Heroes in the Half-Shell

Chapter 8 - Sneaking Back In

Disclaimer:I do not repeat DO NOT own TMNT and crew in any way cause they belong to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (Only knows as the Greatest Guys on Earth!). Other characters like a certain OC that happen in these fanfic rightfully belongs to me and only ME!

Announcement from our writer: Hey guys! So far, I have only one kudos on my ao3 for this story, a few views on the Wattpad and still the same reviews on the . When I was doing this on , it went nuts the first time around and you guys enjoyed it. I do that can happened again.

Forgive me for bitching but on Twitter and/or any social media, there was a shipping of Leo and Usagi that just exploded and well,…I am not that much of a fan. Sorry. I mean, I don't have a hate on the rabbit samurai. I love the version of him growing up in the 2k3 series and I was excited that he came on the 2012 series. He is little a big brother to Leonardo if you ask me. If he does show up in Rise, I do hope he is an adult like the previous series and the Turtles would look up/admire him like a long-lost uncle (especially with Leo like between him and Hueso/Karai. I enjoyed those dynamics.) I can only see a platonic/brother-like friendship between those two. You guys have the right to ship the hell out of it. I'm just saying from my point of view. (And also, I'm a sucker for LeoxOC canon. There're a few artists like rheawritesforfun and mishacakes that I am a fan and I have no complaints what so ever.)

I am very much still hoping for Venus De Milo and also, Mona Lisa to show up! I wanted them to be on Rise for SO long now, they would be perfect for it with everything being mystic and such. There is a version of them that caught my attention (and I do wish it will) of an artist by the name of BLUDINKDRAGONZ (they on IG, Tumblr and now, TikTiok). Great artist and not just for TMNT but other franchises. Check them out!

Apologises for that little rant, let's get on with the next chapter, shall we?

(April and Sally's apartment, Manhattan, NY - 10:50pm)

April's heart was still racing by the time she and her roommate have finally returned to the comfort of their own home. Sally was only going at half the time because she took a great deal of time to get to know the…interesting company that they have just met less than an hour.

And what is the first thing that the young reporter does when she enters through the front door? Simple. She darts all the way to her bedroom, leaving her youngest friend in her dust.

After meeting a bunch of giant, talking turtles for a brief period of time and realising that they were not dreaming, it was pretty much the most bizarre thing that either the two girls have ever encountered before in their lives. No matter how hard they tried to shake it off, the memory of the encounter will never go away.

The events from earlier are still reeling inside the woman's mind as she swings the door of her wardrobe wide open. Grabbing the contents that are lying on the floor of her in-wall cabinet, April throws them right behind her. Most of them were not breakable and even if they were, April didn't care if they get smashed. She was on a mission. And if she remembers correctly, what she is looking for would be in here that has not been seen or looked at for nearly at least fifteen long years. Not since that incident.

Sally was only a few seconds behind her adult friend by the time she walked through the door. Once she has entered April's room, she finds her guardian who has her nose into her wardrobe, digging the items away like a dog burying his bone into the garden bed. There was a great deal of mess just behind her and she doesn't seem to notice.

What is she searching for that got the woman so worked up for? If anyone was in a state of shock like tonight's events, they would take a seat to calm their nerves down. No. Not April. She had to rush home.

"Leonardo. I know those names. I know those names," she mutters, still working her way into her closet. Any more digging and she would take a nice trip to the Land of Narnia. "Raphael. Leonardo. Leonardo."

The dumbfounded teenager was leaning up against the door of the adult's bedroom with her arms crossed over. She doesn't understand why April is making such a huge fuss over this. There were giant turtles. It's something you don't see every day and would probably be newsworthy. And why does she keep repeating those names? For the past year of living with the reporter, never during that entire time that the names Leonardo or Raphael have come across her mind. Ever.

Maybe it was something that she saw the other day. Or something that April remembered at a young age before she met Sally. Or maybe…it has to do with the symbol that April saw last night at the docks. She did say that she recognised the symbol form somewhere but doesn't remember where exactly.

