A new arc begins!

I'm glad everyone is so excited to see Leo back to blue! I am, too! So, here we go, we're starting another intense arc, but with a few surprises!

Enjoy!

Mikey hummed happily as he be-bopped around the kitchen, a beefy arm wrapped around his largest mixing bowl as he whipped up pre-training pancakes. That's right, pre-training pancakes, today was the first day of regular ninja training after their break from ninjutsu. They were back, baby! Master Splinter had officially called their time of rest as completed just last week, a few days after the birth of little Shadow, and what a time of surprises that was! A flutter of joy beat gossamer wings inside Michelangelo's chest as his memory drifted back to the moment they got back from the farmhouse.

The mood was already high, what with the arrival of little Shadow and all. However, the happy atmosphere turned positively incandescent when they walked into the apartment to find Leo sitting in the living room, rocking the baby while wearing his blue mask. A sight they hadn't seen for over six months. The whole family had pulled up short, their father clapping a hand over his furry muzzle to stifle the relieved sob that nearly burst from his lips. Donnie was grinning, sudden tears gathering in the folds of his mask and beginning their slow trek down green cheeks, while Mikey found himself fighting off an inane wave of ecstatic giggles. Mild hysteria caused by the release of strain weighing on his heart for the past six and a half months. However, none of them felt the intense relief the way Raphael did. The crimson turtle had practically collapsed against the door frame as if the weight of the world had suddenly been lifted off, shoulders shaking as he fought the sobs clawing up his throat, even as a million-megawatt smile beamed across the strong features.

Leonardo, to his credit, didn't make a fuss over their lack of subtlety from his silent declaration. Granted, the eldest hadn't actually stated he was leader again, but Mikey wasn't an idiot. He knew what that mask meant to Leo. The turtle wouldn't put it on without having fully accepted what it meant. No, their oldest brother, instead of admitting that he was wearing the literal symbol of their hope and security, he merely smiled the familiar grin they'd grown up with, sapphire eyes sparkling with joy and peace.

"Hey guys!"

A wave of nostalgia hit the youngest. Leo's greeting was so light and easy, reminiscent of the brother they knew and longed for, devoid of the darkness he'd been battling for almost a year. He was back. Well, and truly back. Mikey's giggles grew louder, until they were heaving, gulping sobs, and the youngest pushed his way through the family until he was knelt in front of the oldest brother. Michelangelo wrapped his arms around Leo's shoulders, burying his beak into the crook of the leader's neck, tears splashing the broad shoulder. Leo startled at that reaction, his breath hitching, but after handing the newborn off to her mother, the eldest was quick to return the enthusiastic embrace.

"Hey, it's okay, otouto," he murmured, rubbing soothing circles on the back of the baby brother's head, "everything is alright."

"I know," Mikey sniffled, pressing his face further into Leo's chest, "I just missed you, is all."

The youngest felt Leo smile against his temple, a couple hot tears dripping onto his scalp, "Sorry it took me so long to get my head together," the eldest whispered, "but I won't put you, any of you, through that ever again."

That made the orange ninja lean back, fastening baby blue eyes onto sapphire, looking deeply into the navy orbs as he searched for any hint of doubt or hesitation, but was relieved to find none, "You're really back?"

Leo nodded, giving his baby brother a gentle rub on the head with his knuckles, "I'm really back," he affirmed, "promise."

"My son," Splinter smiled, the fur around his eyes already damp, "it is good to see you whole."

Leonardo had stood, giving a respectful bow to his father, "It is good to feel myself again, father," the turtle paused, then pressed forward, his newfound courage allowing him the freedom to speak without fear, "I apologize for making the decision without your leave."

The rat gave a warm chuckle, "It is easily forgiven," he sighed, "not when the result brings so much joy and relief

"Although do not be mistaken by thinking we would have loved you less had you chosen otherwise," Splinter quickly amended, "however, your brothers and I value your leadership and dearly missed you, my son."

The eldest straightened up from his bow, not even the slightest shadow of anxiety haunting his gaze, face beaming with the smile he still wore, "I don't think that, sensei," he reassured, "maybe I would have before, but not anymore."

"So, then," Donnie stepped forward, hands wringing his Bo staff anxiously, "you're absolutely sure? You're back, for good?"

