Chapter four:
Shredder turns as Leo and Raph return from their mission. "You may not have gotten them all but we did kill their, well I suppose yours as well, Sensei. We are going to start the broadcast and make sure everyone understands that I am in charge now. If anyone tries to interrupt us then I want you to kill them." He turns away going in front of the cameras to which they are switched on.
With a bunch of the footclan members watching their leader goes live.
"People of New York City!" Shredder calls out in greeting to the citizens who are watching in surprise. "I have taken down your leader and your city is mine now! You will follow my command or you will share the same fate as your mayor. Feel free to try. I will show you that it won't end well for you. You can call me King Shredder from now on' I will be setting up a few rules now. You will behave yourselves and not cause trouble for us. If there is something that you need you will send a plea request to me. If I agree then you will receive it. If not you will be denied. Try to fight it and you will face punishment. You will not attack any of the Footclan members who will patrol the streets to keep everyone behaved. If you do that will be seen as a sign of treason. No one is allowed to leave the city ever. There will be consequences. I will be making some changes to the laws. Guns are no longer allowed and they will be collected. Any resistance will be met with death. Only certain weapons are allowed mainly melee ones." He goes on to continue as the people watch on in disbelief. He pauses to turn with the cameras turning as a man comes in looking to be some kind of assistant. "Ah. And here we have our first attempt to defy me. You'll get to see exactly what will happen." He snaps his fingers to which Raph dashes forward slamming his sais into the man's chest.
Leo hovers nearby just in case Raph needs back up.
The city dwellers gasp in horror even as the camera is turned away. They truly realize just how serious this all is. They are now stuck under the rule of this villain.
"There you are!" Shredder talks to the cameras. "A first witness to what resistance will cost you. There's plenty more where that came from if anyone else wants to try anything. I'll be sending out my soldiers soon enough. Your guns will be taken. Remember what you saw if you even think about trying to go against me." He raises a hand to which the cameras zoom out to watch. "If you have any doubts about me. Watch your sky and you will realize that there's no point sending an army. They will be taken out." He clenches his hand to which the sky changes to an orange colour.
People gasp and mummer at the sight of it.
"And don't forget what you have seen."
A day has gone by since Shredder took over the city.
Above the Footclan are moving around collecting all of the guns around the city. They even are allowed to use any collected to go after any that try to resist.
"You won't be taking my gun!" A man calls aiming his gun at a Footclan member.
The Footclan member trying to collect from him aims one of the guns that were taking. He shoots hitting the man who falls over with a cry of pain. He approaches and aims the gun at the man one more time. He shoots him in the head killing him. Before he takes the gun moving on to the next.
Below Casey awakens from where he managed to fall asleep, though it is a bit uncomfortable so he feels a little stiff, to turn to see if anyone else is up.
Mikey is still asleep where he's set up his little bed.
Donnie is awake and checking on April.
Casey knows that the two turtles had quietly cried themselves to sleep. He heard them despite that they thought they hid it. He doesn't blame them for it as he even let tears fall last night. He actually managed to stay quiet though. He is just as upset about what is going on, and grieving for Splinter as they are. He wishes these horrible things had never happened. He feels like none of them deserved this. He gets up off of the blanket set on the floor heading over to Donnie. He sits next to him watching him try to work on April. "How is she?"
"She's really weak. I'm not sure she's going to make it. I'm so limited here without everything we had back in the lair." Donnie hangs his head upset that he might not be able to save April. He also is slightly blaming himself as if this is all his fault.
Casey puts an assuring hand on Donnies shoulder. He can't have Donnie blaming himself for anything. "Even if she does die we know you tried your best. That's all we can really ask. No one will blame you if things go bad. It isn't your fault. You've kept her alive so far and that's amazing. If she passes at least remember you let her hang on a little longer. If you need any help we're here for you. I could donate blood if you have the equipment." He may be trying to seem like he's come to terms with this. His heart feeling as though it is just permanently in his stomach from his grief. He's gotta do his best. He feels like there is not other option than to be the strong one for them.
