The Shredder glared down at the brain in his hands. "I faced much complaint and damage from you … talk." He spoke, raising a blade.
"Grraaaaa…" The small thing cried out. What a pathetic creature. Nearly drowning from the actions of this miserable miscreant. He would get his answers now for this slight.
"They're not very talkative." Karai spoke up, a fire in her eyes he rarely saw from the girl. "They work better when they're in one of their little machines." She put forward one of the broken down android body's she had collected from the rubble of the ship. Ever since the incident at the docs, Saki had felt her anger rise like never before… which was exactly what he needed for Hamato's yoshi's demise.
He walked forward, shoving the brain into the machine. "Start talking."
The creature stared at him, moving around as it's eyes closed. For a few seconds nothing happened, until the machine lit up, it's eyes blinking pink. "Tha-tha-that which is known as speech of the language of english is available to Kraang."
"... Do they all speak like this?" He asked his daughter.
"It's even worse when Spider-Man quips at them." His daughter groaned. Shredder could feel a headache forming from that thought alone.
"No matter." Shredder unsheathed his blades and pressed it against the brain. "Now talk. What were you doing at the harbor?
The so called 'Kraang' stared at the blade with impassive metallic eyes for a moment, before looking back. "Kraang was chasing complication to the plans known as the plans of Kraang."
"And what…was that complication?" One minute and he already felt like killing this nuisance.
"The complication known as the man of spiders." … Now he was interested. "For it is the one known as the man of spider's who allies with the one's known as the turtles, both of which are complications that withhold information that is vital to the plans of Kraang."
"What a coincidence, they're problems for us too." Karai grinned. "And exactly what kind of information are we talking about? Extortion? Government secrets?"
The Kraang glanced at Karai, and then at the blade at their stomach once more. "... The information of the genetic sequence that makes up the DNA of the one known as April O'Neil."
Now that was something new. "Karai, have the turtles mentioned any other allies in your observation."
"Nope, they're very tight lipped … although given the fact that said girl doesn't show means she's probably a liability." She thought. "From what I've gathered, they're rather impulsive when it comes to their life outside of patrolling the streets.
Impulsive meant emotional, and emotional meant irrational, something the shredder could exploit easily. "Search for this 'April O'Neil, bring her here." He said, before looking down at the Kraang. "Now … you're going to either be an enemy to destroy …" He put away his blade. "Or an ally against the turtles."
"Kraang believes that the destruction of the one's known as the turtles will be more mutually beneficial to both parties." Working with aliens … it was beyond what he preferred…but nothing was out of line when it came to revenge.
Donnie looked over the group. "Turtles, Spider, April, Raph."
"Hey!"
"I present to you the next Kraang plan to endanger all life on earth." He said, showing off three vials of liquid. "This is a jar of old sewage."
"Gross." Peter nodded.
"This is a jar of today's sewage." He continued. "It contains a trace amount of chemicals not native to earth."
"So the Kraang have been using the sewers?" Mikey asked. "In fact, what do people use the sewers for any-"
"No." He cut it off before that topic came up again. "Further study showed it connected to the main ocean. I think the Kraang are continuing their terraforming plan and starting with the water supply."
"And that's bad, right?" Leo asked.
"Well here's a jar of pure liquid Kraang compound." He showed off the last vial. "Watch what happens when I put Mikey's reserve pizza slice into it." Donnie lowered the pizza … as it completely broke down on a molecular level.
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Mikey shouted, pounding the ground. "Those sick maniacs! They're going to destroy New York's pizza supply!"
"That and anybody that comes in contact with the Kraang water." Donnie corrected. "In about eight hours, I hypothesize that the city's sewer and drainage system will be completely replaced, disintegrating over half of New York and its population."
"And that's an immediate note to get involved and stop this." Peter said, standing up. "Let's trace the source and take down the Kraang base."
"I did that." Donnie said. "It's at the bottom of the Hudson."
"... You wouldn't happen to have an underwater suit, would you?" April asked the boy.
