Hey guys! Quick note before we get started today:

In case you haven't been aware of some of the behind the scenes glitches of , since mid September none of the authors publishing here have been able to see comments, favorites, or views of any of our stories. From what I've seen on Twitter/ 'X', many are jumping ship and leaving the platform for other fan fiction sites since it's been over a month since the glitch started with no resolution.

Rest assured, that I will not leave this story unfinished here on FF.N. Even if I can't see the views or the comments, I KNOW you guys are reading; I KNOW you guys want to see how this all ends! Hopefully the glitch will be resolved before our grand finale goes LIVE on Thanksgiving Day (11/23/23); if not, I look forward to retroactively reading all your kind words (if the glitch-fix allows for that).

Now... On with the show!

July 11, 2014

The New York City skyline passed by in a blur as April flew by. It wasn't long before she tumbled to the gravel lining the roof of a nearby building. The creature currently controlling April basked in the early rays of the sunrise.

"I'm free!" 'Zee' chittered gleefully. She breathed in the crisp morning air.. "Oh… I can feel the power dwelling below this city!"

April's face twitched as the girl gained back some control. She looked around, confused. "H-how'd I get up here? I was just in the Lair, but-" A sharp pain attacked her brain. The girl pressed both hands to the side of her head, praying the pressure would be enough to dissipate the pain. But alas, it was Zee, once again fighting for control.

"Now, my dear April… Why would you want to return to that hovel? You are exactly where you're meant to be - among the stars!"

A quick glance upwards showed April that a few stars lingered against the dawn.

"You were meant to be part of the Titans of old! Do you know what you are, child?"

Flashes of memory played across April's mind. Her stomach recoiled as the images played. "Oh gosh! W-what've I done? I… I almost killed Donnie and Papa!" Her eyes widened in realization. "Donnie was right… all of this… it's this thing!" April reached for the crystal hanging from her neck, but her hand stopped halfway.

Zee tsked. The being had gained control over April's motor functions once more. "No, my dear. While the crystal amplified your powers, the actions were ALL you. I only showed you the truth of your so-called 'family'. You don't belong amongst the cockroaches of the world. You are a daughter of the stars!" Zee caressed April's mind. "Through our combined power and a dollop of blood from the Crying Titan hidden below this city, we can bring back your true father."

April stopped struggling, allowing Zee to retain further control. "My… true father?" She whispered. "Daddy?"

"Yes!" Zee hissed. "But in order to bring him back, I require the combined power of my kin. We need to bring back the rest of the Aeons."

April nodded. "Yes, my Lady. We will bring them back… to bring him back."

"Bring who back?"

The girl whirled around, surprised that someone had been able to sneak up on her. The 'someone' being Karai.

Karai warily checked the empty rooftop for who April could've been talking to, a cautious hand hovering over the tanto strapped to her back. "Who're you talking to, April?"

Zee knew these girls were close; not as close as the girl and that infernally smart turtle, but they were close. It was possible she could weaken Zee's hold on her vessel. That could NOT happen. Zee relinquished enough control for April to 'drive' and cranked up the distortion of April's perception of truth.

"None of your business!" The red-head snapped. "Why are you always so nosey! Butting in where you DON'T belong!"

Karai looked around, hands on hip as she glared at April. "Okay, Red. I know you aren't talking to me like that." Her gaze softened. "What has been up with you lately? Donnie calls Leo and tells him that you almost kill him? I can forgive the mood shifts you've had, but attempted murder? I thought you loved the guy!"

Zee could feel Apri's resolve weakening. The being needed to take action.

"Wasn't Donatello trying to control you? You do only what you wish to do, correct?"

April pressed a hand to her head, frowning. "He… he was trying to control me. Donnie just wanted my crystal for himself!"

"But what about Splinter and the others? What've they done to deserve your ire these last several months? You know that you broke Mikey's heart when he saw what you did to your mural? Guy's too nice to say anything… but you crushed him!"

Despite the tears now streaming down April's face, her eyes flashed. "THEY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!" She spit.

This is it! Zee cranked up the reality distortion on April's vision once more. April seemed to thrive in the theatre simulation Zee had concocted during the fight with Donnie. Why not an encore performance?