"Well,…that because that turtle - Donatello - said it."

This caused April to stop her excavation and turned to face the dubious youth at the foot of her door. "What did you say?"

The teen stares at her. "Donatello? The turtle who spoke his name. And also Raphael was said and… oh! And the fourth one is Michelangelo before I forget."

But Sally has absolutely no idea that this was a big deal for April. Not until she learns the truth.

Those names…it can't be… April turns away from Sally and resume her search. "Donatello. Michelangelo."

So many boxes that have been thrown from their original spot and the ones that April is taking out is starting to make a miniature version of Mt. Everest just behind her. And Sally thought the mess in her room was starting to be a problem ever since April has constantly been asking to do once simply task.

Pushing herself off the doorframe with her arms still folded, Sally takes a couple steps closer to her guardian. "What are you looking for?"

By the time that the young girl has said the question, April has finally pulled the blanket back to reveal a medium size cardboard box. There it is. Found it.

Grabbing the light container, she pulls it out from its hiding spot and slams it on a clear spot of her bedroom floor before getting onto her knees. The reporter locks her eyes on her friend. "This." April looks down, preparing for this moment.

Taking the lid off was the start of it. Grabbing the handle of the box, April flips it upside down, letting all the things onto the floor. She lets out a disgusted grunt when the weight of the items falls onto her lap. Not to mention the purse-sized of dust and the stinky smell that would clear an entire subway cart in a few seconds flat.

Throwing the empty box away, April dives right into what is now in front of her. Now intrigued of the situation, Sally too kneels down to her friend's level. She would also like to have a look of what is inside the box. It was a bunch of files that is secured in paper folders, a small shoe box that is already opened up to reveal a small video camera, a few tapes that are in cases with writing in colour and a small stuffed toy, and a few black blinder books There have all have the words printed, "LABORATORY NOTEBOOK".

What April has just pulled out from her closet to show to the 15-year-old teen was what is left of the old laboratory that both their fathers used to work at. Dr. O'Neil and Dr. Hope were both brilliant scientist who were put into a high-class team to work on a government project that would help change the face of science forever.

The first thing that April grabs was one of the paper folders. She opens them up to find newspaper clippings.

LAB FIRE KILLS SCIENTIST. The words "Arson Suspected" was printed underneath the photo.

April remembers that there was investigation on who caused the blaze. They found only traces that belong to the notorious group. The Foot. Just like Sacks said in his speech earlier this evening. It may have happened more than 15 years ago; April O'Neil was at the age of 8 when this tormented event happened. The day that…she lost her father.

Out of all the member of that particular group, only Dr. O'Neil didn't survive the blaze. Only she and Dr. Hope, Sally's father, survived that night. Looking at the headline and photo does bring painful emotions inside April that was anything but jubilant. She remembers the days after school that she would take a trip down to her father's lab to see all the experiments up close and the kind of work that he, Dr. Hope and Eric Sacks are contributing to the city. There were the happiest times for April and her father. Until it all went up in flames. Not the kind of memory that April wants to remember for the rest of her life.

But no. This is not what she is searching for. It was somewhere inside the box but not in one of the paper folders. Maybe it was in the books? Closing up the folder and tosses it to the side, April leans a bit forward and grabs the closest hardboard book that she can find. Maybe what she can find was in here.

Sally has moved closer to her friend before grabbing another black book. The cover itself has a clean, slick feeling to it despite being stored away for more than a decade. The teen takes a good look at the small lettering on the book.

"Project Renaissance?" she repeated.

Now flipping through the second black book, April was nodding but doesn't take her eyes of the moving pages. C'mon, it's gotta be in her—

A recognisable symbol has caught her eye, causing her to stop flicking through the written pages. Staring deeply at it while placing her right on the used leaf, April lets out a breath what felt like eternity. She looks down at the chosen page in complete daze. But she was not the only one who is stunned. The teen had her mouth in a shape of an 'o' when she saw the insignia.

