A Turtle on the Outside, a Wolf on the Inside

by Sairey13

Before Yoshi got the turtles from the Pet Store, Leo was found playing with the manager's dog, who was told to be a wolf-hybrid. Right before Yoshi took the turtles away, Leo ate some of the canine's fur and when he got mutated, the mutagen somehow enhanced the inside of his body to match a wolf's behavior and abilities. NO T-CEST, LEORAI or APRITELLO!

15. The Missing Piece

Two Weeks Later; June Tenth...
It's official; Summer is arriving and just around the corner in a week and a half. The heat has risen to scorching temperatures and as a reptilian, I relish in the warm environments. My brothers, on the other hand, don't follow their true anatomy like I have and, like humans, have trouble handling certain heat.

In other news, April is now on Summer vacation and no longer has to worry about schoolwork for two and a half months. That also means she's free to stay over at the Lair however long she wish to, so long as she informs her aunt to avoid worrying her.

When she first stayed the night, two weeks ago, I was able to tell that the couch was very uncomfortable and didn't get that much sleep. It's actually a miracle that her reflexes didn't hinder her when Kraang sent a robot to her school to kidnap her. And so, after discussing the living arrangements with Master Splinter and April, when she planned to stay at the Lair for most of her Summer vacation, we decided to let her have my bedroom. So long she doesn't go through my things, I see no reason to not take the couch.

Mikey tried to talk to me about letting her using his room to sleep in the living room, but Sensei was strictly against his request. The moment he gets to sleep in the living room, he'd be watching TV most of the night away and neglect his sleep patterns. Not only that, but the moment Don hears Mikey trying to offer his bedroom to April, he would step in to offer her his room and the two would get into a fight.

We all know how much of a pigsty Mikey's room is, especially his uncontrollable instinct to picking up certain object he sees as treasure, which we all agree to not being a healthy environment for her to sleep in. Don, while he would take the bed in his lab, which also functions as a medical room, would not stop gushing that his crush is sleeping in his room and then, everyday, will be acting sweet towards her and come up with ideas on how to get her to like him back. As for Raph… Well, he wouldn't mind her using his bedroom, but his room is his only refuge and sanctuary to calm down and rant out his anger. So, the only logical answer to which room she'll sleep in, is mine.

Unlike my brothers, I don't really own much possessions. I may have a dresser, but only containing spare masks, small weapons and a few sketches of my drawings. The only other item in my room is just my bed, a nightstand that held a lamp to use when drawing in the dark and, recently, a wall shelf for Karasu to have her own space to sleep in.

Actually, in some part of the Lair, we added in four wall shelves for Karasu: Two in the far-corners of the Lair, one beside the refrigerator and the far-right corner of the dojo. While she does tend to roost in the tree and sit on top of the fridge, as a bird, it's best for her to get into the habit to remain on high ground. Not only that, but she'll be able to keep an eye on what goes on below her and is good training to spy on her target.

…I'm very happy, filled with joy, that she's still here. I still feel like I should've pushed her to leave, but I could never bring myself to hurt her any more than I already did, two weeks ago. Since that night, she rarely leaves my side in the Lair. She practically follows me, wherever I go. Even if it was just a trip to the bathroom, she would wait outside of the door for me to come out. She still interacts with the others, which is very relieving to know she isn't ignoring the rest of our pack. She also stays put in the air, whenever we go patrolling, and always greet us when returning from the surface.

While I'm pleased to see she won't fly off, I've been talking with Donatello about making a special shaft for her to come and go out of the Lair as she pleases. She may had decided to stay with us, but that doesn't me that I should forbid her from going out and to explore the city if she so chooses. That way, she'll still be able to interact with other birds and gain some Independence of her own, while able to comeback if she ran into danger and nobody is able to follow her.

I wish I could say that these last few weeks was calming or even relaxing… Unfortunately, it wasn't: After the break in to the Worldwide Genome Project, we dealt with five other incidents on separate occasions. To start it all off, I'm going to bring up the first problem that happened:

The night after the Worldwide Genome Project, while out on patrol, we ran in with a human… Dressed in a rubbery, turtle-suit… Acting like some hero when we found the Purple Dragons breaking into a store, that we later found out belonged to the Kraang, and saw he was nothing but a fat, lazy, unskilled teenager. And what's worse? Raphael, unknowingly and without bothering to check, had his bandana caught in, what Michelangelo dubbed, the Shellraiser's door and… I drove ourselves, and the human, back to the Lair. He claimed to have blacked out, which is very possible from how fast we were going and struggle to gain oxygen while holding on for dear life, so that means he won't know the exact location of our den is and can easily drop him off to a random section of the city, without any possibility of him locating us. However, instead of knocking him out and dropping him off to the police to take him home, Donatello suggested that he will keep an eye on him and, hoping to get him to stop his crazy fantasy on becoming a hero, train him on Ninjutsu.

When Raph, Mikey and I located where the Purple Dragons were taking the stolen items to, we found them working with Baxter Stockman. We even came face-to-face with Xever, still a humanoid-snakehead fish mutant… Only, this time, with robotic legs and some device that, what I figured, helps him be on dry-land by circulating water through his gills. Mikey decided to call him Fishface, which I wasn't certain if that or "Robocarp" were better or worse to be calling Xever by.

During our fight, he bit Raph and his venom left our brother in a delirious state to require Donnie to help us… Also, to our demise, brought the human with him. The battle ended up having the casing to the Kraang's Power Cell damaged, which will allow the Kraang to track us that, after making an attempt to get to the secret shaft that Donatello invented for the Shellraiser to secretly drive onto the road of the city from the sewers, had us cross paths with them.

In the end… We lost the Power Cell to the Kraang… And it's all because of that human, for becoming a hostage and making Donatello choose him over the Power Cell. While I'm very proud of my brother for choosing to save a human from getting killed or even be taken and be experimented on by Kraang, I'm very disappointed in him for bringing that human along. If we had dropped him off earlier, then the Shellraiser wouldn't had been attacked and we would still have the Power Cell… A task that Leatherhead, a mutated enhanced alligator mutant that Mikey named, had entrusted us to keep safe from them in his place.

Three weeks ago, a news reported of a monster in the sewers, after a sewer worker ended up in the hospital from an attack. In fear that news reporters may come down into the sewers and run the risk of finding us, my brothers and I went out in search of the mutant at Tunnel 281. We eventually found him, and saw him fighting a group of Kraang. They were demanding of him to tell them where their Power Cell is and when he refused, they used Kraang-version taser to force him into unconscious. I couldn't stand watching him be treated like some monster and, with Michelangelo at my side, we both attacked the Kraang, no hesitation whatsoever on helping him.

If Don and Raph thought we were crazy then, they must've thought we lost our minds when bringing him back to the Lair. Even Master Splinter thought we were insane bringing him in, even when he stated that Mikey and I made the right decision to bring him with us, and still had us chain him up. He entrusted us to befriend him, while Raph and Don search for the Power Cell. We were making great progress with Leatherhead, until they showed us the Power Cell and he went full-berserker.

After Splinter took him down with a few hits and demands he leaves, Mikey and I went after him and, when finding him in an abandon subway cart, learnt how he came to became a ravage, eight foot enhanced alligator mutant: Twenty years ago, he was cared for by a human boy, until his parents discovered Leatherhead's existence and flushed him down in the sewers. A few days later, a small group of Kraang found him and took him to their lab. For over seventeen years, he underwent experimentations until they sent him to their home planet for nearly twenty-seven years, imprisoned and tortured until, six months ago, he escaped and took the Power Cell with him.

If he's been their prisoner for twenty-seven years in two Earth years, that could mean that the world where Kraang came from, must have faster time periods. That could also mean they have advance technology developments than Earth would be able to develop every few years from weeks to a few months.

We swore to keep it safe from Kraang and in the end, we allowed Kraang to take it back and use it to allow themselves to bring whatever they want from their world, or go back to their world for certain supplies for what they have planned to do… Which, after infiltrating TCRI and nearly getting roasted alive by a living lava-rock monster, they're trying to take over our world… And, in the process, are after April O'Neil. And the worst part? We lost Leatherhead, whom I call Rip Jaws in the tongue of our animalistic language, when forcing the rock-creature back to whence it came.

Wherever he is, I hope that he's still alive and will return… My friend… The first mutant, to know of my secret… Half-Brother of White Death, himself…

Some of us had to deal with demons of our own phobias. Raphael had to deal with two fears: Cockroaches, and becoming a coward. Don's Spy-Roach fell into mutagen, while spying on the Kraang who are threatening to drill into the Earth's crust, and is fused into some cybernetic cockroach-mutant. Or, in Mikey's term, a Cockroach version of a Terminator he calls Spy-Roach. Throughout the entire ordeal at getting the lens, we also had to face the cockroach, who has a huge vendetta towards Raphael for trying to stab it with one of his sais… With Raphael cowering in fear the entire time, not engaging in battle and, above all, running with his tails between his legs.

He eventually learned to fight his phobia when, after molting and becoming more disturbing, the roach kidnapped Michelangelo. He not only was able to fight the cockroach, but also stop the Kraang from having the city flood in lava. Though, he may claims to have conquer his fear, but clearly still has his phobia of them when Michelangelo lied about putting a cockroach in his shell.

We also had to work alongside our enemies when Baxter Stockman, for some apparent reason, trapped us with Xever and Bradford in his "Maze of Doom" and tried killing us at the same time. We had to deal with blasters, metal-balls and, most annoying name, "Monster of Doom". Stockman got away and will most likely not be seeing him, anytime soon, but at least we got out, which took us almost the entire night to do so.

So, yeah, these last few weeks had been hectic... And something tells me, that there's more to come... Because she told me.

Lately, my dreams had me puzzled. Somebody has been contacting me, and the only person to ever contact me in my sleep... Is Tang Shen, herself.

When I was little, basically a toddler, she would always come to me in my dreams nearly every night, where she would tell me stories of her past when she was still alive or, when she was just in the mood, would embrace me in her warmth. While in the day, she would watch over us and teach me sign language, to silently make some form of communication without having to speak. Back then, only I could see her. Not even Master Splinter was able to sense her presence.

...She was the first to accept me for who I am... Sadly, as time goes by and being forced with certain responsibilities, I see her less and less. With each visit she makes, she always tell me to call her "Mother" whenever I call her by her name and to come see her, whenever I need her. In doing so, I would have to go into the Astral Plane in order to meet Tang Shen. I've been doing it since I was five, but the process would always leave me drained and exhausted… For I have to detach my spirit from my body, when entering the Astral Plane and if I were to stay for too long, it would take me days for me to wake up and would feel as if I hadn't slept for an entire week.

