Donnie dodged the massive vine that tried to take off his head. So far the night had been slow … at least until SNAKEWEED showed up again. On one hand, the nostalgia of the first night was hitting Donnie like nothing else. On the other hand, the villain was hitting really hard. "Snakey, good seeing you again bud? How have you been? Did you get a haircut?" Spidey quipped as he avoided the vines.

"Eat Spider! Absorb nutrients! Become stronger!" The man screamed.

"In human and in plant, always a one track mind with you!" They countered, throwing a few webs at the mutant. "Mikey, did you get the hostages out of the area yet?"

"I'm trying!" His orange shouted as a woman hit him with a purse over and over. "I'm trying to help you lady!"

"Help me! A freaky green mutant is trying to eat me!" The lady shouted. "Spider-Man man, save me from this ugly freak!"

"Trust me mam, the turtle isn't the green monster that you should be running from!" Spidey called out as Leo landed a kick into the plant man's seed heart. "So other than wanting us dead, any idea what ole Snakeweed's after?"

"Feed! Nutrients! Stronger!" The monster shouted as it sent Leo into a wall.

"You mean you couldn't tell from the constant shouting?" Raph asked as he rushed forward. "I think all the explosions made you need hearing aids."

"I'm just saying we should be prepared for anything, that's all." Peter shrugged. "If it's food you want, I'd be more than happy to buy you a bag of fertilizer and a canteen of water. You're on your own for pesticides though."

"Fertilizer, weak!" A vine snaked around Spidey's leg as he was flung into the air.

"Well aren't you a high maintenance mutant!?"

"Don't worry, I've been saving this for a special occasion." Donnie held out a vial of the gene cleanser. "It won't cure him, but it should give him one shell of a stomach ache." And tossed it into the air and into the plants mouth.

It went in … as they waited … and waited … "Why is nothing happening!?" Leo shouted.

"Aren't they supposed to get a massive stomach ache?" Raph asked.

"Weird, didn't give me one when I used it as a pizza topping either." Mikey admitted.

"One." He slapped his little brother in the back of the head. "Two, this doesn't make sense… unless DogPound's specific mutation was the only one able to affect him like that."

"So what? Are you saying carrying around a gene cleanser twenty four seven is redundant?" Peter asked, dodging the vines.

"We'll just add it to the list of problems." Leo said, cutting some vines. "Donnie, solutions?"

"My best bet? Either cut him up until he runs out of energy, or set him on fire until he falls to the ground." Donnie said. "If he could survive getting burned to a crisp last time, we don't have to worry about holding back."

"Good… you have no idea how much that was eating me on the inside. I'm SOOO relieved we didn't kill him." Spidey took a deep breath.

"Now it just raises the question of how to stop an endlessly regenerating monster that can break down concrete walls." Donnie pointed out.

"... Could you not let me have that? For like, a minute?" He asked.

"Focus on your conscience later." Leo stated. "Alright. Spider-man, you and Mikey distract Snakeweed from using his vines on us."

"Will do." The masked boy sent a few webs over to Snakeweed, moving over to a wall. "Here Snakey Snakey, a yummy spider for you to snack on!" He taunted the creature.

"And I taste like Pizza!" Mikey shouted, before multiple vines grabbed the turtle. "I really hate being the bait!"

"Now that they're properly distracted, Donnie, you and Raph will take him by the legs and-"

"Just aim for the heart, that's his weak spot!" Raph shouted, jumping ahead and sticking out his sais.

"Raph, that isn't part of the plan!" Leo shouted, trying to chase after the turtle. "We wear him down first then go for the obvious weak spot!"

"I'm just cutting out the possibility that gives Snakey a chance to escape!" Raph leaped, kicking the heart-seed, and making the plant mutant gasp out for a few seconds in pain.

"What do you know, heartburn is a mutant problem too." Spidey commented as he strung a few webs on the mutant's legs. "Understanding these things is what helps us lessen the gap between species."

"Web weak … vine strong!" A couple of spikes grown at the end of his vines, splicing it into shreds.

"You starting to reconsider reverse engineering the gobwebs?" Donnie asked as the mutant threw Raph into a wall.

"More and more every second!" Spidey avoided a slash to the back as Snakeweed jumped, running across a rooftop and going into an alley. "Oh don't be like that Snakey, we just want to cut a little off the top! No more than a simple trim across your face!"

"Grow… hungry… food… nutrients… elsewhere!"

"Spidey, sling this on him!" Donnie tossed a homing device over to the web head. "Little something I cooked up in the lab!"

"No, we have him right now!" And Raph was being impulsive and running ahead, trying to follow.

"Raph, wait, at least think it through!" Leo charged forward.

"We at SpideyPS thank you for choosing our delivery service." The hero quipped as he grabbed the device, launching it on the creature's side, before he was knocked away along with Raph and Leo. "Although we do request tips for the beatings we receive along the way."

"So what kind of bug did you leave on him?" Mikey asked.

"Homing device." Donnie explained as the battle finally died down. "The current model's a little bulky and noticeable at the moment, but for someone as non sapient as Snakeweed it should be easy to know where he's going."

"Wait, did mutating Snakeweed take away his sentience?" Spidey asked. "You guys and Dogpound kept/gained sentience."

"Well how would you compare his conversations and personality from when we met him to now?" Donnie asked. "He's not interested in money, and if he was into revenge he would have stuck around. It's likely an aftereffect of being mutated with something non-sentient." Mikey raised his hand. "That means plants and bacteria." And lowered it.

"Raph, what was that!?" Leo shouted. "You ruined every plan we came up with!"

"We had an opening and you didn't take it, 'fearless leader'." Raph said sarcastically. "Snakeweed's trying to kidnap people, we can't take risk in letting him get away!"

"That doesn't mean anything if we're destroyed trying to stop him." Leo argued. "Spidey, back me up."

"Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out a way to lock up Snakeweed without murder, please don't drag me into this conversation." Spidey said. "Is it even ethical to use weedkiller on him?"

"At this point we have to question if his regeneration extends everything but his heart." Donnie pointed out. "You might be able to cut his head off and watch it grow back."

"Maybe it's not even him that grows back." Mikey suggested. "Maybe every time the seed's planted, it grows a new snakeweed, acts the same because it's the same plant, but still different, hence the whole focus on eating."

"... So every time we kill him he just comes back crazier and crazier." Donnie surmised that line of thought. "I am truly in terror at your brain Mikey."

"Geniuses like me are misunderstood in my time." Mikey nodded, and no one was inclined to argue… mainly because Leo and Raph were still fighting with each other.

"It's always like this! The bad guy gets away because you never make the right call!"

"Maybe if you actually listened to any of my calls we wouldn't fail so much!"

"Wow … they're really going at it." Peter winced.

"It's been boiling for a while." Donnie nodded. "It'll probably wear off by the time we get back to the lair and figure out a Snakeweed solution." The fights were never truly serious, so they would begrudgingly put it to the side any moment now.

Splinter was capable of meditating through many things. Wind, snow, thunder, earthquake, it took quite a significant amount of effort to disturb him from his concentration. And with his years of raising children, even the ramblings of Michelangelo were nothing but simple gusts of air floating by to him.

"Why is it so hard to listen to the simplest of orders, even something as basic as waiting?"

"Because whenever we wait the bad guys go around and get what they want! I'm tired of waiting!"

But apparently, even a master like himself could not meditate through this argument, which from what he could gather, felt like a cumulation of every other argument Leonardo and Rapheal have had over the past few months. An argument that he suspected would've come sooner or later.

"And what, you wanna go in blindly and hit every bad guy? Look at what happened when we rushed in to fight Electro! With the Shredder!" Leonardo yelled loudly

"And look what happens with pathetic bad guys like Stockman, Spider-Bytes, or Falco, they get away because we don't act fast enough!" Raphael shouted right back "If it was me leading this time, we'd have no problems with that!"

"You..you lead the team?" Leonardo spoke sarcastically. "The guy prone to anger, the guy that spends one patrol without getting into an argument with his own team, the guy who's main plan everytime is to rush in and hit the bad guy!"

"I wouldn't make any mistakes like you would. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd actually bag the villains that try and get away!" Raphael stated.

Now seemed like a good time for Splinter to interfere. "My son's, what is with this commotion." Splinter spoke evenly.

"I'm arguing with your decision Master Splinter!" Raphael shouted. "I don't think Leo should be the leader."

"Whoa, whoa, okay, you guys arguing with each other is one thing, but to Splinter… are you looking for a death wish?" Donetello asked.

"Well someone has to step up and make the hard choices, or else nothing's going to get done!" Raphael continued.

"Nothing's getting done?" Leo asked, a low simmering rage inside of his own voice. "We stepped up and locked away Vulture and Rhino, we stopped the Goblin, we survived the Foot, and you say nothing gets done?"

"We keep getting lucky." Raphael countered. "It was pure coincidence that Goblin happened to be Peter's friend with a drug problem and daddy issues. Sooner or later, that luck's going to run out, and we're going to be caught with our hands in our shell's not ready for it!"

"You know what, if you think being the leader is find and dandy, then congrat's Raph, you got your wish!" Leonardo shoved his brother, and walked out of the lair. "The team's yours! Do what you want, I don't care! Just leave me out of it!"

"Okay WOW." Peter spoke after a moment of silence. "Did not expect it to escalate that far."

"Oh come on Leo, don't split up the team now!" Michelangelo called out. "We always get punched in the face more when that happens!"

"Let him leave, we can work just fine without him." Raphael dismissed his brother.

Splinter sighed. It seemed Leonardo needed to learn that leadership was a tough and thankless job that one was forced to handle in order to keep moving forward with the weight, and Raphael needed to comprehend the full weight that leadership brought upon oneself. "Splinter, are we just going to let that happen?" Donnetello inquired.

"Leonardo is capable of making his own decisions, both on his own and as leader." Splinter nodded. "Give him time to reflect on his choices." Splinter turned his anger prone son. "Until further notice, you are incharge Rapheal."

"Finally!" Rapheal shot a fist in the air. "First order of business, drop and give me tweenty! We got bad guys to punch and you all frankly need more muscle on your bones."

"Oh come on!" Donatello groaned.

"Understood leader sir!" Michelangelo saluted, grabbing pizza and placing it into his mouth. "One bite, two bite, three bite."

"No pizza either! Pizza is only for winners!" Rapheal proceeded to pierce the slice of food with his sai's.

"Tyrant!" Michelangelo screamed. "I call for mutiny!"

"You do know that while you're building muscle, Snakeweed, the muscle proof menace, is running rampant in New York?" Peter asked.

"Which is why we're building muscle so that our punches are strong enough to rip the living weed apart." Rapheal justified. "We're going to attack hard and fast, not even going to get him a chance to scream for mercy."

"... On a completely unrelated note, I'm going to go do sciency stuff now." Peter said with mild disappointment, walking to Donnetello's lab.

"Hey, everyone on this team is building muscle, including you!"

Peter paused. "One, you're the turtle's leader, not me." The boy clarified. "And two … I can bench press buses and run on three hours of sleep, how do you expect me to build more muscle and stamina?"

"Getting hit by a train." Rapheal plainly stated immediately.

"….You've thought about doing that a lot, haven't you."

"Like you have no idea." Rapheal snickered.

"Raphael, may I see you in the dojo for a moment?" Maybe he should say some words before the turtle ended up actually going through on the train threat.

"I know it sounds extreme, but come on, he's shrugged off a thirty story drop." Rapheal justified as he obeyed. "Some extremes can be necessary."