Leonardo nodded, placing a hand on the genius' shoulder so to pull him into a tight hug, "I'm sure, otouto," he said, squeezing the trembling purple ninja, "I'm back."

Donnie jerked at the force of the sob that rocked his frame, desperate hands gripping the eldest's carapace, "I missed you, aniki,"

"So did I," the eldest chuckled, releasing the scientist.

"Me, too," Raph said, giving Leo a gentle punch to the shoulder, "took ya long enough."

"Yeah, I know," Leo grinned sheepishly, one hand rubbing his shoulder.

After that, the mutant family had been introduced to Shadow, and Casey melted into the softest puddle of goo that anyone had ever seen. Mikey had always thought that Raph with kids was cute, but Casey sitting on the couch, cooing at his 'sweet little princess' easily tied for a close second. Plus, Leo proved everyone's suspicions correct that he'd make a great dad one day, easily shushing Shadow to sleep when she started crying by changing her diaper and then bouncing her in his arms. That put a smile on everyone's face. Michelangelo didn't say anything then, but he could tell just by looking at their father that the old rat was hoping for grandchildren one day from his boys. And now, with Glimmer and Mona in the picture, it might just happen! Not that Leo and Raph were the only ones with girlfriends, not anymore.

Mikey had a secret.

The youngest gave another happy hum, licking pancake batter off his thumb as he placed the bowl down and danced over to the fridge. Strawberries for Raphie, raspberries for Donnie, and blueberries for Leo. Their favorites, respectively. Mikey personally preferred chocolate chips, and the older brothers would also indulge in a flapjack full of chocolatey goodness alongside their fruit filled ones. Pancakes were a tad heavy to eat before training, but going by the gleam in their father's eye, they were about to get the workout of their lives. So, calories were a must. Speaking of the nutrition that would save them from dying in the dojo, Mikey grabbed the bag of bacon from the fridge, along with orange juice and jam for their toast. The jelly was a light pink color, a strawberry and pear mix that Anthony bought during his vacation to California at a roadside fruit shack.

The youngest paused, thinking about a certain someone with cotton candy pink hair the same color, and alexandrite eyes. Michelangelo couldn't hold back the wiggle of glee as he imagined her sweet face and adorable voice. Her name was Nessa, and she was the main reason why the orange ninja survived Leo's absence. She was a dragon maid from the same dimension as Mona and Venus, and initially she had been ordered by the Duchess to spy on their family to keep an eye on Leo. Something that made the youngest feel conflicting feelings of both gratitude and annoyance. He wasn't a fan of being spied on, but he also acknowledged that their leader's sudden development of inter-dimensional powers was certainly concerning.

Not that he even knew they had an audience until about two months in of Leonardo being missing.

…

Michelangelo stood at the sink in the kitchen, baby blue eyes staring sightlessly ahead, even as tears splattered the countertop.

It had been two months since Leo disappeared, two months of worry, grief, and fear, and try as he might, Mikey couldn't gather the strength to remain optimistic anymore. Instead, his soul felt hollow, echoing with the wails of despair blowing through it like the hollows of the wind sweeping through crumbling ruins. He felt like the tattered shrouds of a ghost ship, plunging headfirst through the waters of storm-tossed seas, devoid of life, reduced to a mere shell of a once great vessel. He longed for sunlight, for the perpetual rain to end and bring calm to his soul, but that wouldn't happen until Leo came home. Which didn't seem likely to happen anytime soon. The yellow plastron shuddered as Michelangelo fought to stifle the sobs he so dearly wished to vent, but he couldn't, he needed to stay strong for the family. At least, what was left of it.

The reminder of their current state made the cries that much harder to bite back. It was so hard to see Raphael wandering the lair, features haunted and fearful. Or Donnie lurking in shadows, eyes bloodshot from coffee and countless sleepless nights. Or even their father, who had sunk into the depths of despair, his yearning for the eldest as palpable as the depressive cloud that hung heavy in the air. Mikey tried, God knows he's tried, to keep an upbeat attitude despite feeling like he was living in a house filled with the living dead. However, it was difficult to do so when his world was suddenly painted in grays and blacks. When Michelangelo had stopped seeing color, he wasn't sure, but the vibrant world that he'd once adored recreating in his paintings now seemed monochrome. They'd lost an important primary color, and at first Mikey's filters were off, the colors over saturated and glaring. Now, he was trapped in a noir novel, complete with the gloomy atmosphere.