"No." Donnie shakes his head. "That's not a good idea. You got badly wounded yourself. You're in no state to donate blood. You need to heal. I appreciate the offer of help though." He looks to Casey who stares back at him. "I think we've done all that we can do for her. It's now up to her to be able to push through. Even as the odds are against her favour."
"Well we'll believe in her until the end. I suppose we should try to figure out what we should do for starters. We can't just sit around waiting for her to heal."
"But we should try to law low." Donnie corrects Casey. "No doubt Shredder will be on high alert for us. One spotting and things can go south."
"I suppose you're right. You'd just think that now would be a good time. When he's getting the city adjusted to him. He'd be distracted."
"That is true however we are in no state to try to go against him just yet either. As upsetting as it is he has those two under some kind of mind control. Neither me nor Mikey can beat them. They're stronger and better fighters than we are." Donnie explains. "We'll need to use a more creative tactic with planning if we're going to stop him. Lets wait for Mikey to wake up and start planning what do with the space we have. As well as think about what we can do to go against Shredder."
"Hey guys." Mikey speaks up to which the two turn to look at him. He has risen his head from his pillow blinking sleepily. "Do you think that we could recruit others?"
"I'm not sure. That's risky." Donnie admits meeting with Mikeys eyes. "They'd probably freak out about you and me. Now we have to worry that they'll think we're a part of Shredders group. Not just that we're different."
"Hey. Come on Dee." Casey gets Donnies attention. He looks back to the other. "Me and April accepted you all. We can have some faith in humans. Besides I'm trying times even unlikely people can unite. We should wait for opportunity and the right people though. We don't want to end up witty someone from Shredders group as one of us."
"I suppose you have a point." Donnie nods softly. "Alright. But we have to be very careful. The humans can't find us. We'll find them. So we can decide who to trust."
Mikey sits up fully and speaks while sitting cross legged. "Casey. Do you know anyone who is out there that might help us?"
"No. Sorry. I don't really know anyone that would. Or at least anyone I can get into contact with easily." Casey shakes his head lightly.
"We that's okay. On the recruiting we'll figure out things as we go." Donnie gets up to glance around. "For now we'll figure out where to put everything. We should have bedrooms, a planning room, a bathroom, and a kitchen at the very least. I'll want a lab as well. So I can work on things to help us on our quest."
"Hm." Casey turns to glance around without getting up. "Well that room is the biggest." He points to an entry way. "Probably enough space to make a lab in."
Donnie heads to check it out. He walks in glancing around the space. He glances up as something is dripping every now and again. He'll have to fix that. He comes back out when done inspecting it. "Yeah it'll work just fine." He agrees to the idea. He looks to the rooms to see if they have enough room in order to do everything. "I can always make my bedroom in the lab area. We'll probably need the other rooms for space for the other needed things."
Casey and Mikey glance to the rooms and must agree after counting them.
"I want a room next to Donnies." Mikey speaks up heading over to Donnie. He grabs onto Donnies arm leaning close to his brother. "Just in case something happens to him or something finds us."
"I doubt they'll find this place but it'd be nice to have your room nearby." Donnie agrees to this which seems to make them both content.
"Great!" Miley is thrilled to hear this.
Donnie knows the other is trying to look to positives right now. He can tell that it's an attempt to try to cheer them up a little.
A little light in the darker times.
Donnie really appreciates what Mikey's doing and he gives a smile to him. He wants to make sure Mikey doesn't feel like his efforts is wasted as it did help. He is happy to see Mikey look very happy that it did help. He hopes that he can preserve Mikeys personality through these trying times. He loves his brother the way he is, and he is the last one who is currently with them after all. He doesn't want to lose him in any way.
"For now though let's keep sleeping in the same room." Mikey adds and the other two do agree on that as it'd make them all feel better.
Letting them all get some rest.
Night has rolled around as the group stay in the secret area.
Casey and Mikey are sitting on their beds while Donnie is checking on April before bed.