"I'm not arguing that Peter should focus on advancing and improving himself." Maybe a bit of small training for something to compliment his freeform style. "But I am suggesting you focus on what is needed, not what is wanted."

"What's needed is for us to stop sitting on our buts while every bad guy we know gets stronger and stronger." Rapheal said. "There's more mutants always being made, whatever science project any number of mad scientist's always get involved in, not to mention we're struggling against a krang with limited resources. I want this team to be ready when the sky's crashing down on us."

Raphael always understood the direness of the situation best, their inability to change it only fueling the rage ever present. While he was the most straightforward and direct of his son's, he was also too narrow minded and fixated when he had a goal in mind, blinding him to possibilities that weren't his own. "And I applaud you for your concern and worry. Those are aspects that would suit a leader well."

"Thank yo-"

"But a leader must have more than that." He contributed. "Decisiveness, strength, intelligence, adaptability, compassion, those are all needed. I told Leonardo once that I could've chosen any of you to be leader…"

"Wait, does that mean-"

"No, I wouldn't have chosen Michelangelo back then." Even if the boy was wise in empathy, that was still a heavy weight his youngest was not fit to carry. "I could've chosen you to lead from the beginning Raphael, just as I had chosen Leonardo. Only time can tell if it's the right decision. And now that you've been thrusted into the role, it is up to YOU to make those decisions." He said. "Their well being is on you. Their mistakes are on you."

The turtle seemed to consider that, before nodding. "I understand sensei." With a bow, he walked out of the room, back into the center of the lair. "Gear up, we're taking down Snakeweed now."

"Wait, right now?" Donatello asked. "But we haven't even started making something to fight his regeneration!"

"If we take out the heart, the whole thing falls apart, now come on. We stop him now before he becomes a bigger problem later." Rapheal stated. "Web head, we need you and your broken spider strength for this."

"Everyone always wants me for my body. Oh the spider laced humanity of it all."

"We're turtles, humanity is subjective." Raphael shot back as his sons left.

As Peter finished putting on the mask, Splinter turned to him. "Peter." He spoke to the boy before he followed. "Leadership is a burden, a responsibility … do not let it crush my sons, please."

Peter paused, glancing up with a thoughtful look. "…I know a thing or two about soul crushing responsibility. It's why I have the mask to begin with." He nodded, before swinging out to follow them. "I'll look after them."

Splinter sighed as he watched them all leave. Please … be safe.

First night out on the town and Karai was a bit disappointed. After hearing about ninja mutants and crazy robots, she thought New York would have been exciting. But alas, no heads or tails of anything of the sort besides Bradford being turned into a walking talking puppy dog.

Which in of itself was pretty hilarious, and she more than once thought about making a 'lapdog' comment, but refrained herself from doing so out of showing herself respectful in front of the Shredder.

Her dad hardly ever let her leave tokyo, let alone let her get involved with the Foot's business other than the occasional heist job. For him to finally involve her in whatever vendetta he had, he was either very trusting of her, or very desperate.

And what a vendetta it was. Hamato Yoshi … the man who killed her mother. Every fiber of Karai's being wanted to go out and decapitate the man herself, only held back by the fact her father deserved that honor more than her, for knowing the woman when Karai didn't even have enough memory to love her.

She had a complicated history with that. It frustrated her and angered her…but she never felt bound by it. If her mother was alive, Karai would assume she'd want her to be happy, so until the day came that vengeance was delivered, she would live at her own pace, which meant the occasional fight club and/or personal heist.

One such heist involved a very special katana, owned by a collector of artifacts. A sword not used in battle. Worse, not used in even training. One could almost hear the blade weep. Karai pulled out a special little cutter she picked up from a Black Cat she crossed paths with on and off again. Fun gal, they would attempt to murder her again for stealing the lion breastplate Karai herself was after, but she'd offer a last drink before that.

What she wouldn't give to catch a glimpse of that Spider guy or those turtle people that had her dad all angry all of a sudden. It took considerable skill…or bad luck, to get on the Shredder's nerves.

She finally managed to cut away at the window, reaching for her bag, only for the landing of a body to be heard behind her. Strangely enough, it didn't cause much fear. If it made the ground tremble, maybe. But this was the sound of someone trying to be silent, a ninja. Only her skills let her pick it up. Karai slowly moved her hand onto her blade. "Give it up, Foot ninja."

Hah, they thought she was just a simple foot ninja. Karai looked through the reflection of the window to see … a giant turtle man, with a blue mask, carrying two katana. Well, looks like she finally met Shredder's enemies. Strangely, he was alone. Must have been overconfidence on his part. Now how would she approach this? Cheekily sociable or cold, silent, and deadly?

She slowly stood up, turning around as the turtle guy blinked in confusion. "A girl?" Oooh, inexperienced. Cheekily sociable it is.

"What, spent so long hiding away you can't recognize one?" She asked, moving her hand onto her hip as she smirked, hand within reach of her blade. "Need a refresher course on kunoichi?"

"I'm more than familiar enough." The turtle boy spoke after a second of silence, trying to convey confidence as he reached for the back of his shell.

"How familiar?" She asked suggestively "The style of wear, what's under the wear …" She trailed off as he gulped. "Our equipment?" At that last one, she struck forward, using the small claws under her hand as she delivered a strike onto their shell. She would play around, but the foe should still know his place.

"I know your stylyze in deception for one." The turtle rolled out of the way, sending a kick into her leg to knock her off balance. "Getting in close and strike when your foe's guard is down."

"True…so the question is how close do you want to get?" She asked, taking advantage of the loss of balance, using her hand to flip around as they kicked the turtle's side. "Blade to blade, or body to body?"

That made the turtle flush green. Weird, but oddly cute in a freaky sort of way. "Uh…well.." He flustered as he flipped back up, unsheathing his own double katana blades. "I'm down for swordplay … if you think you can handle it."

