A/N: Wow, these updates are coming like a flood, huh? XD
Here's Chapter 35 for you guys! Sorry it's shorter than I would've liked it to be, but the last one was over 11,000 words or something like that! Plus, that mean more chapters for you! BTW, thank you all SO much for your support, you're all amazing!
I OWN NOTHING! But all I can say is be prepared. Be VERY prepared.
Enjoy!
Chapter 35
"Anger, resentment and jealousy doesn't change the heart of others- it only changes yours."
― Shannon L. Alder, 300 Questions to Ask Your Parents Before It's Too Late
The pink creature's incessant screaming grated like metal against stone in Leonardo's ears as it echoed within the darkened throne room, making him cringe every time it opened its mouth full of disorganized fangs. His scarf obscuring his mouth and nose, the young blue clad turtle watched with a mixture of annoyance, anxiousness and malice as the Kraang alien writhed in the Shredder's unyielding grip, fighting to free itself, but to no avail. That vile creature was going nowhere.
It still baffled him – all of them – why the ninja master had decided to bring that thing to the lair with them in the first place. They'd almost killed them back at the docks with their flying, laser-spewing ship for goodness sakes, and he'd thought it would be a good idea to bring one of them back? What if the thing managed to send out some kind of distress signal or something? Then they would all be doomed for sure.
Leo had always known that Shredder was insane, but even he had to have some semblance of common sense, right?
Looking up at the alien lashing about wildly in his grasp, Shredder glared. "Why were you hunting the turtles?" he asked darkly. The Kraang didn't reply. Instead, it continued to screech.
Sitting with one leg crossed over the other on top of Baxter Stockman's old large toolbox beside Leonardo – who kept as far a distance from the alien as possible by sitting on her left side – Karai raised a brow at her father. "They don't talk much outside their little houses," she said, patting the old robotic Kraang body that she and Leo had brought back with them weeks ago, back when they'd 'accidentally on purpose' created the octo-bug creature…or at least, that was how Karai had put it. Since then, and after Baxter had torn his screwdrivers into it to create Xever's new legs, it was rusty with misuse, missing both of its arms, and parts of its blue outer shell were cracked or had been ripped off completely. However, the area in the stomach where the aliens themselves were usually found had been left untouched.
Turning to glance down at the body, Shredder slammed the creature inside the little hole unceremoniously. After a moment of protesting and squirming, the Kraang settled inside the body, shutting its eyes as the body slowly reactivated, lighting up and emitting a high pitched whine.
When the droid suddenly reared its head and began to move what remained of its dismembered body, Leo instantly tensed, his left hand already reaching back for his katana as he stared with wide, guarded eyes at the creature that had made his life a living nightmare for far too long.
Standing on his left, Tiger Claw had been watching the events unfold without a word, but had mostly been watching his son in particular. Ever since Shredder had brought the accursed thing back to his lair, Leonardo had been on the edge, never once taking his eyes off the alien, lest it suddenly jumped out and attacked him. Now, he was on the verge of slicing the thing in two as it twitched and squirmed where it lay. However, Tiger Claw slowly reached out to lay a steadying paw on the hand that held the hilt of the blade with a white-knuckled grip, appeasing him for now as he released the hilt and lowered his arm back to his side.
Shredder had brought that urchin with them for a reason; he couldn't let Leonardo go into a panic and slay it until they figured out why.
Karai, as if reading Tiger Claw's mind and sympathizing with his son's tension and anxiety, discreetly reached out and laid her tiny hand atop Leo's. Shredder hadn't noticed, but Tiger Claw had, and he fought the urge to smile as Leo tugged his scarf down from his face and sent her a nod of gratitude, which she returned with a lopsided smile. The young girl was brash and unruly at times, but Tiger Claw knew that despite this, she would always have Leo's back, no matter what.
Finally, the robot had stopped its twitching, and directed its emotionless metal gaze up at the Shredder. "K-K-Kr-Kra-Kraang is lacking the knowledge to answer the questions that the one known as Shredder is asking of Kraang," it said.
Whilst an unpleasant shiver ran down Leo's spine at the sound of the Kraang's chilling robotic monotone, Shredder only raised a brow. "…do they all speak like this?" he asked, turning to the other three occupants of the throne room. In unison, they all nodded with flat expressions.
"Yes," said Tiger Claw.
"Uh-huh," muttered Leo.
"Yep," shrugged Karai. "It gets pretty annoying."
"Even if Kraang is possessing the knowledge," the Kraang continued, recapturing their attention once more as they all turned to look down at it, "the one known as Shredder will never be getting that knowledge from Kraang."
Gently slipping his hand from underneath Karai's gentle hold, Leo folded his arms over his chest. "I suppose that means he's not going to talk," he mused.
Smirking, Karai leaned back casually and looked up at her father. "You didn't have any other plans for today, did you?" she asked.
Instead of replying, Shredder narrowed his discolored eyes at the insolent creature that had dared to deny him. "Let's try again," he said, before turning to the two mutants. "Leonardo. Come."
His eyes darkening – why the hell was he talking to him as if he were a dog? – Leo nodded once silently, before standing up from the toolbox and making his way over to where the Kraang droid lay. The creature's green eyes snapped open at his movement, following every move he made as he drew closer, sending a very unpleasant tremor throughout his whole body. But he dared not let Shredder or the Kraang – or his father – to see his weakness.
With lightning speed, Leonardo drew his sword and held its tip dangerously over the Kraang's face. His expression was dark and unmerciful, and he snarled coldly as the helpless alien life-form screeched in fear, its eyes locked on the blade hovered inches over its face as it froze.
