In New York, the weather had gotten a lot colder, as it was in the in the last weeks of autumn, and Christmas was coming up. Everyone was going about their regular lives, preparing for the holiday.
They hoped Leo had reached the Ancient One by now. The best gift Leo could give them would be a letter, but so far, nothing. Leo usually kept his promises, but so far, not this one.
The others wondered if they would ever be able to trust Leo again after all the hard times he had put them through. Their trust of him had slipped majorly after all those months and after hurting Master Splinter.
They wouldn't have known what to get Leo for Christmas, but Mikey was cheerful enough to just say that they should make a Christmas card for him, with colorful words and a maybe a picture with all their signatures on it.
"That is a wonderful idea, Michelangelo." Splinter praised his youngest for being so thoughtful.
Mikey was quite the artist to begin with. He drew up the letters and colored them, being in the colors of his loved ones' mask colors. It read, 'Merry Christmas, Leo!'
When Mikey showed them the card, Don said, "That's very artistic and beautiful, Mikey."
"Didn't know you had it in ya." Raph said.
"Hey! I try to make good presents." Mikey retorted.
"Are you sure that he'll even like it?" Randall questioned. "He didn't seem to like anyone or anything before he left."
"I'm sure he'll love it, Randall. I understand your reasoning of why you would say such a thing, but he is still family." Splinter said.
"We don't even know where to send it to." Randall pointed out. "We haven't heard one thing from him since he left."
"Letters take time to get here from that far away." Don said.
"When we get the first letter, we will send the card right away." Splinter said.
A few days later, when April got her mail, she saw a letter that was addressed from Japan. That was strange. She had been told about that Leo was in Japan, of course. It looked like Leo's handwriting. Her eyes widened.
She ran down to the basement and told Randall. "He has written us, Randall!" she said excitedly.
Randall took the envelope. It was quite a big letter. There must have been so much to tell.
"Don't open it yet, Randall. This is something we all should read together." April suggested. "I'll call Casey and we'll all go to the lair."
April went upstairs and called her boyfriend. Casey was thrilled to finally hear something. This had happened a couple of days before Christmas. This was the best Christmas present to ever get from Leonardo, especially since he wouldn't be here for it this year.
Casey got over there. April also called Don and told him the awesome news. They all should read the letter together and were on their way with it.
When they got there, everyone was anxious to read Leo's letter. When opened, there were one page letters to each of them. April handed them all out to everyone.
Leo was mostly apologizing for all that he had done when it had been hurting his family and friends, but he also gave them advice on what they could do to make him proud of them. He said he didn't know when he would be home again as he had so much more to learn from the Ancient One and he described him to them as well. He would be a guy that they all needed to meet and could learn much from.
They were all glad to see that he had made it and was doing well. Randall, on the other hand, though he too had a letter, he had read it. He was still going to be wary of the turtle even when he came back. Leo would have to gain his trust back again. Randall had lost faith in Leonardo for the time being. He just didn't trust him now. Some things could be said on paper, and it was actions that truly showed who people really are.
Each one of them began a reply letter back to their brother or friend. They all explained how much they loved and missed Leo and glad he had found himself again. And they said they would love to meet the Ancient One. Splinter told him back that he knew who he was. Randall was the only one who didn't write back. He just didn't know what to say.
When Christmas came a couple days later, The Daimyo, his son, Usagi, Gen, Angel, the Professor, the Silver Sentry, Leatherhead, and the Professor and a few junkyard friends came once again for Christmas festivities. They were curious as to why Leonardo wasn't with them.
Splinter told them he was over on the other side of the world with the sensei to his sensei. Leo had written them and said he was doing fine and seemed better than before he left. But it was hard to say how long he would be gone.
They all enjoyed dinner and talking as much as they could without Leo being there, but it wasn't the same without him. Maybe next year for Christmas he would be back?
After the holiday, everyone gave their letters to April to send back to the address. Randall was the only one who didn't give one to her. She went down to his room after she had mailed it out.
He was sitting on his bed reading. He heard a knock. "Come in."