"Sure thing." She pulled out her own blade, swinging it forward and striking his blades, where he was able to match them blow for blow. So he wasn't all hype and talk."Although you've gotta be quicker on the draw, you don't wanna leave a girl waiting do you?"

The guy turned his head a little, and for a brief second she thought she heard him mutter the words 'what would spidey say', before shaking his head. "That depends on the girl. For criminals like yourself, I'd happily leave them waiting in a cell."

"Is it really criminal when you're doing the right thing?" She asked. "Leaving the Japanese blade of legend, Murasame, held up in some private collection by a man stroking his own ego and selling drugs?" She pushed harder against his swords. "Where's the honor in that?"

"The honor of not breaking into private property and harming the innocent security guards that are just doing their job." The turtle pushed back, actually almost making her lose her grip on her blade, before kicking her in the chest.

Now it was getting interesting. "Oh I wouldn't hurt them … much." She replied, shaking off the damage as she went for a stranger style, focused on serpentine attacks that hooked around openings. "Broken bones build character."

"I could say the same about justice and integrity." He argued. "Discipline and restraint."

"Oh, so you're a stickler for the rules huh? Stiff as a board, unwilling to be flexible?"" She wrapped her leg around the back of his, tripping him again. "And here I thought ninjas had open minds."

"Is this what this is? Is shredder okay with you having an open mind?" He flipped back up and sent a strike into her shoulder.

"First rule of dating, newbie. Never bring up work or the boss." She chuckled as she dodged under his strike, grabbing onto his wrist and getting in close. "You always keep eye to eye contact and focus on your partner."

"D-d-date!?" Aww, turtle has a puppy crush … well, what Shredder didn't know wouldn't hurt, the long games were fun, and maybe she could actually convince the guy to switch sides. That was three checks for her.

"What else would you call a boy and a girl alone on a rooftop?" She asked, flipping him over her as she pinned him to the ground. "Two swords? I guess that means your good with both hands. Skilled?"

"Of course!" He pushed her off with another kick.

"And yet you put those skills to such shame." She shook her head. "Hiding around and focusing on fighting things that aren't your problem. You could do so much more." Karai said. "Why live in the shadows when you can rule it? Gotta be better than whatever sewer your livin in."

"Sorry to say, leading people's been nothing but a drag." The turtle shook their head. "All they do is complain and never listen. It's pointless." Oh … oh now there was something she could work with.

"Then why stick around?" Karai inquired. "If they don't appreciate you and all you do for them, why not stick with someone that will." She flipped over him. "You can't let anyone drag you down from living your own life."

They briefly seemed to consider it, before simply answering with a simple response. "They're family."

… Yeah, that would do it … still might be fun convincing him to do what was truly right. For example … "You know, maybe you do have a point about not liking power." She smirked. "Haven't heard you arguing about me being on top of you."

"You're not ontop of me-"

"You gotta get used to flirting if you don't want to keep ending up like this." She tripped him again, pressing her foot against his chest. "Just know…I'm ALWAYS on top."

"...We don't even know each other's names." The turtle muttered under his breath.

"The name's Karai." She grinned. "And if you feel like stopping me again, or actually helping artifacts go where they belong, meet me over on wall street." Karai flipped over to the next ledge. "Seriously, think about it. Chances like this only come once in a lifetime. Don't blow it!"

Regardless of the outcome, Karai knew one thing for sure. Tonight was gonna be fun.

Mikey groaned as the smell invaded his nose. "Gross, this is so gross." He was fairly used to going through pretty gross stuff. Garbage trucks, dumpsters, icky Kraang brain slime, but in this section of the sewers seemed particularly grosser than usual.

"Stop complaining." Raph ordered, turning to Donnie. "Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Well, this is my first tracker and my first time locating something without hacking a satellite, but it would make sense." Donnie said. "Weeds just feed on nutrients deep in the ground, they don't really need much sunlight. If Snakeweed's looking for a fridge for his food, this'd be the perfect spot."

"You know for once I'd like to see a villain have a hideout on a tropical beach. Nice and sunny. You know, instead of the sewers, or an old abandoned warehouse, or an old creepy church." Spidey murmured. "Liven things up and shaking things around is all I'm saying."

"Oh, what if they had a secret lair … in the sky?" Mikey asked. "We'd never see it coming."

"Ignoring that, Tombstone doesn't have a secret lair at all, it's just an office space." Donnie pointed out.

"Where he's been able to mask behind the caring philanthropist facade to use said office as a lair out in public without anyone being the wiser." Spidey corrected.

"Would you all shut up!?" Raph shouted.

"You couldn't afford how much it takes to keep these lips webbed up. They pay for your pizza." Very valid. "So care to remind me what our brilliant plan is to counter the never ending walking supply of rabbit food?"

"We rush in, rip out the seed from his chest, and burn it to a crisp." Raph stated confidently.

"With what?" Donnie asked. "You didn't let me stay in the lab long enough to build a flamethrower."

"Spidey has taser webs, we can just make a flame from there." Raph threw out quickly. "The important thing to remember here is we can't spend too much time thinking. We go in, kick shell, and get out."

"So don't think … Wow, I'm more prepared for this than I thought." Mikey smiled. It was a nice feeling to have that distracted him from the fact they weren't a complete team tonight. "So … Is Leo just taking a break… is he 'done done' with the team?"

"Pretty sure all Leo needs is a good hour or two to get some air and punch random street thugs. That usually clears my head." Spider-man reassured me.

"For once we agree. Can't wait to show him that I'm supposed to be the leader when all this is over." Raph grinned.

"Right …" Donnie trailed off as they continued to walk, the silence once more bringing the stench to his mind. It was somehow the only thing capable of getting his mind off of Leo quitting, other than pizza, but that didn't make it any less tolerable

"Seriously, the smell is horrible." Mikey groaned.