The turtle prime universe would love it here.

A weak chuckle whispered between the trembling lips. A hint of Michelangelo's sense of humor peeking through the dark storm clouds, but not enough to save him. Certainly not enough to save their family, much less dinner. Even the meals these days were lackluster, devoid of their flavor and richness. But what do you expect when your life has been turned upside down? The chuckle grew into a giggle as he imagined feeding his father and brothers their meal alongside a plate spinning comedy routine, a pitifully cheesy idea that once might have amused his family, but now would only make the depression worse. The laughter quickly became almost manic, with baby blue eyes growing wild even as tears streamed down damp cheeks. This release breached the dam of emotion building in Mikey's chest, and the youngest slowly sunk to the floor, almost hiding underneath the kitchen table, one green hand clutching a wooden leg in a vice like grip as he finally lost the battle with keeping his sobs at bay.

God, he missed Leo.

Broad shoulders convulsed with every heaving gulp, the youngest bracing his head against the cold table leg, eyes clenched shut as he fought to regain his composure but failed miserably. A trembling hand tugged at the orange mask that had been his identity since he was a tot, a futile gesture of confusion and sorrow, a silent question of whether he even was Michelangelo anymore or just the pathetic shadow shaped like him. Then, miraculously, just as his sorrow reached a billowing peak, a pair of slim ivory arms slipped around his shoulders, holding him for just a moment before dissolving like warm spring rain. Michelangelo jolted at the sensation, having not had a hug in weeks as his family fell apart in their despair. Wide blue eyes shot open, and whirling around, the youngest found himself eye to eye with the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, even in his wildest dreams.

"Please, don't cry," she whispered, features overflowing with warm compassion, "I can't stand to see you so upset."

Alexandrite eyes sparkled with all the colors of the rainbow, colors he'd forgotten and missed with a passion, even as elegant golden horns curved around ivory webbed ears poking out from a fluffy mane of tightly curled cotton candy pink hair. The ringlets and shape of her hair reminded Mikey of Merida from Brave, it was enchanting, and suited the gentle humanoid features accented by a lizard like shape. Lovely wings shimmered behind her, while a sorrowful tail curled around her similar to a cat's. What was odd, though, she was sadly incorporeal. Intangible like a ghost, and vaguely see through. Michelangelo couldn't help but try, though, a curious finger lifting to try and touch a stray pink curl but gasped when his hand went through it.

"How," he stammered, "who are you?! How did you get in here?"

The girl shot him a sheepish glance, webbed ears drooping guiltily, "Well," she winced, "technically I'm not actually here, this is just a projection."

"Projection?" Mikey was so confused, granted this was a pleasant change from the drab day to day that he'd been living, but still, "like a hologram?"

The girl perked up, mouth quirking with a bright smile, "Kind of!" She chirped, a delicate hand lifting her bangs to show a third eye that looked like a diamond set into her forehead, "This allows me to look into other dimensions and even cast a projection of myself. Sometimes I can even interact with the environment, but that takes a lot of skill and concentration, so I can only manage it for a few seconds at most."

"O-Kay," Mikey drawled, mind drawing parallels between the mystery girl and Renet, his confusion slowly giving way to suspicion, "if that's the case, then why are you here? I don't know if you looked around at all, but we're not exactly party central."

The dragon maid wilted again, claws clacking together as she wrung her hands in distressed motions, "That's complicated," she grimaced.

"Then make it uncomplicated," Michelangelo crossed his arms with a huff, determined to protect his clan, even from adorable ghost girls, "you show up in my home and expect me to just roll with it? Sorry, but no, I have enough on my plate as it is, and I don't like being kept out of the loop. Especially when it's stuff that could affect my family."

Rainbow eyes blinked slowly, but then the girl gave a hesitant nod, "I don't see how it could hurt, honestly," she admitted softly, "so much has gone wrong already."

The youngest turtle cocked his head, then sighed, before pinning the girl with a serious expression brimming with determination, "Explain."

The maiden drew in a steadying breath, then nodded again, "My name is Nessa," she said, gesturing to herself, "and I serve the Lady Amalthea, Duchess of the Western Territories."