April came in. "Hi, Randall."
"Hi."
"Are you feeling alright?"
"I feel fine. Why?"
"I just couldn't help see the look in your eyes as everyone gave me their letters back to Leo. What's wrong? You didn't give me one." April said.
"I didn't give one because I had nothing to say to him. I don't know what to tell him. I'm sure his family has plenty to tell him right now. I know they would write how they miss him and care about him." Randall replied.
"I know you care about him too. After all the times you saved his life, and he saved yours."
"I know, but after all the time of his harsh treatment, it just shattered my trust in him." Randall said sadly.
"Just as the letter said, he won't be like that when he comes back. He should have much improved ways, and perhaps even more skills at the ninja arts, ones we've never seen before."
"Yeah. I'll send a letter when I have something to say, April. Right now, I just can't think of anything." Randall said.
April had a feeling to not push this. She knew that Randall was upset with Leo right now.
"Okay. And I just wanted to make sure you were alright." she said and went upstairs.
Randall was glad she cared, and she had known when to back off.
…
In Japan, Leo and the Ancient One shared a special dinner on Christmas Day. Leo missed his family and was sure his other friends had come again for the dinner. It wouldn't be like it was last year. But Leo hoped to get replies back from his family and friends soon. His letter should have reached them by now.
A couple of weeks later, he did get the stack of letters in the mail when the Ancient One brought the mail back. Leo was glad to have gotten something back from his family.
Leonardo saw that he had a letter back from Don, Raph, Mikey, Splinter, April and Casey, and Leatherhead. He didn't see one from Randall. He figured he would get one in time from him. But he hoped more than anything that Randall understood how sorry he was for the many months of bad treatment.
A few days later, just after the New Year, the Ancient One took Leo to a new place to meditate. He placed a long wooden stick over two cliff edges that were equal to each other and he and Leo went onto it and started a meditation session. Today, the master was teaching Leo how to clear his mind and focus on events behind even more. The breeze was refreshing too.
During the meditation, the Ancient One had a horrible vision; of claws slashing, like those of the Shredder!
His eyes snapped open immediately. "Leonardo!" He stood up. "You must go!"
Leo looked up at him in alarm. "Master, what?"
"You must go, Kamquat. Go home. Bye-bye."
"But Master, there's so much more that you can teach me." Leo questioned.
"Leonardo, your family is in grave danger."
"WHAT?!" Leo jumped off the board in shock. He looked down at his sensei.
The Ancient One nodded his understanding. Leo understood too. "I understand, Sensei." They bowed respectively to each other. Leo then went to the temple to get his things ready.
The Ancient One led him to town when he was ready and he got on another ship that would take him back to New York. He just hoped he would be there in time to help his family.
And a day after Leo left, the letters arrived for the Ancient One, though they were for Leo. He got the letters even though Leo would never read them now. He read them as they were addressed to him as it was. The old man saw the signatures of all he had been told about, except for the one known as Randall. He wondered why, but then, he might send a letter in his own time.
The Ancient One worried that Leonardo wouldn't make it in time to save his family.
…
Many days later, down in the lair, it was mostly a peaceful night. Everyone was getting along in harmony and doing their own thing. They had no idea that Leo was on his way back to help them.
Raphael was beating up on his punching bag. He was somewhat liking a role as a leader, and knew what Leo now had to go through when giving out orders. But he still wanted his big bro back. He would never do quite the job that Leo did. It was good to not be at each other's throats for awhile. It was nice to have the break from all the fighting from before.
Donatello was making some upgrades on the Shell Sub. It was long past due to do it. He was doing the upgrades himself. Randall would have helped, but he wanted to stay home tonight.
Splinter and Mikey were in the living room area. Splinter was watching Mikey build a card stack. It was really awesome. Klunk was beside Mikey.
"That is an impressive edifus, Michelangelo. May I ask how long you have spent building it?" Splinter asked.
"Good question, Sensei. Hey, Raph, what time is it?" Mikey asked his new lead bro.