"We live down here, it's always horrible." Donnie reminded him.

"I mean it smells worse than usual." He complained. "What's in sewage water anyway?"

"Wait …how does he not.." Donnie and Raph sent Spidey a look. "Right … so who's going to break it to him."

"Break what to me?" What were they all on about?

"Well, you see the sewers exist.." Donnie came close to his ear. "..To filter our and dispose of dirty water from sinks, tubs, and bathrooms."

"Bathrooms…" Bathrooms had sinks … tubs… and toilets. "...WE'VE BEEN LIVING IN POOP THE ENTIRE TIME!?" He exclaimed. "Ewwww…aaahhhhh!" Mikey gagged, leaning against the wall … only to feel how slimy it was and getting a mental image of WHY it was slimy. "AAHH! Don't humans realize people live down here!?"

"What part of 'living in secret' doesn't apply to you people?" Peter asked.

"The part where you shut up, because we found that." Raph pointed to a very long green vine extending out of a wall. "Good thing about bad guys is that they hardly know the meaning of subtly."

"That's saying a lot coming from us." Donnie rolled his eyes as they walked in, seeing a giant brick room covered in green slime and filled with some sort of weird looking pods all over the place, like something our of one of his horror comics.

"Woah … is Snakeweed growing people?" Mikey asked. Just like in 'invasion of the body grabbers four: the snatchening'.

Donnie took a closer look at one of them, noticing a body on the inside. "It's the opposite Mikey, they're being drained of their nutrients. They're basically all organic fertilizer."

"Wow, this is how it's made?" Mikey scratched his head. "Why is something this cruel legal?"

"Actually …" Donnie looked guilty, before coming in close. "Real fertilizer is basically cow sewage."

"… Spidey." He turned to the only human there. "You have a really, REALLY messed up species!" How could an amazing people create something as wonderful as pizza but at the same time make so many heinous and horrible things out of literal crap!?

"Tell me something I don't know." The web head cackled as he grabbed one of the pod people. "Up and at'em. Doctors recommend no more than three hours in a fertilization tank. Failure to comply results in wrinkles, shortness of breath, and most of your life force."

A vine snuck around his leg, pulling him up to face the bow present Snakeweed masked face to ugly face. "Don't … touch … foood!" They screamed, before multiple vines wrapped around Spidey, trying to crush him.

"Well if you didn't want someone taking the yogurt in the fridge, put a label on it!" Spidey gasped out. "Raph, I believe this is the part where your totally brilliant plan comes into action!"

"Go for the heart!" The red turtle screamed, rushing forward.

"Sure." It was annoying listening to Raph, but you didn't argue with master Splinter. He ran forward, swinging his chucks. "Booyakashaa!" Mikey took a swing, aiming right at it-

Thunk

Only for some kind of fleshy like shell to cover it up. "HUH.." And was whacked away by Spidey being used as a club.

"Oh great, he's developing mutant bark!" Donnie shouted. "All this feeding is making him stronger!"

"I heard of taking on daily vitamins, but could have sworn there was an overdose limit." The hero complained as he freed himself with a web at the creature's eye. "It's got armor now Raph, plan B?"

His oldest brother looked confused for a brief second, before shaking his head. "Aim for the head! Get rid of the brain if the heart's not an option!"

"Hit it again, won't see that coming." Donnie muttered as he swung his staff, producing the blade edge as he tried to hit Snakeweed in the … plant skull? Did plants have skulls? Did they have little plant bones that were super weak and fragile? Nah, Snakeweed was mostly goo when they sliced him up, maybe Donnie could-oh wait, he was being flung into the air. "Hitting him isn't working Raph!"

"Spidey, shoot him with a taser web! Set him on fire!"

"Well, not like anything else is working!" Spidey crawled on the wall. "I usually bake my vegetables, but I don't mind having the fried every once in a while!" He shot two lines as electricity began to be charged through the green guy.

"Brraaaaaa!" Snake weed called out, stumbling backwards … only to shoot out two vines right at Mikey … with the electricity following.

"Ah …" This probably wouldn't end well-

ZAAP

Mikey was feeling like he was fighting Electro again as the energy courses through his body. "AAAHHH!" And was promptly whacked to the side, crashing through a wall..

Crack

And there went most of the bones in his chest. "MIKEY!" Everyone called out his name as his vision started to blur.

"His body is more adaptable than his last one!" He heard Donnie call out as Mikey's head hit the floor. "Snakeweed's learned how to use his conductivity to his advantage and redirect it!"

"We're not gonna be able to set him ablaze Raph!" What he thought was Spidey shouted out. "We need to retreat!"

"Food! No! Leave!" Snakeweed y thing screamed.

"Ginny was right, some customers are really clingy!"

"Is now really the time!?" What could've been Donnie, but also could've been a white and black walking puppy dog thing doing improve.

"IT'S HOW I COPE!" Said the man bitten by a radioactive spider … or maybe he was the radioactive spider that bit the man.

"No…no…no…no.." What could've been his oldest brother, or a giant duck, stood in place. "Mikey, say something, anything!"

"The world's so beautiful…..mommy, I'm dancing in the rain…."

Peter watched as Donnie treated Mikey as they carried him back to the lair. "Luckily I stocked up on treatment for electrical burns after Electro … but the bone damage is something else." His fellow egghead laid the youngest turtle on the couch. "He's barely managed to avoid puncturing his lungs with the broken ribs. He might even have a small fracture in his skull." There was a silence. "And it's so serious Raph isn't even gonna make a 'barely notice the difference' joke."

"Do I LOOK like I want to joke right now?" Raph glared with the half dead, half fuming look that he'd been carrying ever since they gave Snakeweed the slip. Personally Spidey didn't want to leave the civilians behind, but unless they could actually do something to stop the mutant it would have been meaningless. "It … it just all happened so fast and … and nothing worked …." Raph gripped his hands, and punched a nearby wall. "NOTHING WORKED!"