"Sure, it's right next to my iron spider suit and my invisibility suit." Peter responded sarcastically. "I have a suit for every occasion." Actually that was something that they should work on. A rubberized suit against Electro at least should be taken into consideration.
"I take it you built something that can let us get to the bottom of the ocean?" Leo asked.
"Couldn't fit it in the room, but I have developed a submarine." He nodded. "We go by water, sneak into the base, stop the operation before the water becomes unbearable."
"Alright, underwater mission!" Mikey cheered. "We were born for this!"
"Love to come, but Spider's and water don't mix." Peter responded. "I'd put us at risk if something goes wrong."
"It's cool. The power system only supports four people anyway." Donnie waved off.
"What kind of power system are we talking?" Raph asked with a raised eye.
"Low budget." Donnie said. "I made it pedal powered."
The turtles all stared at him, before Mikey went on the ground, knees and started to beg Peter. "Please trade seats with me!"
"Sorry, don't know how to ride a bike, so that's my qualification down the drain."
"You rode the Spider-Cycle, you can so ride a bike!"
"Again, I'm working with a limited budget, can't use too much Kraang tech all at once." Donnie rolled his eyes. "One twenty thousand mile drop into the ocean's depths isn't going to kill you."
"Besides, I already made plans." April said. "Me and Peter are gonna meet Gwen at Murakami's, maybe finally get them to talk about the kiss."
Peter stared at April, turning to Mikey. "Is that offer for a seat trade still open?"
"Nope, you're not going to do that." April used her cute angry voice and pulled Peter by the collar. "You just got back on good terms with Gwen again. If the guys can handle the Kraang, then you have no excuse to handle your personal life."
They watched as he was dragged away, mouthing the words 'pray for me' as the two left the lab. "Whipped." Raph snickered.
"Funny. Peter and her almost looked a like a couple-" Donnie whacked his bo staff over Leo's head. "Ow!"
"Don't even joke about that."
"You know the longer you stay in denial, the worse it's gonna get." Raph snarked. "If you're going to make your move, which I doubt you will, it needs to be fast."
"It's all a process." He waved off. "Now come on, that submarine isn't gonna move itself."
April listened to Peter's mumbling. "Maybe we could wait to talk about it, or just make it casual, yeah. Just a kiss that happened, nothing to look into." It was like Gwen in reverse.
"Peter, she kissed you…on the lips." She said.
"Yeah, but that could be just a friendly type of kiss, or like one you give a cousin or.."
"Unless we suddenly moved to Alabama, I highly doubt that's how she sees you." April countered
"… What am I gonna do." He groaned into his hands. "She's been one of my oldest friends. I never saw her … that way." He said. "Wait, what if I say no and she becomes a super villain?"
"Oh yes, Mistress Love is out to stab Spider-Man." April said sarcastically. "We're so doomed. She'll rip the whole city apart because one boy didn't reciprocate her feelings." Why did her only human friends have to make it so complicated? "Start with the most basic question-Do you like Gwen?
"I …:" Peter didn't answer, merely looking at the streets with a blank look. "… Don't know."
"Oh come on!"
"It's not that easy for me, alright!" He shouted in frustration. "I didn't think I'd get girls into me until way after my college years! Now I suddenly have Mary Jane, Liz Allen, and apparently Gwen?"
"Okay, one, I really don't think Mary Jane counts." April said. "No offense to you or her, but she doesn't strike me as the 'settle down in high school' type."
He opened his mouth …. then closed it. "Fair point." They agreed. "She did go with Eddie after all …"
"She went out with that creep!?" April gasped.
"I'm pretty sure it was before he had the symbiote.."
"That doesn't change my opinion." Ever since Venom kidnapped her…the very thought of seeing that creepy long tongue sticking out of that freaky feral grin…it made her uncomfortable to say the least.
"I believe you had a second point to make?" He said as they got close to the shop.
"I'm saying that I've gotten to know both you and Gwen, and you're both similar in thinking that this is somehow the end of the world." April said. "If there's anything that watching CW shows has taught me, is that acting like nothing happened is the worst course of action to take. Just have one honest talk with each other."
