Chapter 7: Trouble
Casey was practically babbling the whole way to the lair as Leo was leading the way, he was so not happy or amused as he wouldn't say a word or turn to look at any one.
Mikey was pretty much non-stop talking with Casey as they both would talk about favorite games and interests, Mikey also explained a lot about himself and the names of his brothers as they moved along the tunnels, they even played rock paper scissors a few times.
The non-stop jabbering would piss off Raph as he would attempt to shut them up a few times, but didn't succeed. Leo and April were pretty much ignoring them the whole time, April glanced at Leo and sighed, she could tell like he felt he had alot of a burden to bare not just being Leader but the fact this new enemy seems to fear him only and not the others. It still bothered her but Leo was right as the fact still is that there is still unknowns regarding the topic about Dragor being subdued, if anything, Raph could hold Dragor back with his sai's if he was in that same situation, and if anything he was just forced into his shell in order to survive and block the breath attack, so of course he would be sent flying or unscathed.
There is still so much of this puzzle that is unknown about this Blueprint teleporter and this Dragor, this frustrated April as she let out a frustrated sigh that everyone pretty much ignored.
"Raph, arm wrestle me man!" Casey shouted to him as they all arrived at the lair finally, Donnie was still in his lab on the computers, Leo walked and jumped over and sat on the couch where April joined him, Mikey was dancing his way down the stairs. "No." Raph growled as he walked down the stairs where Casey followed behind.
"Aww, too chicken!?" Casey said as he started doing the chicken dance and chicken sounds walking past Raph mocking him. Raph twitched an eye and glared at Casey letting out a large growl, "FINE!" he shouted angrily as they both approached a table and arm wrestled a few times, Raph practically won every match but surprisingly enough Casey actually was somewhat holding his own sometimes.
Raph would laugh at Casey as Casey would start cussing and jabbering at Raph how he would be cheating somehow, Raph loved it when someone got angry at him or someone else as he would practically enjoy it. "You two are so immature…" April stated from the couch she was sitting on, Leo only glared at the two who were arguing, not amused at all.
Casey and Raph looked at April, "Hmm, who's the oldest of you turtles?" Casey asked as he turned to Raph raising an eyebrow. Raph only chuckled a bit, "You're seriously comparing age to maturity?" Raph laughed. Mikey danced his way over next to Casey and Raph, "That would be Leo over there, he ain't just the oldest but also our fearless leader!" Mikey stated as he pointed at Leo who only continued to glare at them not caring at all.
April giggled, "Even if Leo wasn't the eldest brother, he's still more mature than any of you, by quite a lot." she chuckled as she wasn't wrong by what's she's noticed with the turtles. "WHAT!?" Both Raph and Casey stood angrily from their chairs and looked at April, giving her a devastating and very angry stare. This spooked her as she couldn't help but cling and hug Leo next to her frighteningly, Leo didn't hesitate from the action at all as he didn't care. "Great… now we got two Raph's…" Leo stated.
"Tell me about it… he's also a lot like Mikey.." April sobbed on Leo. Leo and April both looked down as April's phone began to ring, April let go of Leo and reached for her phone in her pocket noticing it was Jenna and answered. "Jenna? What's up?" April asked confused from the sudden so soon call. April didn't put her on speaker and left Leo confused who only looked at April as she talked to Jenna, April had a very worried and sad look on her face as she did and it confused Leo even more. Raph and Casey continued to shout at one another and argue and Mikey just was dancing around them.
April hung the phone up as she looked down worriedly putting her phone away, she turned and looked at Leo in the eyes as she was serious. "We got trouble…" she said still with a very worried look, Leo only raised an eye still confused. "Dragor has another way of getting the blueprint for the teleporter, and Jenna doesn't know how or what it is in order to get the second as he did not mention due to him saying he was going to get it himself." April said to him, "But the good news is, he doesn't know we have the one from the statue." April added.
Leo only looked at April seriously, "Two blueprints? I thought this thing was from another world, and was very rare and dangerous, why would there be two hidden?" Leo questioned, "Plus, isn't there materials listed. Won't he need the materials that a blueprint doesn't even tell where to find them." Leo added. April shrugged as he was making correct statements, this frustrated her as more was added to the puzzle and she let out a frustrated roar and placed her hands on her cheeks sobbing. "Damn, I wish we knew more!" April growled.
Donnie came running out from the lab and stood at the entrance with a finger raised, which usually meant a problem or a bright idea. "Guys! We have a problem!" Donnie shouted, "Two blueprints?" Both Leo and April said as they glared at him, Donnie dropped his finger innocently as he looked at the two on the couch. "Y-yeah… but that's not all.." Donnie was beginning to say but stopped as he noticed Casey arguing with Raph.