As April's eyes turned once more to teal, she heard the opening cords to a song she didn't know. The girl readied her stance as Karai stepped forward, her hands raised.

"April, you're angry, I get it. Believe me I know what it's like… But you are making a mistake…" From April's perspective, Karai began to sing. "The path of hate is a dangerous track, you take one step and it's hard to turn back. It pulls you along and though it seems wrong it feels right."

Kari continued advancing. From her perspective, the only change in April was that her eyes had changed color. "This path you're on leaves scars. The power… it might feel good at first, but it slowly corrupts you. With each passing day you give up more and more of your soul until you don't even recognize yourself…" Karai dipped her head to make sure April heard her. "Until you have nothing left to lose, Red. Donnie might be right. This crystal is warping your brain; it's controlling you!"

"You think I'm not in control?"

"Wait, are you singing?"

April began playing with her psychic energy, creating steps in midair that she climbed as she sang. "The path I'm on is a path paved in black. I'm taking that road and I'm not looking back. Each twist and each turn leads straight where I'm yearning to go…" Using her power, April pulled her tessen from her pocket, splaying the fan in midair. "Despise me, that's fine; I'm taking what's mine even so… Not like you!" She leapt down from her perch, stalking towards Karai.

The girl stopped singing. "At the sight of a pretty pair of blue eyes that could fight, you betrayed the man who raised you! With this crystal… with the power it offers… I can bring my true father back!" April's right eye twitched.

Karai's hand now rested firmly on the hilt of her tanto. "You're right, April. I did betray the man who raised me. We've talked about this before; you know how much I struggled with that at first, with the guilt I carried… but I did it because he was a HORRIBLE person. But you?" She gestured to her friend with her free hand. "YOU grew up with two amazing fathers who had nothing but your best interests at heart. Splinter cares for you equally as he does his sons. He loves you!" That seemed to rile up the red-head even further.

"NO! Splinter loved your replacement! Now that you're 'good', he's got his real daughter back! He doesn't need me anymore…" Another tear snaked down April's cheek as she resumed singing. "Now I've got nothing left to lose…"

It was Karai's turn to blink back tears. "Don't say that, April! Y-you're my sister! You have so much to hang on to!" Her eyes narrowed at the swinging chain April's crystal hung on. "I'm taking that crystal, April. I'm gonna help you whether you like it or not!"

"I don't need your help, Karai." April sounded bored.

The girls ran at each other, tanto and tessen flashing together. April utilized her psychic platforms in almost a parkour manor. Karai managed to dodge the lethal strikes her friend sent her way, but neither was she able to land any strikes herself.

Believe it or not, the girls didn't spar with each other often. Neither of them knew enough about the other's weaknesses in battle to take advantage of it. So the battle raged on.

As the sun continued to rise, it became clear that April had one advantage over Karai: the power of the crystal replenished her energy. Karai had no such relief. Her stamina could only last so long.

The girl blinked tiredly and a powerful hit from April's tessen sent Karai's tanto flying from her grip. Karai bit back a cry as April slammed her into the brick structure that housed the building's roof access stairs.

There weren't many times outside of encounters with the Shredder where Karai felt true fear, which is why she shuddered at the unfamiliar sensation of her blood running cold at the maniacal features contorting April's face. Her eyes widened as April called Karai's fallen blade to her.

"And since I can't have you interfering any longer…"

That was NOT April's voice! Karai's breath quickened as she stared into the eyes of the thing inhabiting her friend. Her thoughts came to a screeching halt as white hot pain ran up her legs.

She screamed. A quick glance down revealed her own tanto sticking out of her thigh.

'April' moved away, heading for the edge of the roof, briefly turning back. "Now… I have nothing… left… to lose…" She dropped off the edge.

Karai hesitantly sat up, trying not to aggravate her injury. A precursory look told her that no major arteries were hit. The girl groaned as she worked her phone out of her back pocket. She winced at the cracked screen, but grateful that it still worked. She went to her contacts and pressed Leo's picture, a goofy one they'd taken on Valentine's Day.

"H-hey Leo." Karai ground out. "So good news, bad news…"