Heroes in the Half-Shell
Chapter 12 – Meeting Splinter
Disclaimer: I do not repeat DO NOT own TMNT and crew in any way because 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 this fanfic rightfully belongs to me and only ME!
Announcement from the writer: Hey! We're nearly halfway there and with two months left of the year, what would be in stores for 2023? Hopefully, good causes we dealt with a lot of bad for the past…three years now? Seriously? Anyway, I do hope everyone is gearing up for the holidays very soon. Any ideas what you guys wanna get for Christmas? Too soon? Maybe too soon. Also, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever coming out this November. Can't wait for it! It is going to be very emotional.
Let's move on, shall we?
(April and Sally's apartment, Manhattan, NY – 7:10pm)
Heading back to their own home within the city sounds like a good idea. That way, it will give some time for April to rest and take it easy. Or in her case – occupied herself. She and Sally have spent the morning visiting an old friend of their fathers in the high mountains. There, they learn from the man himself about Project Renaissance.
After the visit at Sacks' Estate, Vern has generously given them another lift back into the city as he is the only one who drives a car. After dropping them off at their residence, Vern went straight back to work to see if Thompsons has appointed him to be someone else' cameraman or maybe try to get the girls' jobs back. Right now, the sun has almost disappeared into the Earth as the clouds were visible in the light orange-pink blend in the horizon. The day has already gone by for the night to come once again.
Currently unemployed, April decided to have a stress-free day after what she and her friend have been through last night. Seeing four giant talking turtles, armed with ninja weapons that used to be your childhood's pets was something that you cannot just make up. Not to mention what they have discovered.
April simply can't put this story to bed as Vern would put. No. She promised Sacks that she and Sally would find the Turtles so they can resume Project Renaissance once again. And grabbing her laptop is the next step in the master plan.
The two roommates are now occupied in the living space. The only thing that the teenager has taken off was her beanie; causing her hair to be untidy, and her shoes and socks are left inside the rack near the front door.
With no homework to do and missing out on a day of school, Sally decided to use tonight and the next few days wisely to relax. Because she will need to prepare herself for Monday of what she has missed in today's session. It is known to be the worst day of the week. Good thing she has got the whole weekend to prepare herself for it. And reading one of her favourite stories on her tablet is a great way to unwind. One of the stories is about two superheroes teaming up to battle the main villain of the story that is the combine power of their own adversaries. Well, it's not exactly made by a famous author (unless you count someone from one of those fanfiction website).
With April taking one of the seats near the door to the balcony, Sally decided to take up the whole couch. Resting her legs over the arm of the polyester furniture, the juvenile herself lies flat on the cushion part. Her short hair was freed to be spread out on the couch with both her hands in a tight grip on the small device. She was making sure that it doesn't fall out of her hands or else she would have a sore bruise on her face. It happens to everyone on their phone. Having a much bigger tablet would be a bit more painful.
But for some reason, she can't quite focus on the story. Just what happened with Sacks last night has clouded her mind. She wasn't tired. She did get a snooze on the ride home and back home. Deep down in her gut was an uneasy feeling that Sacks is not the man that April looks up to. He is hiding something. But what?
She has to ask her friend first. Sally clicks the small button on the top right of her device. One push and the screen go dark. She then looks at her roommate, whom has taken a deep breath and opens up her laptop.
"Are you we should be looking for them?"
April lifted her eyes from her screen to hear the extra person in the room speak up. "What do you mean?" A clearer answer would be nice?
The teen gives an annoyed huff. "Those Turtle guys."
April nodded looking back to her computer. "That's the plan." She clicks open the internet, ready for a search. "If we wanna help Sacks finish the project that he and our dads started, we need to find out where they're live."
Or leave them alone. She has seen many scenarios where people or creatures (fictional or not) are forced into situations that could have deadly consequences. She has read a number of book series based on the topic. And since when did Sally agree to do that? She hasn't given her answer. "You mean you wanna help him. I…I don't think I agree with all this."
April halt her clicking on her device. She closes up her laptop and turn her attention on the young sport. "Ok, what's going on with you? You feeling, ok?" If Sally wasn't feeling like herself, that could only mean one thing. "Time of the month?"
The young teen quickly shakes her head. "No," she quipped. She had hers last week. The abnormal cramps given to her on the first day caused her to skip school for a few days. Not to mention she was only 11 when she first got it. That was not a fond memory.