The last time she visited me, was the day of our Mutation Day, after we rescued April from the Kraang... And now, she's been coming into my dreams every few days in the three weeks that passed. She always look so sad, yet her eyes held a glint of hope. She wouldn't tell me what ails her, but all she said was: Fusoku shite iru bubun o mitsukete kudasai (Please find the missing piece).

I don't know what this missing piece Tang Shen wants me to find, but I can tell it's very important to her… Important to Us. I can only hope that I'll be able to find it, for both our sakes.

---

Two Miles from TCRI…
Leonardo looked through his mini-telescope, keeping eye out for any sign of Kraang activity in the sky. Whether it be Kraangdroids with built-in wings, or some unexplainable device they've never seen before but shows characteristics belonging to the Kraang.

He has already sent Karasu to circle the building, looking for any way she could get in and do some snooping around without attracting their attention or be able to both see, and warn the turtles if they're making a move through the special collar Donatello designed for her. Since she only answers and responds to her big brother, the blue-masked turtle has an identical collar around his neck to be able to talk through to her.

"I see nothing." She told the leader in blue through the collar, disappointed to not find anything to help out her brothers.

"Nothing happening at TCRI." Leonardo informed, lowering his mini-telescope to let his eyes rest up a bit.

"Yet." Donatello corrected, staring down at his T-Phone in his hand.

"This game is awesome." Michelangelo stated, playing on his T-Phone in order to keep himself occupied and not bother his big brothers. "The combat is so realistic."

Bored, and wanting some action, Raphael went to the youngest turtle.

"You want me to make it more realistic?" He asked, bringing out one of his fists to start beating into the orange-masked turtle.

The blue-masked turtle wasn't going to let that happen.

"Yamero (Stop)." Leo ordered, not wanting to deal with a fight his twin purposely caused that would jeopardize their objective.

"According to the Kraang storage device that I decrypted, some kind of scouting ship is coming through the Kraang portal tonight." Donnie stated, eyes staring up at the TCRI building.

A tickling feeling told Leonardo that somebody else is on the same rooftop with them.

She sure knows when to show up, at the exact wrong time and place.

"So we all have to stay alert. Isn't that right-?"

Immediately, he pushed his body to a sprint towards the water tower, startling his brothers from the sudden burst of speed caused by their big brother, and pulled out Kamiizumi from its scabbard.

*Clank*

Steel contacting with steel was heard, signaling the other turtles to pull out their weapons to whoever dares ease drop on their conversation and not know they were there in the first place.

Leo smirked at the person he locked blades with.

"Karai…"

In the shadow, the sixteen year-old smirked right back at the blue-masked turtle.

"Yeah, you never know what could sneak up on you." She answered, pushing back her attacker until he backflipped off of the water tower and landed back to his brothers, allowing herself to somersault off the water tower and land on even ground with the turtles.

Hoping to catch them off guard, Karai charged for her opponent, who charged right back and when their blades crossed, shifting on opposite direction.

His smirk left his face, replaced with a frown.

"Sorry, Karai, but we don't have time for this. -He turned to his brothers.- Guys!"

"Booyakasha!" Michelangelo cried out his catchphrase, charging for the Kunoichi alongside Donatello and Raphael. He swiped his nunchuks at her after she blocked Don's swing of his Naginata, which she easily dodged with a simple flip as launching herself off of the purple-masked turtle's shell.

She then laughed.

"'Booyakasha'?! What does that even mean?" She asked, trying to control her laughs from how hilarious, and secretly adorable, the orange-masked turtle just said to use in battle.

"I don't know, but it's fun to yell." The youngest-turtle answered, before whipping out his Kusarigama towards the Kunoichi, who easily caught the end with her Wakizashi and wrapping it around her shoulders. She then planted a firm foot on the chain and, with a strong tug, forced Mikey towards her, kicking him off to the side.

Leonardo immediately came to her left and brought down both of his blades, only to be blocked by her own sword.

"You really know how to make a girl feel welcome." She commented to the blue-masked turtle, before pushing his blades back. "I heard the scrawny one mention the Kraang. What's going on?"

Her question caught Leo's attention.

'She came all the way here, with no Foot ninjas… Just to know about the Kraang?'

Perhaps, whatever she and her clan learned about that Kraangdroid robot, Shredder must've had her be in charge on learning about our enemy.

'Whatever information he's looking for of the Kraang, we mustn't allow her to give him anything.' "None of your business." He told her, charging for her and clashing blades with the girl.

"And I'm not scrawny. I'm svelte." Donatello stated, joining his brother into the fight to strike Karai at her right.

Mikey attacked at the same time with his older-brother, only for the Kunoichi to leap over the second-youngest turtle's head and land behind Leo. Raphael, immediately, ran in to attack, swiping at the air with each attack he missed, before crossing his sais with Karai's Wakizashi.

"Oh, come on." Karai urged, shoving the red-masked turtle away from her. "Let me in on the fun."

Her pasteurizing, finally gotten the best of the second oldest-turtle and, when pushed too far, he finally snaps.

"Look, we're a little busy trying on stop the beginning of an alien invasion here, so do us all a favor and get lost!"

His answer really caught the girl by surprise.

"'An alien invasion'? Are you serious?" She demanded, no longer having any reason to joke and wanting to know what is going on.

Before any of them could say or even make another move to attack, the sound of thunder clashing caught the teenagers' attention to TCRI. There, even from a very far distant, they can see something coming from the roof of the building and floating over the buildings of New York.

"Leo! Something came out!" Karasu screeched through the collar, clearly scared and unsettling to the floating ship that clearly shows being created by Kraang. The blue-masked turtle, also feeling uncomfortable at the ship and feeling the intense emotions to get his brothers to the Lair, glared at the ship that slowly came their way.

"Find the shaft, Kara." He growled underneath his breath, clenching his fangs together. "Get back to the den, and remain there."

He knows she'll do as he told her, especially when Kraang is involved.

"Um, guys, I think I need to change my shell." Michelangelo stated, which proves to being true when the scent of urine can be detected in the air. None were too concerned of the youngest teenager's 'accident', when the ship slowly came towards them.

'It's immediately coming our way, barely under half a minute it came out from TCRI.'

Kraang found way to detect Pup and Kins! Run! Retreat for Den!

"I hope you have a plan for fighting that thing." Karai stated, not liking the way the eye-ball like ship with tentacles coming their way.

"We can't fight it," he answered. His answer startled both his brothers, and Karai. He shoved his blades back into their scabbards. "We need to run… Now!"

As if on cue, light-purple lightning came from the front of the scout-ship and came crushing down to the building. Immediately, the four teenagers followed the blue-masked turtle's order and all made a run away from the ship. They jumped off to the short-building behind their and, after another shot of lightning came down, scaled down to the alleyway. Once they were on solid ground, the five ran for the streets.

"What the heck is that thing?" Karai asked Leo, both being ahead of the group.

"My guess, it's the Kraang's scout-ship." He answered, focusing on what's in front of him and not to see if the ship is still following them. "Which also shoots lightning at things."

"Yeah, like our shells!" Michelangelo screamed, as light-purple lightning came down and caused parts of the road to crack and fall apart.

Throughout the chaos, Karai ran across the street for another alleyway, while the brothers continued down the road. They turned the corner to their right, finding a black-car parked to the side of the road and the four brothers hid behind the vehicle, a futile attempt to hide from the ship that appears to be scanning for them when magenta-purple lights came out from the front of the scout-ship.

"You think it knows where we are?" Mikey asked Leo, who placed himself at the front of the car while the others hid between the side of the car and the wall of the building.

"In a few moments, it probably will." He answered honestly to the youngest, knowing his gut feeling will be right… And, just as he suspected, the car was removed from the ground. The scout ship using its three tentacles to remove the vehicle to uncover the turtles' hiding spot.

The moment their cover was blown, the three younger-brothers screamed when the car was released to fall on them. Leonardo yanked his brothers to roll out of the way before forcing himself to somersault out of the way.

"We got to get underground." Donatello said, a slight quivering in his voice told the others of his fear to remain above ground with the scout-ship. The blue-masked turtle pulled his swords out.

"I'll draw its fire, you guys get down in the sewers." He told them, not hesitating to run at the scout-ship.

"Wait, Leo! Don't!" Raphael called out, attempting to run for his twin when Donnie held him back.

"There's no time, Raph! We gotta go!" The genius turtle pulled his older-brother to the direction away from their big-brother and the scout-ship, where Michelangelo found a manhole-cover a few blocks up ahead the street.

While that was going on, Leonardo has pretty played his part well by drawing the Kraang's attention away from his brothers, as he dodged the lightning attack from what he compared to belong an eye of some sorts and continues taunting the aliens with each miss they make.

They're safely in the sewers. Now, wrap this up and get underground.

He already knew what to do to make his own escape. Putting away his swords, Leonardo immediately got on his hands and feet, running on all-fours. He ran for a building in front of him and launched himself on the wall, pushing himself to scale up until he was halfway of the building's surface.

Light-purple lightning shot for him, which he expected to happen and sprang himself off the wall towards them. There, in midair, he pulled out two smoke-bombs from his belt and tossed them at the scout-ship. Blinded by the purple-smoke, stalled them long enough for the leader in blue to skid to another manhole-cover and climb into the sewers.

When the scout-ship's scanner couldn't detect where the turtles had gone to, along with the sound of police sirens coming their way, underneath the manhole-cover and looking through the hole, Leonardo watch as the ship's appearance went static and then vanished before his eyes.

'Cloaking device. -He sniffed the air, stunned to not pick up any scent of the scout-ship.- They're getting smarter on hiding their existence.'

If they can make their ship turn invisible and untraceable, it'll become a nightmare on how they'll figure out the location of the Lair and we may never know when they found out until it's too late.

Leo growled low from that disturbing thought.

'Which means, should we ever go back to TCRI… Or, better yet, their world, destroying every information and data of their inventions will be our top priority to prevent such a possibility from ever happening.'

Agree. However, now isn't the time. Pup must return to Kins, and plan on how to take down Scout.

He didn't need a second opinion on what he should do at this point. Dropping down to the sewer, the blue-masked turtle immediately made his way for the Lair. As he continued on, part of his mind wondered if Karai has gotten herself to safety from the scout-ship.

You shouldn't be concern if she gets caught in the crossfire; as your Clan's mortal enemy, this mean one less threat to worry about.

'…I know, but-… She's still my friend, and I can't help but worry for her safety, just as much as my brothers.'

---

Eleven Thirteen, Back at the Lair…
Raphael tossed both his sais at the dummy, both hitting at both side of the chest where the lungs would've been located. Mikey sat on the ledge of the pool, kicking his feet into the water, while watching his older-brother attacks the dummy.

