(Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT; just Diana.)
(Authors Note: Hello dearest readers and fellow writers! I apologize for the delay in uploading new content, but I've been feeling rather punky lately as I'm currently recovering from a nasty respiratory infection that's taken a toll on me for the last month (no, it's not covid). I've gone ahead and tweaked the previous chapters a little, so if you re-read them, you'll notice some slight changes; however, they're not too drastic to completely alter the story. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this latest chapter and feel free to leave a comment (no hate, please) :) Now, this chapter will mostly focus on April and Diana, so there won't be much of our boys, but don't worry, they'll appear near the end :) Now, I plan to move things along more, but I'm not one to rush into action or steamy romance, so bear with me please. If you've read my TF FF's you'll understand where I'm coming from ;). Regardless, thank you for your continued patience and support. Until next time, stay healthy, stay hydrated, and stay awesome!)
"English/Speaking"
"YELLING"
'Mental thoughts/speech'
*TV/Media*
Notes
*:Phone Calls:*
Chapter 7
"Okay, so it's a 'yes' on the shirts, and sweaters, an obvious 'no' on the jeans and shoes, and a 'maybe' on the dresses," April noted as she handed Diana a maroon-colored skater skirt, to which she stepped into it and slipped it up her thighs. While her legs were longer and her hips were a tad wider than the reporters, the skirt was flared and the waistband was embedded with elastic, which allowed for a more comfortable fit. Of course, it did come down to her mid thighs as opposed to her knees, but that wasn't much of an issue for the reptilian woman.
Pairing the skirt with one of the long-sleeve crop tops, Diana looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and smiled at how nice she was dressed. Sure, Donnie's hoodie was amazingly comfortable, but this outfit enhanced her figure as opposed to hiding it under a layer of snuggly warmth. Plus, she liked the feel of the smooth fabric against her scales.
"Wow, you look amazing," April commented the young reptilian woman with a smile, to which she returned said gesture:
"Thank you. Also, thanks for offering these garments to me. I've never had clothes like these before."
"No problem. I'm just glad they'll be put to good use. Also, I'm sorry the shoes and jeans didn't work out. When Donnie told me about you, he failed to mention your clawed feet, so I just brought over a little of everything I had in my wardrobe."
A small smile lined Diana's face as she casually waved it off, "It's fine. I've gone my entire life without shoes and I don't need to start wearing them now. Besides, I use my feet to feel the vibrations in the ground, so the shoes would only hinder my senses. As for the jeans, I don't think I could step into them without one of my claws catching onto the fabric and tearing a hole in them. Plus, my legs are a bit longer than yours, so they'd be a tad short."
"Well, if you'd like, you could make whatever necessary alterations you might need in order to comfortably wear them. The guys could even help you with said modifications as they're all quite adept with a needle and thread."
"I'll be sure to ask them sometime," she noted while slipping out of the skirt and attempting to don a pair of denim shorts. Unfortunately, due to her tail, that was a no-go. "I guess I should have expected this," she gestured to her tail, which obstructed her ability to properly wear any sort of pants.
"Don't worry, that can be easily altered. I know Mikey would gladly offer his assistance in modifying them for you."
"I wouldn't be surprised," she lightly chuckled before removing the shorts and donning the skirt once more. "Well, looks like I've tried on just about everything that I can fit into."
"It would seem so," she agreed. "But, if you'd like, I could style your hair and give you a new look to add to your ensemble."
"Really? You wouldn't mind?"
"Not at all," she smiled before retrieving a bag full of toiletries, hair supplies and cosmetic stuff, to which she instructed Diana to sit down on the (closed) toilet lid while she worked her magic.
XXXXX
Fifteen minutes later, April stepped back from her work with a bright smile as Diana stood up and gazed upon her reflection in the mirror. Instead of a braid, her long ebony hair was now styled in an elegant updo that exposed her neck. Makeup-wise, she now sported dark plum-colored lips and smokey eyeshadow to enhance her (already gorgeous) gray eyes.
"_Wow! Just, wow! I can't believe this is me."
"You better believe it," April smiled as she then lightly spritzed her with some vanilla sugar body spray. "There, all done! You look and smell amazing."
"That I do. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me."