He sighed. "Alright … honest … I can do honest … well, mostly honest." Peter muttered. "As honest as I can be with being..well me.."
"And now your just being pedantic." She sighed, looking at the shop. "Wow, Murakami really renovated the place."
"Well if you're going to fix it from being totally wrecked, you might as well add some flair to the mix." Peter said, looking around. "Even added a vending machine."
"Really?" She looked at what he pointed at. "There's no coin slot, or exit hole."
"It's how people order food in Japan." A new voice made itself know as Peter seemed to freeze in place.
"People in Japan get their food out of a vending machine?" April asked. "Seems pretty impersonal."
"Oh no. You press on one of the pictures, and a wooden tile comes out. You give it to the chef, and they place your order." The voice belonged to a girl with short black and blonde hair, piercings on her face, and in rather punkish looking-wear. "It helps when you're swamped with customers and can't focus on a single order."
"Ahh." Made sense, especially for Murakami, who couldn't see. "Thanks."
"No problem." The new girl smiled. "I can read the menu for you and your gawking friend if you're not familiar with Japanese."
"What, who's gawking? I don't see anyone." Peter frantically shook his head. "Actually we've been here before so we can probably read it just fine."
"Then how about I join you guys? I'm relatively new around this city and I could stand to expand my social circle a little." She grinned.
"Sure, but you'd have to wait." April said. "We have a friend coming over and she's probably nervous." She smirked. "She has romantic drama going on with Peter here."
"Romantic drama?" The girl grinned. "Now I've gotta stick around."
"What? Nah, you shouldn't stick around for that. Why don't we head somewhere else!? Anywhere else that isn't a place full of people!?" Peter suggested in a panic.
"Nope, you're facing your drama head on for once." April forced him in. Weird, he wasn't trying to use his Spider powers to stop her. "Well, like I said, this guy is Peter. I'm April."
"Nice to meet you, April. I'm Harmony." The new girl walked inside right beside her.
"Welcome to the grand reopening! Great to have you back April-Chan. Peter-san. New customer." Murakami shouted with his normal happy tone. "How can I help?"
"Oh, we saw your new thing outside, and well, it'll be two orders of, well, you know." She handed him a tile which had a little pizza carved on it.
"And one order of this if you wouldn't mind." Harmony slid over her tile to the blind man…who frowned upon feeling it. "Is there something wrong?"
"No…I just assumed I took that off the menu…I suppose one bowl wouldn't hurt.." Murukami went into the kitchen.
"Weird. What did you order?" April asked
"A Japanese delicacy enjoyed by all… Turtle Soup." Wait…what.. "I could share some with you , April, if you give me some of yours."
"I…" Was she being threatened? It could be just paranoia talking, but this..this felt too specific.
Ding
She looked down out at her phone… and froze at the words Peter had texted her..
Karai. Don't make a scene. Act casual but be prepared to bolt.
"Um, sorry to say, on a diet." She chuckled nervously. They needed to leave and they needed to run now! "You know, maybe we can do something-"
The door opened as Gwen came in. "Sorry I'm late, I misplaced my glasses." She said. "I should really invest in contacts."
"Ah, you must be the Gwen April here has been telling me all about." The new girl, Karai, immediately went up to shake the girl's hand. They never mentioned Gwen's name. She knew from the beginning. The turtle soup, herself … "Name's Harmony. I'm new in town, hope you don't mind me crashing your little get together.."
"Oh …" Gwen looked to Peter and April. "Let me guess, another friend from across the city?"
"Nope…we're just as surprised as you are.." Peter chuckled nervously.
"Oooh, you have more friends? Tell me all about them." Karai grinned with hidden wicked glee beneath the surface. … April just wanted to hook Peter and Gwen up, why did it have to come to this!?
Gwen took a bite. "Mm, I gotta say, I was not expecting pizza Gyoza to be … well, tasty." She smiled, taking another bite. "Italian and Japanese fusion… who would've thought both cultures would blend together so perfectly."
"I was inspired by a rooftop wanderer." Mr Murakami said. "Ever since it's been a very popular item."