"It just…I just have a gut feeling that…something's not right with Sacks."
April raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes, really. I don't know Sacks. Personally. I mean." Sally takes a deep breath and exhale a big chunk. She decided to give April a minute of her time to come with a straightforward answer. "My dad has only mentioned his previous workplace…and Sacks…a few times but not much. Never really bother me know why…" the teen then lifted her head up a little, looking all bothered. "…until last night." April can relate to that. They just couldn't sleep at all after last night. Sally drops her head to the couch. Instead of picking off where she left off of her reading, she instead looks to the ceiling.
But April sort-of understands her point. She has lived with the adult for now nearly two years, and during that time they have shared everything. Well…almost everything. Guess April didn't to bring up the whole lab assignment from 15 years that decided to come from the shadows and into the light. And Sally guesses she didn't bring up her dad's issues with Sacks. Looks like they are on the same page. But does Sally have a slight hunch or was she just making this up?
Then Sally said something that brings a bit of misty to the older woman's eyes. "Wish either our dads were here. They would know more to this than Sacks."
The woman solemnly nodded. "You and me both." Of course, April was referring to her own father. It wasn't Sally's old man that was in the lab at that time. April's own father was an employee as well. Having his life cut short when she was only eight was not an easy age to lose a dear family member.
After losing a member of the family, his death has taken a heavy toll on his wife – April's mother. It hurt her so much that April went to stay with a distance relative until her mother eventually got back onto her feet. Around that time, Dr. Hope disappeared without a trace and didn't come back until a few years later with a 2-year Sally. She was told that Mrs. Hope died from childbirth and it has indeed taken a great toll on the man. At least they got each other now.
Sally pulls her legs off the arm and swings around until they crossed underneath her. She grabs her iPad back and switches it on to continue the last page that she read. "Besides, they did say that if we told anyone about them, they would find us." She looks at April. "And we did tell." She finally goes back to her story. "So, we are pretty much dead once they find out."
No, they won't. But even if it does happen, April is willing to take that risk. Letting out a deep breath, she finally has the courage to open up to Google. Her fingers get to work, typing in the following: vigilante news in new york. Hopefully, she and Sally won't be the only ones who knows the events that took place last night in the subway.
Only one link brings to her attention. New York City Subway Vigilante. April then guides her mousepad just to click on the link. That is when her computer went haywire. What th—
Her computer is showing a bunch of images and someone just hit the speed button. Was it a virus? Is her firewall up-to-date? Words and numbers were all over the screen. And that is when a voice was playing through the speakers.
"BAM! You've been hacked! By Donatello. Remember me?"
Donatello? Hey, that's the name of the—
"Turtle. Four eyes."
Yep. That's the turtle. And the only one with glasses on.
The second that the voice was heard, this causes the tranquil teenager to jump off the couch; ditch her device (and a great story) and raced over to the computer. She too has recognised that voice. Looking at the screen before her, she too sees the images. Then it changes to the map of the whole city. Well, part of it and it continues to zoom in with more words number appearing before disappearing.
"But enough about me. We told you two we'd find you girls. Meet us here. And come alone. The both of you."
A blue box pops up, showing the white message in bold. 4TH AVE. & 12TH ST. COME ALONE. BOTH OF YOU. Hey. Is that the same location when we…
"Or... Or else we're...you two shall be punished and stuff."
There was a slight hesitation in his voice when the last sentence was spoken. Sounds like he is the kind of perso—being that doesn't threaten other people. It could be one of the other Turtles' jobs. Maybe the red one or the blue?
As soon as the strange message came, it left; leaving April's laptop clean and protected like it never happened. She remembers this…Donatello. One of the small turtles from the lab 15 years ago, along with the other three. And now, they have used nearly two decades to become taller and more muscular than the Rock himself.
They have been found out. It was only a matter of time. Sally nodded, picturing a straight face. "Yeah, we're dead."
April rolled her eyes. Does Sal have to be melodramatic?
(The rooftops, Manhattan, NY – 12:27am)
It didn't take long for the two girls to get to the location. Why? Because it is the same location that the ex-reporter and her young roommate…first met them. Just like Sally predicated, they have been caught by these giant reptiles. And now, they were going to pay the ultimate price. But maybe they will let them off easy. Maybe they were nice guys or something like that? Maybe the whole tough guy was just an act? Only one way to find out.