The moment Leonardo returned home, he found all his brothers made it back, with no difficulties whatsoever. Although, he didn't see Donatello and found out that he went into his lab to figure out what to do about the Kraang's scout-ship. The entire time, as they waited for any news for Don's brilliance to help them locate the Kraang's ship, Leo paced himself in a circle inside the living room*.

"That Kraang ship is incredibly dangerous…. We've gotta figure out what it's doing here." 'And find a way to get rid of it, before it poses a threat to the humans and animals on the streets.'

"Or we could just skip to the part where we could destroy it." Raphael suggested, twirling his sais in his hands and bringing down the dummy from its hanger to the ground.

Mikey went to bring the dummy up.

"You're pretty tough when they can't hit you back." Feeling challenged, Raph made a fist and acted like he was going to hit his baby-brother, who flinched and hid behind the dummy in his hands. "Ahhh!"

He didn't attack, satisfied on scaring the youngest-turtle.

"So what are we waiting for?" The red-masked turtle questioned his twin, more than ready to go back into battle. "Let's load up the Shellraiser and challenge that thing to a rematch."

Leo came forth to his brother.

"First things first, we need a way to find a ship that's invisible." He reminded, silently informing his bigger-twin to use their brain before rushing into battle.

"I know, how about we shoot into the air until we hit it?" Raphael's suggestion for a plan… Very predictable to the blue-masked turtle.

"Unless you're intending to attract the entire attention of New York, that doesn't sound too smart."

"Yeah, Raph, not too smart." Michelangelo repeated, earning him another fake attempt to getting pummeled. "Ahhh!"

"Actually, Raph got something there." Donatello, coming out from his lab, vouched for his older-brother.

That caught Leo by surprised, while Raph, feeling smug, basked in the glory of his 'brilliant' idea.

"Yeah, Leo, Raph got something there." Mikey copied Don, the dummy still in his hand.

"But instead of shooting objects, we'll shoot waves of electromagnetic radiation. In other words, Radar." The genius turtle explained, pulling out what looks to be a mini radar, made from a strainer. "I've built some radar beacons we can set up around town. If the ship gets near us, I'll get an alarm on my T-Phone."

Leonardo thought about his brother's plan.

'He said he only made some, but will probably end up making more beacons or strengthen the range detection if we don't get a signal in a few days… It'll also give us a heads up on where it'll end up, before or even during patrol.'

As always, good old Donnie came up with a perfect invention.

"Good work, Donnie." He praised the purple-masked turtle, before turning to the others. "Come on, guys. Let's split up and place those beacons."

Raphael, disappointed that they won't be shooting anything in the sky, turned to Mikey and brought his fist down on the dummy, forcing the orange-masked turtle to lose his hold on their practice target.

He and Don were the first to head for the Shellraiser, then heard a voice in the living room. Leo held in a groan.

'He's talking to the dummy, again.' "Mikey!" He called out, hearing a second pair of feet running up to them.

"Loosen your kneepads, Leo!" The youngest replied, being the last to enter their vehicle and getting into his spot as the navigator.

"I would gladly do so, Mikey. In fact, if it were up to me, I wouldn't be wearing any paddings on my limbs to allow better mobility." He commented, starting up the Shellraiser and heading down the tracks for the surface world. 'If Master Splinter wouldn't had forced us to be wearing them since we were seven, I would probably be lighter.'

Lighter, and least protected, should your enemies take advantage on attacking your knees and elbows.

'Perhaps… But, at least I'd be more connected to my true heritage.'

---

Twenty Minutes Later...
Leonardo has finished setting up the beacon radar in Tribeca, on top of a building across the street from the Fish Market. Don has made eight radar beacons, each turtle getting two to put up in different sections of the city.

While determining which section of the city each turtle will set up, Raphael, once again, suggested he and Leo stick together or at least get the closest area nearby. It irritated the blue-masked turtle and would've probably snapped at his twin for preventing him from going off on his own, if Donatello hadn't refused the red-masked turtle's suggestion and made a reasonable argument that they need to quickly set them up, before the scout-ship, invisible or not, attacks them.

Of course, he relented, but allowed his twin to go, a relief to Leo of him holding up his promise to not shadow him.

"Tribeca Beacon installed." He called out to Donatello, his screen showing a picture of a raven stealing a fisherman's catch it left in the icy waters he chose to represent his genius brother.

"That's the last of them. Raph and Mikey finished, too."

"That's good to hear," he replied. "See you back at the Lair."

"Copy that, Leo."

Both brothers hung their T-Phones... Then, Leonardo pulled out his sword and turned to clash blades with Karai, who charged and attempted to attack from behind.

"How you've been, Leo? We really need to stop running in to each other like this." She greeted him with a joke, forcing him back to backflip to the lower roof of the apartment building.

"And you really need to stop skewing me, if all you want to do is talk or waste my patience with these obscured games of yours." He greeted back, though not as happy or cheerful than her greetings was.

Following his lead, she flipped herself off the higher rooftop and landed behind him, locking blades with him when he turned Musashi to her direction. Before she could think up an idea to strike or pull back, Leo forced Musashi to raise higher, startling Karai for her Wakizashi to rise up. He then brought the top-half of his body down and delivered a powerful kick to her midsection with his feet, ramming her against the wall.

She quickly recovered at the same time he charged, running at him and crossing blades with Kamiizumi, before turning and having Wakizashi in-between his crossed swords.

"This is really getting old, Karai." He told her, annoyed of this pointless fight they keep getting themselves involved with and how he's going to get an earful from Raph the longer he's stalled from returning home.

Rather than make some remark of how he's long-due for an appointment with Death, or he's such a boy scout on following curfew and needs to do some more rebellion, she simply smiled at him.

"I wanna help you fight the Kraang." Her response definitely caught Leonardo by surprise.

"Anata ga yaru (You do)?" He earned a nod from the girl and, slowly, with some hesitation before his eyes roamed the area for any signs of Foot Ninjas, pulled his weapons away from hers. No longer clashing blades, Karai twirled her sword back into its scabbard, not even bother on waiting to see if her opponent would do the same, which he did when hers was fully put away. 'Is she being serious?'

She's probably scheming for you to lower your guard, and bait you into a trap. She also left you and your brothers back at the Worldwide Genome Project, to nearly die from creating Kraken.

All true... Yet, why She-Pup Karai put away fang, before Pup did the same? Enemies never sheath fangs, until threat passes or opponent puts away fangs and/or claws first… Give She-Pup chance. Hear out… Though, don't believe until hear reasoning argument.

"Right, of course not." He mocked, holding up his hand to list down why he has doubt of her saying what she's saying to be true. "We're both enemies to each other's clan. You left us for death at the Worldwide Genome Project, with a five-mixed mutant you created and refuse to take responsibility for. And to top it all off: You're loyal to Shredder. Would you like me to keep going?"

She seems to be expecting him to have trouble believing her and has very strong reasons to not immediately take her word, despite that the two had secretly consider themselves some sorts of friends. So, she decides to make her proposition be reasonable to him to consider accepting.

"Look, if the Kraang wins, we don't have a planet anymore." She started, walking up to be face-to-face with the blue-masked turtle. "That makes our little fight seem pretty pointless, doesn't it?"

At some level, that would be true. But, Leo knew that Saki would never allow any excuses to get in the way on killing Hamato Yoshi and his brothers. So, he has to know if Karai is willing to go against her master's orders.

"I doubt Shredder would agree." He told her, getting straight to the point.

"Shredder is stubborn and short-minded. He drives me crazy!" Her honesty intrigued him, taken back to hear the anger in her tone that tells him how much she despises his. "His stupid vendetta is gonna get us all killed."

The fifteen year-old raised a brow, giving her a clear look that he was trying to make her see since their encounter at the Byerly Building.

'You don't say. And here I thought everything I say to you is none of your concern, with us having to be enemies and all.'

"He may not be able to see that, but I know you do." She smiled at him, confident that he would be able to see she's willing to work alongside to take on the aliens. "What do you say? Work together for now?"

She extended her right-hand, waiting for the turtle to do the same and symbolize their alliance to take down Kraang. He stared down at the hand held out to him, then looked up to the girl, staring into her Chocolate/Amber-eyes… His mind flashing back to Splinter, staring back at him, before his mind went to the family picture of Hamato Yoshi with his wife and daughter. His eyes blinked rapidly from the images in his head.

'There it is, again.' He thought, recalling back to a similar incident that involved Splinter. 'I stared into his eyes, and my thoughts go to Karai. And now, staring into hers does the same for Sensei… What's going on?'

Figure that out, later. Right now, get out of here and head back to the Lair, before Raph or the others decide to come get you and find you with Karai.

"…Sumimasen, shisutā (I'm sorry, Sister)." He told her, giving her an apologetic look when she's taken back by his answer. "While I do believe that you want to help us take down Kraang and willing to work with us… I can't give you my consent and answer for my team, to agree to become allies. -His eyes formed from a glare to a sad, solemn expression on his face.- I gave you a chance to show your worth as a potential ally, back at the Worldwide Genome Project, and you made your decision to turn your back to us... To betray me, and my trust in you."

Karai had a look of guilt on her face.

"…Hontōni gomen'nasai (I'm really sorry), Leo…" Her apology was sincere, her eyes reflecting true regret for mistreating his kindness he gave her. He nodded his head to her, silently accepting her apology.

"…I know… That's why I trusted you enough to not tell your master that you saw us heading into the sewers, at Central Park. I knew, somehow, that you wouldn't tell Shredder the last place you saw us head in the sewers. -He slowly backed away to the ledge.- I cannot make any guarantee we'll ally ourselves with you, considering you proved to being a traitor in their eyes… However, what I can promise, is to talk to them and make them see reason to at least consider the option to taking Kraang down, together, once and for all."

It wasn't the answer she wanted to hear, but it was more than enough for her to know at least he will try to make their alliance work, once he gets his brothers to agree with him.

"...Very well," she told him. "When you're ready to accept my offer, you know how to get my attention."

He nodded his head to her and, in unison, the two turned their back and jumped off the opposite ledge of the building from each other, going their separate ways.

---

Fifteen Minutes Later, in the Dojo..
The instant he got back home, he made a beeline for the dojo, knowing Master Splinter is inside. His brothers, confused by his sudden eagerness to see their father, a rarity he doesn't do much often when they were toddlers, followed… There, in the dojo, while April is in the process of perfecting Katas, he told them of his encounter with the Kunoichi Foot Ninja and wanting to fight the Kraang with them.