"Oh my god…is that…" Once again, April didn't look at Sally and nodded.

The symbol. The same symbol that she saw last night at the docks! She knew it. She knew where she saw it before. At her late father's lab! It all makes sense now. But was it enough to know the whole story and why it is connected with the Vigilantes? No, it wasn't.

The videos! Of course! There is more proof than on paper!

That is when her video camera comes in.

Shifting through the smaller box was the camera and the tapes. April grabs the first tape. The words "T.C.R.I" were marked on the side. She takes it out, puts into the large slot of her camera and pushes the button. Nothing happens.

The battery is dead. It has been dead for a long time now. The woman's hands were shaking when she passed the charger to her friend who plugs it at the power outlet near her small desk.

Plugging in the cable from the outlet to her camera, it took a while for the old device to load up after being neglected for a period of time. Once the cord is secured, Sally rushes back to her original spot and gets a good view of the camera screen. April presses the button and the screen flicks on. The first thing that they saw was a young girl with shoulder-length brown hair with a black headband. She had straight bangs as she was aiming the camera at her. The date 03/30/1999 was shown at the bottom left corner with the recording starting at 01:05:24.

"Good evening. This is April O'Neil, reporting live from my daddy's lab. I know it sounds pretty boring, but actually, he does some pretty cool stuff."

Even at the age of 8, April always wanted to be a reporter. And her small piece at her father's workplace was a good start for her future career. The camera switches over to the next scene at 1:07:24. It was no longer showing the young girl in the picture as it was replaced with a much older gentleman. He has his lab coat on while sitting at his desk, writing down theories and notes in his books. He has short brown hair and green eyes. Taking a second off his work to look in the direction of the camera. He doesn't want his daughter to record more of their project.

"Time to put the camera away, April."

"AWWW, DAD!"

Sally has never had the chance to meet this man before but from hearing from both her father and April, she always considers him as a family member.

"Is that him?"

Tears were starting to well up in her eyes and her lips began to quiver. April doesn't take her eyes off the camera screen but she does produce a warm smile. She nods her head in response. It is him, April's father. The closest relative that she had at such a young age. The two older men were best friends and acted like brothers back then just like April and Sally considers themselves close friends and sisters to each other. If he was still alive, Sally would look up to him as an uncle and April would do the same to her father.

"C'mon, Kirby. Let her record."

The screen was whipped around to the direction of the voice. It sounded like a grown-man but it wasn't her father. His hairline was thinning but has clear blue eyes instead. He does picture the warm smile on his face. He looks into the camera while standing up.

"Making as a journalist, right kiddo?"

"That's right!"

And now, it was Sally's turn to have her eyes watery. The two girls have both the tender grins on their faces when both April's dad and Sally's father were in the same tape. Seeing both of them brings joy inside their souls. For Sally, she hasn't seen her own parent for more than two years now. For April, it was 15.

Switching to another tape, the woman hits the fast-forward button for a second until the tape came at 00:06:36. The date on the screen was recorder on 06/30/1999 - just three months after the first recording. Young April was panning the camera around the lab. Her dad was nowhere in sight as she draws the video camera to a small canister, secured in a glass display case.

The green substance is encased with two steel ends and the words TCRI were printed in white tape. TCRI is the company that the two men were working at many years ago. After the incident, Sacks left the company to focus on his own organisation, allowing someone else to take the CEO position.

"And now I will show you…something amazing. It's supposed to be from a different planet in outer space!"

The tape goes to the next scene at 00:18:13. This time it is not her father or Sally's. It was the familiar face in the same workplace. His grey-brownish hair was combed and slicked back. Instead of a grey or black suit, Eric Sacks was wearing a light grey striped collar long-sleeved shirt. Only one hand was a syringe filled with the same green substances and in the other was a small turtle, wiggling its arms and legs in the air.

A small…turtle?

"Here we go. Ah!"