She would hate for her to be right. Maybe they did find out. Maybe they had cameras everywhere in the city. Or maybe they installed some kind of bug on them or in the phones so they can spy on them without being detected.
Steams were escaping through the vents on the rooftops as April and Sally both climb up the fire escape to finally reach the top.
To their right were the skylights. On their left was the metal beam. The same metal beam that can withstand two of them without giving way. Police sirens were the only sound in the area and the distance. So far, it was pretty quiet. Putting her beanie and shoes back on before they left, Sally looks around. She does remember this particular rooftop. She remembers sucker-punch one of them in the face. Her hand may be sore from last night, but she was up for another round if he shows up.
Now that the guests are here, where are the hosts for tonight's event?
April finally opens her mouth. "Hello?" Not response was made. They both looked from right to left. The only ones on this building are herself and the teenager standing side-by-side. The woman was heavily breathing as the tension was in the air was tense. Their hearts are starting to race the longer they stay here. It was like a horror movie waiting to happen. But April and Sally were told to come here. "You told us to come here," she continued to speak, pointing to the ground. The girls then started to walk backwards. The rooftops were already getting scary enough as it is. "It's just the two of us. We didn't bring anyone with us. We did exactl—"
The sound of the thud causes Sally to do a 180. The contact that April made with her back causes her to quickly turn around. Was it a wall that she bumped into? Unless the wall was soft or bumpy and has a green face on with a bright fabric over its face.
It was them! One of them, actually.
"Whoa! Hey!" Sally shouted.
With unmissable sight of an orange mask and beads around his neck. The woman lets out a startling gasp when she comes face-to-face with him once more.
"Okay! Are you April O'Neil?" he asked. April didn't ever nod or spoke. Like last time, speechless and breathing hyperventilating. It was kinda like a habit now where she sees something out of the ordinary.
Michelangelo should have already known her name. He and his brothers did learn their names and he did say it before. Why the need to ask? The chubby turtle darts his baby blue eyes at the smallest one. His grins become a bit wider. "And you're no doubt Sally Hope." Holding one finger and gives her the salute. "Good to see ya again, pretty thang!" He does remember her very well because no-one has laid a hand or fist at his friend before. Pretty tough and ok in his book.
Although putting on a brave face, Sally was also startled deep down. She puts her hands up in defence. "O-o-okay, man. We can really explain what just happened in the past 24 hours." Boy, does she and April have a-LOT to explain.
But the green dude was not alone. Because along comes another one. This time, it was a much taller with the additional backpack on him and goggles on his face that is covering his purple mask but letting his tails flow down. Approaching them, his left arm was lifted. A bright light was emitting it from his wrist with a holo-screen just hovering wherever he travels. A small device on his back was pointed at the humans before him. "Initiating retinal scan," he calls out. "Scanning, scanning, scanning, scanning…"
On his screen via the goggles, his little software gets to work the second it captures its victims. As it is doing its job, the turtle can also see the two girls put their hands up, trying to block the light from their visuals and tried to move away from them. "Whoa, hey, hey, hey. Easy with the lights, dude!" Sally begged the techie reptile.
In his device, the scope takes a section of their eyes and begins the analysis. It only takes a few seconds to provide him the answer. "Scan complete."
APRIL O'NEIL: OK.
SALLY HOPE: OK.
"It's them. It's them. Guys, it's them!" Donatello announced. He is positive that he has delivered the right message to the right people and they did come! Judging by the gadgets that he has installed his pack, it is no wonder that he was able to hack into April's computer. She has got to watch out for that from now on. Both April and Sally are trying to lay some distance between the gadget reptile, the green surfer dude and themselves. Until another one shows up right behind them.
"Of course it's them, Donnie," the third one said. The girls try to get away from the first two but not before the one with the blue mask loops his giant right arm around both of them. April and Sally almost forgot how big they were as their head would be the same width as the arm itself. They are doing their very best not to freak out as their faces show all too much. They were bunched up with the three-fingered hand resting on the woman's shoulder and the teen under his armpit. He had a feeling that they would tell someone and he did warn them. "Hey. Really glad you girls could make it." He was trying to make light on the conversation like he tried to perform last night but the two female humans were too busy scared out of their wits to remain calm. When it comes to meeting beings like them, they aren't the talkative type. Their reasons are pretty obviously.