"I've heard of her!" Baby blue eyes brightened, "Do you know anyone named Mona or Venus?"

Nessa gave an enthusiastic nod, "They're good friends of mine," she smiled happily, "we all three serve the Duchess in different ways and live at the manor," She explained, "the Duchess is very kind and is the main World Walker of this universe."

Now Michelangelo was really intrigued, "Mona said the Duchess could go between worlds, is that a World Walker?" He asked.

"Yes, among other things." The dragon maid nodded, "Which is the main reason why I'm here."

Revelation sparked in Mikey's brain, as he remembered the conversation with Kitsune in the Foot headquarters, "Because Leo might be one?"

"Precisely," Nessa confirmed, gaze deadly serious, "when Mona told the Duchess how your brother defeated the Eater, she was impressed, but also very concerned. So, she placed me over him, to watch and wait, and see if he manifests the sacred powers of a World Walker and inform the Duchess should he do so."

"Why? Is being a World Walker so important?" Mikey pressed, confusion still clouding his gaze.

"The power of a World Walker is extremely rare," the maiden stated, "as rare as the birth of a gold dragon. They literally have the power to manipulate the very threads of reality. Their main purpose is to maintain balance between the worlds, and without a World Walker connected to the World Tree, the dimensions would unravel. Which, as you can imagine, is pretty bad."

"So, why watch Leo?" Michelangelo asked, "I get that he's important, but doesn't spying on us still seem kinda drastic?"

Nessa sighed, "There's a lot of complications that could happen as the sacred powers take root in his body, but more importantly," the dragon maid pursed her lips, eyes growing grave, "If anyone were to find out about your brother, it would put his life in danger, there's too many people who would want to steal his power for themselves before it's firmly settled in."

Ah, that made sense, not that it helped them now.

"Too late," Michelangelo grumbled, "we've already been targeted."

"I know," Nessa mourned, her ears drooping, "I was watching when Leonardo was taken hostage by your enemy, and I know that Kitsune is involved in all this."

The maiden paused, then placed an intangible hand on the turtle's knee, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect him," she whispered, "I wanted to, but the Duchess said I wasn't allowed to interfere. She said these things must progress naturally, and that he'd be safer from Kitsune by going into hiding. I admit, though, I never expected your brother to run away."

"Neither did we." Michelangelo bit his lips thoughtfully. To be honest, he wanted to ask what the dragon maid knew about all this World Walker stuff, what it meant for Leo and his physical health, just who Kitsune was and why she was so hellbent on getting this World Tree, but right now, he only had one burning question, "Do you know where Leo is?"

Nessa shook her head in a sorrowful no, "I'm sorry," she sighed, "I tried to catch him, but he was too fast for my projection to follow. By the time I caught up, the portal he used had already closed."

"Can't you search for him with your eye?"

Once again, a negative, "Mona told me where to look to find you all the first time, so I was able to locate you relatively easily, but if my target hops across dimensions, they're harder to track. I've spent the past two months searching across dimensions and planets, but I can't find him."

Green shoulders slumped, "Oh," then the orange ninja slid a curious gaze over to the girl, "so why are you here? Leo's gone, so there's no one for you to watch over anymore, right?"

The projection's cheeks flushed a deep pink, and Nessa turned away, "I wanted to check on you," she confessed, clawed fingers entangling as she cast her embarrassed eyes to the floor, "I admit, I was ordered to watch over your brother, but the person I wanted to watch over more than anyone else…was you."

….

That conversation started a secret relationship that Michelangelo had clung to during those dark months. Nessa was his confidante, and his best friend. The orange ninja discovered that the dragon girl was personal handmaiden to the Duchess and was also her expert on covert operations. However, while Nessa enjoyed her work, she was a passionate dancer, and longed to perform professionally in ballet and ballroom. This prompted Michelangelo to ask her to teach him the dances from her dimension, the girl excited to hear that the youngest turtle had actually taught himself some of their world's variations, and she'd been doing so ever since.