The scientist speaks as he sticks the needle into the baby turtle's left cheek. Interesting fact that turtle breathe through their behinds and discard their urinal leavings through their mouths instead of the usual way. With his thumb, Sacks pushes down the plunger to empty the matter out of its barrel and into the veins of the tiny creatures. The next scene takes the little reporter with all three men accounted for at 01:08:24.

"Mr. Sacks, what sort of experiments are you doing here?"

The interviewee was the only one sitting down for this report as the other two men were standing up behind their co-worker. They all looked at each other, giving off a lightly laugh to an oblivious question. She was only a young child with big dreams. How would they explain to her about the objective of their work without using elaborate words?

Sacks turns to face the young reporter. He stammers a bit when he begins to answer her question. "Oh, th-that's a very complicated question." The camera quickly beeps which it was jumped to 01:11:03 as Sacks deliver the short answer. "We're trying to change the world."

For the greater good, they're guessing. They did indeed sign-up for helping the community. The next scene was still on the same tape but much earlier. It shows a small rat - no older than a year - was sitting in its little cage on wood shaving, twitching its little pink nose while its beady eyes is looking at the recording camera. April remembers very well of this particular animal.

"Look at the camera! Hello, Splinter."

The tape has come to a complete end. What is shown is not what April is looking for. Maybe it's on a different tape. Maybe the one with the word Leonardo in black on it. Spreading them around, she finds the particular tape. Even if what she is looking for is not on this recording, she would be happy enough to go through all of them if it takes her all night. Takes the one already in the camera out and replaces it with a new one, April hits the play button.

The new tape takes place one month later on 07/18/1999. The current date in the recording was getting closer the incident that took place years ago. By the time April presses 'play', the innocent voice of her as child begins to talk.

"And these are my little turtles,…" Turtles? No… Don't tell me tha—

April stops her thoughts as she and Sally continue to listen. The first one starts at 01:03:13. The first small reptile was on a small rock; a lot bigger than him, climbs on its side while using its flipper to wipe its little face. "…Leonardo,…"

The next one is jumped to 1:05:26. It too was on a rock but most of it was nearly submerged in the tank's water. "…Raphael,…"

The third one came at 01:07:09 as it was lying on a rock in its tank, snacking on a piece of pizza. A food that April recommended. "…Michelangelo…"

The fourth and last one started at 1:08:16 with its head just submerging the water surface. It was standing on its rear limbs and right next to his name tag; plaster on the glass tank. "…and Donatello."

On each of the tank shown in the tape had their names printed on. Painted on all four shells of the red-eared sliders are small blob are four separate colours. Each colour is designating each of the creatures in respective colours. Each colour represents each turtle by the nature of their chosen names. Not to mention that is the same colour of the mask that the giant turtles were wearing when April and Sally met them…

"The fans want to see you!" 01:08:19 is when the little girl finished her introduction of the smallest animals in the lab. All four of them were squirming around in one big tank, all huddled together before the two of them went off into different direction.

Another scene was jumped and shows one of them by itself. Its flippers were pressed up against the glass as it helps the little creature stand on its back legs. While holding the camera in one hand, it shows April's visible index finger in the shot. It was only a centimetre away from touching the glass as the little tiny does a few chirping sound. April drags her finger closer to the clear surface as at the same time takes its flippers off the glass and retracts it head into its shell…only to be shot and hits the glass. When it came into contact, it creates a large crack that causes young April to jump a little and moves her little finger away.

Sally was stunned by that move. What was in that substance by the way that causes the small turtle to gain enough strength to make a crack much larger than him?

As for April, she has been holding her breath ever since she started the new tape. The mind was now spinning. To her, - the symbol that she saw last night, the Turtles that she and her friend encounter, their names that they have learned - it felt like she was hit by an earthquake.

Four turtles. Four different colours. Four different names.

It was all connected. She does know their name.