Donnie can't help but notice that Aprils breathing is rather shallow. He gazes at her worriedly while trying to think of how he can help her without the right tools. He goes through his things to see if he can make a homemade breathing bag to help. He knows that such a device could truly help her push through. He finds that he doesn't have anything that would work so he is forced to scrap the idea. He glances back to April wondering what she is seeing while passed out.
In Aprils mind she is sitting cross legged in the middle of her bedroom. She has tried the door only to have found it locked. She glances to the only window where only black is seen outside. She wonders if the others managed to make it out. She hopes that they're okay. She doesn't want them to be hurt or worse. She looks down to her lap wishing she could be there with them. She shifts a framed picture of her, the turtles, Splinter, and Casey from where it sits on her lap. She wants to see them again. She glances up in surprise when the door suddenly swings open.
Splinter steps into the room from the darkness on the other side of the door. He does seem to be missing his can though. So his hands are behind his back as he looks relaxed. "I am truly sorry April but it is time to go."
"Master Splinter?! What are you doing here?" April leaps to her feet setting her picture aside. "And what do you mean?" She sees him blink sadly at her making her realize something. "Wait. You're not... Are you... Dead...?" She can't explain seeing him otherwise. She's lost somewhere away from the real world as she couldn't escape this room.
Splinter slightly lowers his head closing his eyes softly. "I am afraid so Miss O'Neil."
April brings her hands to her mouth as she gasps. She feels her legs tremble in shock and sadness. She even has a few tears that come to her eyes that drip down her cheeks. She glances away trying to collect herself before continuing. "Im so sorry I couldn't do anything to prevent that from happening."
"It was my time." Splinter assures her as he opens his eyes to look at her. He clearly doesn't want to talk about how he had died.
April doesn't pressure him. She can only imagine what he had to go through before death. She just hopes that he did not suffer before he died.
Splinter lets her have a moment as she grieves his death, even with what she thinks to be his spirit standing before her.
"Are the others okay?" April has to know. She needs to know what she took for them was truly helpful. She also doesn't want them to be sharing a fate of death with Splinter.
"They are safe and alive right now. I can confirm that. Miss O'Neil... As much as I wish it wasn't, it is your time as well." Splinters words cause Aprils eyes to widen.
"Wait. But Ill get better. I need to help them. They need all the support that they can get. Plus there's no way that Shredder will go easy on them. Let alone go down easy even when Raph and Leo are freed."
"I know." Splinter places a hand on her shoulder. "You've been very strong through this all. You've kept your determination to get better. To get back to helping fight. However even if you did make it through it seems you would have never woken up. You'd be left in a coma. I truly wish you could have gotten better and helped out. Unfortunately your destiny is not what I prefer for you."
April looks to the floor realizing how she'd just be in the way, not to mention using up precious resources. She will take death if it means helping the living.
"Let us go." Splinter starts to turn towards the exit out of the room.
"Master Splinter? Where exactly are we going?" April inquires having never really given the afterlife much thought. She wonders who is right about the afterlife.
"To a place where we can watch over those we have left on the living realm." Splinter tells her with a nice tone telling her that it's a good place. He heads towards the door.
April watches him go through the darkness disappearing. She gives one last look back to her window. Since she does still have a little hope she'll wake. She doesn't want to just die. She takes a breath and follows after Splinter. Even as she knows what will happen when she crosses through that doorway. She needs to accept what fate has decided upon her.
In the living world Donnie blinks as he hears April let out a stuttering breath before silence. "April?" He checks for a pulse only to find none. His heart pounding and he begins trying CPR on her. "April! Don't give up on us now!" He pleads as Mikey and Casey watch on helplessly. "Come on! Don't let it be the end!" He keeps trying and trying. He still can't get a pulse. He's so focused that he doesn't hear Casey and Mikey head over to him. "Come back!" He pleads as tears come to the edges of his eyes. He keeps going a little longer even as Casey places a hand on his arm.