Donnie only let in some air and wasn't even going to question the situation and the new person in the lair as he only turned around, "Just come see." He said as he walked back into his lab. Both Leo and April looked at each other in confusion, Leo shrugged and stood up walking into the lab where April followed along.
Donnie noticed Leo and April walk in, he figured the others were still arguing and Mikey was still dancing. He pointed at the computer screens which had the blueprint on them, Leo and April only looked at him confusingly. "It's the blueprint to the teleporter, like I said it also lists the materials needed in order to build and function it. Which are materials not even from our world, aka earth. And must be from Dragor's world, I came to a conclusion after researching the past hour and half you guys were gone and out in the living area. What if he already has the materials? And not the blueprint that would guide him on how to build it." Donnie began. "But if he already had the materials and the materials are from his world, why would he need the blueprint? Wouldn't he already know how to build it?" Leo questioned.
Donnie leaned back in his chair, "That's the thing, I asked myself the same thing. So I narrowed it down, thinking of it like our world with the billions of people living on it. What if his world was the same? Like how only certain people are intelligent." Donnie continued, "Like scientists?" April added. "Exactly, what if only scientists knew about how to build the teleporter on his planet and he found out about it. What if the scientists managed to somehow send it here and hide it away and Dragor followed to get his hands on it?" Donnie continued. "But couldn't he just slaughter or convince the scientists like he is with the Purple Dragons, force them to build it?" Leo questioned as he looked at Donnie raising an eye.
Donnie shrugged, "Well yeah, but It isn't that simple. Like here, citizens and innocents are protected by police forces and other people. But that still doesn't mean he wouldn't take the advantage of doing so, that's why I remarked it as what if his world WAS the same as ours. Like he said, he wants to bring an army through, which means the army must be under his command and already waiting and prepared, he also mentioned it's been ages since someone has subdued him, so who knows how old this guy is, just like in mythology, Dragons are considered to live for centuries on end." Leo put a hand to his chin, thinking for a second "So your saying he most likely just arrived here on earth?" Leo asked as he looked back at Donnie, Donnie nodded. "My best bet is he's been here for about a week or two." Donnie added.
"The statue is centuries old though, so he must've just found out about it?" April questioned, Donnie nodded to that as well. "The teleporter isn't from his world!" Leo said as he came to realization. "Exactly." Donnie said, "He must travel from planet to planet through the galaxy on his own. He's probably looking for a planet of his own to conquer, and has found out about the teleporter being hidden away here and decided to conquer earth." Donnie added as he turned and looked at the two.
"But who built it in the first place? And how did he find out about it? And how did it get here?" April questioned. "Only one person we know of who would know, is Dragor himself." Leo said. "Yeahh…" Donnie sighed as he glanced at the blueprint. Leo looked at Donnie and raised an eye instantly knowing something was off, "You know something don't you." Leo asked as he glared at Donnie. "Yeahhh… actually about that… I might've researched someone who might know the answers. But the problem is… she isn't in New York." Donnie said as he glanced at Leo who sighed sadly.
Donnie smirked, both Leo and April noticed this and looked at him confusingly. Donnie pointed behind him at a large object that was covered with a huge blanket and stood up walking over to it, Donnie removed the cover and both April and Leo went wide eyed in shock. What was in front of them was a large heavily armored and weaponized vehicle that Donnie had been working on for the past three days.
"And she works just fine!" Donnie said bragging, tossing a T-phone to Leo. "Forgot to give you one earlier, also made custom phones. They're highly advanced and secure with my own coding, untraceable except from me. Already put April's number on them too." Donnie said with a smile. Leo flipped the phone in the air and thanked Donnie as he was amazed before putting it away in his belt, "So, who is this person who knows the answers?" Leo asked moving his look to Donnie. "Her name is Kana, she's a greek researcher. She doesn't like to make herself well known, so she does research secretly. I managed to come across her through coding and hacking. She knows just about everything regarding greek mythology, statues, stuff from a possibly nother world, ya name it. So she is most likely our only best bet at getting answers." Donnie said as he patted the vehicle he was standing next to. "Normally it's a two days drive, but with this baby, only one." Donnie bragged, but he wasn't wrong.
Leo smirked slightly, "We leave in an hour." April smiled happily, she was tired of being in the sewers and in New York, she wanted a small vacation, especially with the turtles. "What ya gonna call her?" April asked Donnie as she pointed at the vehicle with a smile. Donnie shrugged, "I was going to-" Donnie began but was stopped at a sudden bolt that went past him and the other two, they all three looked at what it was, more like who it was. "Mikey!?" Donnie yelped at the sudden entrance he had made, Mikey was hugging the vehicle in such astonishment. "Were calling her the Shellcharger!" Mikey shouted excitedly. "Shellcharger?" Donnie questioned, "Shell-Charger. Because it's armored like a Shell, and has a ram in the front and can charge through stuff." Mikey stated as he pointed at the ram in the front of the vehicle.