To the orange clad turtle, she was a miracle and utterly perfect. They complimented each other so well, their differences filling in the gaps of where the other might lack. She laughed at his jokes, and he would help her with extra training on her projection by encouraging her to try to draw with him in his room. She was getting a lot better and could interact with his dimension longer than she could when they first met. Granted, Mikey admitted that a girl getting a crush on him by invisibly watching his every move was a bit creepy. However, he decided it could be so much worse, and Nessa wasn't around all the time, she had responsibilities in her dimension as handmaid to the Duchess. Plus, the girl had assured that she was respectful of their personal spaces and never watched during any inappropriate moments. Mikey still made her promise not to watch him while invisible ever again, though, something that Nessa was more than happy to agree to. She apologized for the intrusion but confessed that she ended up getting a crush on him due to his art and joyful attitude. Which was why she revealed herself in the kitchen that day, because watching him cry was too painful.

Mikey had melted at that admission, gratitude filling him over her compassion.

Needless to say, she'd brought color back into his life, bringing with her a veritable palette of hues that made the monochrome disappear. His world became vibrant again, and when Leo finally came back home, Mikey found his passion to paint resurfacing. He'd recently been working on a particular piece that he was anxious to gift to his family for Christmas. It was the biggest canvas he'd ever painted on, but using money he'd saved up, he was able to order it online and then smuggle it into an abandoned area of the sewers. He needed a stool just to work on it, standing up so to reach the top and fine tune different details. It featured their family, and Mikey couldn't wait to see everyone's reactions. Especially because it included all the new members who'd just recently joined, too.

Anthony, Radar, Glimmer, Mona, Venus (Donnie was pretty closed mouthed about his talking to the wyvern, but Mikey had seen a new light shining in the scientist's eyes lately. Now, it was only a matter of time before they were officially an item.), and little Shadow of course. However, Mikey was also including Nessa, it was going to be his way of announcing to the family that he'd finally found someone special. He had no doubt everyone would be pleased, and while he was certain of getting teased for keeping it a secret, that would just be the cherry on top to their family Christmas celebration. Plus, it was going to look awesome hanging on their wall in the living room!

Michelangelo sighed contentedly. Life was really looking up, and to say that he was happy would be a vast understatement. He was ecstatic.

The turtle perked up as the air around him crackled, a strange energy zipping between molecules, making Klunk's fur puff out from the static. Giving a knowing grin, the youngest stepped to the side, leaving as much room as possible in the kitchen for the eldest's landing. Since the night of the fire, Leo has been practicing teleporting. It still took a lot of concentration, even for their leader, and a successful jump exhausted the eldest turtle. However, Leonardo was determined to train this ability until he could use it effectively in the field. An ambitious goal to be sure, but one Michelangelo wasn't about to dissuade. Heaven knows the ability to teleport would come in handy eventually, just like Leo's ability to 'fix' things has become invaluable. The fact that the blue clad ninja could now fix anything from the toaster, to even injuries, by himself just by wiggling his fingers had brought their family no small amount of pride. Plus, it took pressure off Donnie, who didn't have to spend all his time fixing every little thing anymore.

A scant few seconds later, Leo appeared out of thin air, shoulders heaving as he panted, a light sheen of sweat coating his scales, but a bright gleam of triumph shining in the sapphire eyes. Michelangelo gave his leader the brightest smile he could manage, patting the broad shoulder in congratulations, "You're really starting to get good at that."

The azure masked turtle shook himself, working out the pins and needles that teleporting caused, "Thanks," Leo panted, "now, if only I could make the process faster, and have less of a strain on my body, it'll be even better."

"It better not be straining your body," the scientist stated in a warning growl, walking around the corner and into the kitchen, "because I distinctly remember telling you not to push yourself. It's one thing to learn a new ability, it's a completely different thing to run yourself into the ground while doing it."

Sapphire eyes met baby blue, and Leo gave the navy orbs a healthy, albeit sarcastic, roll, "I'm fine, Don," he sighed, "it's no more tiring than a regular training session with Father. After the buzzing feeling goes away, I'm just left feeling like I want to lay down but nothing worse than that. I promise, I'm being careful with how many jumps I do a day."

"You'd better be," Donnie grumped.

Mikey winked at Leo, placing a steaming cup of Java in front of their resident genius, "Don't worry about him, bro, he's just grumpy because he hasn't had his morning cup of joe yet."

"Sweet, sweet nectar of the heavens," Donatello hummed, voice echoing inside his mug that he was already beak deep in.