Peter stared at the guilt ridden face the turtle had … one Peter saw in the mirror on multiple occasions … "Hey." He said bluntly. "Let's give Donnie a quiet work space, get some air."

"Right…" Raph continued to look down on his little brother, rubbing the boy's unconscious face. "It's going to be alright Mikey… I promise." He waited a minute, likey waiting for a response, or grunt, or any kind of sign he was being heard, but got nothing but gentle breathing. "Don't leave his side for a second Don."

"Trust me, right here no matter what." The turtle raised his hands.

They walked out of the lair, standing on the train tracks of the subway. "So …" He started up. "First mission as leader." He got no response other than a grunt. "It's definitely not a night to forget, I can say that much."

"I thought you were smart." Raph said with a low breathless voice as he stared out to the dark abyss that was the tunnel. "Shouldn't you know that I'm five seconds away from punching you in the face?"

"Why do you think I got us away from Donnie and Mikey?" He asked the turtle. "Geez, you're so thick headed. Stubborn guy like you needs to go out and read me. Maybe then you can pick up on clues."

{Impact} Smack

Peter ignored the good old Spidey sense, as he didn't feel much of the punch. "Shut … up …"

"You don't need silence right now Raph." He said seriously. "Silence just makes it worse."

{Impact} Smack

"You're just going to keep stewing alone in your own thoughts, and it's going to spiral into something worse."

{Impact} Smack

"You thought you had it handled, you thought 'this'll show them all. This'll show them how great I am, how amazing I am, they're fool's for doubting my potential.'"

{Impact} Smack

"And you know deep down that even if Snakeweed is stopped and put away forever … it's never going to fix this."

"SHUT UP!" Raph was bleeding by his knuckles, pounding on his chest as he fought to keep the tears out of his eyes. "WHY DON'T YOU EVER SHUT UP!?"

"Because it's always easier when I don't." Peter said. "So come on, talk it out."

"Stop saying that like you can relate to me!?" He shouted. "Mr 'I'll save everyone'!"

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Since when do I say I save everyone?"

"You do, all the time! With how you always go about nonchalant, joking about every single bad guy like there's buddy's at a bar, always so confident that you have EVERYTHING handled!" Raph accused, pointing at his face

"… I have everything handled?" Peter asked skeptically. "So we're just gonna ignore when Shredder gutted me, the Rat King nearly made me kill him, and when the Green Goblin turned out to be my best friend on drugs?"

"Oh don't give me that 'whoa is me' bullshit! You always act sorry for yourself, yet you still keep laughing! Even when Shredder almost killed you, you laughed, and you still kept GOING out, even when you were getting your ass handled by Sandman!"

"I don't think you understand the concept of coping." He said neutrally. "I laugh because I'm scared." And broken. "Yeah, I keep going out on my own, but because I'm compelled to, because if I'm not going out there, trying to solve every problem I see, I'm alone, left to reflect on every. Single. Mistake I've ever made." He got in close. "I've gotten used to the feeling of failure. Of feeling like I've had control of everything, only for it to all come crashing down."

"What failure!? You're the only guy who has the villains on lock!" Raph shouted. "I failed! I failed and I got Mikey hurt! Do you know what that kind of guilt does to someone!?"

"... Yep." He nodded, taking off the mask and staring right into his eyes. "It eats away and it never leaves. It festers deep and always whispers. A little ghoul in your soul, chained, always screaming at you to do better even when you can't." He got even closer, glaring down at the turtle. "Your body never gets the chance to feel relief because your head says you don't deserve it. That you haven't done enough to make up for it. That everything you do, all the good that will go out to do, will never be enough, that it will always be tainted by that original sin."

Raph looked stunned, absolutely bewildered. He lowered his hands and ungripped his fists. Good, now he truly had his attention. "And by all means, you didn't fail nearly as bad as you could've… and I'm not trying to insult you, because it would have truly been worse."

"How so?" They asked quietly.

"You could've made a decision that killed someone close to you." Peter turned his head. "You could've acted selfishly in the heat of the moment… And end up making the worst mistake of your life, a mistake you could never forgive yourself for." That could never be forgiven. "Someone could've died on your watch. That's not the worst case scenario, that's just facts."

Raph didn't respond at all, looking at him quizzically, likely wanting to know specifics. That day… that day wasn't today. "But you didn't tonight. You just made a bad call. It means there's a chance for you to get better someday." Peter spoke before Raph had the chance to ask. "And you still have Mikey around, and when he gets back up, he's going to go back to giving terrible bad guy names and eating all the pizza." Peter didn't have that luxury. "Things might not be the same … but you can come out better for it … you all can."

"… And how do we do that?" Raph asked.

"You get back up, and we make it right." He said. "Snakeweed's getting stronger by the second and people are dying to make it. If this keeps up he could outgrow New York. Physical attacks don't work, fire doesn't work, and electricity doesn't work." Sadly, he was forced to admit that the crook was far too animalistic to … not finish off. "And you're still the leader. We need you to make a call."

Raph flinched, looking to the lair. "… Mikey's too injured, Donnie needs to take care of him, Leo won't answer."

"Then it's just you and me." Spidey concluded, putting his mask back on. "And I have a small idea how to counter ole snakey if you'll hear it out."

"Only if you can put the plan in motion as we move." He said, wrapping bandages from his pockets around his bloody knuckles. "...You could totally own us in a fight, can't you?"

"Why would I want to fight you? We're friends, aren't we?" Spidey smirked. "Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and ugly turtle ninja with a temper greater than any New York driver."

"Yeah, yeah." Raph rolled his eyes with a knowing grin as they began running. "So what's the big idea web head?"