"Yeah, pretty delicious, my favorite…" Peter chuckled nervously as he, for once, slowly chewed his food instead of wolfing it down. He must still be thinking about the … the kiss. They hadn't exactly talked about it since then, merely giving awkward waves to each other. April had promised this would've just been a friend outing… but now she was starting to suspect it was to force them into the same room together… damn it, why were both her red head female friends trying to play matchmaker with her life?
"I admit it's pretty tasty." Harmony, the new girl who apparently crashed the party, grinned as she took a bite. "You said a rooftop wanderer?" She asked Murakami.
"A voice speaking of pizza above my rooftops with a heavy footstep. Never got a look." Murakami answered quickly. "Of course, I could say that about most people I meet." Nice to see the old man have a sense of humor. It's bad enough that the Purple dragons tried to rob him, but getting assaulted and half his shop demolished? What a guy to keep on smiling after all that.
"You know, I suddenly realized that I promised my aunt some take-out, so I'll just get on my way…" April started, likely looking for the first chance to leave her and Peter alone.
"Shouldn't you order the take-out before you go?" Harmony asked curiously. "We are in a restaurant after all."
"Ah … right … can I get a bowl of chow mein to go Murakami?"
"Right away April-chan." Murakmi bowed.
"You seemed pretty familiar with the restaurant owner." Harmony leaned forward. "Interesting story there?"
"My dad took me here when I was a kid." April answered. "I showed it off to everyone else in the gang, and it became a hang … you know, when we're all together." Right … because Harry was gone … she still emailed him whenever she could … but it still hurt.
"Yeah, she brought us here around… two to three months ago." Gwen recalled. "The service was great, but the Purple dragons almost ruined the experience. If it wasn't for Spider-man showing up-"
"Wow, you guys left and he showed up. What luck." Harmony said. "Almost like he knew to be there.."
"Well, he's a superhero, who knows what weird powers or tech he has to patrol the city." Peter laughed. "It's like he's there in a flash of light at the scene of a crime."
"Well, if anyone would know how he does it, it's you." Gwen stated. "You know, since you're the only one that's able to snap his pictures for the bugle.
"Oh, does he now?" The new girl said in what looked like surprise for the first time tonight.
"I mean, I'm sure the guy is just showing off for the camera, you know?" April quickly added on. "Sure, there's saving the day and all, but everyone likes to look good infront of a newspaper ... right?"
"True … you know, as much of a weirdo and outcast as it makes me, I'm one of the few people that agrees with Jameson." Harmony said, slowly stirring her soup. "Just getting powers and putting on a mask, making you think you can do whatever you want with no experience, skills, or reinforcement … all in the name of some sick and twisted sense of justice."
… Well that was a way to drop the mood. "Not saying your opinion is wrong…but well as someone who's gotten close to dying from the villains that keep popping up in this city..." Gwen brought up the experience with that large black and white spider monster still fresh in her mind. "... There's only so much police and the like can do. If they have the power to stop bad things from happening, then I'm glad someone's able to do something about it."
"Maybe you have a point … but that's the thing about opinions …" Harmony nodded.
"Your chow mein." Murakami handed a box to April.
"Thank you Mr Murakami." She said, grabbing it. "I better go on my way, aunt and all."
"Why don't I join you?" Harmony said. "You know, give the two little love birds over here a private space."
"April!" Gwen blushed. "What were you telling her before I got here?!"
"Just that you two need to get a room together." The punkish looking girl chuckled walking up to the door. "Where was it that you said you live again?"
"I never did." April said, standing up. "So … I'm gonna … go there now."
"Be safe." Peter said, looking worried. It was just a walk, no big deal.
"Yes, let's go there." Weirdly intense. Was this girl like Irma and had a massive crush on April? The insurance on closeness was there, and not to stereotype, but the way she was dressed….
"Oh wait, I almost forgot about the egg soup that comes with-oh no!" Murakami walked up and trip on his way over to the door, spilling it over Harmony.
"Gah!" The girl groaned. "Do you have a napkin or …" She paused, seeing April pulled a Parker vanish. "... Nevermind, a quick run should dry me off."