"Got any more a that?" A gruff voice asked sleepily, announcing the arrival of the brawler, one hand scrubbing at his eyes as he yawned, "The only thing that sucks about takin' a break is gettin' used ta wakin' up early all over again."

Leonardo cooed, giving Raphael a gentle noogie, "Sorry, otouto," he grinned, "but I'm sure you'll start to wake up more once we're moving around."

"And after gettin' some of that coffee," the crimson turtle grumbled, sitting down at the table and face-planting into the wood, "I'm too tired ta think."

"Here, dude, nice and hot," Michelangelo placed another mug in front of the brawler, smiling when Raphael peeled his face off the table top to give a weary sip, "how is it?"

Raphael had odd taste in coffee. He liked it strong, which wasn't a surprise, but getting his cream to coffee ratio right was a challenge. He liked just enough to cut the bitterness of the coffee, but not enough to make it sweet. Literally, a single drop could change it from delicious to disaster, and for such a gruff guy, Raph was very discerning about his palette when it came to the heavenly bean. The brawler paused, leaving their resident chef on edge, before granting the youngest a sleepy smile, "You got it just right, squirt."

Mikey grinned in triumph but paused so to cast an indignant glare at the ruffian, "Hey!" He squawked, "You promised you'd stop calling me squirt, remember?"

"Since when?" Raph wrinkled his beak as if in deep thought, "I don't remember promisin' ya that."

Donnie and Leo shared silent identical grins, enjoying the early morning entertainment. Michelangelo huffed, "Remember? That night in the Foot headquarters?" His brother winced, and they couldn't blame him, that wasn't a pleasant memory, but Mikey stubbornly powered through the discomfort he'd caused, "I asked you not to call me squirt, and you said-!"

"I said we'd talk about it," Raph cut in, giving the baby brother a smug grin, "but I never said I'd stop."

The youngest pouted, eyes narrowing into thin slits as he glared at the brawler. Mikey opened his mouth to shoot back what he hoped was a scathing retort but was interrupted by the sound of Leo's shell cell, the leader quickly answering and chuckling a greeting. Turning back to Raphael, Mikey hissed, "Saved by the bell, but this isn't over."

"Maybe," the brawler shrugged, his face still wreathed in an unrepentant grin.

"Right," Leonardo's eyes had grown serious, features losing their playfulness as their leader listened to the caller, "no, I agree, that doesn't sound good."

That got all three younger brothers' attention. That voice was the one the eldest used that was often a precursor to a mission. Excitement shot tingles through the orange ninja's frame. They really were back in action! However, the youngest nibbled his bottom lip at Leo's current facial expression. It must be something big. Michelangelo cocked his head, listening carefully, before deducing the mystery caller was Casey, judging by the masculine tone and gruff voice. Which meant one of two things, either the Purple Dragons were acting up again, or something funky was going down where he worked at the docks. What that might be, Mikey couldn't say, but he had a gut feeling it was something weird, maybe leftovers from that wave of mutated monsters a while back. Either way, Leo was taking their human friend very seriously.

"Got it," the eldest said with a curt nod, "we'll check it out tonight."

With a beep, Leonardo hung up the phone call, then turned to his brothers, "Looks like we'll be getting our first mission earlier than expected!"

"What's up?" That got Raph's attention, he was looking more awake with every passing second, "Is it the Purple Dragons?"

The eldest shook his head, "No, Casey said something strange has been going on down at the dock where he works. Rumors have been cropping up that a certain section is apparently haunted, with things disappearing and entire containers being moved, and anyone who investigates it have been ending up in the hospital…or missing."

Ha! Score one for the Mikester.

"What's that got ta do with us?" Raph asked in his usual gruff tone, topaz eyes glaring curiously at their leader, "Last I checked that's a little outta our wheelhouse?"

Leonardo nodded, "True, but apparently there's also been sightings of strange creatures roaming about."

"Ah, shell," Raphael swore, "guess we're gonna have ta break out the old monster huntin' gear."

"Where did it put all that?" Donnie murmured to himself, brown eyes glassing over as he considered their gear's location in the lair.