"I know we shouldn't trust Karai, not after she left us behind at the Worldwide Genome Project." He assured them, all of them kneeling before the fifty year-old father. "But still, I got this sense she's really fed up with Shredder."

"That's probably just what she wants you to think." Raphael suggested, looking rather tired that they're having this conversation about this girl their brother has crossed paths with.

"I know, but-…" Clearly, the three weren't convinced and don't seem to have any reason to believe him. He turned to his sensei, desperation in his eyes. "Sensei, is there any chance she's serious?" 'If anyone can convince them that she's telling the truth on helping us fight the Kraang, it has to be Sensei… Please, give us the answer we need to hear.'

"It is possible," the rat replied. "Loyalties have been known to shift… But the Kunoichi is trained to use deception to her advantage."

The answer to his question was puzzling, and yet, on some line, he understands.

"So, she either will or won't betray us?" He asked, hoping his brothers listen in carefully on the conversation.

"Correct. You must trust your instincts. -He turned, signaling on heading for his room to meditate.- But beware the trap of believing something to be true, simply because you wish it to be so."

That made the blue-masked turtle feel offended.

He got you there, which you should know by now to never fall for.

"So I should trust my instincts, unless my instincts are… Wrong?" Putting 'instinct' and 'wrong' together, left a bad taste in Leo's mouth.

"…Correct." Splinter answered, heading into his room, not noticing the disturbed, confused look on his eldest son's face.

…Alpha… Doubts Pup…? Doubts own primal voice…? Doubts… I?

Even his Instinct, itself, is clearly taken back what Splinter just told the blue-masked turtle to do… Something that he has done all his life, and never once had gone astray or been misguided by his Instinct.

"Whoa. You know it's good advise when you're still confused afterwards." This revelation had Michelangelo smiling, amused by the confusion of his big brother of their father's Words of Wisdom.

"Guys, seriously. An alliance with Karai? No way." Obviously, the red-masked turtle is against it. "Why are we even talking about this?"

"It's too bad we can't trust her," the purple-masked turtle said. "It would be nice to have a Kunoichi on our side."

"Um, hello? What about me?" April butted in to the conversation, a little upset and offended to the genius turtle's words.

"No, I mean a real Kunoichi." Donatello stated, until realizing his open-minded opinion was degrading the sixteen year-old. "I mean, not that you're not a real one, just that Karai is better. -The others stared at him, as he began to panic on correcting himself.- I mean, not-not better, just more experienced. Is it- Is it hot in here?"

Leonardo rolled his eyes at the poor excuse his brother picked up.

'Real smooth, Donnie.'

"It's okay. I get it." April respond, sounding a bit cheerful to the others but the leader in blue knew she isn't all right with what Don was trying to say. "She's your mortal enemy, but hey, she's 'purty'."

"No, she's not! You're way prettier." Once again, he panicked from his open response to explaining himself. "Not that I think you're pretty. I mean, you're not ugly. It's just that I-"

"Auh!" Out of nowhere, Karasu came out from her spot in the tree and dived bomb Donatello, pecking him on the head.

"Ow, ow, ow!" The second-youngest cried out, getting to his feet and trying to shield his head from the raven/crow-hybrid's pecking, whose beak easily caused scratches onto his hands. "Leo, get her to stop! Ow! Get her off me!"

Leonardo smiled at the bird.

'Good girl, Kara. At least that will save him from further embarrassing himself, and making the conversation more awkward than it already is.'

That may be true, but she'll have to stop pecking him, eventually. You guys need to head back above ground and see if those beacons are working for any signs of the scout-ship.

'…True.' He placed two fingers to his lips.

*Pwwweeeet!*

Karasu, hearing the whistling, ceased her pecking on her older-brother and came to him, taking roost on his left-arm he held up for her.

"He's giving us a headache on courting Big Sister," she explained. "One of these days, he's going to say the wrong thing that'll get him in trouble."

He chuckled, stroking her feathers. He then turned to his brothers and April.

"We'll deal on what to do about Karai, later. Right now, we have a ship to track down."

---

Midnight, in New York…
"Guys, I think I found something." Donatello reported, pulling out his T-Phone.

'Finally! I was getting tired on driving randomly on the street.' Leonardo thought, focusing on the road ahead of them instead of pulling over and getting out of the shellraiser to head for the shadows and fresh air.

"Doesn't match any authorized flight patterns… It's gotta be the Kraang ship."

"Or Santa!" Mikey suggested in a hopeful tone of voice, clearly still believing in the mythical character and hoping Don just proved his favorite holiday mascot is real. Leo took a hard right, finding themselves next to the rundown movie theatre, before slamming the breaks when he saw the floating eyeball-like ship before them. "…Nope, it's the Kraang Ship. Ugh, that's a bummer." The youngest-turtle was disappointed, but none of his older-brothers told him to focus when they waited to see what the ship was going to do.

Rather than wait and see, when seeing a flash of purple pop out, Leonardo took action: He forced the shellraiser to reverse, at the same time the light-purple lightning came down to where they were just parked in, turned the vehicle to face the way they came from, and floored it.

"Raph, cover fire!"

Raphael activated the Garbage Cannon and, whenever lightning comes down and looks like it's gonna hit the Shellraiser, he fires a stink-ball of garbage at it. However, they only have a limited supply of stink-balls and using manhole covers could do more harm than good.

"Move it, Leo!" He told his twin, down to three stink-balls when he used up seven of the ten balls they had in stock. The leader knew they're in major trouble.

'We don't have much maneuverability, and we can't let it know where we enter the sewers from.' "Hang on to your shells!" He warned, steering the Shellraiser to make a hard left to enter the south-east part of New York and flooring it as fast it can go before turning corners.

"I think I figured out it's mission… Us!" Donatello confirmed, gripping tightly to the panel in front of him the more freaked out he became of the scout-ship gaining on them.

'Took you that long to figure that out, Donnie? Figures.'

He passed the entrance to Chinatown, taking a hard-left.

You can't keep driving, forever. Either the gas will run out, or it'll lay a hit on the Shellraiser.

'I know…!' "Mikey, we need an escape route!" Leonardo turned to the orange-masked turtle, hoping that the youngest knows the roads than he does on where to go.

"Take the alley on the right." Leo made a hard-right to where Mikey told him to go… Only to then slam his foot on the break, staring at a wall in front of them.

"…It's a dead end." He informed the youngest, fear gripping his heart when the Kraang ship came up. 'Don't tell me he read the map wrong.'

"…Don't take the alley on the right!" He got his answer, resulting him to slamming a fist on the steering-wheel.

'Damn it, Mikey! At a time where we can't afford making any mistakes to escape Kraang!' He made an attempt to back up, only for light-purple lightning to come down on the vehicle from behind. The Shellraiser acted up, its systems malfunctioning as the electricity flashed and glitches. "Any ideas?" He asked, trying to get the vehicle to respond to his attempt to get out of the alley.

"Just one." Raphael answered, getting out of his seat and going over to Michelangelo, banging his fists against the orange-masked turtle's shell and forcing out cries of pain from Mikey.

While this was going on, Leonardo heard the sound of what he believes to being a motorcycle, coming from… Above? He turned his attention to the screen behind them… And watched, eyes wide, shocked, when seeing Karai jumping off her motorcycle, from the rooftop to their right and driving her Wakizashi into the scout-ship. The instant she dug her blade into the ship, it jerked and shifted, possibly startling the Kraang running the ship inside. As she kept attacking, the ship floating away from the Shellraiser and took off into the sky.

"That was Karai!" Leonardo called out, fear and worry written on his face and heard in his voice.

She… Helped?

She-Pup Karai not helped… She-Pup Karai saved Pup and Kins!

The vehicle, no longer taking electrical damage, finally responded to Leonardo making it reverse.

"We've gotta go back and help her." He said, pushing the damage Shellraiser to the direction the scout-ship went.

As he drove, a hand rested on his left-shoulder, getting him to look up and see it was Raph.

"She can take care of herself." He stated, silently telling him to ignore the the sixteen year-old. "Let's put some distance between that thing and us."

Leo glared at his twin.

"No, she can't." He argued back. "She saved us, intentionally or not, so we need to help her."

"But, Leo, the Shellraiser's badly damaged." Donatello informed, agreeing with Raph that they shouldn't help the Kunoichi out. "It can't take another hit."

Leo clenched, tightly, onto the wheel in his grasp.

'If they want to save themselves, fine! But, I'm not going to ignore that she's sacrificing herself and have her get killed.' He unbuckled his strap. "I'll do it myself. Take the wheel." He told Raph, getting out of his seat and ignoring the slight veering until the red-masked turtle took over driving, as he opened the latch where the Stealth Bike is being held. "We'll meet underground."

Raphael didn't look too happy of his twin using the Stealth Bike.

"Hey, the Stealth Bike's my thing!" He argued, but didn't get out of his spot on driving. Leonardo glared at his twin.

"Well, now your thing is sucking it up." He said, getting inside the motorcycle and closing the door above him.

Once seated, he pushed the red-button over his head and the Stealth Bike is free from the Shellraiser.

You forgot to put on your helmet!

'There's no time for that!' He made the motorcycle go into a complete stop, needing to figure out where the scout-ship is... Which, hearing Karai's war cry behind him and watching the ship go straight in front of him, didn't have to look for very long. He revved the bike and forced it to move it. 'Hang on, Karai. I'm on my way.'

While the blue-masked turtle head for their location, Karai was struggling to remain on the scout-ship, that threatens to get her off.

"This... Is... So... Not... Fun!" She called out, barely able to keep a tight hold on her Wakizashi when the ship tried to bash itself against the buildings, sideways. As the ship continued to shaking her off, the Kunoichi noticed Leo following them, riding in a black-motorcycle. While hanging on for dear life, she looked down and saw Leonardo following the ship, riding on a motorcycle. 'Leo!' She called out in her head, hope beating in her heart that her friend will help her get off the crazy ride she gotten herself on to.

The ship continued to fly sideways, her grip and sword sliding off until, without warning, it jerked upwards and the Kunoichi found herself thrown in the air, falling for the unforgiving ground that she knew will leave her with injuries that could be threatening to her safety.

Leonardo pushed the Stealth Bike forward to keep up with the girl.

Car to your right, use it like a ramp!

Taking back by his Conscience desperation to save the sixteen year-old just as much as he and his Instinct does, the blue-masked turtle pushed a burst of speed into the bike, forcing the top-half to lift up on the car and shot right off before the parked vehicle let out it's alarm. Time seemed to go slow for the two teens, one wondering if her life will flash before her eyes, and the other praying to catch her on time.

…He caught her. She landed right on top of him, having plenty of space in the front when the blue-masked turtle pulled the seat back. The Stealth Bike landed right back onto the road, a thump making them jerk from the impact.