"Like I wear a watch. Hey, Donny, what time is it?" Raph asked Don next.
"Beats me. Ask Leo." The response didn't go unnoticed. They all looked at or down sadly.
Don got out of his working harness on the submarine. "Sorry. Leo's been gone more than two months, and I still forget he's not here." He said as he came over to the living room.
"Master Splinter, when is that bum coming back anyway?" Raph asked.
"And is Leo coming back normal, or more normal? Before he left, he was acting kinda…" Mikey did a spinning motion with his finger, indicating nuts.
Raph hit him on the head for that one. "OW! Hey!" Mikey said in annoyance. He hated when his brothers did that.
"I do not know, my sons. Leonardo is on a pilgrimage to learn and find answers from the Ancient One. Such things are beyond time."
"Well, I miss having him around." Don said.
"As do we all. We must have faith that he will return to us, when he is ready." Splinter explained.
Don took the rest of his wielding equipment off to watch Mikey finish making his card edifus. He was growing bored with watching it. Raph was proud of seeing his baby brother do something as complicated as making it. He didn't have the patience for it.
Then, suddenly, the alarm went off in the lair. They all gasped. Then it just went silent.
"That shouldn't happen." Don said and he ran over to his computer. "If something triggers the outer alarm, it should keep ringing until I turn it off. It's not supposed to turn off by itself… unless, someone just deactivated our outer alarm system." This was startling news.
Then, there was a banging-loud like footsteps outside the lair. It made the whole lair shake. Raph took out his sais. They all knew this was trouble. "Um, what is that?" Mikey asked in fear. Klunk ran up to Mikey's leg in fear too.
"Whatever it is, it's coming through the front door!" Raph warned. Mikey, Don and Splinter also had their weapons ready.
The shaking continued, even making Mikey's stack of cards fall apart. The door to the lair that was currently closed began to give way, indicating it was something big and strong that could destroy their lair's door. The door crashed to the floor and more walling to the side of it crashed in as well, when some giant machines walked in.
There was some smoke at first, but when it settled, some ninjas came into the room.
"What the? The Foot?!" Mikey said in alarm.
"But how? How did they find us?!" Don asked.
"Don't matter how they found us. They found us! Now let's kick the shell out of 'em!" Raph ordered angrily. He had a hunch who was leading them. He knew he couldn't trust her!
Raph led the charge and they all attacked the ninjas. When Raph got in the middle of some, he yelled, "Get out of my… house!"
Don fought next to Raph and he got knocked down after landing his first blow.
When Mikey faced some, he said, "You know, you guys should really call ahead." Then he got hit into a pillar. He rubbed his head. "Whoa. I don't remember the Foot being this fast, or this powerful. Everybody, watch your backs!" Mikey called out to warn them.
"It's hard enough watching our fronts!" Raph shouted back. He knocked some aside and a machine came up and destroyed a pillar, trying to crush him with it. Raph jumped away before it could. Then the machine prepared its guns for fire on the red masked turtle.
Raph growled and bared his teeth at it. It began firing like a machine gun. Raph jumped onto it to make it stop firing.
The ninjas kept on coming.
Don got in a few more whacks and shouted to his brother, "Raph! There are too many. We have to back off."
"Back off?! This is our home!" Raph replied with a growl. He and Don began backing up. The ninjas had them cornered. Splinter and Mikey were also at their side too.
Now that the turtles and their sensei were cornered, it was time for the leader to reveal themself. The ninjas stepped back. A familiar shape was stepping forward, with the same red eyes.
"Oh, shell!" Raph cringed in his words.
"It can't be him!" Don cried out in fear.
"Master Splinter, is this a chance this is just another mystical attack?" Mikey asked in fear.
Splinter stepped forward. "No, my son. This is real. All too real."
"The Shredder! But, we killed him!" Don exclaimed.
"Yeah, well, it didn't take." Raph snapped.
Four Elite guards appeared. They were wearing different clothes than the ones that worked for Karai. Then the leader spoke. It had a different sounding, but still, a male voice.