Leo shrugged as Donnie looked at him, "Shellcharger it is then…" Donnie said as he really didn't mind the name. "We're going on a vacation with that? Wouldn't a heavily armored and weaponized vehicle get cops on us?" A voice came from the entrance of the lab, it was Raph who was leaning against the door. "DUDE! That is so sick!" Casey shouted as he entered as well and rushed over touching the vehicle with Mikey in astonishment. Donnie sighed, "I made her look military like, meaning cops would most likely see it as a military vehicle and ignore it as military is normally above the law." Raph only raised an eye and shrugged as he walked over to the group, "We won't need to really pack anything, we're just heading out to talk to Kana and then back." Donnie stated. "It's still a day's drive there and back, so two days. Still worth packing a few snacks." April said with a small shrug. "Are we bringing him along?" Donnie asked as he pointed to Casey.
Casey was crossed armed as he was listening to the conversation and looked at Donnie as he asked, "Of course I am coming! I wanna help out!" he stated as he glared at Donnie being serious. "Guess so, we're running out of time though, so you all got an hour to get what you need for the two days were out. Dragor can find that second blueprint at any time." Leo said as he turned and walked out with a wave, Raph followed behind him.
Casey looked at Donnie, "Who's driving?" he asked with a smile. Donnie looked at Casey and raised an eye, "Me obviously. I'll drive us there, but I'll have Leo drive us back. Why? Were you hoping to drive?" Donnie questioned as he glared at Casey. "Well duh! I know how to drive, just don't like too normally cause I prefer in doors. I have to usually drive myself to the ice rinks for Hockey." Casey stated as he looked at the Shellcharger. "Hmph, who knows, maybe me or Leo will let you drive sometime." Donnie said as he smiled at Casey who happily looked at him back.
"What about you red, you know how to drive?" Casey asked as he turned to April who was standing listening to the two of them chat and Mikey who was sitting on the shellcharger also listening. April shrugged a bit, "I knew how to drive since I was ten, I just don't like too either, especially here. I prefer the bus, taxi or train rather than driving myself around in this city's traffic." She stated. "I agree with you there." Casey chuckled in agreement.
Leo had gone to let Splinter know about what has happened and what was planned next, and about Casey. Splinter wasn't happy about Casey due to the amount of times the turtles have exposed themselves in the span of just about three days, but he let it slide as the people they have met so far have been trustworthy and helpful. April had left the lair shortly after to run to her apartment to grab her bags quickly as Raph and Mikey had gone with her, Donnie and Casey were getting along in his Lab as he worked more a little on the Shellcharger preparing it for the drive and double checking on it.
April returned with Raph and Mikey who carried her bags and placed them next to the couch, Mikey went to the kitchen to get some snacks and Raph went to his room. April noticed Leo who was sitting on the floor in front of the TV and watching a random cartoon as he was waiting for the rest to finish up, he seemed intrigued with the current show as he seemed somewhat focused on it. She looked over to the lab as she heard Casey laugh loudly from inside it, she let out a small happy sigh of relief, she was glad to see everyone pumped up and excited for a small trip.
April walked over to Leo and crouched next to him and placed her hand on his injured arm as she still felt sad and regret every time she saw it, she noticed he wrapped his black bandages over the injury so no one would take advantage of it and see it if he ever got into a fight and she knew this as he really didn't bother putting them on earlier with how many hours had passed. Leo jumped slightly at the sudden touch as he really didn't notice April from being focused into the cartoon, he instantly looked at her as she had spooked him a bit. "Still hurts?" April asked sadly, Leo knew she became very sad and full of regret each time she saw his arm knowing the injury was there and still fresh, and also remembering what she said before when she asked the somewhat same question. Leo relaxed and moved his look back to the TV, "Yeah." he said not even lying. He hated lying to his brothers and the people he trusted and cared about, but when it came to enemies and unknown people he was the best at coming up with lies along with Donnie.
"Well, you're pretty good at hiding the pain." She stated as she slumped down onto her knees and sitting, "But not from me." She bragged, smirking at him. Leo only gave an unamused look as he still was staring at the TV, "I Know." Leo stated as he turned his head and looked at her, April only returned the reply with a confused look. "Donnie told me, you're able to read someone's emotions just by their expression, even if it's just slightly." Leo said as he raised an eye, "Am I wrong?" April smiled as she laid back onto her back relaxing, "No, not at all. I guess Donnie could tell, he is intelligent after all." She said looking at the ceiling. "I get you guys are Ninja's and all, but why endure and take the pain. Can't it get overwhelming?" April asked him as she looked at him.