"Daijōbudesuka (Are you okay)?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Hai… Anata (You)?" She replied, looking behind her to see the scout-ship righting itself up and following them.

"Hai." He took a moment to stare at her, seeing the discomfort on her face. 'Huh. This is a first; not much to say, and no attempts to acting like she didn't need help… Must be in some state of shock.'

"…I'm not really good at saying thank you…" She told him, before the both of them ducked their heads when the light-purple came down beside the Stealth Bike.

He turned to her, a calm, reassuring look on his face making her feel safe.

"Genkyū shinaide kudasai (Don't mention it)," He told her. "Hang tight, I'm gonna shake them off our tails."

He pushed a button and a black panel covered them, forming the Stealth Bike into a black-shell. He took a left-turn, floored it straight down the road… Then, cut the gas and forced turn the bike into a shady alleyway beside the dumpster. They both waited silently, Leo turning off the motorcycle, as they watch the Kraang ship fly past them. Both held their breaths, hoping that the scout-ship won't try looking in the alleys or their scanner to pick up any trail they're using to finding the turtles.

…In seconds, the ship took off straight into the sky, heading for TCRI… Leaving the two teenagers, as if they hadn't been chasing them in the first place. When the danger finally passed, a minute later, the Stealth Bike came out of it's Stealth Mode, letting Leonardo and Karai to no longer hide.

The two turned to each other, and smiled... Then, without warning, Karai leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the fifteen year-old. She buried her face into his left-shoulder, a sense of safety she longed and seeked to find when she was younger, only to be denied too many times by her father.

In response, Leo returned the hug, giving her a reassuring pat on the back as a silent devotion to his friend. It was something he adopted on doing since he and his brothers were little, as a display of trust and loyalty to each other and look after each other's shells, which serves as their greatest defense... But also, their greatest weakness, should any serious damage were to come to their shell. His heart, which was pounding in his ears with great terror for the Kunoichi, finally settled and calm, relishing in peace of his sister not seriously wounded from that fall the Kraang purposely caused.

He quickly realized what he just thought.

'"Sister"?' As he gazed down at the sixteen year-old he held in his arms, the same way he would embrace April, he found that word he used for Karai... Felt right to use for his friend... A friend who's supposed to be his enemy, but can't bring himself to accept. 'Sensei told me to trust my instincts, and they're telling me that she wants to help us fight the Kraang... And I believe in my Instinct.'

...Hate to admit it... But, you're right... You can trust her.

While still viewed as Enemy to Pack... Pup wise to accept She-Pup Karai as Ally... Accept, embrace She-Pup as Kin... As Beta-Sister.

He pulled away from Karai, who had a confused look on her face to his sudden reaction to pull away, and started up the Stealth Bike. He also had the vehicle go back into it's Stealth Mode before getting back on the road, heading for the direction to the hidden hatch to the abandoned subway tunnels.

"We're are we going?" She asked, having to wrap her arms over his shoulder to stay firm in her spot since she doesn't have a seatbelt of her own.

"To my brothers," he said. "...After what just happened tonight, we need to talk about the Kraang... And how we must ally ourselves, in order to take them down."

---

Twelve Thirty-Seven, at the Lair...
Tonight has really been crazy ride for the turtles: First, they tried taking on the Kraang Ship. Then, Karai came out of nowhere and, inadvertently, saved them and the Shellraiser. After that, Leo went to save her and, when regrouping with his brothers, brought the girl over and, actually, agreed to become allies.

Of course, Donatello and Raphael tried to find ways to refuse, until the sixteen year-old offered to get them a shoulder-fired missile launcher, while Shredder has business at the docks with a friend of his: Ivan Steranko. Since that will be the only time for her to give them the weapon, without anybody looking or noticing where the weapon will wind up in who's possession, the turtles accepted her offer and the covenant was struck between the two clans.

So now, they have to wait until near-dusk to head for the docks and meet up with Karai.

"Stocked!" Michelangelo lightly cheered, watching Raphael play on the Space Heroes Pinball Machine. "I can't believe we're getting a missile launcher. What should we blow up first?"

Behind the two, Leonardo decided to do some sparring with the dummy. He groaned at his baby-brother's question.

'And he complained why he couldn't drive the Shellraiser, let alone the Garbage Cannon when not in combat.'

He double-jabbed the dummy in the stomach, while he continues to listen in on his brothers' openly conversation.

"Uh, the Kraang Ship?" Raphael answered, calmly reminding the orange-masked turtle why they're getting a missile launcher in the first place.

"Oh, right… What should we blow up second?"

The blue-masked turtle decided to get into the conversation.

"If Karai can pull it off." He stated, before delivering two more punches and a powerful kick to the dummy, forcing it off from its hanger. 'She sounded too confident that no one would be suspicious of her, that she needs to plan carefully on how to give us the missile launcher, without anybody questioning her whereabouts?'

On the couch, Donatello was reading the newspaper, deciding to do some reading before heading to bed and to work on the Shellraiser in the morning. Wanting to get back at him for sending Karasu to peck him on the head, even though it got him out from the awkward conversation with April, he decided to do what Raph and Mikey keep teasing him about his feelings for the girl.

"Are you worried about your girlfriend?" He lightly mocked, hoping the other two would get in on teasing their big brother. "I see why you guys do that now. It's kind of fun."

None of the younger-brothers took notice of the sudden rage building inside Leonardo. His eyes glared down at his genius brother, daggers of disgust held in his iris'.

'Did he just…?'

Don't even think about it; he was only joking.

'He dare to accuse me to committing a sin with Karai*?!' A low rumble nearly left his throat, his fangs clenched together in an attempt to stay quiet. 'He think it's funny to make such claims, when he, himself, is taking part of doing a sinful act on attempting to become April's mate?!'

He was only joking. More likely trying to get back at you guys for always teasing him about his own crush for April.

'And the best way to do so, is to make such assumptions of his own, without evidence or proof?! -He slowly got down on all-fours, readying himself to pounce.- I'm gonna make sure he learns that assumptions leads to confusion.'

Stop! Don't do it!

…Pup is correct. Omega-Brother Donatello acted disrespectful towards own Kin, who is not those who mocked for feelings towards She-Pup April. Damning of all, claims Pup for inappropriate feelings towards Beta-Sister Karai. Kin must learn lesson.

With his Instinct in agreement, Leonardo lunged for Donatello, forcing out a startled yelp from the sudden force of what he would compare to a bull ramming him to the ground and found himself staring wide-eyed scared at his brother. The eldest has pinned the genius turtle to the ground on his plastron with his own body, his right-hand forcing Don's own right-arm to twist behind his shell while his left-arm is held against his neck.

Raphael and Michelangelo immediately came to their genius brother's side, both trying to pull Leo off of the svelte turtle but, somehow, the thin-turtle refused to budge.

"Say that, again!" He demanded, slamming Don's head against the floor when he tried shaking his brother off of his shell. "Repeat what you just said!"

"Leo, get the hell off him!" Raphael yelled, trying to pry the hand off of Don's neck.

"Dude, seriously, he was only kidding!" Michelangelo said the same thing his Conscience was telling, attempting to remove Leo by pushing him away.

The blue-masked turtle turned his glare to Mikey, frightening him to pull away.

"He wasn't!" Leo shouted, stunning the three turtles. Never, does the eldest of them, ever raises his voice to the youngest like that. "He meant what he said! -He turned back to Don, tightening his grip on the hand he twisted against the purple-masked turtle's shell.- If he didn't mean it, he shouldn't had said it in the first place!"

Almost immediately, Donatello knew what he has to do.

"I'm sorry, Leo! I didn't mean it! Honest!" He cried out, wincing when the tightening on his arm increased.

The blue-masked turtle growled lowly at his brother.

"If so, take it back!" He ordered.

"I take it back! I take it back!" Don repeated, which earned him another shove in the head against the floor.

He took it back! Now, let him go!

'Not yet.' "Clarify what you're taking back!"

"She's not your girlfriend! She's not your girlfriend!"

The instant he finished, Leonardo got off of Donatello's shell and released his arm, satisfied of his brother's apology.

"Try and pull another stunt like that, again, and I'll make you feel more human than turtle." He growled out his warning to his brother, who immediately nodded his head.

You're lucky that Father took April on a practice run. Otherwise, you'd be pinned by his Jade cane sword.

'What's even more lucky? They won't be back until the next night. So, hopefully, we'll be back before he and April do.' He let out a tiring sigh, feeling the urge to sleep beckoning him to head for his bedroom and sleep in his own bed for the first time in over two weeks. "We better head for bed," he told his brothers. "Since Shredder's going to be there, we're going to need all the energy we can get to pick up the missile launcher and locate the scout-ship."

He was the first of them to head for his bedroom, until he heard Raphael speak up.

"That's right. For once, we know where Shredder's gonna be ahead of time." The way Raph spoke of the realization, made the blue-masked turtle feel dread. "Which means, we coul-"

"Whatever you're going to suggest, best wait until morning." He called out, not wanting to go through another snappy mood if it's involved with his friend/newly appointed sister. "It's late, and we need sleep for tomorrow."

He didn't bother looking to see if they're heading for their bedrooms as he told them to, reaching for his room and heading straight to his bed. April's scent can be detected in the room, which didn't bother him in the least; she made sure to keep his room clean and nothing seemed to be out of place, which shows she took great care of his room and his few belongings.

Karasu went out in the city moments ago, after the four brothers returned to the Lair and asked for his permission, off mingling with other birds to learn what she needs to do to survive in the city. Knowing she'll be back before dawn, the blue-masked turtle wasn't too worried of her going past curfew.

Setting his swords beside his bed and removing his mask and paddings onto the nightstand, Leonardo got underneath the covers and, almost immediately, went to sleep.

---

In the Dream State...
He found himself in his special field he made for himself: fresh-green grass waving with the wind, some flowers and pine-trees off in the distance. A small river nearby the trees, and some smooth rocks to sit upon.

This, right here, is his Haven. Away from the city, where his enemies resides to hunt and kill him and his pack. Far from the responsibility that's been put on his shoulders to carry since he was four... This is freedom he's been searching for, all his life.

...However, there's a presence that dares to come into his Haven, without his consent or knowledge... Which, when he turned to see who the intruder was, saw the very person he has allowed to come to him, in his dreams or even reach out from the Astral Plane: Tang Shen.

She woman stood in her spot, smiling lovingly at the fifteen year-old humanoid-wolf/turtle who was thirty feet away from her.

"Leonardo..." She softly spoke, opening her arms for him to run into.