Beside Leonardo, Shredder let out a light grunt of approval, of which the turtle took very little heed of, and then he turned back to glower at the frightened creature. "Why were you hunting the turtles?" he repeated warningly, his tone promising death should it defy him a second time. However, the Kraang had gotten the message, and predictably, it started talking.
"The ones known as the turtles are protecting the life-form needed by Kraang!" it exclaimed. "The one known as April O'Neil."
Leo's eyes widened, the murderous glimmer within them vanishing in an instant as he stifled a horrified gasp. The Kraang…they were after April? As in the young, redheaded, freckled-face kunoichi in training that he'd come to see as a dear friend, almost like second sister? They couldn't be…
During their first meeting together in the park, April had told him fleetingly about how she'd lost her father after he'd been kidnapped by the Kraang several months ago. However, she'd mentioned nothing about her being the one they were truly after. Was it because she'd been too afraid to tell him? Or was she even aware that an entire race of aliens wanted her?
But why? Why, out of all the humans in New York, all the humans in the whole world, did the Kraang want April O'Neil?
Seemingly unaware of Leo's sudden spark of terror and confusion, Shredder continued to glare down at the Kraang still frozen underneath the turtle's blade. "Who is this April O'Neil?" he probed with a newfound interest that made Leo want to slit his throat more than ever before.
"She is the one known as 'The One'," the Kraang explained. "She is the link that is missing in the plan which is the plan of Kraang."
As he listened to the Kraang's jumbled English, Leo's brows furrowed in further confusion. April was 'The One'? She was the 'missing link' in their plan? What the heck was that supposed to mean? And what kind of diabolical plan involved capturing an innocent, ordinary human girl? What did she have to do with taking over the world?
"Interesting."
Jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of another voice, Leo turned his head to glance over his shoulder at Karai, though he kept his blade poised above the Kraang.
Still smirking, she lifted her eyes up from the robot alien, and met his inquisitive gaze. "So, this April O'Neil is at the center of everything," she said, though her voice had a strangely ominous tone laced with her amusement.
Then her smirk fell away, replaced with a deep frown. A frown that Leo recognized as the one she used when she was deeply upset with him…
Then Leo felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at Karai.
She knew. She knew about him and April.
His hunch had been right all along; she had been the one spying on him that night after he'd left the lair for Central Park. And yet, he'd ignorantly denied it, thinking that Karai would never have done such a thing, despite how many hints there had been in her manner when he'd returned, and in the things that had slipped out of her mouth.
Karai knew about April. And worse, she knew about his lies.
Oh no.
"Then perhaps we can use her to draw the turtles out of hiding," Shredder said, snapping both teenagers out of their reverie as they looked up at their master instead. Turning to the two mutants, Shredder then said, "Leonardo, Tiger Claw, you are dismissed for now."
In response, Tiger Claw bowed once, and Leo sheathed his sword, swearing he heard the Kraang hiss out a sigh of relief from its fangs once the blade was removed from its face. Tiger Claw then beckoned Leo to follow him out of the throne room, and the turtle complied without a word as he trailed behind him. However, he could feel Karai's piercing gaze on him as he walked past, and it took everything he had in him to not react or even look at her as he clenched his fist at his side and kept walking, his eyes focused straight ahead.
However, his mind was a mangled mess of emotions and paranoid thoughts raging within him over everything he'd just heard.
April was the key to the Kraang's plan? Shredder was going to use her as bait to lure his brothers out into the open? As if things hadn't been bad enough beforehand. Could they possibly get any –?
"Karai, find this girl. And bring her to me."
Leo stopped once again, letting his father walk on without him, as Shredder's words froze his heart to ice.
Whirling around, Leo was just in time to watch as Karai smiled up at her father, nodding her head once before standing up and walking away, heading towards the doors. As she passed Leo, her smile never wavered…but that murderous blaze behind her amber eyes had returned with a vengeance.
And now, as his innards twisted with dread and his hands trembled at his sides, Leo understood exactly why.
It was early the next morning when Leonardo rushed out of his room, leaving Tiger Claw to rest a few moments longer, to search for Karai, praying that she hadn't already left the lair for her mission. He hadn't slept a wink last night, for his thoughts had been reeling frantically, debating on whether or not he should even attempt to try and stop Karai. She already knew about his relationship with April, so there was no point in beating around the bush any longer. But he was worried, if not terrified, of how Karai would react if he chose to bring it up now, moments before her mission, and then try to stop her.
Of course, she'd be mad at him. But just how mad was the real question.
Finally, he spotted her. She'd just reached the front doors of the old church, dressed in her favorite black leather jacket with spikes on the shoulders, black gloves with similar spikes on the knuckles (though she'd left her broken hand bear aside from the bandages) worn out jeans, and her thick black boots. Any other day, Leo would've been glad to see her in such casual attire, for it meant that she'd been given the day off.
However, that smile was back again, one that spoke of grim satisfaction and excitement. And considering what she was about to go out and do, it wasn't the most pleasant of sights for Leo.
Rushing over, Leo reached out and grabbed Karai's arm just before she opened the door, drawing her to stumbling halt as she turned to glare at him, her mouth set into a deep frown. Yep, she was pretty upset.
"Karai, you can't do this," he said, his expression firm but his voice pleading as he gripped her arm tighter. "No matter what Shredder says, you can't go after April O'Neil."
The girl raised a brow at him. "Oh? And why is that, Leonardo?" she probed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Leo's gaze hardened, undeterred by her foul attitude. "Think about it," he began, praying that he could somehow get through to her, persuade her not to hunt his friend down, even though a part of him already knew that it was too late for that. "If the Kraang want her for whatever plan they have, then it can't be anything good considering that their ultimate goal is to, y'know, take over the world!"
