(So this is another recap chapter but I feel it's important to follow the turtles too. After all, they are the stars of the show. Anyway thanks for reading this far and sorry for my long break from writing.)
(Also up till now I've been able to pretty closely match scenes with the source material, but nowhere on Youtube seems to have this exact scene from the Brazil aftermath to the rejection of the ooze, which is frustrating. I'm flying a bit by ear, here, sorry for the mega-geeks who hate that kinda thing)
The turtles all sat in their own corner of the lair when they felt the impact of the portal opening. Leo looked up from his book, Mikey got up from his drum set, Raph stopped weight lifting. Slowly, they all gathered to Donnie's computer, waiting for each other's reaction. Leo broke the tension, and asked Donnie what was going on.
"Oh my gosh. Shredder did it. The portal's opened." Donnie gasped.
"What is that?" Leo asked, staring at Donnie's monitor as huge chunks of metal flew through the portal.
"It's a war machine, I think. The ship's designate is.. the Technodrome. Commanding officer goes by the name of... Commander Kraang." Donnie read aloud.
"I don't know that guy, but I hate that guy." Mikey spoke up. This was a strong stance to hear from their little brother. Mikey never hated anything.
"This thing is coming through the portal piece by piece. It's going to be a matter of minutes before it's assembled." Donnie calculated. "But... there is something we can do..."
"What?" Leo asked eagerly.
"Well... The atmosphere surrounding the ship would be toxic to anybody with a standard cardiovascular system. Meaning, we may be the only ones able to get close enough to this Technodrome to shut it down."
That was when Mikey voiced the biggest problem. "But how? We're being hunted!"
That was true. It was midday and they would have no shadows to hide in. They couldn't afford the police blind-siding them before they could get close enough to the Technodrome to stop Kraang.
Donnie went to his desk and pulled out the purple ooze. It may be their only shot. "One sip, and we'll stay the same on the inside, but look normal on the outside."
Leo took the ooze from Donnie, and thought for a few minutes. He was happy with who and what he was. Ming was happy with what they were. But... if his brothers truly wanted to be normal, to live normal lives, even hailed as heroes for stopping the Kraang, he couldn't keep it from them anymore. It really should have been their own choice all along, not his.
He held the vial of ooze out to Raph. "I'll do whatever you guys say. It's your call." He relinquished.
Raph took the ooze from Leo. Master Splinter chose then to pipe up. He loved his sons for who they were, but this was their lives. "Your boyhood is drawing to an end. You are becoming young men. The choice... is yours."
The turtles all stared at the ooze, unsure what to do, and looked at each other. They were all thinking of the same person. Ming. She would have wanted them to stay as turtles, to be her own superheroes that she didn't have to share with the world. She would have supported their choice, of course. She would always have supported them.
They reached the same understanding, and Raphael flung the purple ooze into a wall. They didn't need it. There was another way.
But it would be risky.
The entire police force blocked off the alley. Armed men held guns pointed at the manhole covers, ready to shoot. April, Casey and Vern Fenwick stood by the Chief Vincent.
"You're sure they're coming?" Vincent demanded of April.
April took an uncertain breath and nodded. "They're coming." She glanced at the armed men, some on the police van, some on fire escapes to have a vantage point. If at any point the chief backed out of this plan and decided the turtles were a threat worse than the huge alien spacecraft in the sky, they were screwed.
The manhole cover was pushed to the side, and the turtles climbed out slowly. The armed officers held their weapons tighter, unsure. Leo, recognizing their uncertainty, quickly raised his hands in an attempt to appear less threatening. Mikey copied him, and the others followed suit, noting the armed men on the fire escapes on both sides of the alley. If this went south, their only plan of escape was the sewers.
"Hold your fire." Chief Vincent ordered, and stepped forward slowly. "What... are you?" She asked the turtles, unable to keep her amazement out of her voice.
Mikey answered. "We're not really into labels..."
"Some call us freaks." Leo added. "Monsters."
"Let's just say we're four brothers from New York, who hate bullies, and love this city." Raph stepped forward to stand next to Leo.
Donnie stood on Mikey's other side. "And right now, we're the cities best hope."
Chief Vincent chuckled. Best hope? "Why should I believe you?" She demanded.
Mikey couldn't help but think Ming wouldn't have liked this blonde lady very much. Before he could say anything, Leo responded to the chief's question. "You don't have to take it from us. Take it from him."
Vern shifted uncomfortably when Leo pointed at him, and everybody turned to look at him.
"Go ahead, Vern." April urged. "Tell her about the arrangement."
Vern chuckled nervously. "What arrangement?"
Raph glared at him and cracked his knuckles threateningly. No way was this twerp gonna ruin this by denying the truth.
Vern gulped. "Oh... that... arrangement..." He turned to the chief. "Look, The Falcon is still The Falcon, I just... may have gotten by with a little... help from my friends." He admitted. "These four are the ones who took Shredder down the first time. I was kinda more of a wingman..."
"We've been doing our part to protect this city... from the shadows." Leo nodded.
At that moment, a huge chunk of spaceship flew overhead, startling everybody. Leo took that opportunity. "And right now we think we have something to offer! We're gonna need-"
"Strategy." Raph cut Leo off, grinning and putting his hand out.
Leo nodded, grinning back at his brother and putting his hand in the middle, too. "Instinct."
Mikey put his hand in the middle. "Logic." He glanced at Donnie, who joined in. "And boatloads of heart."