…Which the turtle didn't do; only walk towards the twenty-eight year-old woman and, when he stood a few feet from her, got down on his knees, bowing before her.

"Tang Shen," he greeted back. She let out a soft sigh, clearly disappointed that he didn't run into her embrace like she wanted him to, before kneeling with him.

"I'm never going to get you to call me 'Mother' and not use my name every time we see each other, am I?" She asked, placing a hand underneath his chin to lift his gaze to stare into her deep-chocolate eyes.

"Sumimasen, Okāsan (I'm sorry, Mother)." He apologized. "But, as you know…"

Tang Shen let out a light giggle.

"Yes, I know. An act of respect in both, our tradition, and your wolf heritage. -She leaned in and wrapped her arms around her 'son', her smile grew when he slowly returned the embrace.- I am so relieved, that you and your brothers made it home, unharmed." She pulled away, but still kept her arms around the fifteen year-old. Her smiled disappeared, replaced with a serious look of concern. "You are meeting up with Karai tomorrow at the docks."

Leonardo nodded his head.

"That's the plan," he answered. "I just hope she won't get caught. If Shredder learns of her allying herself with us to stop Kraang, I fear what he'll do to her for treason."

Tang Shen ran a thumb gently over his right-cheek.

"You care about her, just as much you do for your brothers." He knew it was a statement, and not a question.

"As if she's my sister," he said. "I know neither she nor April will ever replace Miwa, but that won't stop me from viewing others as kins."

The woman grasped for both of his hands into her own smaller-hands, pulling them up to rest underneath her chin to have him remain focus to her face.

"...Musuko, you must tell her how you view her." Tang Shen's advice caught the teen by surprise.

'She sounded a bit desperate for me to tell Karai... Something must be up.' "Is there some sort of importancy on doing so?"

She bowed her head.

"You know I cannot give you all the answers to the objectives you and your brothers will be facing, my son." She reminded, a sad expression on her face sending him or apology. "As for your question, I'm afraid you're gonna have to figure that out, yourself."

He wasn't too disappointed of the answer she gave him, but there was still a nagging feeling that she knows something bad is going to happen.

"Very well... But, will you be able to tell me if there may be a great threat coming? Because, I feel you didn't come to my dreams just to tell me about revealing my kinship to Karai."

Tang Shen smiled at her humanoid-wolf/turtle son, before leaning in and laying a light kiss on his forehead.

"My clever turtle," she commented. "Once again, you know that I cannot reveal what may or may not happen in the future... But, yes. I fear there will be a great evil that'll come, not just for our family, but everyone and the Earth, herself. -Her gaze became very serious- You've been having certain visions lately, have you not?"

"Sometimes," he answered. "Just a few glimpses that would randomly pop up, from time to time. They wouldn't be long, but I would somehow know if they're warning signs or just parts for my dreams."

She nodded her head to his explanation, approving his answer to her question.

"You are wise to trust your intuitive, Leonardo." Her words may have brought joy to his heart, but brought up a painful memory of Splinter telling him that his instincts can be wrong.

"At least somebody trusts me on what my instincts tells me." He scoffed, earning him a deep sigh from the woman who appointed herself as his and his brothers' mother.

"I know what your father said was out of line, but he wasn't being directive towards your Instinct or saying it will be wrong." He didn't looked convinced and looked a bit uncomfortable on bringing up the humanoid-rat he's now related to by blood, even if it's by one-fourth. "And don't think that I didn't hear what you said two and a half weeks ago, of you not being his son."

Yep, he should've known she would get to him about that, even though he already apologized for ever thinking such thoughts.

"It's kinda hard to see myself being treated fairly alongside my brothers, when I had been treated differently than they have since we were younglings." He explained, lowering his head to stare at his hands clenching into the grass. "Having to give up my chance to get a childhood my brothers get to experience and always watching how they're free of the burdens I'm forced to uphold, makes me question if he even sees me as his son… Or maybe as some weapon, built and made to protect the clan, until they learned of my impure genetics and toss me aside."

She gave him a heartbroken look and, once again, pulled him into a hug, resting his head on her left-shoulder.

"My poor, sweet Kame." She whispered, slightly rocking the both of them and resting her head on top of her son's. "I must admit, I was deeply saddened and even angry at your father for starting your training when you were only four, when he should've allowed you to grow with your brothers and start you all on equal ground." Tang Shen slightly pulled away, keeping her arms around Leonardo, waiting for him to lift his head up and stare into her deep-chocolate eyes. "You have every right to feel hurt and angry of the treatment you had to endure that didn't justify your genetics, opinions or even feelings your brothers and father don't even know about… But, always remember, fully blood related or even partial related, they're your family… Your Pack."

"…And when they find out of my wolf-blood, will they still see me as they expect me to be?" He asked, not directly questioning to know what their reactions are going to be when that day comes.

"That'll be up to them… And you, to decide what happens, there and then. -She leaned forward, laying another kiss on his forehead.- Whether it's to remain close by, and continue to watch over them… Or search for the freedom you've longed for."

Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes widened to her words, taken back by her words. The way she just calmly told him, it didn't sound like much of a big deal. As if he chooses to leave his pack for his freedom, she wouldn't be upset of his decision.

'…She's okay with it?' He pondered, staring into her eyes and seeing the answer to his question.

…Yes, she would be completely fine, if he so chooses to leave. She'd be supportive of his decision, for he would leave should the Clan renounce their claim on him or has completed his end of the bargain by eliminating the danger that threatens the Hamato Clan.

He looked over the horizon where the mountains were to his left, watching the sun lower and the moon rising in its place. He knew that once its light shines down on him, he'll wake up and Tang Shen will be gone. She knows the drill is coming as well, having to go through it many times in the past when visiting him. And every time, she's always sad to be forcefully separated from her 'son'.

Knowing it's time to wrap up their little reunion, Leonardo leaned up and landed a kiss on his 'mother's' forehead.

"Watashi wa yakusoku o mamorimasu, Haha (I will keep my promises, Mother)." He vowed, feeling the moon's light slowly embrace him.

For the third time, Tang Shen returned his farewell gesture by laying a third kiss on his forehead.

"Watashi no kotoba o oboete iru, watashi no musuko... Soshite, kesshite wasurenai: Watashi wa anata o aishiteimasu... Anata no tame ni (Remember my words, my son… And never forget: I love you… For you)."

The moon's light completely surrounded them and, in unison, the two were gone: One returning to the Astral Plane, in Heaven. And the other returning to his Conscious World… Where great pain and sorrow will befallen onto the humanoid-wolf/turtle.

---

Hours Later, Mid-Afternoon…
Throughout most of the day, Leonardo focused on meditating in the dojo. It always help calm his nerves and keep his mind focus on what he needs to do.

He sent Karasu to go back to the surface and head for the docks. According to her findings, there are many shipping containers that are being unused and empty. While there are a lot of workers moving about in the day time, with Summer being their busiest time of year, the docks are always empty and left unguarded at around seven.

This information reassured the turtle that if they all played their cards right, Karai will give them the missile launcher and they can leave the area, long before Shredder or even the Kraang's scout-ship discovered any turtles were there. And once they face the ship for a third encounter and actually take it down, their alliance with the Kunoichi will surely prove herself worthy to his brothers and together, take on the Kraang and whatever invasion plans they try to come up.

However, something in the back of his mind told him that his hopes for that will not be coming true. For a glimpse of an imagery should him at the docks with Karai, the Kraang's ship heading for them... And his heart feeling hurt, and betrayed.

So... Are you going to tell her?

Leo reopened his eyes, slowly stretching his limbs to rid away the kinks and drowsiness from sitting for a long time. Ever since witnessing Karai risking her own life for him and his brothers, his Conscience no longer viewed her as conniving or a potential threat. While he knows there will come a time where she'll have to be his enemy when she's not alone, it no longer believe she's an enemy.

...And, for the very first time, doubted Splinter's wisdom, that the blue-masked turtle shouldn't believe the possibility of Karai ever being an ally and is forever an enemy to the Hamato Clan.

He let out a sigh.

'I told mother that I will, and I am going to tell Karai how I feel for her... I just fear her loyalty to Shredder will prevent her from accepting both, my friendship, and kinship.'

Pup is right to worry of outcome. While loyalties do tend to shift, loyalty and devotion to Alpha is not easy to break. Beta-Sister Karai will remain loyal to Enemy... But, if Kinship-Bond between Pup and Beta-Sister Karai prove to be strong, Beta-Sister Karai will accept, embrace Pup as own Kin.

"Finally. You finished meditating?" Raphael interrupted the conversation between his older-twin and his Conscience and Instinct, entering the dojo and standing before his brother. "We're just about ready to head out... So, what's going to be the plan?"

While Leo has thought up of an idea how to remain out of Shredder's sights and be close in his area, he knows for certain that they already talked about what they're going to do after they get the weapon.

"Raph, you already know what the plan is," he answered. "Once we get the missile launcher, we head back to the Lair and wait until we get another distress signal from Don's beacons and, while remaining out of it's sights, we use the missile launcher to bring it down." 'I expected Mikey to have trouble remembering the plan to the mission, but Raph? That's a bit disturbing, and worrisome.'

Maybe he didn't get much sleep last night?

'Perhaps; they did leave for bed a bit later after I did.'

"Yeah, I know that plan." Raphael replied, a little annoyed and slightly offended that Leo would think he had memory problems like Mikey. "I'm talking about the plan on how to take out Shredder, once and for all."

Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes widened. The blue-masked turtle is completely speechless, while his taller-twin patiently waited to hear the answer to his question.

'He… He can't be serious about this.'

Looks like he is… And that must've been why he and the others went to bed later, last night.

Just as he was shocked for, he was also angered from his conclusion.

'They decided, after hearing the fact of Shredder being there, to talk about hatching a plan to trap him, after we just made a deal with Karai…'

Kins chose to discuss, behind Pup's hide, if all in agreement. Then, Beta-Brother Raphael attempts to drag Pup to what Kins, themselves, decided on… Without approval from Pup?!

His eyes narrowed, glaring into Raph's Emerald-green eyes.

"Who said we were going to take out the Shredder?" He replied, which stunned the hotheaded turtle. "We made a deal with Karai. So, we're not going to go behind her back."

He went for the shoji door and, as he exited the dojo, he knew his twin will come after him, blinded by rage… Moments later, his prediction came true.

"You mean we're not going to do it?!"

Raph's yelling attracted Donatello and Michelangelo's attention from the kitchen, both of which came running out to the living room and seeing the two brothers glaring at each other. Karasu, startled awake from her nap in the living room, remained in her spot. Should her older-brother attempts to attack Leo, she'll immediately intervene the best way she can, with or without her big brother's consent.