However, much to Leo's dismay and growing frustration, Karai's scowl deepened. "Oh, is that so?" she droned, tugging her arm out of his grip forcefully as she planted her hands on her hips, being mindful of her bandaged hand. "Are you sure that's the only reason why? Or is it because you're afraid I'll hurt this little 'secret friend' of yours?"
His breath hitching testily, Leo narrowed his eyes at Karai, his fists clenched and shoulders bristling with anger. But he wasn't angry at her. Not yet.
He knew she was mad at him for going behind her back again, for keeping another secret from her, and for meeting with someone close to or affiliated with the clan run by the man responsible for her mother's death. And she had every right to be mad at him. But back in the throne room the previous night, something about the way she'd smiled when Shredder had given her the order to go after April had unsettled him very much.
It was almost as if Karai wanted to hurt April. To drag her to the lair by her hair, toss her at her father's feet, and then leave her at the mercy of the Shredder and the Kraang. That was what angered Leo.
Leonardo loved Karai. She was his best friend, his sister. But he just couldn't let her hurt April. He'd made a promise to keep her safe, to let no harm come to her. He couldn't break that promise.
"Karai, listen to me," he said, his voice lowered and patient but steady as he looked her straight in the eye. "I know you're furious with me for not telling you about April, and I'm sorry. I really am. You have every right to be furious. But whatever you have against April, you can take it out on me, because I can't let you bring her to Shredder –"
"Do you realize what you're asking me to do, Leonardo?" Karai seethed, prodding Leo in the chest with an accusing finger as she narrowed her golden eyes at him. "You're asking me to go against Shredder's direct orders, and for what? So you can protect that princess you've been talking to? She's a wannabe kunoichi with the Hamato Clan! She's with the brothers that betrayed us both just so they could take my father out by surprise! What makes you think you can trust her either? For all you know, she's probably just using you to –"
"April would never do that to me," Leo snapped harshly, slapping Karai's hand away from his chest. In his sudden burst of anger and resentment, feelings that he'd never directed at Karai before, the words began to tumble out of his mouth before he could stop them. "If she can trust me, then I know I can trust her, too. She's nothing like my brothers; she's not a backstabbing liar or a spy, which is more than I can say for the likes of them, or Shredder, or you!"
Karai's eyes flew open wide, filled with hurt and shock at Leo's words that cut her like a knife. But only for a moment, for in the next, her glare had returned tenfold, her teeth grinding together as she growled.
"Really, Leo? Really?!" she shouted, getting Leo's face, their noses almost touching, but he didn't back down, and instead glared right back at her as she continued to shout. "Because the last time I checked, the backstabbing liar was you, always sneaking off to chat with your little baby brothers or that perky little witch, without telling Tiger Claw or me, the ones you always said you trust and care about so much! Well, from where I'm standing, I think it's pretty obvious where your loyalties really lie, who you really care about!"
Stomping past him, Karai rammed her shoulder into his, making him stumble as he glowered after her. "If you like them so much," she spat over her shoulder as she marched back towards the door, "why don't you go with them instead?! We don't need you here! You can crawl into whatever dirty pile of sewage they came out of for all I care! That's where you really belong!"
Snarling through his clenched teeth in rage as he watched her leave, unable to move his feet from where they stood frozen in place, Leo ignored the stabbing pain in his heart as he raised a hand, insentiently, to grab the hilt of his katana. "You..." he yelled after her. "I never even wanted to be here in the first place, you little –"
"That is enough!"
A hand, one larger and furrier than his own, snatched Leo's raised hand by the wrist before it could even touch the hilt of his sword. He instantly whipped his head around, still snarling like a wild animal. But as soon as he noticed who it was, his snarl fell away.
His eyes widened to find Tiger Claw standing over him, his wrist held fast in his unyielding grip. The old tiger's face was set into a firm, disappointed frown as he looked down at Leo…and it was a look he had never wanted to see, not from Tiger Claw…
Leo's glare vanished entirely, and he shrunk under his father's gaze. "…did you see?" he asked, his voice having lost its power, and was now reduced to a mere timid mumble.
Tiger Claw nodded once. "Yes, I saw. And I heard," he said.
Utterly ashamed, Leo lowered his gaze to the floor. Tiger Claw was right to be disappointed in him. What he'd done behind their backs with the Hamato Clan, and what he'd just said to Karai…how could he have been so mean, so heartless, to her of all people? Yes, what she'd said and done was just as harsh, but it was he who'd began it. He'd lied to her first, abused and betrayed her trust in him, straining their bond…
And in a way, Karai was right. He didn't belong with them. He had no place with her, or with Tiger Claw. He was no better than his brothers were. He was no better than Hamato Yoshi…
Perhaps it probably would be better if he left them for good. They clearly didn't need him anymore…
Tiger Claw then sighed heavily, shaking his head slowly. Leo was certain he was going to confirm his fears, that he was going to send him away for hurting and betraying Karai, for betraying him, for betraying the clan…but instead, he began to walk down the hallways, taking Leo with him, for hadn't released his wrist from his firm grip just yet. Confused but not willing to ask questions or fight it, Leo allowed him to pull him along as they stepped into…the dojo?
Since it was still rather early for the other members of the clan to be up and training, the dojo was currently empty, leaving the young turtle and his father to do whatever it was that the tiger intended to do without being interrupted. Releasing Leo's wrist, Tiger Claw left him standing in the center as he turned to shut the door behind him, and then walked back over to Leo, who hadn't moved an inch. His head was lowered and his arms pressed against his sides. His eyes were as downcast as ever, filled with overwhelming guilt and sorrow, focused on the ground even as Tiger Claw approached him.