"Oruku Saki is gone, thanks to you! But, the Shredder lives on!" The new Shredder declared and removed his helmet. It was Yogami!
"Who are you?" Don asked.
"You don't remember me? I am Yogami. Honor demands revenge, Rat!"
"You dare speak of honor?! Your leader murdered my Master Yoshi! He had no honor!" Splinter exclaimed angrily to this new Shredder.
"You will pay with your lives! Where is Leonardo?!" Yogami demanded as he scanned the number of turtles and saw they were short one of them.
"He ain't here!" Raph stated.
"You know, you just missed him." Mikey said, if a little teasing, but he was still serious about it. "If you leave now, we'll let him know you stopped by."
"You mock me. The fact that you still live mocks me! I don't know what the Shredder's daughter saw in you to be her allies. You are nothing but abominations to be destroyed! Destroy them! Leave no one alive!" Yogami ordered and put his helmet back on.
Ninjas started walking toward them. All four of them jumped to the upper floors, but there were ninjas up there too.
Don tried to get away, but got some blows in. Mikey jumped down and grabbed a rope that let him land in the living room area. The machine tried to land a blow.
"Na! Na! You missed me!" Mikey joked.
The machine took aim with its guns. Mikey jumped away as the guns destroyed the TVs, the furniture, and Mikey's trophy. "NO! My Battle Nexus trophy!" Mikey cried out.
Don had made it to his lab. He was trying to find a helpful gadget. He fought some more ninjas there too. They weren't giving him a chance to get something. Then a machine grabbed a part of a pillar and threw it at him. He jumped off the train car of his lab, but the rock material had now destroyed his lab! Don looked over in panic that his favorite thing in the whole world had been destroyed.
Then the machine tried to fire on him and Don ran. He ran by Splinter's room and a rocket that went off destroyed Splinter's room.
Raph jumped onto the machine and tried to pry it open somewhere to get to some wires to disable it. "Got to open one of these tin cans!" He yelled. The machine's driver then grabbed him with the right hand. It tried to squeeze and threw the turtle away.
Raphael landed on his feet.
Don had made it to the bridge in the middle of the floor. Another machine was made to pick up a piece of metal and threw it towards Don.
"Donny, look out!" Mikey cried out. He had seen it and hurriedly jumped onto the bridge to save Don's life. They both landed on the other floor closest to the walls. They both got up and more ninjas attacked them.
Master Splinter made it to the outside of his room. He hit more ninjas aside as they attacked him. He usually was able to beat them easily. He whacked a final one in the face unconscious before he walked into his room to see what was become of it. He was looking for his master's orb that had been given to him by the Utrom, Mr. Mortu.
Just as he found it, a foot stepped on it and broke it. "Master Yoshi's orb. No!" Splinter cried out in sadness. He looked up at the new Shredder. Yogami had gone in there while he and his sons had been fighting.
"Your family destroyed the best leader we all had! Karai is no leader! I was one of his best fighters. I am Saki's rightful heir!" Yogami proclaimed.
"No one is the rightful heir for being the Shredder! He was nothing but a murderer! I can see that hatred has consumed you! Karai is the rightful leader of the Foot!"
"My band of ninjas are called the Dark Dragons, Rat! Not the Foot! Our days of serving that bitch is over!" Yogami then sliced at Splinter with super speed. He sliced Splinter through his kimono, making some wounds.
Splinter cried out in pain and held the wounds. "You are faster than your former master, I'll give you that. But your dark heart will betray you, just as his did!"
"You are not even worthy to speak of my master, Rodent!" Then he kicked Splinter out of the room, knocking him onto the floor, almost unconscious. Yogami walked out and picked up the rat. "Now I will silence your evil tongue, once and for all!"
A short distance away, Raph saw it happening. "No!"
Don also so it. He saw Raph charge. He yelled and that gave him away. Yogami hit Raph in the chest, making him drop Splinter.
Don then jumped pole vaulted over and kicked the man away from his father, making the helmet come off.