"Wait, let me help you dry off, I insist!" Murakami got in the way. She responded by punching the man in the stomach, sending him into a wall!
"Murakami!" Gwen rushed over, checking on him. "What the heck Harmony!?"
"Later geeks!" The girl shouted as she ran out.
"...Definitely another Irma." Gwen noted. "Come on Peter, we have to help him out."
"I'm fine, nothing too bad. Just need an ice pack from the fridge in the corner." The man groaned. "But I should rest. Peter-san, Do you mind taking the trash out back for me in the meantime? They've been piling for a while…so it'll take quite some time to fully clean out."
"Yeah, I'm on it." The boy ran to the back as Gwen grabbed an ice pack.
"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Why was everyone so crazy these days?
"Yes. I've had worse." The man chuckled. "You should've seen the blind lawyer the other day. He knows how to take punishment like no tomorrow."
Note to self, if April somehow manages to get away, interrogate the shop owner on what he knows. That was waayy to intentional for someone not in the know. Also perhaps interrogate the Parker boy. Likely just coincidence, but the Spider-man was close to the turtles, and no stone was going to be left unturned. Stacy seemed alright, not in the know and completely oblivious to the shuffle going on.
Karai leapt onto the rooftops in order to gain a vantage point. Let's see … there we go. "You're pretty fast for the average new yorker. Almost like you have experienced being chased!" She began her pursuit.
"The price of being pretty I guess! I'm always attracting the weirdest people in the world!" The girl snarked back as she kept running, trying to disappear in the crowd of people. For a normal person, that would've been enough, but half of her training was the equivalent of finding needles in a haystack.
"Maybe it's the red hair, it sticks out like a sore thumb." She smirked, constantly keeping her eye on the girl as she made her way through, narrowly avoiding anything and anyone that would slow her down, unlike the girl who was just shoving her way forward.
"Well I refuse to use hair dye!" They screamed, running to a pizza delivery bike and jumping onto it. "Sorry I'll bring this back I promise!"
"At least pay for the pizza on there! That's fifty bucks off my check!" The moron shouted as the girl tried to get away.
"Oh, it's on now." Karai smirked, dashing forward. She trained against assassins that were capable of reacting within the blink of an eye. A glorified moped was nothing on the training Shredder put her through. "Come on April, it's not like you have anything to hide from me! I'm sure there's still plenty for us to talk about, like how ugly turtles can be up close, and how delicious they taste in soup!"
"No, these topics don't relate to me at all!" The girl screamed, trying to drive through traffic to ditch her trail.
Karai responded by jumping down on the moped, grabbing onto the girl's arm. "Then why don't we talk about how some brain creatures I met keep mentioning your name?" She threw her into a nearby alleyway, far from any witnesses as the bike crashed. "I believe their exact words were 'the Kraang wish to claim the one known as April O'Neil for the very vital plan's known only to Kraang'. How your web-headed, pathetic friend that just messes everything up can make jokes from that is beyond me."
"I don't know… then again, if he's pathetic, then what does it say about you…" The girl swung around, and landed a roundhouse kick on Karai's face. "If you got your ass handed to him like yesterday's trash!"
"Oh … so you have claws." Karai smirked, grabbing the next kick and throwing it. "You've also gotten training from Hamato Yoshi….cute….pointless, but cute."
"Yeah, I got trained by him, and I'm going to use it to-"
Karai responded by jabbing the girl in the stomach while blocking April's arm. "And let me guess, you've been at this for months?" She asked, punching her in the stomach. "And you think the barely equitable basics are enough for someone doing this for years?" She pulled on April's arm, forcing it to stay flat as she delivered an ax kick, hearing a satisfying crack from it. "Not to mention, my lessons aren't for defense… they're for attacking… and ending threats… which you don't even qualify as."
With a flat strike onto April's kneecaps, she sent the girl to the edge of the alleyway, as she obviously tried to hide away the pain. "Yeah … well … at least … I don't … beat up people who can't fight back …"
"Wouldn't need to if you just gave up." Karai said, placing her foot down on the girl's back. "Let me drag you back as bait for the turtles and Spider-Man."