This was it. This was the part where he sent him away –
"Draw your swords, Leonardo."
Leo's brows furrowed in confusion, and he finally looked up at the tiger. "…huh?" he muttered.
His expression unreadable, Tiger Claw drew out his own sabre from its sheath, attaining a fighting stance. "We are going to spar, my student," he said. "I have been overlooking our training sessions for too long…as well as many other things. Now, I am going to change that. Draw your swords."
Blinking hard, Leo nodded once hesitantly, before doing as he was ordered as he drew out his katana blades, spinning them before taking up his own fighting stance. Eyeing his current opponent with wariness, his mind reeled once more. He still had no idea what was going on, or what his father was planning, especially after everything that had just happened. But if his master wanted to spar, then so be it. It would relieve him of some of the tension and frustration, which was exactly what he needed right now.
And perhaps that was what his father had in mind.
Tiger Claw charged at him with a roar. Narrowing his eyes and clenching his teeth, Leonardo charged as well with a loud shout, and their blades clashed.
Her fists were shaking, so much so that she was forced to stuff her hands into her pockets as she walked briskly down the road. With her head lowered, her amber eyes narrowed and her brows knitted together, she scowled down at the concrete as if attempting to burn holes into the ground. Any pedestrians that saw her coming avoided eye-contact, and wisely moved out of her way as she stalked passed.
Leonardo…that jerk. That stupid, lowlife, jerk. How dare he accuse her of being the backstabbing liar, when from the very beginning it'd been him that had lied to her, snuck off into the night and met up with that yellow-clad prissy. He was the one who'd broken her trust so many times in the space of a few months. He was the one who'd hurt her…
"April would never do that to me…she's nothing like my brothers; she's not a backstabbing liar or a spy, which is more than I can say for the likes of them, or Shredder, or you!"
"I never even wanted to be here in the first place, you little –"
Karai shook her head firmly, growling under her breath as she sharply turned a corner and entered a dark alleyway. She knew how much Leo hated being in the Foot Clan; killing people day and night, stealing, being forced to move away from his home into unfamiliar lands, all the while under the watchful eye and command of the Shredder, it had slowly begun to rot him away from the inside out. But he'd stayed in the Foot because of her and Tiger Claw, because they were all he had in the world.
He cared about them. He loved them.
But a lot could change in a few months. And it was clear that Leonardo had definitely had a change of heart.
If he wanted to be with his real family so bad, the family that had abandoned him to his death at three years old in the middle of a forest, the family that had been raised and trained under the man that had killed her mother, then fine. If he wanted to leave Tiger Claw, and leave her, replace her with that ginger wannabe kunoichi brat, then fine.
Karai was better off on her own anyways. Shredder had always said so.
Taking her hands out of her pockets now that they'd stopped trembling with fury, Karai approached a fire escape and jumped up, grabbing the metal railings with both hands and hauling herself up with ease. Once she let go of the railings and landed on the first set of stairs, she hissed through her teeth in pain, looking down at her bandaged hand –
She froze, staring at the binds wrapped carefully around her hand.
Leonardo had done that for her. He'd been so gentle, his touch so light that she'd barely felt it. He needn't have done it for her; she could've easily done it herself without his help. But he had, because he…cared.
Well, he had cared. Now, Karai wasn't so sure. But that suited her just fine, right? Karai didn't need anyone else but herself, right?
Right…?
Karai made a face, shaking her head again as she climbed up the metal staircase that led to the rooftop. From up there, she could get a better view of the city, and a better idea of where to look for her new target. From what Xever had told her and Shredder, the other turtles liked to hang around the restaurant of the old blind Japanese chef, Murakami. And, if she remembered correctly, it was already getting closer to the afternoon, when most people would be migrating to the nearest café for lunch. If the girl was friends with the turtles, she would undoubtedly visit the same places they went to.
And just then, as she peered from atop the roof of an old magic shop, she spotted her.
A redheaded, yellow-clad speck was weaving her way through the crowds with a chipper smile on her rounded, freckled face. She was completely unaware that she was being watched from above.
Pathetic. Even a novice kunoichi should be able to feel another's eyes on her. Yet clearly, she hadn't felt a thing, and continued on her way towards Murakami's as if all was right with the world.
Karai smiled devilishly, her eyes locked onto the girl like a hawk would watch its prey.
This was going to be very entertaining indeed.
A lot had been on April's mind these past few days, and despite the smile on her face, the thoughts had put a damper on her mood.
After the ordeal with Leonardo and Karai at the docks, the turtles had returned to the lair looking very downcast as they trudged through the turnstiles. Neither April or Splinter had to ask to know what had likely transpired, but their master had gathered them all into the dojo to ask them regardless. April had arrived earlier that day to go through some katas with Splinter, but when he'd called the meeting, she'd almost stepped out of the dojo, feeling that she would've been prying into their affairs too much. But Splinter had quickly erased those thoughts when he'd put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.
"This is a family meeting, April," he'd said, offering her a kind smile. "That means everyone is entitled to attend."
Those words from her sensei, the man who had quickly become a father figure to her in the absence of her real father, had warmed her heart immensely.
But soon enough, the warmth had slowly diminished when Donatello told them what had happened at the docks.
They'd gone against their deal with Leo and Karai, and had decided to ambush Shredder instead, using a device that Donnie had quickly put together beforehand. Of course, everything went utterly wrong when Karai had knocked Shredder out of the way with seconds to spare, and had resulted in Shredder finding them and facing off with Raphael and Michelangelo, leaving Donatello to deal with a rather livid Leonardo, for reasons that remained unknown to the rest of them…except April.