Michelangelo allowed himself a small smirk of victory at his astute assessment but kept it to himself. No need to crow over something he had no way of proving that he'd already figured out before Leo said anything, besides, it's their first mission as a team again! Exciting! Walking back over to the griddle to begin ladling out the pancakes, the youngest found himself asking, "That sounds shady alright," he said, tone serious, "but who wants to bet that it blows up in our face? I mean, knowing our luck, it probably has something to do with Bishop."

"Well," Donnie winced, "considering we did blow up his warehouse and we haven't heard a peep from him since, it would make sense for him to start making a fuss right about now."

"I don't know," Leo tapped his index finger on his bottom lip, carefully considering his words, "Bishop isn't the type to do the same thing twice, he always reworks his plans to maintain the element of surprise. I just don't see any scheme that has him going through the docks again, especially since that's how we tracked him last time."

"Does Casey have any clues of what's going on?" Donnie asked.

Leo shook his head, "No, and that's how people keep getting hurt. Curiosity and superstition driving them to seek out answers, which in turn inevitably causes them to suddenly suffer inexplicable accidents from whatever is actually happening out there."

"So, I guess we go check it out, then," Raph shrugged, "if there's somethin' crazy goin' down in our city, then we should know about it. What's the worst that could happen?"

Their leader hesitated, "What indeed?" He murmured thoughtfully, before shaking his head with a resigned sigh, "It doesn't matter, I already agreed to investigate, but I'd prefer we all stay on our toes and anticipate anything. It's been a while since we've been out in the field, and I'd rather we come home in one piece, got it?"

"Got it!" Mikey grinned, noting the beam of pride and happiness in Donatello and Raphael's gaze at how easily Leo had retaken the reigns as leader.

Oh yeah, it was good to be a team again.

…

"Is this the place?" Donatello winced when even his low whisper sounded loud, echoing between the many metal shipping containers.

It was dark, that section of the docks utterly abandoned, without even the telltale blinking of security lights to cut through the blackness of the night. The genius felt a tad discombobulated, unable to map their location in his head the way he normally could. They'd definitely been gone from patrol for a while, he almost forgot what standard procedure was like out in the field. No doubt Leo would have a few ideas on how to tighten up defenses and whip them back into shape after this. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too painful. Needless to say, though, Donnie could feel a definite tension in the air. Everyone was on edge, whether because they'd been gone so long, or because of the spooky atmosphere. It made a role of dread twist in the engineer's stomach.

Leonardo gave a short nod, the only part of him visible from the shadows being his blue mask, before it, too, melted into the darkness, "Fan out and start searching for anything that looks strange."

"Hmm," Mikey made a show of looking around, before jolting with a soft shriek, one finger pointing at Raphael's face, "I can say I found something strange, right here."

The genius stifled his giggle, even as the shadow nearby snickered. The brawler wasn't nearly so amused, "Very funny…squirt," he snarled.

"Just doing my job, bro," the youngest drawled smugly, lifting both hands to rest behind his head, his voice gaining volume to sound like a sports broadcaster, "nobody can diffuse a tense situation like I can, the one and only Michelangelo!"

As much as he hated to admit it, Mikey was right. The older brothers had visibly relaxed, the tight muscles loosening, allowing them to regard the area with less trepidation.

"Hey, one and only doofus," Donatello hissed, even as a snort of laughter drifted from the very suspicious shadow that was supposed to be their leader, "want to yell any louder and alert whoever's here that we've arrived? I don't think they heard you over in Jersey!"

The youngest folded his hands under his chin, batting his eyes, before pulling in a breath as if he were about to break into an aria, but his performance was interrupted by a yelp when Raphael gave a vicious tug to his mask tails, "Now's not the time, ya lamebrain!"

Michelangelo was undaunted, having assuredly never intended to actually give away their position, but was having too much fun riling up their hothead, "Aw," the orange ninja whined theatrically, rubbing his head where the mask had pulled, "you always ruin my fun. Party pooper."

The brawler rolled his golden gaze, before giving the youngest a flick on the nose, "Just shut up so we can look around, 'kay?"

"Aye, aye!" Mikey replied, giving a snappy salute, then proceeded to march away, prompting another round of giggles from the very noisy shadow.

Donatello shook his head at the scene, turning back to the docks they were supposed to be investigating.