"I knew it." April finally speaks up over the recording. She was taking very deep audible breaths, getting a grip on reality, while gripping a lone tape in her hand. Sally was still at her side as the young woman darts her head to her and back to the camera. "The Vigilante, I saw him. We saw them! We saw them. And I've known them since I was a little girl. They were my pets. They were my childhood pets, and they were named after Italian Renaissance painters." Relieved that one piece pf the puzzle was completed, April drops her camera into the small box and goes straight for the first folder that she sees. The ones that she hasn't looked through yet. She was still taking more deep breaths from her long speech.

Sally's eyes were now wider than dinner plates. No wonders April told her that those names sound familiar. It is because she knew them from her childhood. They were her pets at the time and why she didn't have many friends or any siblings as she was the only child. These turtles were the only thing closest to her. And this was all before Sally was born.

The teen also realised that she hasn't spoken in a while. "Ok. So, the word "whoa…" is not big enough for what we just saw and witnessed tonight? Right?"

The reporter didn't stop flicking through one of the folders and has her eyes glued to it. "Exactly."

"So,…quick question: how did those guys turned from a couple of tiny turtles in a glass tank to four giants like they just watched an 1-hour bodybuilding session with Arnold Schwarzenegger?"

The woman simply ignored the comedic how part of the question and focus on the serious how part. April doesn't know the whole story. Yet. But it might have something to do with the substances that was injecting into the creatures from the tapes that they watched.

April gets to the last page and moves onto the next report. She finally looks at Sally. "Ready to stay up all night?" Surprised by this quarry, it didn't take Sally that long to nod in response. "Because we're going to find out." Something tells April that she is going to need all the help that she can get. Most of her questions were answered tonight but not completely. She needs to know the truth behind Project Renaissance.

Sally opens up the black book in her grasp and starts reading. "Sounds fair. Remind me to call the school in the morning." To miss a day of school would be a dream for the 15-year-old teen. And for once, April will allow here to play hooky.

(The Sewers, Manhattan, NY - 12:07am)

A large steel circular hatch swings open. The teenage reptiles have finally made it back home. Luckily for them, it does not produce a loud creek. Any sudden noise would disturb their fellow roommate. The one roommate that they all want to avoid. Especially since they have broken the all-time rule:

Sneaking out without his permission.

Well, what do you expect from a group of teenagers? They love to sneak out. But these guys have a very good reason why they venture out to the surface. But, would they be honest enough to tell the one person in their family the truth? Either way, they end up getting the punishment for slipping out late. The one place that they do not want to end up in.

They have spent the last hour trying to untangle themselves from the small tunnel that can't fit four giant turtles at the same time. In order to get out, they have to push the stinky one out by his feet, giving the other three plenty of room to move around. Once they are free, they raced non-stopped (without taking a breather) until they have reached the front door of their underground home.

Only three turtles were present at the doorway. The fourth member of the pack was lagging behind. There was also another rule that was added to the policy: he who has gas travels at the back of the pack. Since little Michelangelo is the one who display the stench, the three older siblings all forced him to walk a few metres behind them. But Mikey here was known to be the fastest out of all of them and without the help from his rocket-power skateboard; he manages to catch up to them.

After the door was forced open by the tallest turtle, the three brothers all get a good look inside their home. With only a small light source coming from the giant fan moving at a slow rate located at the top like a skylight and a few cracks in the places, plus, a few screens were left on from the computer station, the place seems really deserted. Just before them are drains that acted like skate ramps for one family member to enjoy his afternoon hobby. Covering almost all the walls within their home were colourful graffiti art that seems to brighten up the room, especially if the main lights were not turned on. The kitchen, bedroom and bathroom were in another section of their sewer home that they can't see at the moment.

The only ones who are moving around in the rooms were the four troublemaking ninjas. There was no sign of that particular person. They just hope that he is not in here and have already turned in for the night.

"Is he here?" Raphael quietly asked the simple question. The four brothers all have to lower their voices as there were hardly any walls in their home as it was mostly pillars. Their entire lair is kinda like a studio apartment or a giant warehouse that lacks the soundproof walls.

