sensei!"

Splinter allowed himself a small chuckle before retrieving the next item.

"Michelangelo." The youngest turtle giggled, trying his hardest not to fidget too much. "For you, the nunchacku- an unpredictable tool for a free spirit."

"WHOA!" Mikey yelled as he began swinging his new nunchucks around. Donnie and April dropped to the floor to avoid being smacked in the head. Splinter quirked an eyebrow, reminding his son of the importance of the moment. Mikey quickly dropped back onto his knees, bowing his head. "Sorry, Pops – I mean, Sensei. These are just. So. AWESOME!" The boy couldn't stop a giddy grin from enveloping his face. Splinter turned, steading himself with a breath before handing out the final item.

"April." The girl fisted her hands against her black leggings. Donnie quietly reached around behind Mikey to give his friend a reassuring pat. Splinter flicked open a black, metal fan. "This tessen has been in the Hamato clan for generations. I had hoped to one day pass it onto my Mwai…" His eyes flickered to the picture poised on the family alter. "But today, this history is passed to you, April. The tessen- a weapon hidden in plain sight, for the kunoichi whom has emerged from the darkness."

"It's beautiful," April whispered before accepting the gift from Splinter. She played with a stray strand of hair, thinking. "Sensei, Hamato is your family's name, right?"

"That is correct…" Splinter stroked his ever-growing goatee.

"Well," She began. "I don't remember my last name and you guys are kinda my family now." April rested her hand on Mikey's arm while smiling at the others. "So, could I make my last name Hamato? Then the tessen could technically stay in the family!" She lifted her eyes to her teacher's face.

Tears pricked at Splinter's eyes as he saw how bright and hopeful April's were. Since she had come to live with them over a year and a half ago, he had already thought of her as a part of their family. Why not make it official?

"Welcome to the clan, Hamato, April."

Hey guys! I had a beautiful idea for a 2012 TMNT Animatic, but I am sadly not gifted in that way. However, I have a vision in my head, running over the rooftops of New York. 4 words: Karai and Defying Gravity. If I've sparked your interest and you're looking for a "for fun" project, send me a DM!