The night was cold, as it was still mid-December, but thankfully the blizzard from just a week ago was well past and the city was blanketed in snow. Not that it was very pretty anymore. Between the general pollution, the millions of huddled masses trudging through it, and all the cars and buses, it'd already been reduced to brown slush. However, the docks still held much of the fluffy white substance, particularly in this area that remained somewhat undisturbed by the general public. That was odd, if what Casey said was true. Where were the signs of a struggle from the people getting mauled? They were dressed head to toe in their custom made monster hunting gear. Not that they knew if there were any monsters, but it never hurt to be prepared, especially with the reports of strange creatures being sighted in the area. That in itself was concerning, but they hadn't even seen the slightest sign of one, so Donnie was left to wonder if this was all one grand trap.

God, he hoped not.

The scientist's stomach clenched as another icy premonition sent his scales crawling. Why couldn't he shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen?

"Alright, guys, let's go." Leonardo's quiet command jolted Donnie back to reality, and the genius shook his head free of any more distractions.

It was time to get to work.

….

Raphael crept across the docks, ducking in and out of the shadows illuminated by the weak light of the moon. Topaz gaze narrowing as he suppressed a shudder.

Something felt off.

Maybe that's why he was so snappish to Mikey, maybe that's why he couldn't join in the lighthearted atmosphere that Leo and Donnie enjoyed, but there was a dark dread curling in his stomach that whispered promises of yet more change to their lives. Every adventure they've ever had, every mission that led to long nights filled with blood, screams and bone deep exhaustion started just like this, and that made Raphael uneasy. Granted, that's crazy coming from him. The hothead who throws punches first, letting Leo and Donnie be the ones to ask questions later. However, he wasn't that turtle anymore. Being tortured by the Shredder, losing Leo, having to step up as interim leader until said brother came home and got his head back together, it left quite the mark on the brawler. Now, he couldn't help but feel a heavy weight of caution manipulate his decisions, controlling his body like a puppet is controlled by invisible strings. It wasn't hard to be cautious in this atmosphere, though. The abandoned dock was downright spooky.

Granted, he wasn't the only one on edge. Everyone was.

Mikey was being a little more rambunctious than usual because he could tell something was wrong, or would be, and was trying to help keep their heads in the game. Donnie was glancing around with looks of paranoid panic, almost as if he expected their enemy to leap out from any corner or shadow. And Leo? The guy was sticking to the shadows as if he'd melded with them. Yeah, the guy takes his training seriously, but the way he disappeared was a little unnerving. The eldest was tense, welcoming the jokes Mikey gave with the enthusiasm of a dying man accepting life saving medicine, to stave off of the gnawing fear. Almost as if he were also expecting a disastrous attack from an unseen foe. Unfortunately, they'd all prove to be right.

True to their turtle luck, their enemy didn't stay unseen for long.

The four turtles walked out into a small expanse of empty dock, lined on all sides with shipping containers, but froze when they heard the scraping of claws on metal.

Raphael turned in a slow circle, golden eyes widening in terror even as his heart stuttered in his chest. They were surrounded, and by the worst possible enemy. Not the Foot, nor the deranged masses of Purple Dragons, those they could manage, and even have fun while doing it. No, they were surrounded by thirty or so Eaters, their black tentacles whipping around their bodies as they crawled up and over shipping containers, and turned their sightless faces in their direction, multiple nostrils blowing as they sniffed in the turtle's direction. They had enough problems with just one, how were they going to fight an entire pack of these monsters?!

"Well," Leonardo murmured in a deceptively calm voice, "now we know why people keep going missing."

"Leo," Donnie quavered in a low whisper, "we have to retreat, we can't take this many Eaters, we don't have the manpower, much less the tools, to deal with them."

"Trust me, Donnie," the eldest growled, his ire directed at the monsters staring silently at them, "I'd love to, but were surrounded and I don't see a single opening that we can make use of."

"Then what do we do?" Mikey asked, giving a heavy gulp of trepidation.

Raphael sighed, casting aside the cautious fear that'd been blanketing him since that night at Foot Headquarters and shrugging on the familiar fury that he was known for. It was time to reclaim his own role in the team by igniting the bloodlust that would give him that much needed edge. Twirling his sai in expert hands, the turtle gave his best maniacal grin.

"We fight."

And the next arc begins with a bang….

Here's hoping they survive