Unfazed by Raph's temper, Leonardo calmly repeated his answer.

"It's just as I said. We're not going to attack Shredder, while we're in an alliance with Karai, when are main mission and focus is getting that missile launcher to take out the Kraang's scout-ship. They want to take us out, at this very moment. Shredder and the Foot Clan will have to wait, for another time."

Seething can be heard in the deep breathing the red-masked turtle was making, warning the others he's already losing his control over his rage. Nevertheless, that didn't face the leader in blue to stop talking. The two youngest turtle, who remained behind the couch, were also stunned to hear what the leader in blue just said to them.

"Uh, Leo, Shredder also wants to take us out, and not take us out for pizza." Mikey gently, but too honestly, reminded.

"Not only that, but this may be our only chance to take him by surprise for, who knows how long." Donnie added in, who was trying to not be caught in the middle on choosing sides between his oldest brothers.

Raphael stepped up to his shorter-twin, inwardly trying to push back his rage when it's already reaching his limit.

"Seriously, Leo, are we really going to pass this up?"

Once again, Leonardo knew his leadership is being challenged by his larger-twin. However, this time, they're not only questioning his judgement, as he expects them to, but also his loyalty to the clan… Loyalty to them, his brothers. And he knows that, whatever he answers them with, will lead him to an unknown fate that leads him to mortal danger from his enemies… And, his own Pack.

---

Seven, at the Docks…
The meeting has finally started. The seagulls were calling out, circling the docks that's below them, in search for food and curiosity on what the humans and the strange mutated-humanoid/animals.

Joining the small flock of birds, a smaller black-bird joined them, keeping complete focus of the Shredder and another adult-human who wore mostly black with a soviet military surplus Ushanka. Eyeing the hat, along with hearing the accent he spoke in, told the bird that he's Russian, along with meeting a few birds that spoke in the similar speech and hearing Leonardo speaking Russian with some of the animals.

And speaking of Leonardo, who remained in the shadows of the shipping containments about a yard away from the Foot Clan, silently watch the exchange slowly play before him… Alone. His brothers, nowhere in sight, or anywhere nearby the meeting, let alone anywhere on the docks.

They'll hate you for what you've done to them. Probably label you as a traitor to the team… To the Clan.

'…I know… Which isn't really much of a surprise, considering how much they keep vocalizing they despise me in the past. Besides, they can't do anything to interfere, when they'll be temporarily paralyzed for another hour.'

As he watches Karai head for the shipments, checking them over before taking them, one-by-one, to the other side of the shipping containment nearby his hiding area, something pulsed in the back of his head. It felt like a light-throb of a headache, but directly at his temple. He winced from the pressure building in his head, as his hearing caught the faint sound of footsteps from the another shipping containment, across from where the meeting is taking place.

"Auh, aaauuh!" Karasu let out a distress call to her humanoid-wolf/turtle brother, her words bringing the most terrible report that he didn't want to here. "Leo, they're here! Our brothers are here!"

There was a gap large enough for him to go through in the shadows and when he went through it, saw what confirms Karasu's report being true: Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo on top of a red shipping containment, partially hidden from sight behind a white shipping containment, both of the older-turtles holding to both sides of a enlarge, makeshift slingshot launcher… The youngest aiming a sphered object in the launcher, which was making a very discomforting sound of electricity… Aiming it for Shredder.

His eyes widened.

'No! They'll ruin everything!'

He immediately ran through the gap to the front, eyes spotted on to Karai, who pulled out one of the missile launchers from the case.

While I would argue for you to let them hit him, they picked the wrong time to attack, when you guys need that missile to take down the scout-ship and probably don't have a back up plan to avoid confrontation with the Foot and that Russian General!

'Agreed!'

He put a hand over his beak and released a screech call that sounded like a Eurasian Jay.

*Eeeaaauh! Eeeaaauh! Eeeaauh, eeeeaauuhh!*

The call, while completely ignored by Shredder, Ivan, the Foot and the turtles, Karai looked up to the call and, when seeing the call was being made by the turtle, saw him silently pointing for her to look at. She went around the shipping containment, stunned to see the three other turtles aiming a metal-ball to where Shredder and Ivan Steranko are at and, just as they released the weapon, quickly ran to her father and pushed him aside from the attack.

The ball missed and ended up shocking Ivan and two other Foot ninjas, shocking them to unconsciousness. Once her father was fine, Karai immediately grabbed for one of the missile launchers and fired it at the three turtles, all three of them jumped off just in time for the missile to explode from impacting with one of the shipping containments, but the impact from the blast forced them to land roughly to the ground.

Still remaining in the shadows of his hiding spot, Leonardo glared at his brothers.

Will Pup aid Kins?

He snarled at the question.

'They decided to cause mutiny, so they'll have to get themselves out of this mess. Besides -turned to Karasu, who was calling out in distress with the other seagulls from the blast of the missile, and seeing the Kraang's scout-ship appearing out from nowhere.- I need to take care of damage here first, before I help them with the Kraang's ship.'

Once again, he made the call of the Eurasian Jay, calling out to the raven/crow-hybrid and the seagulls.

*Eeeaaauh, eeeauh eeeauh! Eeeaaauh! Eeeaauh, eeeeaauuhh! Eeeeaauh eeaauh eeauh, eeeeaauuh!* "Karasu, go back to the Den! Return home, now! Sea Wings, go! Away from here, away from Shiny-Metal!"

Immediately, all of the birds heeded his words and took off, Karasu hesitating for a moment before she obeyed and flew straight for her secret hatch for the Lair. At the same time, his brothers took off running through a Labyrinth-made maze, with Shredder stalking them like a predator hunting for it's prey.

He let out a sigh of relief, before the rushing sound of wind told him to pull out Musashi and block a blade attack from Karai. She forced him back through the gap, then sliced the air, missing when then turtle backflipped off the shipping containment and landed on the ground.

"What's the big idea, Leo?!" The Kunoichi yelled, landing on solid ground with him, her Wakizashi remained out. "We had a deal! I thought you were my friend! I thought you were better than this!"

The blue-masked turtle wasn't going to have the blame be put on him, when his brothers' were the ones to blame... And he wasn't going to take the fall for them, this time.

"I am not in any part of this, Karai." He growled out, clenching tightly to his blade. "As I told you earlier, they were left behind to stay put at our home... Because they refuse to keep the covenant of loyalty, that honor demands they keep, for allying ourselves with you."

She still glared at him, her weapon still gripped in her left-hand, but made no move to attack.

"If what you're telling me is true, how do I know you're not lying to me?" She asked, a small glint in her Chocolate/Amber-eyes hoping he'd proves to still be her friend as she claimed him to be.

"If I were trying to trick you, why would I foil my team, my own brothers' plan by signaling you where they were hiding, before they fired an attack towards Shredder? -Her eyes widened to his question that answered her own. While her attention remains on him, he slowly put his sword away, stunning her even more.- You called me your friend... Would a friend, a true friend, who would go behind his own clan's back to keep a secret friendship with somebody who's supposed to be my enemy, throw away that trust you give them when offering us to take on the Kraang?"

Slowly, she also lowered her blade, seeing his logic to be true, even if she seems to be fighting with herself if he was making up excuses to cover himself.

Her loyalty to Oroku Saki is strong, it won't let her fully believe what you're saying to be true.

He had a feeling that was going to happen, so he decided to be truthful to what occurred earlier.

"I'm going to tell you straight, Karai." He gently warned. "The instant they realized he would be here, my brothers wanted to use this moment to set a trap for Shredder and finally take him down, once and for all... They asked me what the plan was going to be. -Her eyes widened, but he continued to explain himself.- I, too, wanted to take him down, but we made a pact and I chose to respect our alliance by forbidding any confrontation with Shredder."

Karai turned her gaze away from Leo, processing what she's been told and finding no lie in the least in his voice.

"So, the reason they were left behind..." She whispered, earning a firm nod from Leo.

"Is because I benched them from the mission, for deciding to ignore Bushido, a code they never followed by, and rebel to attack your master, with or without me leading them... And so, I used pressure points to knock them out and temporarily paralyze them for about five to six hours. -He turn his own gaze to the fire that was caused by the missile launcher.- Though, somehow, they were able to free themselves from the effects and track down my location, when I kept my T-Phone off the entire time."

His confession truly was something to the sixteen year-old teenager. Never, not once, did she expected somebody, besides Shinigami, to willingly go through whatever means necessary to keep their sworn oath to remain as her ally... Even when that person is to be her enemy. But, in her eyes, Leonardo is not an enemy in her eyes... Even if her own father were to tell her, otherwise, she will never turn her back to the one she calls 'her friend'... Somebody, she would even call as her own family.

'Last night, he called me 'Sister'... I hope that means he, also, felt the connection between us.'

"Unfortunately," his voice brought her back to reality. "While I understand he's your master, what I don't get is why you keep defending him. You've said so, yourself, that he drives you crazy and is self-obsessed with his vendetta. So, why do you protect him, if you clearly show signs that you hate him?"

Part of her didn't want to answer the question, fearing that he would have more than enough reason to turn his back on her and renounce her as an ally and friends. However, he displayed such loyalty to her, to even reveal his own brothers' location to allow her to save her father from the trap, that she knew she at least owes him an explanation of her relationship between her and the Shredder.

"He is, and will have us all killed if he doesn't see the truth before him that the world isn't revolved around him... But, the reason he drives me crazy, is because... He's my father."

In unison, Leonardo, his Conscience and Instinct were blown away from what she just said to him.

SHE'S HIS DAUGHTER?!

"...Shredder... Is your father?" He replied, his eyes widened. "You're Oroku Saki's... Daughter?"

His brain tried to process what he's been told… And, frankly, it didn't sank through: Not only does it sounded wrong, but it didn't feel right, either.

'That can't be right,' he thought. 'There's no way that Shredder, Oroku Saki, would have a child with anybody, when he's obsessed with Tang Shen!'

And the way she referred to him as her father, it sounds like she claims to be blood, which also strengthens how ridiculously impossible that sounds!

Beta-Sister Karai around same age as Upsilon-Sister April**, meaning was around time before betrayal to Hamato Pack as possible newborn Pup.

'Meaning, unless he's taken in a mistress in secrecy as an attempt to having his own Tang Shen if he couldn't have the actual Tang Shen, Master Splinter must've forgotten to tell us that he has a niece and we, also, had a cousin!'

That, or perhaps she was adopted after Father left Japan and he never told her he isn't her blood-father.

'Yeah, or maybe he kidnapped her and li-!'