"I'd…." The girl growled, spitting up blood. "I'd rather die…"
"Oooh, feisty… but not the end goal." Karai chuckled. "Why don't we go back to the restaurant and see if Gwen's still up for a little girl's chat… or maybe check up on your cute little friend… Peter was it? I'm sure we can still get some dessert."
"Only if you foot the bill!" At the familiar shout, Karai's body instinctively tensed as she avoided a swing kick from, guess who, Spider-Man himself.
"So, you showed up." She growled. "But no turtles." She doubted the daylight was enough of an excuse to keep them away, so they must've been occupied with something else. Or maybe they wanted you dead for sure.
"Dang it Karai." The masked menace sighed in disappointment. "Here I come looking forward to a catfight when April said a crazy woman was chasing her, and I see that you're part of the competition. All that excitement, gone with the wind."
"Then let me spice it up for you!" She took out her sword and began attacking the red and ble buffoon.
"It looks more like dicing it up, I think you need an appointment with a linguist." They responded, avoiding her attacks as they landed a strike to her side.-Remember my promise?- "Or a culinary class, either or would probably improve your disposition."
"The only thing that'll improve my life is your headless body and the shell's of your freakish friends!" Spider
"Would you take a very well made statue in substitute?" He asked, grabbing her blade and shattering it-Go ahead, laugh-No! Don't focus on it, don't focus on his hand on your throat-IGNORE IT! "I like to think I have a nice sculpted physique."
"Take me seriously, damn it!" She stated, trying to ignore the flashbacks. She wouldn't be weak in front of this buffoon, not in front of her father!
"I kind of am." He stated. "This is your warning to leave innocent people out of this." -All you need to do is look in a mirror- "Otherwise I'll stop pulling my punches." The punches that SHATTERED her ribcage, that made her bleed internally. The spider was a monster…one that would DEVOUR you in an instant. In a moment of distraction, a web was shot at her hands, launching them to a wall. "Now remember sweetheart, it comes out in a few hours." The monster walked over and picked up the red head. "Hey, you did alright getting away."
He had beaten her so easily… so… so… easily…"NO!" She used her feet to push herself upwards against the wall, using the leverage to pry themselves off and launching themselves at the freak.
And Spider-man moved his body without even looking at her, slightly shoving themselves and April out of the way, grabbing her arm-to crush it into pieces of finely dusted bone-And tossed them over to the end of the alley. "Look, this war you have, between you and the turtles, it's getting too far for my taste, and both sides are looking for blood." The monster walked closer to her, and Karai's every instinct was telling her to get away. "So take my advice … and stop while you have the chance … before lines are crossed that everyone is going to regret."
"You…" She didn't get another word in before he wiped her mouth shut, along with both her arms and legs against the alley trash… where you belong… where you've ALWAYS belonged.
"I am the friendly neighborhood watchman of New York. When I'm around, no one dies… not even dirtbags like you." He turned around and picked April up. "Let's hope next time I'm still in a friendly neighborhood mood."
Instantly … just like last time … no matter how hard she tried she wasn't fast enough, strong enough, durable enough … what the hell would it take to defeat this monster other than the Shredder himself?
"Well here's the Spider-Man approved recovery kit." Peter finished as they came back into the lair living room. "Disinfectant, bandages, ice packs, chips and soda."
"Chips and Soda?" Splinter asked, as he helped apply the bandages. Not that he didn't want to help … but there were spots on a girl's body he'd rather not touch.
"Comfort food helps the recovery process in my opinion. A happy stomach distracts from the pain." He said. "We're just lucky nothing's out of place. When that happens to me I have to shove it in manually."
"... If you didn't have the power to heal, you would have been crippled for life long ago." The master told him bluntly.
"Well then I thank my lucky stars everydays that I am who I am." On the days he didn't curse his horrible luck that is. "Are you doing alright April?"
"Just a broken body, wounded pride, and the realization I can't have friends anymore because the Foot's after me … other than that, peachy." She said, deciding to chug the soda.