Donnie mentioned there had been a mutant with Shredder at the docks, one that they'd never seen before; a big – very big – mutant tiger creature armed to the teeth with weapons, and clad a blue scarf. It had taken everything in her power as a kunoichi – and as a girl with common sense – to not gasp in front of them all at the revelation.
The reason why Leonardo had acted out as Donnie described was because instead of shocking the Shredder with Donnie's weapon, they'd electrocuted Leo's father.
Ho boy…
And as if things couldn't have been any worse, they also discovered that Karai was Shredder's daughter.
And as a servant under the Shredder, and the best friend of Karai, Leonardo was honor bound to protect him at all costs. That, and the fact that if he didn't, Karai would be an orphan.
As she walked down the street, nearing the Japanese restaurant that she and her turtle brothers loved so much, April fought the urge to sigh and pinch the space between her brows in exasperation as she gripped the strap of her messenger bag instead. April could sympathize with Leo's resolve; if she'd been in the same position, and Karai had been her best friend, she would've done everything to ensure that she never ended up on her own, especially since April had felt the sting of losing a parent before…twice. But even so, it sucked that her father had to be their worst enemy, as well as the man that Leo so desperately wanted to get away from. In a way, it was pretty ironic.
And that wasn't their only problem. Just when they'd been so close, so very close, to possibly getting Leo to change his mind and listen to what they had to say about everything that'd happened so long ago, everything had come spiraling down again just as quickly.
At this rate, April would be surprised if Leo ever wanted to see her again, let alone his younger brothers, in fear of facing yet more betrayal.
Which then begged the question…when was she going to finally tell the brothers what she'd been doing with Leo?
It wasn't fair on them, or Splinter, for her to keep such a huge development a secret from them, especially since this was their brother she was meeting up with, their flesh and blood, whom they'd missed for twelve long years of their lives. They deserved to know what they'd been doing, what they'd talked about together…but then April had sworn to Leo that she'd never tell anyone what he'd said to her. She'd made a promise to him, one that she knew no matter how much she loved his brothers or their Sensei, she would never break. But even so…
"Why does everything have to be so hard?" she muttered to herself under her breath.
Well, today the turtles had another mission. The Kraang were up to something once more, and the boys had ventured off – to the bottom of the East River, funnily enough – to put a stop to their evil schemes. April, on the other hand, whilst she'd rather be with them on the front lines helping them fight, she had an essay due first thing on Monday morning, and she'd put it off long enough. In in all honesty though, her homework would probably help her take her mind off the millions of other problems that had been pressing upon her during the past few weeks, including the most recent incident involving Kraang water that mysteriously didn't burn her skin off.
And a little 'pizza gyoza' before she got to work wouldn't hurt either.
As she approached the shop, however, something unusual caught her eye. Raising a brow as she drew closer and stooped down to her knees, she realized it was some sort of strange vending machine of sorts, with pictures and the scribbled Japanese names of the types of food you could buy and eat in the shop.
"Hm. This is new," April mused aloud, her brows furrowing in confusion. "What is this thing?"
As she continued to hopelessly stare at the machine, she wasn't aware of the footsteps approaching from behind, until a dark clad figure was standing right beside her.
"Oh, that's how you order."
Partly startled, April looked up at the figure – it was an Asian girl about her age, clothed in a dark jacket and faded blue jeans, with ear piercings and dark makeup to match, and the bottom of her hair dyed blonde. The girl took out a coin from her pocket and inserted it into the machine before pressing one of the buttons, and a wooden chip fell out. "They have these in Tokyo," she explained as she bent down and picked up her chip, showing it to April. "You give this to the chef."
April blinked up at the girl once, surprised that she'd shown up seemingly from out of nowhere, but soon returned the smile with a relieved one of her own. "Oh, thanks," April said, turning to the machine and popping in her coin into it. Pressing the button with the picture of the 'pizza gyoza' on it, she then picked up her chip and stood up, rubbing her thumb over it. Now that she really looked at it, it was pretty neat; since Murakami was blind, he would be able to know what the customer wanted to order by rubbing his fingers over the words and pictures carved into the chip.
Huh. Cool.
"Mind if I join you?" the girl asked pleasantly, and then shrugged one shoulder, almost as if she was embarrassed or shy to ask her such a request.
But April nodded to her encouragingly. "Sure, why not?" she said, leading the way to the shop. A little company whilst she ate wouldn't hurt. After all, it'd been a while since she'd had any human friends. Not that the turtles weren't already great friends, that is. It was just that April often missed the normalcy her life once had, when she didn't have to worry about raging mutants, or robot aliens, or ninjas chasing her everywhere she turned.
Besides, this girl didn't seem so bad. Sure, she looked like the type of girl that could take your head off without breaking a nail or even so much as batting an eye, but if being with the turtles and Splinter had taught her anything, it was that appearances were deceiving, right?
Karai could've laughed. Really, this was all far too easy.
Well, to be fair, Karai was already a master of deception, and always found it easy to trick and evade even the sharpest of people, apart from Tiger Claw (most of the time) and her father (of course), but still, she found this far too hilarious. To think, one of the pupils of the great Hamato Yoshi could be so unbearably blind to the danger she'd just put herself in. It was clear that he had not taught her well.
Meeting the girl in person, Karai quickly found that April O'Neil was, to put it bluntly, the definition of an average sweetheart. She was pleasant, kind, polite, and kind of pretty…pretty much the exact opposite of Karai.