As the leader, Leo was scanning the place despite being nearly pitched black with a little help from the light. He squinted his eyes, trying to focus any moving object within his sight. So far, nothing. "I don't see him." If he or his brothers can't see who they are on the lookout for, he always goes to his youngest brother, for he has the technology to court the area. Leo turns to him. "Donnie?'

The brainiac in the family has already got his metal specs on before he opened the hatch. He was twisting one of the lenses, acting the software of his device. His metal goggles were already making beeping noises as he continues to fiddle with them. "My thermal scans indicate there's a 74% variable that there's a 61% chance he's not—"

Mikey comes up behind him, butting into the conversation. And almost butting his brother inside. His tech pack almost makes more beeping sounds when made contact with the ninja's knees. "That he's not here, guys. That he's not here." He doesn't see the rat, so he shouldn't be here.

Leo quickly wipes his head around to see the baby of the family and puts his finger to his lip. "Shhh…" If only they were a little louder that all of New York and plus New Jersey can hear him, then they would be in big trouble. Don almost falls in and looks at his young brother.

Getting a bit hostile (which he always is), Raph just simply looks at him. I swear that if he opens more of his big mouth,…

"Okay," the leader spoke before lifting his right hand and gestures his fingers towards the front. "Fall in,…" he then curls his right fist before looking over his shoulder to see his team members, "…quietly."

Now, the teens were playing the game Follow the Leader in stealth mode as Leo was the first to jump through the hatch and lands on the ground with his bended knees, giving a soft grunt. Raph was the next to follow, barked a small quiet grunt. Don was the third as he too produces a small noise before using his lens, making a recognisable beeping sound. They all scan the place once more. Still quiet and still dark. The first difficult part of their plan to sneak back in was almost complete.

Two seconds went by before the funny-loving turtle was the last to jump in. Once he lands on the ground, he quickly forgets the memo and lets out a very heavy thud on the ground, and letting out a loud groan. Almost lose his footing and knocks a small stick off its ledge. All three heads whipped at the sudden noise. What does the term quietly mean anything to the child of the family that he does not quite understand?

"Dude…" the red clad reptile hisses at his youngest clumsiness. Luckily, the loud noise was not enough to alert the company within the home. They are safe. But for how long until they are caught?

Now that they are inside, they were not out of the woods just yet. First, they have to put their weapons away before they all turn into their sleeping chambers and make it look like that, they have never left their home. Although they are allowed to roam around in the sewers, going topside was forbidden.

Located on the wall near them was their weapons cabinet. A few slots were missing as that is where they removed their chosen weapons before they head out. The order in the single line was exactly the same order of where the teens are standing at the moment. Leading the pack, Leo carefully tip-toe towards his cabinet with the others following in pursuit.

Although he was forced to be quiet and move softly as a mouse, Mikey wanted to point out a crucial point that was made tonight. "So, guys,…if it wasn't already obvious with those girls,…" he pictures a goofy smile and points his index fingers towards him, "…dibs!" He would do anything to see their pretty faces again and asked if they have any friends with them that would like to get on the Mikey Train.

Once again, they all shushed him. It sounds like he was trying to get them caught on purpose. "If Master Splinter catches us, he'll send us back to the Ha'shi," warned the blue clad turtle. Most punishment for kids are usually sitting on a chair in the corner or smack on their butt but the ninjas' form of punishment; the one known as the Ha'shi, is much more harsher than it sounds. Throughout their lives ever since the first training to become shadow warriors, the turtles were never stranger to the discipline tool. Raph has already started to pull out his first Sai and turns to his cabinet. He places in its slot as Leo does the same with his sword.

"I ain't going back to the Ha'shi." No surprise there, bro. There is a lot of things that Raph hates and being in the Ha'shi takes the top slot of the list.

"Every time we're in the Ha'shi, it's because of you," the leader argued his beastly brother on the countless times of who was responsible of ending up in there in the first place by pushing the closest shoulder on the red turtle. It was because of Raph's temper that always landed him and his brothers in the Ha'shi.