"He can counter swords, electricity, and fire. So now we counter him with an element he can't counter." Spider-man slept on the ceiling. "We're going to need ice … specifically about a truck's worth of liquid nitrogen." Most plants didn't thrive in winter after all.

Leo had a problem. One he desperately needed to talk out. Unfortunately, given his fight, he couldn't speak to his brothers, one out of the fact he was still frustrated with Raph, another due to the fact he would no doubt never hear the end of it from the other's, mocking him Donnie style. And given how they were fighting Snakeweed, he couldn't speak to Peter about it either. Splinter … was a conversation he never wanted to have.

That left Leo with one friend left he could have a conversation with. The only one who could possibly have any idea what he was going through right now. The only girl that didn't run away when they talked to them, that any of them knew.

That's what led Leo to knocking on April's window. Who else could he talk about a girl with other than another girl? Was he stretching for someone to talk to… a little, but he needed to say something to someone, or else he was going to go crazy from all the thoughts in his head.

The window finally opened as the girl appeared on the other side, much to his relief. "April, I need to talk to you about-"

"Leo." April interrupted, bags under her eyes. "It's the middle of the night, my aunt is absolutely in the dark about everything, I have a big exam tomorrow, and I have neither Spidey's intelligence or ability to blow off severe health issues. If the next words out of your mouth aren't you found my dad, Peter is going to snap, or New York is doomed in that order of severity, then close the window before I use my limited kunoichi training to punch you painfully."

"I met a girl."

April paused, briefly blinking and looking like she was carefully pondering her next move. "…Alright, you've piqued my curiosity… but just barely."

That was a relief. "So I was going alone on the rooftops when I met her. She was …" So many things. "Cute, strong, fast, a kunoichi, she had this Spidey like sense of humor, except way less annoying, and seemed so … flirtatious? Is that a word?"

"Yes … and she did know you were a giant turtle, right?" April asked.

"Yeah and I think that's partially why she was flirting." There was the voice in Leo's head that said it was just a trick to catch him off guard, but he pushed that down. "She's just so… I don't know… like I feel more alive when I'm around her."

"That's how most crushes start." April nodded. "And a random ninja chick just so happened to be ruining across the city where ninjas just happen to hang around?

"Not … completely random." He admitted. "See, she's sorta … kind of … inthefootclan." Leo said quickly.

"...SHE'S IN THE FOOT CLAN!?"

"Shhhh." He put a finger to his lips. "Keep it down, unless you want the neighbors to know you talk to giant turtles at night."

"I'm sorry, but I'm just completely astounded that you're even entertaining the idea of dating a girl IN THE FOOT CLAN!" She shook him.

"What am I supposed to do? Ignore how weird I feel when she moves and talks for the rest of my life?" He asked. "Why do you think I needed advice?"

"There's needing advice, and there's needing to be hit in the head with common sense for trying to date a girl IN THE FOOT CLAN!" April yelled again. "You know for a fact that asking anyone else would've been met with a slap to the face!"

"Actually Spidey would probably just joke about it-" Leo shut up under her glare. "Look, if I went to the guys, they would've just rubbed on me and Splinter would've-"

"Splinter would've kicked your shell three ways to Sunday till your but was bruised blue." April crossed her arms.

"Look, we thought Leatherhead was nothing but evil, but Mikey proved us wrong." He said. "Maybe she just needs some guidance."

"Yes, guidance … for a girl IN THE FOOT CLAN!"

"KEEP SCREAMING ABOUT FEET AND I'LL KICK YOU UPSIDE THE HEAD!" A neighbor shouted.

April rolled her eyes and sighed. "Leo, you have more common sense than this. You know better than to get this close to someone working for the shredder. Think about what happened with Mikey and Bradford."

"I know …" The turtle nodded … but then he had a thought. "But what if she wasn't working for the Shredder?"

"What?"

"What if I can get her to quit the Foot?" An idea was bubbling in his head. "What if I impress her enough that she can see things my way?"

"Impress her? Leo, she's a criminal, not a house guest. You should've left her for Peter to web up upside down." She glared. "She's going to use you, that's the whole thing with kunoichi's!"

"April dear, what's all that noise?" A voice asked.

"That sounds like your aunt, I shouldn't stick around." Leo justified as he shot off his grappling hook. "Thanks for the advice April."

"Don't even think about trying!" Leo might have misheard that.

"Try with all my might? Will do!" He said as he scaled the roof.

"You do not get to pull a Spidey!" He could totally redeem her. If they could do it with Leatherhead, they could do it with anyone.

Raph ran through the streets. Right now was the easy part, ticking off and baiting Snakeweed out of his lair of infinite growth. "Fooood!" He had to be the bait. It was the only way that Raph would make up for what happened to Mikey … and even then that might not be enough.

"That's right, tasty turtle kabob out in the open, ripe for the picking!" He didn't have time to be angry, or pity himself. There was a job to do, and he needed to complete it. He hated to admit it, but Spidey really got him out of his funk. "How much longer are we running?" Raph asked as he jumped over a speeding car, cutting a vine that got too close to his head.

"Up ahead is an ice cream factory. They got enough liquid nitrogen to keep our star veggie frigated while we work on something more long term." Peter said as they swung overhead towards the large metal facility. "It's times like this that I'm glad New York's such a big city. Sure all the science labs and banks and warehouses are a chore to check, but there's always something available for every situation."

"Nutrients!"

"Yes yes, you could have found enough to feed yourself if you just decided to live in central park Snakeweed! But apparently you just love the criminal lifestyle!"

"You know half the time I think so many people go super villains because they're tired of hearing all your quips!" Another thing Spidey taught him tonight, jokes really did help with cope, espically when they were directed towards something he wanted to laugh at.

"Oh the pain, the agony, nothing hurts worse than your criticism." Peter dramatically as he swung, only to move out of the way of a small car thrown at him. "Don't even think about stress testing it, the Rhino already tried!"