"Yep, that's how I am on most days." Peter nodded, knowing all too well how April felt. "You got caught off guard, and you felt like your world was about to topple over…but it didn't."
"Yeah,..because you were there to save me." April sighed. "If you weren't…"
"Don't think about 'What if'. That never does anyone any good." Peter interrupted. "You had basic training, and yet you used it to outrun an experienced kunoichi with years under her belt, had it been Gwen or Harry or someone like that, they would've been able to handle themselves."
"You have potential, April." Splinter spoke. "Do not let one loss define your life, learn from it, and become better."
"Exactly." Peter nodded. "One day you will be better. You'll use that training responsibly. Heck, maybe you'll be the shining knight in red hair saving the damsel spider in distress eventually, something to keep me humble, you know?"
"Yeah…I do." The red head hugged him. "Peter…you're amazing." April chuckled.
"Amazing, Spectacular, Sensational, it's all the same thing." He waved off with a light laugh. "Though I've never been called Ultimate. Maybe when I'm in my thirties …" Peter Parker, the Ultimate Spider-Man…. hah, like that would ever happen.
"Hey guys." Leo walked in with the rest of the turtles. "How was the date-April!" Oh right … he ran out on Gwen … that was something to put off for later, it seemed. At least Murakami's excuse would give him a little leniency… having people in the know did have its perks on occasion.
"APRIL!" Donnie yelled, shoving past everyone and grabbing the girl possessively. "What happened!? What horrible and despicable monster did this to you!?"
"Turns out the Foot are talking to the Kraang now." She said. "So they sent Karai to 'pick me up'."
"...Yep, Karai definitely fits the bill of 'horrible and despicable' monster." Raph nodded. Peter could see Leo twitch at that, but probably didn't say anything on the account of it being right in this occasion … and them all being in the same room as Splinter.
"Yeah, I'd made sure to make it as difficult as possible for her." April smirked. "Though I still had to be saved by Peter."
"Well if they already know we're related, I can lend you a web shooter for self defense." He offered. "Just don't try to go webslining until you've developed enough muscle and agility. Those are killer on the joints and ligaments. It will tear them to shreds."
"Thanks … I might also need a ninja weapon." April said, turning to Splinter.
"I believe I have something special in mind." Splinter nodded, turning to the turtles. "And how was your mission, my sons?"
"Well we took out an underwater Kraang base, stopped them from ruining the water supply, and listened to a sea monster do things too mature to talk about." Mikey stated. "...I'm probably going to regret asking this…but where do babies come from?"
Splinter's eyes widened. "I think I'm in the mood for a cheesicle." He said, speed walking out of the room to avoid a very dangerous conversation.
"...Splinter being flustered…" Spidey commented. "...Never thought I'd see the day."
"It happens, mostly when we were younger." Leo said. "... You doing alright April?"
"Yeah… Just… just processing I guess." She stood up, stumbling for a bit. "I mean, Karai only uprooted my life, threatened my friends, and proved that I can't even walk home anymore without the chance that the Kraang AND Foot are hunting me down. It's not like everything's going down the toilet!"
"Oh, well that's cool." Mikey smiled, oblivious to the sarcasm, which earned him a slap in the back of the head from Donnie. "OW!"
"Read the room, shell for brains." Donnie scowled. "April, it's going to be fine. You won't have to hide forever, just until the Kraang are dealt with."
"THAT alone will take forever! This sucks!" April punched one of the nearby dummies. "Bad enough I can't find my dad, now they're taking away my entire life piece by piece!"
It was situations like this that reminded Peter why the mask was necessary. His whole life would crumble if he had an open identity. "Did you pick up any more data drives from the Kraang?" He asked. "Something about locations we can check?"
"I'm still trying to fully decipher the Kraang language…..it'd be easier if I had some help." Donnie said.
"Well, learning an alien language just so happens to be on my bucket list." Spidey cracked his knuckles. "Let's get to it." They'd find April's dad. Give the girl at least SOME hope for a brighter tomorrow.