"Donnie. Donnie. She's gone." Casey gently tugs Donnies arms which slows the chest compressions. He tugs once more so Donnie stops all together.
Donnie stares down at Aprils lifeless body with his hands in position for CPR. He lets his tears fall down his cheeks while slowly moving his hands away. He shifts back a little just hoping that he'll wake up from this bad dream. He closes his eyes unable to look at her any longer. He throws himself forward into a hunched position, his fists slamming against the ground, as he lets out a loud cry of grief. He can hear Mikey sniffling and feel Casey rub his back. He's failed. He truly failed her. "It's not fair!" He sobs with tightly closed crying eyes. "It's not fair! I couldn't save Master Splinter and now I couldn't even save April!?"
"Hey." Casey butts in upon hearing this shifting to be at the same level as Donnie. "You did everything you could. You even helped her live longer than she probably was supposed to. You didn't fail her. Or even fail Splinter. These two events were out of your control. You can fight it but not prevent it. It's no one's fault."
Mikey hugs Donnie trying to keep his own sniffles quiet. Even as tears stream down his face.
"Just remember them and know that one way or another Shredder will pay for this." Casey continues even as Mikey nuzzles his brothers shell.
Donnie doesn't get up instead laying his forehead against the floor. He still can't believe that he failed. He knows if he had the equipment he has back home he would have saved her... But it's not safe there anymore... He shuts his eyes tightly and clenches his teeth. Wondering why the world has to be so cruel to them. He needs those he loves more than ever, they all do, and yet life keeps taking away one after another. He doesn't understand what they did wrong in life to deserve this. He lets himself sit there and just cry for awhile.
Mikey and Casey doing their best to comfort him. They are hugging him and also rubbing his back and shoulders. Though they're feeling the loss heavily themselves as can be seen in their tearful eyes.
The group stay close together letting their tears flow over the loss of their friend. They wish that things could have gone over much better than it ended up doing so. They never wanted to lose anyone of their group... Even though they didn't have a choice in it. If only they had realized that something was off with what Shredder did before it was too late. For now they let their memories of those they cared for flood their minds.
Donnie opens his eyes and sniffles as he has come to realize that he's run out of tears. He stays down not really feeling like sitting up just yet. His body doesn't even want to move as the sadness weighs him down heavily. He silently promises Splinter and April that one day Shredder will pay. He will make sure Shredder answers to what he has caused to happen. His mind flashing up an image of all of them hanging out together... Back in the good days when things were how they were supposed to be... Now his world has been turned upside down and he isn't really sure if he can keep up.
Casey shifts after a little bit. Moving away to which the two turtles glance to him.
Donnie moving as little as needed in order to look at Casey.
"We may not be able to give Splinter a proper burial. But at least we can give April one." Casey points out and crouches right by her body. He lowers his head in sorrow. "I am sorry this was how it ended for you. I hope you're in a good place in the afterlife." He then shifts his arms under her and picks her up bridal style.
Donnie finally shifts to sit up, Mikey moves away to let him do so, and he gives another sniffle. He turns as Mikey puts his arms around him. He can't bring himself to smile right now though he appreciates the gesture.
Casey gives them a moment to which Mikey pulls away.
Donnie grabs a marker he brought to draw up blueprints and plans.
Mikey looks around for something to use for a tombstone. He ends up deciding he'll have to find something outside.
The two turtles follow after Casey as they head with Aprils body outside.
The threes heads bowed in sad respect for their fallen friend. They glance around for shovels to be able to bury April properly.
Donnie takes two shovels from a nearby construction site. "Where should we bury her?" He inquires while handing Mikey one of the shovels. He glances around not sure where a good spot might be. He wants the location to be at least kind of special.
April did mean a lot to them.
It's the least they can do.
"What about by that big tree?" Mikey offers while pointing off in a direction.
Donnie follows to where Mikey is pointing and spots a large tree on a small hill. He must admit it looks like a very nice spot that could be in a movie. "I think it's perfect." He glances to Casey who nods his head in agreement.