"You're welcome. Now, if you're ready, shall we join the others for dessert_assuming Mikey hasn't already dug into it," April added with a smirk, to which Diana gave a nod as she grabbed her crutches before following the brunette over to the recreational area.
Stepping into the main highway of the lair, both women were met with the sights and sounds of the brothers partaking in a friendly game of Super Smash Bros. This brought a smile to April's face as she enjoyed watching the four of them play against one another.
Of course, upon seeing the two women, they immediately saved and turned off their game:
"Is that you, Pearl," Raphael asked with a smirk, to which she shyly nodded:
"It is."
"Wow, you look beautiful, Diana," Donatello commented with a bashful smile, causing the scales on her cheeks to turn a lovely shade of pink.
"Thank you, Donnie."
"Woah! Ana, let me get a better look at ya," Michaelangelo stated as he approached and began circling around the reptilian woman while taking in her new appearance and aroma. "Mmm, Mmm, Mmm! I like what I see and I love what I smell."
"Thanks. It was April's idea to glow-up my appearance."
"I had a feeling Angelcakes was behind your makeover. Regardless, I'll be seeing you in my dreams tonight, Princess Di-OW! What the hell, Leo," he yelped as his eldest brother appeared beside him and smacked him upside the head:
"Is that any way to speak to a lady?"
"Chillax, bro! I was just complimenting her."
He emitted a sigh and rolled his eyes before addressing the reptilian woman, "Apologies, Diana. Mikey here doesn't have much of a filter."
She waved it off with a shy smile, "It's fine. No harm done. By the way, I'm sorry we kept you all waiting."
"It's alright, baby girl. We don't mind waiting on a couple of lovely ladies," Mikey winked and dodged a smack from Raph as he hopped back into the living room and turned on the TV before Master Splinter emerged from the dojo:
"I was wondering when we might see you two again," he smiled at the pair of women before sitting down at the dining table.
"Apologies for the wait, but I wanted to try on some of the clothes April brought over. I hope we didn't make you all wait too long."
"Not at all, Miss Diana," he casually waved his hand/paw before the sound of a breaking news report cut into their conversation:
*_And we're back with a follow-up report on yesterday's violent attack at ML Genetics that left twenty seven hospitalized; nine of which are still in critical condition. Among those is Dr. Tyler Rockwell, who is the head molecular biologist at the facility. According to his colleague, Dr. Anita Weiser, they were attempting to perform a routine examination on their would-be attacker, when the creature managed to break free of its enclosure and charged at the scientists. Dr. Weiser stated that during the struggle, the beast deliberately went after Rockwell and attacked, resulting in his admission to the ICU where Doctors were able to stabilize him. At this time, investigators are still searching for the mysterious creature_*
Seeing her discomfort upon hearing the report, Leonardo got up and turned off the TV before sitting back down at the kitchen table with a neutral expression lining his face. "Diana, I know your memory is still a bit hazy, but is there a particular reason as to why you specifically attacked Dr. Rockwell?"
She nodded and carefully rolled up her sleeves, exposing the large, purple injection scars that spanned the length of her inner elbows and arms. Some looked fairly recent as there was dark/ugly bruising along the inner section of her right elbow. "_He's the one who did all this to me. I was two years old when he first strapped me into 'the chair' and began his heinous experiments. He'd often start by injecting me with narcotics to keep me calm or to numb my senses so I couldn't feel anything. But as I got older, he wanted me to feel everything, saying that it was all part of the tests and that my pain was necessary," she gently rubbed the inner part of her right elbow and trembled before curling her tail around herself like a security blanket.
Before she could say anything else or fall into a panic, she suddenly felt a warm set of arms wrap around her frame as Michelangelo pulled her into a much needed hug. "We're here for you, Diana. That asshole can't hurt you while we're here," he spoke in a calm/soothing tone, while his hands gently rubbed her back, to which she felt a sudden dampness on her cheeks as she began to silently cry. Allowing herself to be held, she closed her pale, gray eyes and hugged him back while mentally reciting the periodic table in her head before giving the orange-clad turtle a gentle pat on the arm, signaling that she was okay.
"_Thanks, Mikey."
"Anytime, Princess Di," he winked, bringing a smile to her face.