"I don't know, you seem pretty durable, I think you can take it!" Raph jumped over an incoming sewer cover. He was only half joking about Mikey being good at being bait. The kid was fast enough that Raph never had to worry about him getting legitimately hurt… or was that just him being dense to reality? Damn it, he really wasn't ready to be leader.

They made their way inside of the factory. "Luckily for us, it seems that the good old place is abandoned and doesn't need an evacuation." Spidey commented.

Shink Shink Shink

… They turned to see Leo fighting some girl wearing armor … wait, was that the Foot Clan symbol? "Seriously, a private collector is one thing, but stealing a gauntlet from a guy owning an ice cream factory? You should seriously think about what you're doing."

"Do you even know what chemicals they put in this stuff? I feel pretty justified for just punching the guy." The girl commented, meeting his blade as she jumped back, noticing them. "Aww, did you really have to bring company? And here I was expecting a private get together."

"Leo, you better not tell me you've spent all this time going out on a date … WITH A GIRL FROM THE FOOT CLAN!" Raph yelled furiously.

"What, no." He shook his head in a way that clearly said otherwise. "I've been trying to stop her from robbing two places."

"It's basically a date." The foot clan girl smiled cheekily as she kicked Leo in the shell.

"You go girl, break the modern expectations we have of today's society." Spidey said as he created a webbing pad for Leo to fall on. "Normally i'd try to join in with a few quips but-"

"FOOOD!" Snakeweed rushed in, slamming into where Raph and Peter where standing, forcing them to move quickly.

"We're in a rush job for liquid nitrogen!" Raph shouted out. "Either cough it up or toss your face into my fist, I don't care which!"

"Right over there, just on the third balcony." The girl pointed, a look of interest in her eyes. "New York, home of turtle ninjas, Spider-men, and plant monsters. Gotta say Leo, you have a fun city. I'll be sure to explore every inch of it."

"Oh, you're even on a first name basis already. Gotta say fearless leader, you work fast." Spidey flipped over to the third story and rushed into the room. "Just make sure to use protection, and I'm not talking about your shell."

Leo jumped down from the web, cutting off a vine. "Just gonna ignore that for my own dignity, where are Mikey and Donnie?"

"Long story short, being a leader sucks and I'm sorry for giving you such a hard time." Raph quickly summarized. "..Though now how sorry I am has reduced quite a bit seeing how you spent all this time going on a date … WITH A GIRL FROM THE FOOT CLAN!"

"Okay, ow, can you stop with the yelling?" Leo rubbed his head. "April already gave me an earful for that." She was clearly in the right. "Sorry for ditching you, I should have been there to help." Leo said as he cut away another upcoming vine. "I got frustrated, and should have realized trying to help someone doesn't instantly make them on your side."

"I think you're mixing up two different lessons together, but I'm glad we're having such a heartfelt reunion together." Spidey came out with a canister on his shoulders. "To commemorate it, let's open up the cork on this cold, cold champagne." He tossed the object over to Snakeweed as Raph threw multiple shuriken straight at the canister.

Boom

"GARAAAAAGGGH!" The plant monster squealed in pain, instantly freezing from the head up to the foot bottom.

"This is for Mikey!" Raph jumped and stuck out his sais. "BOYAKASHA!"

Craaccccckk

Snakeweed's body cracked into hundred's of pieces, leaving nothing but the heart still intact, which Raph proceeded to stab his weapon straight through. "There … try coming back from that."

"And just cause you jinxed it, I'll carry a couple of spare canisters to freeze it just in case." Spidey said. "... So, it looks like the new chick in town got away. Gotta say, I was really expecting Donnie to be the first talking turtle on earth to get a girl, with Mikey coming in as a close second."

"Seriously?" Leo said. "You think my game is that bad?"

"No, it's just between the four of you guys, they're the only ones that seem like they'd be the most interested."

Raph raised a finger … then conceded with a nod. "You know, I'd probably congratulate you Leo … IF SHE WASN'T IN THE FOOT CLAN!" The nerve of this guy! "I get that we're a bunch of knuckleheads that drive you nuts, but you have more common sense than that! Even Mikey knows better than to smooze it with the enemy!"

"She's just a thief, she hasn't tried killing anyone … Yet." Why did Leo make it so hard to respect him!?

"Gaaah. Spidey, tell Leo he's being an idiot!" He shouted to the only reasonable one there, a rare feat.

"...Meh." Spidey shrugged.

… The two turtles turned to him. "Meh?"

"It's just a crush. You're teenagers, hormones." The guy went on. "A crush is fine. It's not like Leo's gonna be stupid enough to let her off the hook for crimes just cause he likes her."

"...Heh, yeah, that's silly…"

"...You were totally thinking about it, weren't you?" Peter glared.

"I mean … I may have … brieflyfantaizedaboutditchingyouguysandrunningoffwithher…." He fast coughed. "But that's just …hormones right?" Raph turned to Spidey, who gave him a nod. He turned back to his brother… and slapped him across the face. "I deserve that."

"Just as long as you keep it to just entertaining banter, it's fine." Peter sighed. "Rule number one of being a hero… never fall in love with a villain."

"I said nothing about love! I just think she can be a valuable ally if we play our cards right."

"Because she said nice things to you, because you genuinely think she's a nice person, or because she kicked your butt?" Raph asked.

"I … wasn't losing."

"No, you were just losing your grip because you discovered flirting." Spidey snickered. "Believe me when I say that's standard territory for female baddies."

"How many female baddies did you meet before us?" Raph asked.

"Just three, thugs mostly, though two of them did have machine guns." Spidey patted Leo on the back. "Just remember to keep it in the shell."

"Please stop it." Okay, Spidey definitely had a point about the jokes, this was hilarious.