Irritated about reminding him, Raph looks down on his fearless leader. After tonight or some other time in the future, it will all change. "Well, bro, you won't have to worry about me dragging you down anymore." He returns his favour to his brother by placing his giant hand on his brother's scarred face and roughly pushes him back. He goes back to his cabinet and proceeds to places his other Sai away.

After putting his Nunchakus away, Mikey goes up to his brother's face as if he needs more people going up in his personal bubble. "What's that supposed to mean?" The youngest can also see his face starting to bruise up from the girl that sucker-punched him in the face. Its either he is angry from that or maybe he was just being usual grumpy self.

It was not the stench from his brother's behind that he smelt tonight but Mikey's breath also needs to be fanned out. He uses his shoulder to lightly whack him away but Mikey returns from that nudge. "I'm going out on my own," he announces his future goal, shoving his little brother out of his space as he finally puts the last weapon back in his case. "First chance I get."

Mikey does not like the sound of his brother's plan. There is gotta be something that he needs to stay behind for. And the orange turtle knows what. "How are we gonna finish our hip-hop Christmas album, bro?" the jokester begs, not wanting his partner in the music business to quit in the middle of their track. He lightly backhands him in the plastron. "You're the hype man!"

Both their voices started to grow a little louder and sooner or later, it will alert someone else. Leo was the first to shush them up. "Shut up," he whispered. This is all followed by everyone else; all of them shushing, shoving and saying "shut up" in the process. Some of them were spitting into their faces, most particular in the face of the turtle with the giant muscles.

"I got spit in my eye," he grumbles at the two youngest while violently pulling the one next to him by the head. Leo then butts into the immature ones by grabbing Raph by the rim of his shell. The leader pulls him to face the eldest as the small brawl comes to a complete stop.

"Shh! He's not going anywhere. We all stick together," he reminds them the whole point of being a family. They all share a strong bond that can never be broken. Raphael would try to trade anything for the world for a chance to leave the team but knowing him, he would never. If one of them goes down, they all go down. They are mutant turtles. The only four of their kind. If anything happened to him or his family,…

Mikey leans into his brother. "Sorry I spit in your eye, bro," Mikey apologetic as his big bro mentioning that he should say it, not spray it.

Raph whips his head from his bossy brother to his annoying brother. "Shh!"

"Uhh,…guys? Guys." Donnie's sudden interruption and a quick nudge by the elbow to the turtles next to him cause the rest to lock their eyes on him. After they all climbed into their home, he slides his high-tech googles back on his bald turtle head. Sweat was already forming on his face and he was already tense up. But what is very strange was that he was not making a single eye contact with them. Why is that?

"We got a bogey."

The small section in their sewer home was sounded by a switch. And lit up by a sudden light.

It just like someone just hit the stop button during a round on Musical Statues. But there was no music playing and only a flashlight was aiming at them like a group of four deers in headlights. This wasn't the first time that something like this has happened. At least it wasn't a camera or phone. This light was much brighter. And it was in the palms of the last person that they wanted to see.

Their father.

"Uh…" was the only sound coming out of the buffoon's mouth. Everyone else was just breathing through their nostrils. They were trying so hard not to move a muscle or blend in with the wall. He must have been hiding behind a pillar or his ears must have burning that he was in the other room when he either heard a creek of the door or his sons talking up a storm in whisper. Why didn't Donnie's tech track him? Or did he looked behind like any other being who is not equipped or wrapped around multiple of cable on his shell?

They all waited a little longer, wondering why the owner of his home has not made a sudden sound or motion. The teens were now trapped like rats in a maze.

And speaking of rats…

Right behind them, the oldest family member had his left fist right behind his back. He then slides it down to his side…

And that is when a long pink rope appears out from behind and trips Leo right from under his left foot, sending the eldest to the ground on his knees. The second that their older brother has fallen to the ground, that is when all three jumped and shift around. Either at the appearance of the light or him, the teens were already tensed up. In a scared-kind of way.