The common saying was that opposites attract, and in this case, it was true…opposites attracted trouble. And trouble was exactly what the little girl was going to get.
And it was exactly what she deserved for daring to try and writhe her way between her and Leo any more than she already had. It was her fault that Leonardo was slowly itching towards Hamato Yoshi, with her charm, her cutesy clumsiness, her pretty face…
But as much as Karai yearned to strike out at her now, like a snake eager to lash out and trap its prey within its venomous jaws, she knew she couldn't make any moves, not yet. She had to make sure that April was comfortable in her presence first. That way, she wouldn't suspect it when Karai eventually unveiled herself and took her down by surprise.
Only then could Karai have some fun toying with her.
The two girls entered the restaurant together, the little bell atop the door ringing merrily as April opened it. "Hi, Murakami-san!" she called in greeting to the blind chef stirring a pot in the center of the kitchen as she held the door open for Karai.
At the sound of her voice, the old man lifted his head, turning in their general direction as he smiled, his unseeing eyes glittering happily behind the dark shade. "April-chan, how are you?" he asked fondly, feeling his way over to the benches were his customers sat down to eat, until he was standing in front of the two girls, just as April put down her chip. Patting the counter until he felt the small wooden object, Murakami picked it up and rubbed his thumb across it, feeling the pattern. Then he smiled. "Ah! Pizza Gyoza!" he said delightedly.
April grinned. "Hai. Cho oishi," she said.
Karai blinked in surprise as she sat down on the stool beside April. Her accent was terrible and her pronunciation left much to be desired, but still, a part of her – too deep down to properly dig up again once she'd buried it – was partly impressed. "You speak Japanese?" she asked her.
Turning to her, April nodded. "Well, I picked up a few words from…my brothers," she faltered with a nervous laugh.
Karai raised a brow, feigning interest. "Brothers? How many?" she asked.
"Four of them," she replied, shaking her head with a fond roll of her eyes.
At that, Karai's eye twitched of its own accord.
Four of them, huh? I wonder where the fourth one came from…
A spark of fire lit up in the pit of her chest, and if one looked closely enough, they would see how it reflected in her amber orbs as she regarded the other girl coolly. But as quickly as it had come, the spark was gone again as Karai's eyes widened with surprise. "Oooh, really? Four of them? They sound like quite the bunch. Tell me about them," she probed.
"Oh, you know," April snickered awkwardly, her eyes drifting to the side. Her whole manner shifted from casual to nervousness, despite her futile efforts to hide it as she searched for the right words. Words that wouldn't give her little 'secret' away. "They're just…crazy…"
"Animals?" Karai finished for her, watching April closely as she rested her chin in her left palm with a coy, knowing smile. April jolted with surprise, but only slightly, before turning to Karai and regarding her silently, as if she were trying to decipher something. From the look in her crystal blue eyes, it was obvious that she was attempting to read Karai's expressions for anything fabricated or suspicious…but this time, Karai had come prepared.
This time, her inner emotions and true intentions had been all but locked away. There was nothing to read on her now, except what she chose to reveal. Which, to April, wasn't nearly enough to convince her that something was wrong.
Finding nothing suspicious, or mistaking it for something else, April's smile returned, and her shoulders slumped as she visibly relaxed. "Pretty much," she said with a small chuckle.
Nodding, Karai decided to quickly change the subject. "Although, I've never heard of 'pizza gyoza' back in Tokyo," she mused, tapping her finger against her chin thoughtfully.
"That's because Murakami invented it. You should try one."
"That sounds great! You should try some of mine," Karai offered kindly.
April's smile brightened as she nodded with a light giggle. "Done!"
With that, Karai put down her wooden chip, allowing Murakami to move over to her and pick it up, running his fingers over the small carving. However, he suddenly looked rather uncomfortable as he froze, his breath hitching in his throat. Quickly regaining himself, not wanting to seem rude or reluctant to serve his customer, he nodded to her. "H-Hai," he stammered, before turning around and setting up to prepare their meals.
In truth, like Murakami, a fraction of Karai felt rather sick to the stomach with the thought of what she'd just ordered. She'd sworn off ever eating this certain dish again once she'd met her brother; to her, it had been as close as she'd ever get to cannibalism.
However, she quickly got over it. She wasn't going to be the one eating it anyways.
"What's your name?" Karai then asked the other girl politely.
"I'm April," she replied brightly.
Inwardly, Karai smirked. Clearly, someone was happy to be making a new friend, despite being surrounded be people – mutants – that heeded her every beck and call.
Karai then put on her sweetest, most innocent smile, partly to fool the ignorant princess that she, too, was happy to be making a new friend. And partly because she knew that she was really going to enjoy these next few minutes.
"My name's Harmony."
"HYAH!"
Metal clanged and rang within the four walls of the dojo as father and son battled, sharp and violent strikes and kicks bartered in the blink of an eye as the two warriors fought. Sweat was tricking down Leonardo's face, his joints and muscles were aching and screaming for rest, but his eyes and his mind were focused on the task at hand, focused on reading his Sensei's next movements, focused on his own defense and attack…
And determined to keep his emotions at bay.
This was no time to let his earlier feelings – his anger, frustration, hopelessness, guilt and fear – cloud his mind, not whilst he was training, not in front of his father, who was already disappointed in him for his actions towards Karai. Perhaps this was a test, to see if he was truly strong enough, truly worthy enough, to stay with him, regardless of his hatred towards the leader of the clan. Perhaps, if he managed to beat Tiger Claw, he could –
"Are you ready to tell me what is going on, Leonardo?" Tiger Claw suddenly asked as their blades met again, both wielders' arms trembling with effort to keep the other at bay.