Don came over and picked his father up. "Master Splinter!" Mikey cried out.
"We have to get out of here." Don exclaimed to Raph. The whole family had regrouped for the moment. There were holes all over the walls in the lair by now. This place was not salvageable now.
Ninjas and machines were now taking aim at them all. "Easier said than done." Mikey stated.
"Donny, you take Master Splinter with you! We split up, get out, and meet up again topside! Got it?!" Then a machine tried to bash them in, making them jump off that spot. "Now, let's go! And guys, be careful." Raph told his family. He took off to fight more ninjas to give his family a fighting chance as the leader.
Don had put his bo onto his back and put Splinter over his shoulders. The purple masked turtle kicked away two ninjas and ran. He ran for the sub. They got to the Shell Sub and got in.
"Don't let them escape!" Yogami ordered.
Two machines behind him fired as ordered.
Donatello had managed to get the sub started just as they fired. "Hold on!" he shouted.
The force of the shots freed the sub from its umbilicus hookup because it collapsed. Once it hit the water, Don turned on the lights and hit the gas pedal. They went down deeper. They were on their way out of the tunnels and toward the river.
The exit doors opened and outside was what they least expected to be there; more ninjas! They were all wearing scuba gear and had their own scuba jets/bikes.
Just as Don hit the open water, they set off after him. Don tried to hide behind some junk first. They tried to find him. And they did. He kept on trying to outrun them.
Raphael made a run for the elevator. He hit the button and it opened. Three ninjas followed him in. He growled. They were going to regret following him in here!
Mikey was now the only turtle left in the lair. He was worried about his cat. He wondered where he had gotten to, and hoped the Dark Dragons hadn't harmed him. "Klunk?! Where are ya, Klunk?" he called for the cat.
Then there was a meow. Mikey looked up and his cat was up high. At least he hadn't been harmed by the enemy. "Hold on, Klunk! I'm coming!" Mikey jumped up on the pipe and retrieved his cat friend. "I got ya, pal. Mikey's here."
Mikey and Klunk looked down at a machine stepped forward to try to get at them. It fired at him. He jumped and climbed upward toward his room. The shots followed him, making him run further away from it. Then he jumped again onto the fire escape ramp and the ladder fell, making him scream.
He landed and ran toward another machine as he was fired at again, though it stopped at the other machine, and it tried to grab him. He jumped away from it, and landed on his right side on the yellow floor. He tried to keep Klunk protected at all costs.
One machine started firing again. Another pillar was destroyed and Mikey was chased into Don's other vehicle shop. The firing continued and it destroyed the entrance.
Mikey tried to find cover, and he had a moment to think. He thought of Randall and he was glad Randall wasn't here to see this. Would he have gotten out too? Would he have been able to get away? The lizard was lucky to not be here this time.
Mikey now ran for the Turtle Tunneler. The machine wandered in, looking for him. Mikey started the Tunneler. "Don't worry, Klunk. I've got a plan!" Mikey told his cat. Klunk jumped up next to him. "Here we go!"
Mikey drove the Tunneler to a wall and began drilling through it. It got him out of the lair and the machine flew after him.
The elevator arrived up at the warehouse. The door opened and Raph stepped out and fell to his knees, panting hard. He was getting wore out from out his fighting. But, just when he thought he was going to have a break, the garage door opened up, revealing five more ninjas.
"You gotta be kiddin' me." Raph said.
They ran to get at him. He ran for the Battle Shell.
There were five shurikens thrown his way and he climbed in, where they all got stuck in the door. Raph got his seatbelt on and started the truck. He then pressed the button for a rocket to be fired back at the ninjas blocking his way. It hit in the middle and it got them out of the way. Raph now drove out of the garage and headed south.
Back in what was left of the lair, Yogami gave the orders while his ninjas bowed before him, "In the name of Oruku Saki, hunt them down! Destroy them! They cannot be allowed to live!" The ninjas dispersed. Then he ordered, "And tear this filthy place apart! Leave nothing standing!"