The rope then slithers back to its position and was now move on its own. It was a long pink tail and this attacker was a giant rat. He may be big but he is at a Yoda height compared to the giant turtles themselves.

Covering almost his small rodent body was a large open black bathroom robe with a Japanese symbol written on a yellow circle printed on his back. Underneath the first clothing is a light dirty yellow robe that is wrapped up by a black Karate belt. And underneath that robe is a cream woolly shirt. Around his neck strapped to a brown leather string was a turtle-shaped Jade pendant and pinned on his black robe are two golden turtle pins.

He also has a pair of wooden square sandals on his hairy feet with cotton Y-strapped. Wrapped around his hands are dirty white straps, which most MMA fighters wear during the tournaments or matches. His back hair was all tied up in a Japanese bundle and his moustache has a Fu Manchu with a long goatee as well that brings the whole package together.

The place may be dark with a little luminous in his grip, the Turtles can tell the look on his face was anything but worried. And if they look any closer, they can actually see steam coming out of his ears.

"Where have you been?" he angrily demanded. He was not very pleased at all. Not one bit.

Quivery like the rest of his family, Raphael tries to fill him in. In other words, hopefully pull of a great lie that would fool his father. "Uh…w-w-we weren't—"

But he didn't say much when the rat quickly wraps his tail around his athletic son. His prehensile tail proves to be powerful as it lifts the heavy turtle a foot off the ground and he has up against the wall. A second later, the parent releases his second eldest to the hard floor, giving him the chance to rub the unsuspected sore around his reptile neck. Raph was not the only strong fighter around here.

Donnie has already come up with an excuse and which is why he is running in the other direction. The rat drags the light to the moving turtle. "I forgot to soak my retainer!" said the agile ninja. But he wasn't on alert when he gets tripped over by the tail as well. With him down flat on his shell, it only leaves one more…

Splinter shines the light on the last turtle whose arms were straight and his hands were out in front as he carefully takes each foot a staggering step. With his eyes closed. "Oh! I'm totally sleepwalking! Look, Mikey's sleeping and walking. He's totally innocent," he speaks which it is known as sleeptalking.

In some cases, but not this one. He is trying to pull the wool over his father's eyes with this childish trick but Splinter was not so easily fooled. Waiting for the right moment and with the flick of his tail, the rodent sweeps the last of his busted sons onto the ground.

"ENOUGH!" You disobeyed a direct order. Why did you go above ground? WHAT HAPPENED?" He was acting like any other furious parent who knows that their kid or children are in deep trouble especially when they hit their teenage years. All they need to know is why.

He shines on his two eldest. They both looked down, not uttering one word. Splinter moves the light to his naive son. He was known to be the chatterbox. Not one word came out of his mouth. Instead, he looks away. And last was his brilliant son. Surely, he would speak. Covering his face with his gloved hand when the light came into his vision did not make him talk.

Why did his sons go above ground when they are not supposed to? Whatever the reason is, his sons were not spilling.

They ain't gonna to talk? Well, Splinter knows the one way to make them talk. And he knows they won't like it. "Very well. If that's how it's going to be,…" he delivers the final strike while throwing his hand in the air, "…to the Ha'shi!"

When the rat walks away, the busted teens all groaned at this. They all hate the Ha'shi. No question about it.

April and Sally finally know more about the Turtles. And the Turtles are going to the Ha'shi. Stay tuned for the next instalment of:

Heroes in the Half-Shell: "They're Ninjas."

Author's Notes: Hey guys! Another chapter done. It's time to move on to the next!

So, I guess there is nothing much to say but my mum is going up to Sydney to stay with my brother and his family so she can spend quality time with her grandchild! Enjoy your time, mum! We'll make sure the house is still in one piece when you get back.

Also, next month, I will be having my driving test so I can get my license if I passed. Wish me luck and who knows, I will finish this story before the day!

Take care now guys!

Until we meet again,

The DragonLord2912