At the question, Leo raised a brow, bewildered. "Huh?" he grunted through clenched teeth as he pushed against the tiger's sabre. "You didn't seriously bring me here to ask me about what happened with Karai, right?"
The tiger narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I did," he said, shoving Leo away from him with a mighty push before charging for him again whilst he was off-balance. But Leo was quick to regain it, and he brought up both swords to block the downward swing of his sabre. "Do not think I haven't noticed how anxious you had become after the Kraang had mentioned that girl, April O'Neil," he continued, watching Leo's eye twitch. "And from what I overheard, you know this girl personally, and you were very reluctant to allow Karai to follow Shredder's orders. Would you care to explain?"
Hands tightening around the hilts of his blades, Leo narrowed his eyes. "No, thanks!" Leo growled, planting a hard kick into Tiger Claw's stomach.
Quickly recovering from the blow, Tiger Claw stood to full height again, his stance relaxed, but ready. "And why is that?" he asked calmly. "Do you fear that I will think of you as a liar and a traitor, just as Karai seems to think?"
His breath hitching, Leo slowly lowered his swords from their guarded position, but his grip on them tightened further as he turned his head away from his teacher, azure eyes alight with anger…and sadness. "…yes," he muttered at last.
Then, his fists began to tremble his brows furrowing as he turned to face the old tiger again. "But Karai, she…she just doesn't understand!" he cried, commencing their battle once more as he bounded towards Tiger Claw, blades raised. "Neither of you understand!"
Inwardly, as he parried his son's blows one after the other, Tiger Claw was smiling. His plan had started to take effect.
When he'd heard the two young cubs shouting in the hallway shortly after he awoke, he'd known that it had been more than just a minor argument. They had butted heads in the past, of course, but not in the way Tiger Claw had witnessed earlier that morning. And never before had he heard such harsh words exchanged, spat out like venom from the angry jaws of a serpent, before Karai had marched out of the lair. He'd barely had time to stop Leonardo from outright attacking her whilst her back was turned…
It was clear that whatever had gotten between them, whatever had happened in his absence, it was tearing them apart very quickly. And from what he'd picked up, it had something to do with that O'Neil girl that Shredder and the Kraang were after.
Under different circumstances, such as the time the pair of cubs had gone out to search for the Kraang without his knowledge and had returned with one of their robot bodies, Tiger Claw would've taken him aside and talked to him about the matter, letting him open up to him, and then figure out a way to solve the issue peacefully. However, this time was different. Leonardo's anger had grown too fierce, and merely talking was not going to do much to appease such burning anger. And so, the old cat had gone for a different approach.
Sparring sessions often helped the turtle to relax, to find peace of mind after a long hard day and to loosen up. With the right company, he even found it enjoyable. But in this case, it was to help him release his frustration, to let it out on someone who could take it – that 'someone' being Tiger Claw himself, of course – whilst confessing the feelings he'd fought to bury.
So far, it was starting to work. All Tiger Claw had to do was keep him talking, keep him moving, and keeping asking him questions. Perhaps then, he could get to the bottom of this…and make up for all the times he hadn't been there to help him before it escalated to this.
"Why do you think we cannot understand, Leonardo?" Tiger Claw asked him, still parrying blows as they practically danced and leapt about the dojo.
"Because aside from you and Karai, I have no one to talk to!" Leo growled over the clanging of steel against steel. "Inside the Foot Clan, I'm always being watched from the shadows, by one of the soldiers or by Shredder himself, and I can never feel safe, not here! But out there, with April, I felt like…like…like I could say what I wanted, I could do what I wanted, and I wasn't afraid!"
As the kicks and punches continued, Tiger Claw listened intently to what his son was telling him. In truth, a part of him was quite relieved, happy almost, to know that Leonardo had chosen to fully trust another human girl with his secrets, which would in turn draw him closer to his brothers and his true clan, where he would finally find the happiness he deserved so much. But he was also very shocked to know that his child had become afraid, paranoid enough to think that felt he had to escape to see the girl, that he was no longer safe even in the company of his surrogate sister or his own father, because of Shredder's watchful eyes…
"I see," Tiger Claw said, swinging his leg behind Leo's knees to trip him up, but the turtle leapt over his leg and swing his foot at his face with a spinning back-kick, narrowly missing as the giant cat stepped backwards. "But you still haven't told me why you think we wouldn't understand. Did you think we would resent you for seeking solace outside of the Foot?"
Landing on his feet and panting from exertion, Leo hesitated for a moment, looking down at his feet as he gathered his thoughts. Tiger Claw didn't attack, instead allowing him to think.
"I…I thought you wouldn't," he said at last through exhausted puffing. "You wanted me to get closer to my brothers…and I guessed that if I talked to her, I could…maybe, I would finally take that step forward. And April was fun. She was fun, just like Karai…but I was afraid of telling Karai because I thought that she'd believe I was replacing her with April, leaving the clan...which is freaking stupid!" he suddenly shouted, lunging for the tiger again. Instead of intervening, Tiger Claw listened in silence as they resumed their battle.
This was what he'd been waiting for; he was finally about to let it out.
"Karai knows that I'd never do something like that to her! I've told her that nothing could ever come between us or you, no matter what, because you both mean the world to me," Leo said, still swinging his blades at his father with blinding speed. "But then when it comes to April, she decides to freak out and accuse me of things that are not true! I mean, I know that I'm to blame for most of it, because I went behind her back, I lied to her again, but…she can still go out in broad daylight and make other friends outside the Foot. Me, I can't do that!"