Leonardo walks them a distance away before letting his arm off of them, releasing them from his hold. They both switched away until they are facing him. "Hey. There's someone important we want to introduce you to, but first..."
He would have finished the rest of his sentence if two red woolly bags didn't cover the girls' head by the red brute and his orange partner.
(Unknown location, Manhattan, NY – 1:07am)
It has only been a few minutes and April has dared not to open her eyes.
Judging by the absence of a breeze and the police sirens, she can only guess that she is no longer outside. So, the question remains: where has these turtles taken her? To her prisons, as punishment, where she will remain as their slave for life?
April decided now was the time to open her eyes and take in her first sight. Covering her head was the red bag with two circles in a rectangle and a curve line which makes up for a smiling face with a mask on. Just like theirs.
"Aw, yeah, welcome to my crib, girls," the orange turtle, judging from his voice, introduced to his 'crib', while holding his arms up, to which April can barely see thanks to this bag over her head. Although it covers the top part of her head, she can see through the thin fabric. A few bright square screens were posted everywhere. Guess you could say that she might be in some kind of IT room, like the one in Sally's high school. And speaking of the teenager…
April fanatically looks around. Where was Sally? Was she too captured? Was she taken somewhere else? Maybe she is still on the same rooftops? No,…they did say that they were looking for the two of them. Maybe she is close by.
April remembers what to do when she is in a panic. Breath in and out. In and out. In and…
"April?"
That voice! April whips her head to her right. "Sal?" She too was wearing the same bag. Good! I'm not alone! "You okay?" she asked. May be not blood-related, April always acted as the sister-figure to her.
Through the bag, the human nodded back in response. "Well, I would be freaking out if you guys didn't put a cloth over my head!" She sounds a bit spiteful despite getting a bit comfortable in their first meeting.
One of the guys she is referring to walks behind her. "Sorry, miss." One whom has two large sticks, rested behind on his shell in the form of an 'X'. "Security reason only." Guess they don't want their little hideout to be discovered by the outside world. Maybe that where they are. In a different dimension or something.
The vicious attitude was quickly drain out by the reasonable answer. Sally nodded. "Okay. Fair enough."
Resuming her observing, April decided to asked the question is on hers and Sally's mind. "Where are we?"
Another of them comes out and it appears to be the one with the giant backpack on him. "Hey, it's our Fortress of Solitude."
"Our Hogwarts," the orange turtle pops another one.
"Our Xavier Academy."
"Our next generation,…" the smallest green one of all holds his hands in the air before spinning around in joy, "…state-of-the-art WonderDome!" The two reptiles were very pleased with the names that they put to their place from famous popular cultures but their location remains a secret. That was the rule. Never give away their position.
In other words, their hideout. But where exactly?
April took one whiff to find out. "Ugh," she hisses in disgust. "Are we in the sewer?"
Sally too smelt her surroundings. "Whoo. Smells like it." They both wished they can fan the scent away from their noses with their hands. If they tied up or not.
The two talking ninjas who called out the names of their pad went all tense up in a second. Did they just figure out where they lived? The orange one looks to his purple companion. "No…"
The violet ninja decided to give in. "Technically, yes." They all now know that these girls meant no harm. They seem pretty harmless. Except for the one who nearly punched the living daylights out of one of his brothers.
The orange one nodded in defeat. "Yeah. Yeah, it's a sewer."
The only one who has peep a word was, well,…the red beast if the girls remember correctly. He was the first turtle that the girls came face-to-face on the same rooftops. He has to be with the other three if possible. So, why hasn't he said anything? Was he scared or something? Someone who can act all threatening, can be a cowardly fool on the inside? Or maybe he was waiting in the wings; ready to make the finishing move? It would only be a matter of time.
Instead of speaking, he and Leonardo, simultaneously, pulls off the red cloth off the girls, revealing their messy hair and mild flustered faces. The girls finally have the full clear vision of their location. A concrete dungeon with multiple of computer screens and a number of graffiti art at ever wall.
But what they see now before them is nothing compared to four giant turtles.
"You brought us here, April."
Elevated by wooden crates with a number of books stacked underneath in dirty black and yellow robes and a green necklace there stood a three-foot rat, half the height of the Turtles behind them. His hair was all bun-up with a long moustache and goatee. Stacked behind him and on the sides were what appears to be hundreds of boom boxes. Wonder if any of them work since they were pretty big many years ago. Surrounding him are a bunch of thin cushions which provided them as seats. A light chandelier was just hanging above his head as his hands were placed behind his back.