…His heart felt like stone, his mind going blank and the air froze in his lungs. His Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes stared into her Chocolate/Amber-eyes, both showing inner fear of what their friend was going to say after she revealed herself as Oroku Saki's daughter… Which, the fifteen year-old turtle knew, that is very false. But, before he could be certain, there was one question she has to answer him.

"What's your mother's name?" He asked, part of him hoping to hear what he wanted to hear for the answer and another part of himself dreading to know a darker truth Saki has done.

"…Tang Shen," she answered. "My mother was Tang Shen…" The way she pronounced 'was', told him that she carries her mother's death very heavily. "…And, as you should know, she's dead… Murdered by your master: Hamato Yoshi."

Hearing her name the killer of her mother by her-… Their human-father, confirmed Leonardo's greatest fears… And his hatred towards Oroku Saki grew more than he felt towards the man who was supposed to be his uncle.

Beta-Sister Karai not true name… Beta-Sister Karai true name, Beta-Sister Miwa… Lost-Kin, alive!

…All this time… She's been raised by Oroku Saki… She's been raised to believe, been lied to, that Father killed Mother…! That she's his child!

His fangs clenched together, struggling to control his ragged breathing that rose.

'That lying, murderous, Kemono (Beast)!'

He wanted to scream, to roar, to let out a howl that would let all know his demanding for justice that's been stolen from his sensei… And to his older half-sister. His Instinct and Conscience are more in an agreement that the instant he sees Shredder, even by hearing his voice or picking up his scent, the blue-masked turtle was going to let loose and spill his blood by both of his fangs, his swords and his own fangs.

But right now, more than anything, he wanted to embrace the sister he thought was wrongfully taken from him and tell her that everything she's been told was a complete lie. But most of all, reveal who her true father is and that they are blood.

You can't tell her… Not now… It isn't the right time, or moment, to reveal the truth to her.

Leonardo knew his Conscience is right; he's the only one who knows her true identity, but doesn't have evidence with him to convince her to the conclusion of his discovery. Not only that, he fears she would try taking matters into her own hands and end up becoming the victim to the man who raised her as his own, be used as bait to lure them and Master Splinter from hiding to an obvious trap to eliminate them, once and for all.

So, until he knows they're better trained and well prepared to fight Shredder, and has the evidence to show Kar-… Miwa that she's a daughter to an honorable man, the secret shall remain with the turtle and hidden to the girl. However, knowing that the bond he feels for her is very relieving and wants the Kunoichi to know, despite their brothers' betrayal and dishonorable attempt to go behind their backs, that she still has a friend amongst her true clan.

"Karai." He started, forcing a light gasp to escape, as he slowly took a step towards her. "You've revealed yourself as the Shredder's, Oroku Saki's daughter, to an enemy amongst the Foot Clan. And yet, had decided to ally yourself with your... Father's greatest threat, when you saw, yourself, a greater threat that makes our battle with each other insignificantly pointless and unimportant -He made a few more steps towards her, his eyes remaining on her... Finally seeing both Hamato Yoshi, and Tang Shen's eyes reflecting off of her mixed colors of the two, perfectly.- You once confirmed with me that we're enemies and, by both of our clans, we must become enemies... But now, that's changed. -The moment he stood before her, almost being eyes-level with each other as he's half a foot taller than her, he reached out and took her hand that held Wakizashi into his own, gently gripping the small-hand in his.- For I see, not an enemy, but one I call my friend... Someone, I wish to call... Watashi no ane (My sister)."

She caught on to every word he just said to her... And every part of her, mind and soul, was in complete joy to hear he accepts her as both, a friend... But most of all, a sister. There was no lie in his voice, or mischievous intentions in his Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes to make her self-doubt putting her trust into the one person, the one turtle, in all of New York.

She lightly chuckled.

"You're a fool," she commented. "...But then, I guess we both are."

While this was going on, the Kraang's scout-ship caught the two teens in it's sights and sent lightning down on them. The two immediately pulled apart to dodge the attack, ducking to avoid the ship from making a grab for them with it's tentacles when it lifted itself back to the sky.

The blue-masked turtle snarled at the scout-ship, but turning to his sister.

"We gotta take that ship out." Leonardo stated, earning a firm nod from the girl.

"Are deal still stands, Leo." She informed, heading for the case to bring out another rocket-shoulder missile launcher and putting away her Wakizashi. "But, just so you know, my alliance with your brothers is over. -She handed off the missile to the blue-masked turtle.- Once that thing is taken down, I'm coming for them... But you, Ani (Brother), I will keep as my only ally in the city."

He took the missile launcher in both of his hands, carefully strapping it against his shell, before nodding his head.

"I understand," he replied. "Just as you'll understand that I'll do what I must to keep them safe, but we'll figure that out, later, after we've delt with the scout-ship."

Immediately, the two went to the highest peek of the docks, on top of the highest shipping containment stacked. There, Karai helped Leo set up the missile launcher and show him what to do to use it.

"Think you can draw it's attention away from me for a moment?" He asked the Kunoichi, as they both laid their backs against the side to hide in the shadows. "I need to fire it, the moment it leaves itself open by flying up in the air."

She smirked at his request.

"After nearly falling to my death last night, I think some payback is an order." Pulling out Wakizashi, she ran to the ledge and launched herself in the air, jumping on top of the scout-ship and attempting to jab her blade through the metal. "This is for almost turning me into roadkill!"

While she continues striking, Leonardo readied himself into position. The weight of the missile launcher, while a little irritated to rest against his shell, wasn't too much of an issue.

The Kraang's scout-ship, like before, attempted to shake her off, which she predicted would happen and jumped off, regaining it's attention to follow her. She looked up to her friend and, seeing him giving her a thumbs up, returned the signal. She almost got hit by the lightning, but her fast reflexes helped her dodge and had for the gap between the shipping containments.

With the girl gone and about to hit the containments, the scout-ship forced itself up. That was the opportunity for Leo to pull the trigger and fire the missile. Immediately, it shot straight for the Kraang's ship and before it could try to move, made a direct hit.

The Scout-ship hovered for a moment, before if went straight down for the docks.

While heading down, Shredder and the three Hamato Brothers were exactly in it's path and the moment he turned to see what was coming towards them... Shredder got hit and went flying into the waters, the Kraang's ship following soon after.

Karai, who went back to stand beside Leonardo, was immediately devastated over Saki's well being.

"Father!" She called out and started making a run for the docks, before turning back to Leo and, to his surprise, placed his T-Phone into how hand. "Contact me when you can, or if you need somebody to talk to."

After that, she jumped off the shipping containments, ran down the dock and dived in the water.

Though he'd rather wait and see her come out of the water, even go in after her to not risk her life for the man who's the true murderer of Tang Shen, Leonardo knew he needs to leave the area before the cops come to investigate the disturbance. He glanced down at his T-Phone, a proud smirk spread on his face.

'Must've snagged it, after I convinced my kinship with her... She's definitely a Hamato.'

His happiness was soon short-lived when he caught the sound of three pairs of feet coming up to him, which his smirk soon turned to a snarl when turning his head to stare at how brothers.

Donatello and Michelangelo were frightened at the anger their big brother had on his face, Raphael also feeling on edge but pushing his fear aside to glare back.

Leo released the launcher and pointed a finger towards the city, the direction to their home.

"Lair... NOW!" He screamed, not caring if all of New York heard him or not. Immediately, the two youngest made a run for the direction. Raphael, taken back by the command, hesitated for a moment before following Don and Mikey's lead.

Before he went to follow his brothers, Leonardo turned to see where Karai has vanished within the waters, bowing his head to send a prayer to his friend... His sister.

'Miwa... My dearest sister... Be safe and hold on, until the time comes for you to know the truth... Our Missing Piece.'

The moment he finished his prayer, he immediately took off for the direction to the Lair... Where he will face many more hardships and challenges that date to stand in his way... Which now includes returning Karai, Hamato Miwa, back to her true clan And fight alongside with her real family, to face the true murderer who killed her... Who killed their mother.

TBC

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I know you expect more butt kicking, but I feel this needs to be brought up, once and for all, especially now that the truth has been revealed.

In the show, when Karai revealed to Leo that Shredder was her father, he should've been the first to realize and figure out that Karai is his long-lost half-sister and Hamato Yoshi's presumedly deceased daughter, Hamato Miwa. I mean, Splinter stated to April that she would be around her she, which the guys would also know about. Not only that, but Saki only loved Tang Shen. Meaning, he wouldn't had sire any children before his betrayal to the Hamato Clan.

So, in conclusion, it would've been obvious to Leonardo that all this time, his sister was alive and had been lied to by the true murderer of her mother.

*: Believe it or not, I actually do that, sometimes. Whenever I feel this urge to be on my feet and just walk, any ways to just be moving around, I'd walk in a circle in my living room. Sometimes, because of stress, or just to help get my muscles moving before heading for work… It would drive my brother crazy, because he says he can hear me 'stomping' outside of his bedroom from the hallway, closed doors, both his and living room TV on.

*: There are reasons why I don't support/like Leorai, Apritello and/or even Minet (Michelangelo and Renet)/Michealgami (Michelangelo and Shinigami), and this is one of those top reasons: The guys may be half-human from the Mutagen, but, they're, by birth, born as animal and still, very likely have their animal anatomy. While the human females they're paired up with, even if they're part-Kraang, been mutated or whatever reasons, all of the girls are born, by birth, humans. There for, their pairings, to me (especially, my religion) and maybe even other peoples who don't support these pairings, is Beastiality. And that's something I can't/won't accept (Don't know why the makers/producers of the shows don't see this sort of issues when doing pairings, let alone that having Leo with Karai is basically Incest).

*: In a pack, certain members gain new Rankings that tells them of their current position of the pack. So, in due time, April's given name (even his brothers and allies/friends' given name) by Leonardo's Instinct will surely change. So, just in case you think I forgot what their names were by his Instinct, keep this in mind.

*: The Upsilon are the scouts or spies of the pack. They go into other pack territories in order to find out what's going on. Afterwards they report back to the Alpha and tell them about all that they have seen, even should it just be that pups have been born. They will also report to the Zeta if they were asked to find wolves of their own for battle, or they report to the Alpha pair. (Scouts/Spies).

And in other news... Probably, an important announcement... Me, my mom, brother and sister are moving in a few weeks... We're not moving very far, just somewhere near Oakhurst. Apparently, my mom and her fiancé are going to live separately for a little while, because of certain issues that needs to be taken care of (Mostly, his youngest son meddling and causing problems to the family and their relationship).

She's also hoping, while my siblings and I help out by paying rent, she'll see about buying a house for us to permanently live in, instead of always moving every few years. Hopefully, this house will be the one, since the owners were talking about selling it.

So, just giving you guys a heads up.

R&R