It was then that Tiger Claw saw the tears starting in his eyes, and his heart began to throb for the young turtle. The poor cub had been bottling these feelings from him, from everyone, for so long, and he could barely take it anymore.
"And it's so cruddy, just so cruddy, and unfair, that the only other people I could possibly connect to are my enemies," Leo continued, unaware of the tears trickling down his cheeks, "and no matter how many times I give them a chance, they always betray me! And now, I'm gonna lose one of the only people in my life that matter the most to me because I've been a disloyal senseless jerk to her, and –!"
He was silenced abruptly when Tiger Claw swiftly finally disarmed him, his blades clattering uselessly to the floor. The rattling of metal snapped Leo out of his haze, and he blinked hard several times as he slowly lifted a hand to touch his face. It was only then that he realized that his cheeks were wet with tears, and his widened eyes traveled upwards to meet the serene amber pair of Tiger Claw's.
And then he finally registered everything he'd just said, out loud, and he gasped in horror, his eyes widening.
"…S-Sensei," he stammered. "I-I didn't…I mean –"
"Be at peace, Leonardo," Tiger Claw said, sheathing his sabre as he reached out to lay a steady hand on Leo's shoulder. "The very reason I brought you in here was so you could regain control over your anger, and so that I could finally understand what has been going on inside your head."
He then sighed, shaking his head. "What you confessed was…unexpected, to say the least. I had no idea that you truly felt this way, Leonardo. And in my absence over the past few weeks, I have neglected not only our training together, but in ensuring your well-being…and for that, I am truly sorry, my son."
At this, Leonardo lowered his head shamefully, and Tiger Claw could already see that he was already blaming himself for this as well. Having none of that, he lifted Leo's chin upwards with his hand to look into his eyes, and he shook his head again. "Do not blame yourself, Leonardo. These are matters that you have no control over. And neither are you to blame for seeking companionship outside of these walls, regardless of what clan they belong to. I have said this many times before; what you choose to do with your life is not my decision to make. When the time comes, you must choose your own path to walk. And no matter where it may lead or whoever it is that is by your side as you walk that path, I only wish for your happiness. And, despite how she may feel now, so does Karai…"
Biting down hard on his bottom lip, Leo's eyes began to pool with fresh tears, be it of relief, sadness or frustration, which he fought to hold back as he nodded up at his father. He then closed his eyes, as if he were truly fighting to collect himself, lest he crumbled right then and there. And then, at long last, the young turtle opened his eyes and offered the tiger a small but real smile, one that warmed the old cat to the very core.
"…thanks, Sensei," he said softly, sniffling and scrubbing a weary hand across his face as he wiped away the tears, before he sighed heavily. "Jeez…things have gotten pretty messed up, huh?"
Tiger Claw chuckled and nodded. "Indeed they have, and all directly under my nose as well," he said, folding his arms as he raised a brow at his cub. "Which reminds me, whilst I do not blame you for making friends as I have said, I wished you'd come to me sooner. And it would have been wise to not have kept it a secret for as long as you did from Karai."
Leo frowned, pinching the space between his brows with irritation. "Yeah…that was pretty stupid of me…and worse, I kept lying to her, even when she already knew," he sighed again. "But it's just…I was afraid. But now, Karai is almost hell-bent on hurting April…"
Dropping his hand, he looked up at his father almost pleadingly. "I really hurt Karai. I can't go after her, even if I did know where she went, and I can't stop her from going after April…Sensei, what am I supposed to do?"
Uncrossing his arms to place both hands on Leo's shoulders, Tiger Claw said, "The only thing you can do now, my son, is wait. Regardless of the outcome, however, when Karai returns, you must explain everything to her as you did for me now, and apologize for letting those fears – and your anger – get the better of you."
Looking off to the side as he processed his master's reasoning, Leo then nodded with a lopsided smile that was only slightly tense with worry. "Well, that last part was kind of obvious," he said. "Of course I'm going to apologize for being a jerk. It's whether or not she'll listen and forgive me that I'm worried about."
"To be honest, so am I," Tiger Claw grinned, patting Leo's shoulders once before releasing him. "Come now, let us go and resume our meditation session together. After this, we both surely need it," he said, turning towards the dojo doors.
However, the moment he turned, he was stopped abruptly when Leo rammed into him from behind, locking his arms tightly around his waist and burying his face into his back as he hugged him. Blinking rapidly in surprise, Tiger Claw craned his neck to glance down at the top of his son's forest green head, when he heard his muffled voice.
"Thank you, father. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."
At that, the old tiger smiled, feeling as though a heavy weight had been lifted off both their shoulders as he patted his son's hand. "Apology accepted, my son," he said warmly. Inwardly, he was glad, so very glad, that despite how much Tiger Claw had been absent in the course of such a challenging time, the bond between him and his cub hadn't weakened in the slightest. And he was determined to keep it that way.
Not even the Shredder himself could tear him away from his child.
"You think Karai will take it as easy as you did?" asked Leo, his voice filled with dread as he looked up from where his face had once been buried into his father's back.
Tiger Claw said nothing for a moment, his whiskers twitching as he pondered. "What do you think?"
"She's gonna slaughter me."
The old tiger chuckled, despite the slight accuracy of the crude statement. "Do you have any last words in advance?"
"…kill me now? Quickly and painlessly?"
"No."
"Crap."
A/N: Well, on that bittersweet note XD
Seriously, this chapter was both a blessing and a curse to write. Poor Leo and Karai. And poor April 0_o. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and more are on the way.
Next Chapter: The chase is on, and it looks like April might get the chance to prove herself after all...might. Meanwhile, the other turtles have bigger fish to fry...