Two machines started firing everywhere and it destroyed the lair's purpose of being the enjoyed place the mutants and their friends had enjoyed for a few years. Nothing was left standing. Yogami laughed evilly. He also ordered one of his men to stay behind in one of the machines just in case any of the turtles decided to come back to pack or anything.
…
In the river, Don and Splinter were still on the run from the ninjas still chasing them in the Shell Sub. The ninjas wouldn't let up and started firing towards the Sub.
"Hold on, Master Splinter," Don said and he tried to pull up hard to avoid their grenades. They exploded behind them, hearing the cranking behind them. The Shell Sub couldn't take much more. It had taken a lot in the past even though it had only been created for a short time.
Don had worked on this machine with Randall before and was glad he wasn't with them this night. He had enough to worry about with his father being injured from the fight.
Then another scuba bike came up in front of them and fired two more grenades, the forced of the blow disconnecting him from the controls. It was a big bump. Don knew he needed to think of something quick if he and his father were going to live through this.
The Shell Sub floated in the water uselessly for a few moments. Don took the controls again, but said, "I don't have enough fire power to fight all of them." Then an idea came to him. "Hang on, Master Splinter. I've got an idea." And he began hitting some buttons.
The Sub came back to life and Don fired two of his own grenades into the sea floor, making sea dirt go everywhere. Don dove for the hole that the Sub had made and the dirt covered the Sub up. It hid them for the moment.
When the dirt cleared, the ninjas were baffled. They couldn't just disappear.
Don quickly gave his father the scuba gear that had oxygen. Splinter put it on to have some air. Then Don opened a door on the side, water quickly coming inside. He took a deep breath and kicked a lever with his left foot on the way out, and he felt a pain erupt in his foot. The door went back up. Don hurried outside beside Splinter. The Shell Sub erupted out of the dirt cover.
The ninjas knew they were hiding. They instantly fired at the runaway Shell Sub. This time, they got it in just the right spot that made it now unusable.
Don and Splinter poked their heads through the sea dirt to see what was happening. The Shell Sub was sinking to the sea bottom like it was dead. It soon exploded.
One of the lead ninjas reported back to Yogami. "Master Yogami, Donatello and the rat have been destroyed."
"Excellent. Most excellent!" Yogami was pleased to hear it. Now there were just two more to hear about, and then he would only have the leader to worry about. He knew Leonardo was alive, because he had seen him over the past months. He hadn't wanted his enemy to know that he was back until the last possible second, which was tonight's attack on them. He aimed to finish them all.
The ninjas moved away from the area, thinking they were dead. Only then, it was safe to emerge from the dirt. By now, Don was needing some air. Splinter saw so and he took a breath of air, then he gave Don the mask so he could get some oxygen. Then they swam upwards toward safety. They would find a way to get in contact with their family again. They were too smart to be able to just be able to be taken down like this. They would find a way.
Once they surfaced, Don took off the scuba mask and let it fall to the sea floor. He and Splinter got on the shore and took a moment to collect themselves.
"What do we do now, Master?" Don asked sadly.
"I do not know, my son. For now, we must take cover and recover before we try to regroup. This has been hard on us all." Splinter replied.
Splinter led the way to the peer. Don followed. They left footprints behind. Soon, they got to a warehouse that looked old and abandoned. It would be good cover for now.
…
Raphael had gotten away in the Battle Shell. He was driving for a place where he might be able to regroup his family afterwards. But then, he noticed a helicopter coming toward his truck. He had to act quick.
He put the truck on autopilot and rushed to the back and got on the Shell Cycle; lucky it was back there. The copter fired two missiled into the truck and there was an explosion. It stopped the Battle Shell and made it fall to its side, but not before Raph jumped out of the back on his bike. The smoke hid his exit.
He sat there looking at the damage for a moment, but knew he had to leave. He couldn't get caught. He had to sacrifice the beloved truck.
The man in the copter then reported, "Master Yogami, the one called Raphael, has been terminated."
"Excellent!" Yogami said. Now just one more. None of his ninjas had seen Leonardo yet, though they were looking.