And he spoken…her name. April wasn't as much as freaking out like with the big reptiles. After pulling of the red bag off the tall brunette one, Raphael folds it over his right fist like a waiter.
Without losing her focus on the giant rodent in front of her and April, Sally quickly snatches the bag out of the blue turtle's grip, digs into it and pulls out her beanie. She quickly puts it back on her head before passing the bag back to him. She knew it the second that she felt something was missing on her head.
"Is that…" she quietly asked.
April knows who it is. It wasn't the Turtles that she remembered fifteen years. There was another specimen. Another pet of hers. The one who is furry unlike the first four. She hops off her stone platform and crates as she walked a few paces forward. "Splinter?"
Donatello was surprised. "How do they know his name?" She knew a few of their names last night, and now their master?
The leader looks to the techie himself. "Did you tell them his name?" He told her to hack into her computer to send a message, not spill their sensei's name. But Donatello was only told what to send. Nothing else.
The tallest turtle shook his head. "Maybe they're clairvoyant," he suggested. Could be…
Michelangelo has used his time to pop open a can of Orange Crush from their fridge. He looks at the girls with admiration that they knew his father's name. "Maybe they're Jedis!" he whispered. He then proceeds to sip his sugary drink. Raphael resisted the urge to slap him as his father and older brother were in the same room, but he does shoot him a fuming look.
Sally gets off the concrete and wood platforms and quickly comes up to her friend's side. The reason that she wants to be close to April because the minute things get a little freaky, the youngest person in the underground stone place will be close enough to grab her friend and get the both of them the heck out of here. If they can get out of here. They had no idea how they got inside this place as their eyes were closed the whole time and they were carried by them.
April has stopped her pacing. Although meeting and seeing the Turtles was pretty much enough for her but seeing a rat was a whole new ball game, despite knowing him as a pet. But he does picture a calming aura around him. It was unbelievable of how the same rat that she knew when she was eight, only to grew at the height of Danny DeVito. There has to be some kind of explanation.
"Come closer."
His tranquil command to the girls causes them to move forward. The Turtles all moved as well but only a few steps, giving them enough space. Judging by his form and voice, he doesn't want to hurt them. To him and possibly to April, it was more of a long-waited reunion waiting to happen.
"It's been a long time."
The rat clearly remembers her very well. With a warm smile, Splinter leans forward. "Mmm." As a big fan of personal space, April tilts her head back. She was anxious that he might bite or something. He squinted his black eyes to get a closer look. By just looking at her, he sees something very familiar in her. "You always did have your father's eyes."
April does share the same eye colour as her late parent. The elder rat then tilts his head to the young lady beside his former owner. O'Neil was not the only name that he knows. "And you, Sally Hope…" the teen was completely stunned and speechless of saying her name. Splinter smiles at her as well. "…you look just like your father."
It is Splinter! Her father knows him and apparently, he knows her! But…it seems pretty much impossible. She was born a few months after the laboratory was caught on fire and Dr. O'Neil's life was taken away. Maybe it was the name or her mother being expected was mention during the prior months. Many answers will be answered tonight if Sally gets the chance.
"We don't understand," O'Neil frighteningly muttered.
"Don't be afraid," Splinter assures them as he pulls out his right paw. He gestures a motion before swinging back behind him. "All will be made clear."
It looks like they will be getting more to this story than she thought. Well, April can only admit one thing. "This is crazy."
Her friend beside her nods in agreement. "Hard-core crazy if you ask me."
April and Sally finally meet Splinter for the first time! But before we can learn more about what happened, let's take a walk on the dark side in:
Heroes in the Half-Shell: "They're Alive, Master Shredder."
Author's Notes: Hey guys! Sorry for the late update. I have to get to a few things done and I almost forgot finish this chapter. Forgive me if this chapter didn't make any sense at all. I…almost lost my touch there.
If you guys haven't noticed, I am uploading a few more stories to my AO3 and Wattpad page beside my one. If I do keep a steady and balance pace, I should be able to finish most of these stories by the end of this year. Or the next.
The next chapter will be a short one as we gear up for the long ones. We are definitely nearly halfway done of the story and then, we will focus on the sequel and the chronicles stories which I will get started once we finished the LAST chapter.
Anyway, nothing much to say but goodbye for now.
Until we meet again,
The DragonLord2912