They travel to that spot where Mikey and Donnie start digging in front of the tree.
Donnie makes sure that the grave gives Aprils body the right amount of space. He directs Mikey doing his best to make sure the other understands what he's saying.
After a bit of hard work the grave is ready to go.
Mikey and Donnie climb out with ease due to their strong bodies. They watch as Casey hops into the grave to gently place April down.
Casey puts Aprils legs together, her arms folded with care so she actually looks peaceful. He climbs back out with a little help from Mikey.
The three stand at the edge of the grave looking down to their friend. Their hands folded as they let their grief come out while remembering April. Their eyes watering to try to cry once more despite all the crying already done.
After a few moments of silence Casey clears his throat to speak. "April. You were a great friend and a great person. You always looked to the positives and made everyone around you happier. You cared about others deeply with a passion. We hope that you can rest easy even though you didn't get to see us stop Shredder. Trust us in that we will find a way to stop him and free everyone, especially Leo and Raph. Hi know you don't blame them for what happened as none of us do. All I ask is one favor. If you see Splinter please tell him we're sorry we can't bury him. But like you he'll remain in our hearts and mind. Thank you for all you did in your life." He finishes keeping his head bowed low.
Donnie shuts his eyes tightly and his teeth clench. He wishes that this was all some sick dream and that he'll wake up at any moment. He cracks open one eye after a few moments to see this is reality. He tries to relax himself, and just let himself have time to remember the two that have died so far.
Splinter was the greatest father and teacher they could have ever asked for. He knew how to handle them, looked out for them in their times of need, and always knew what to say to help them in any situation or with any question.
April was a wonderful friend and honorary sister to them all. She'd do her best to bring up their mood, support those she cared for, and worked hard to help the turtles even though she was put in danger.
They both will be missed very dearly.
The three let themselves experience their grief for a little bit longer.
Casey is the first to break the silence once more this time without clearing his throat. "Whenever you two are ready." He offers to them.
Mikey waits a little longer before slowly picking up the shovel he dropped, as did Donnie, in a manner showing he doesn't like that he has to do this.
The two patiently wait on Donnie to be ready. They don't stare at him or say anything as they let Donnie have as much time as needed.
Donnie stares at April memorizing every single feature of hers. He does have to remember how her eyes looked since her eyes are closed. He feels frozen to his spot for a little longer. He tells himself that they don't have all day and that he needs to move. He should bury her body and lay it to rest. He just can't get himself to move. He closes his eyes after trying to move for a moment. His break from seeing Aprils body allows him to finally feel like he can move. He turns away and opens his eyes. He grabs the other shovel and hardly looks into the grave as he fills it with Mikey.
Casey watches as the grave is filled until all of the dirt is back in place.
There is a very obvious grave rectangle shape on the ground. It is just dirt while grass is all around it.
Mikey looks around and Donnie knows what he is looking for.
Donnie glances to the construction site then heads there as maybe it has something.
They need a tombstone or at least a cross to mark the grave.
Donnie picks up some rope and hears Mikey call that he found some branches. He returns and they make a cross out of the rope and branches.
The ones Mikey had found are mostly straight which actually works really well.
Donnie places the cross into its spot making sure it is sturdy. He steps back as they all look to the grave they have made for April. He still can't believe all they've lost.
There's only three of them left to try to take on Shredder and his army. They're really going to have to figure something out and soon.
After a few moments Casey speaks up. "We should probably get going. We might get spotted."
The two turtles nod and for now head back to hiding alongside Casey. They make it back and Mikey grabs Donnie.
Mikey brings Donnie to the set up beds and gets him to sit, by pulling him down as he sits. He leans up against Donnie who puts his arm around the snuggling other.
Donnie knows that Mikey both wants comfort as well as to comfort Donnie. He feels like he really doesn't deserve to even know such an amazing turtle.
Casey lets them be and stands away from them looking like he's planning, or at least trying to work something out.
It's a nice bit of downtime after such an upsetting event happened.