Raph rode went back around the corned hence he came before the blast, and he was near Coney Island. He drove through a gas station and then under the underpass. He jumped off the Shell Cycle and climbed up the pillar. He also threw his helmet to the ground, it making a crack on impact.
He got up to the tracks and he ran across just as the train was about to go by and did after he got across. This was a good place he deemed. If only they had had a plan if this ever happened again. But they had never planned on this. Sure, Don had had a security system in the lair, and out of the lair, but they had been taken by surprise.
Raph swore he would get revenge on those evil ninjas as soon as possible, but right now, regrouping with his family was more important. They would all need time to recover from this. Sure, he could go to April or Casey's, but it was too risky to be seen topside and going to Leatherhead's might be too dangerous. There were still ninjas in the sewers.
He didn't know what to do for the moment. He needed time to think of something. Raph got to Coney Island and knew it was closed. He jumped the fence and searched for a place to hide for now. He found a bridge to take cover under.
….
Michelangelo and Klunk were still trying to get away from the machine chasing them. Mikey just drilled through the wall again into the train area and straight across. He couldn't get hit by a train.
He got into another sewer and kept trying to get the gears to work. Then he said, "I have an idea, Klunk." He knew what he needed to do.
The machine behind him finally had a clear shot, and he released three missiles. Just as the missiles hit the Tunneler, Mikey opened the door and he had a hold of Klunk and he jumped out into a hole alongside the wall.
The Tunneler hit and rolled hard on the sewer floor. Now it was gone. The man in the machine then reported back, "Master Yogami, Michelangelo is finished."
Yogami was pleased indeed. No one had ever destroyed the turtles before, and now, he had succeeded in destroying one turtle's whole family! Or so he thought. "Excellent!" he replied.
The machine left and that was when Mikey ran back the other way, away from the wreckage. He was mad that this had happened to him and his family. He still had Klunk with him, but now, where were they supposed to go? He ran back towards the area he had drilled and went back to the train area. He found a spot for now. He hoped to be able to reunite with his family soon.
….
With all the turtles and their rat father presumed dead, now Yogami presumed there was only Leonardo left to deal with, again. He would have finished him last time if it hadn't been for his family and friends interfering.
Yogami knew he needed to send a message to his human friends before they came down and got the same treatment. Putting on a trench coat disguise, he went to April O'Neil's shop. Randall was down in the basement, as there was a customer.
April noticed a new customer walk in. "Be with you in just a moment." Yogami looked around and waited for the other customer to leave before he would say anything.
April finished serving the old lady that was there, and she walked out. Then, April turned to the new person, "Thank you for waiting. How may I help you?" she asked.
Yogami had found a flower vase and picked it up. "I am looking for Leonardo." he said.
April knew she couldn't mention his name to people. "Um, Leo. I don't know anyone by that name." Of course, she could get Randall up here too.
"Uh huh. Let us not play games, Miss O'Neil." Yogami stroked the vase carefully. Then he threatened to drop it and April started gasping, not wanting the vase to be broken. "Have you seen him of late?" he asked. He took hold of the vase again.
Since there was no one else in the shop at the moment, April knew she had to reply the right way. "How do you know Leo?" she asked cautiously.
"He tried to destroy my former master, many times. He and his despicable family! They killed him awhile back and I was hoping to leave him a message." Yogami said. He put the vase back down and turned.
"O-kay. What is it?" April asked.
Yogami took out a familiar object and dropped it on her countertop. It landed upside down. "Let him know that I have destroyed his family! He is now the last of his kind! And let him know that his time will come, very soon!" Yogami warned. Then he walked out of the shop.
April gasped, and turned the object over. It was all banged up. It read, 'Sewer Sweet Sewer.' She knew this had been on her friends' wall down in the lair. This meant that their lair was destroyed! She couldn't believe this was happening!
April grabbed the picture and ran down to the basement, shouting, "RANDALL!"
Randall was in his room, fixing himself some lunch when he heard April call out his name in such a frantic way. He had never heard it before. He put the tray down and went to go see what was wrong.