Leo peered over his shoulder and looked at April with a somewhat confused look, "Well, yeah. Like the two times you purposely hurt me and I randomly yelped." Leo said, giving another unamused look at her. April also gave him the same look, "Maybe don't piss me off then by purposely hurting yourself, I know you want to protect me and the others, but you shouldn't always take the hits and get injured, I care about you Leo and I hate to see you get hurt. This goes for the others as well." Leo gave her a grateful smile, but even though she wasn't wrong he still wouldn't stop his sacrificing as it was practically a habit and he was trying his best to overcome it, but he also chose not to normally as he knew she couldn't entirely protect herself . "You still almost balled your eyes out like a baby just by seeing my blood." Leo smirked, mocking her.
April shot up from her relaxing and glared at Leo, "How many times do I have to say it!?" she growled and smirked as she moved into a crouch, Leo only gave her a confused look as she playfully tackled him which shocked him in sudden surprise and wasn't expecting it. April had Leo in a choke hold but wasn't actually choking him as it was playful, Leo just went along with it but became confused as she stopped, "How about you teach me?" April asked. Leo turned and looked at April in confusion, "Your ninjutsu, so I can defend myself better. And so you guys would stop having to keep saving me…" April remarked as she looked down somewhat ashamed.
Leo only looked at April with a slight shocked but also worried look, he let out a small sigh, "Look, even if you learned our art and could defend yourself it still wouldn't stop us from saving and helping one another, even if it meant sacrificing for that person." Leo stated as he looked at her seriously. "Donnie said you were very sacrificial when it came to protecting the people you care about, especially family… If there's at least a chance to prevent that then I'll take it, I'm sure there's some instinct in there that knows if I can defend myself you won't always have to step in." She exclaimed as she pointed at Leo's chest regarding instincts. Leo only stared at April worriedly, but she wasn't wrong, Leo knew his brothers could defend themselves pretty well and he normally doesn't have the habit to jump in and save them except for that time with Dragor, he wouldn't dare hesitate when it came to protecting his brothers or the people he cares about knowing he would rather take the burden of getting injured than that person not caring at all what that person would think or feel, but he was beginning to understand that it was hurting April seeing him hurt himself for her sake. He could also remark that she was sensitive for the people she cares about and not for herself especially when she got hurt as he remembered back in the sewer tunnel regarding her ankle that has now not been bothering her at all since the incident at her apartment.
Leo sighed, "It'll be the hardest thing you will ever do, it won't just hurt you physically but also mentally and spiritually. I'm not a good teacher, but I'm sure I can convince Splinter to teach you and I'll help. Still up for it?" April looked up at Leo who was looking at her seriously, she formed a large smile on her face "Absolutely!" She sobbed happily. Leo pointed at her, "Until my so called instincts know for sure you can defend and protect yourself, I can't promise my sacrificial habits won't take place. Like your curiosity and crying, it just happens without thinking."
April's smile faded but he wasn't wrong and she understood this easily, she let out a sad sigh but agreed with him as she nodded. Leo stood up with a stretch as Raph came walking out of his room and Mikey out of the Kitchen who was giggling loudly with his hands full of snacks. "Mikey you don't need that many snacks…" Leo stated with his arms crossed giving Mikey an unamused look. "Sure we do!" Mikey chuckled and giggled his way to Donnie's lab with the snacks, Leo only sighed as he looked down at April who was on her knees still on the ground. Leo offered his hand to her to help her up, April noticed this and gave him a grateful smile as she accepted and stood.
Raph made his way to Donnie's lab behind Mikey without saying anything, Leo and April followed behind. "It's go time! Everyone ready?" Donnie asked excitedly as he looked at everyone who returned after almost an hour. "Yo Casey, help me stash these!" Mikey chuckled as he entered the Shellcharger where Casey looked interested and followed in. Raph followed the two into the vehicle, and Leo walked up to Donnie placing his hand on his shoulder nodding as they both followed along behind where April also did as they all entered the vehicle. Donnie sat at the wheel and started the engine of the Shellcharger, he flipped a switch above him and the garage in his lab opened, Donnie pressed the gas and moved the stick as he drove the vehicle out and onto the tracks as they were driving decently fast straight for a wall, everyone started to freak out and shout at him warning him but he didn't listen as he only smirked and flipped another twitch above, the wall they were driving at opened up and led them right through a large alley and onto the streets. "Let's get this show on the road!" Mikey shouted happily.