"What's wrong, April?" he asked as she came in.
"We have trouble, Randall!" she said. Tears had begun to fill her eyes.
"What is it?" he asked, ever curious.
She walked over to him and handed him the object. "You remember this?"
Randall took it and replied, "Yes. It's from the turtles' lair. How'd it get here?"
"A man in a disguise just brought it by. It wasn't Casey. He said that he's destroyed our friends! And Leo's next!" April cried frantically. Her tears were falling.
Randall's eyes widened. His friends were gone? This couldn't be! Now he saw why she was crying.
Randall had never been a too emotional person as an adult at least, but this was one time where it couldn't be helped. Leo being off in Japan was the only reason he was still alive.
"I'm glad you weren't down in the lair today." April sobbed.
Randall didn't know what else to do but ended up taking the human woman into his arms and led her to his bed. They both sat down and he held her. She leaned into him and she began to really let loose. His head rested on top of hers. He set the picture down.
Tears began to fill his eyes too. He had never felt for anyone like this before. His bestest friends in the whole world were gone! He vowed vengeance on the party who had done it! He would love to take them out of the picture, for good! His tears of grief finally started to fall with April.
After awhile, April stopped crying just enough to push away from Randall. He had been a big support to her. "Randall, don't go to the lair right now. There might still be someone there, waiting for Leo. They could kill you too. I couldn't bare it if they took you too." she said sadly.
Randall knew she was right. There was nothing they could do. If maybe after a period of time passed, then they could go and see what was left of the lair. He knew his friends wouldn't have gone down without a fight though. They had died a hero's death, as true warriors, in battle. But there was still a hope.
"They might still be alive, April. Until we know for sure, they are out there and alive." Randall tried to get her to cheer up a little. "They wouldn't just let themselves be killed."
"We have to call Casey and let him know to stay away from the lair. It isn't safe." April said. She picked up Randall's phone and dialed.
Casey was working on his bike at home today when his phone went off. It was in the afternoon, so he was up. He picked it up and saw Randall's number on the id. He answered, "Hey, Randall. What's up, man?"
"Casey, it's me, April." He heard on the line.
"Oh, April. What's up, babe?"
"Don't call me 'babe.' But listen Casey, I just got disturbing news to tell you. A Japanese man came into my store and left me something from the turtles' lair. He said he destroyed them all! And Leo's next if ever comes back. I've told Randall, don't go to the lair. It's for our own good right now."
Casey was now in shock. His friends? Gone? Why did this always happen to them?! They were the good guys. This was the second home they had lost in their lives.
"I hope Leo doesn't come back for awhile. You're going to have to write and tell him." Casey said.
"I know, and I will. Just don't go to the lair, no matter how much you want to. There could still be someone there waiting for Leo, or one of his best friends." April explained.
"Alright, April. And thanks for letting me know." Casey said. They hung up.
Casey was now just as mad as April and Randall.
After hanging up with Casey, April then said, "Randall, it probably is just a good idea to stay out of the sewers, period, for awhile."
"We will have to try to find their bodies, April." Randall said, "give them the proper funerals they deserve if they are really dead."
"I know. It hurts to have to wait." April said. She broke down again and Randall held her again.
His tears had fallen, but were gone now. He just held the woman in his arms, letting her grief go. It would only help. He scowled at the walls angrily.
When they separated again, April went upstairs to close the shop. She was in no mood to deal with anymore customers today.
Randall took out a scrapbook of him and his friends. He looked at all the fun times they had had together. He knew he could go in invisibly, but if they used advanced technology, even he could be detected by that. Even he wasn't safe. It was so hard to look at his friends' faces, laughing and smiling and goofing around in those pictures. It made more tears come.
But now, he had to have more faith in Leo, should he ever come home again.
Upstairs, April also dragged out some pictures of her best friends. She wanted justice for her friends, and she knew Casey and Randall would too. She began to write to Leo in Japan. She didn't know if he would get the letter or not, but she hoped he would.