APRIL'S JOURNAL
Day... honestly, I lost track.
It's been three months since we came to the farmhouse. Three months since we ran from New York, since the Kraang destroyed our world and left us with nothing but silence and dust. We came here hoping for a fresh start, but instead, all we've found is emptiness and uncertainty.
Leo hasn't woken up yet. Every day feels the same, and we can't seem to move forward. Donnie works nonstop on his mutagenic medicine, hoping that something will help Leo heal, but nothing seems to work. I know it's wearing him down. I can see the exhaustion in his eyes, the frustration. But he doesn't stop. He can't.
Raph's been glued to Leo's side since we got here. He doesn't sleep much, always watching Leo, waiting for him to wake up. I think he's holding onto hope for all of us, trying to keep it together. But I can see the cracks. I can see how much this is hurting him, and it kills me to watch him carry this weight alone.
Mikey's trying to keep things light, as usual. He's still doing chores around the farm, still trying to make us laugh. But I know it's hard for him, too. He hides it well, but I can see that he's struggling, especially with Leo still in a coma. Mikey never likes to show it, but I know he misses New York, too.
Then there's Cat. She hasn't spoken a word since we arrived. Not a single word. She's silent, withdrawn, almost like she's not really here. It breaks my heart. She clings to Elliot sometimes, looking for comfort, but even that doesn't last. It's like something inside her just shut down.
Elliot and Cat have gotten close. They're like best friends now, even though Cat won't speak. He doesn't push her, doesn't try to force her to talk. He just... stays with her. They've got their own unspoken bond, a quiet understanding. It's kind of incredible to watch them together. Cat may not talk, but Elliot's presence seems to calm her.
As for Mari... She's barely eating, barely resting. She's been training non-stop, pushing herself beyond the limits. She hits things until her knuckles are raw, until she's bleeding. She blames herself for everything—Leo's condition, Master Splinter, Jackson, the Kraang. She thinks if she just trains harder, if she just gets stronger, she'll be able to fix everything. But she's not. She's just hurting herself. I've tried talking to her, but she shuts me out. I don't know how to reach her. She won't listen.
Elliot and Casey have been steady presences through all of this. They've both helped me with the chores and helped keep the mood light when it gets too heavy. We've gotten closer over the past few months. They may not be family, but sometimes it feels like they are.
I think we're all just waiting for something to change, something to give us hope again. But it's hard to stay positive when everything feels so uncertain. Master Splinter used to tell us that "life must continue on, no matter how dark the path ahead." I'm trying. We're all trying. But sometimes, it's hard to keep going when it feels like nothing will ever get better.
For now, we're safe. For now, we've got each other. But I can't shake the feeling that we're running out of time.
The wind carried the scent of cut grass and warm sun through the fields, the air thick with humidity and the hum of late summer. After three long months at the old farmhouse, the team had found a rhythm—one built on survival, discipline, and the quiet ache of waiting for a city they might never return to.
Out behind the barn, April ducked a wild swing from Casey's hockey stick, sweat dripping from her brow.
"Goongala!" Casey shouted, leaping off a hay bale with too much energy.
Raph caught him mid-air and flipped him effortlessly into the grass.
"You gotta be quicker to train with ninjas," he said, brushing off his hands. "Sorry, April."
April smirked, twisting around and landing a sharp punch into his gut.
Raph grunted and dropped with a winded laugh. "Okay, point taken."
"I'm almost a full-on Kunoichi," she said proudly.
From the fence, Mikey let out a cheer. "Aw yeah! April's gettin' spicy with it!"
Nearby, Donnie and Casey circled each other. At first it was playful, but the tension shifted—April saw it before anyone else.
Casey tossed his hockey stick like a boomerang. Donnie dodged, unimpressed.
"You really think I wouldn't see that coming?"
But before Donnie could finish, Casey snapped a slingshot out of his back pocket and fired a pebble at his shoulder.
"Eat this!"
"OW! Cheap shot!" Donnie snapped, throwing his bo staff like a spear and knocking the slingshot away. In seconds, the two were rolling in the grass, grumbling like toddlers.
April groaned. "Okay, you two, enough! You're acting like wild animals."
Casey sat up, brushing off dirt. "We're just blowing off steam, Red."
Donnie huffed, trying to fix his gear. "Yeah, well, there's a lot to steam about lately."
They shared a begrudging nod.
"We're all just a little fried," Raph muttered, arms crossed. "No offense, but this place? We're turtles. We belong in the city. Not in... cow country."
Donnie shrugged. "Technically, we were raised in a sewer, so I don't think we get to be picky."
Mikey flopped onto the grass dramatically. "Master Splinter used to say we gotta accept the hand the universe gives us."
Casey blinked. "Whoa... deep."
Raph's tone turned dark. "Splinter's gone. And Leo—Leo might not ever wake up."
The words hung heavy in the air.
With a frustrated sigh, Raph turned and stomped toward the house.
April looked down, her smile gone.
At the side of the barn, Mari trained alone—striking a post with her tanto in steady, focused movements.
Not far off, under the shade of a tree, Cat sat curled into herself. Her gaze followed Raph as he stormed off, but she said nothing. She hadn't spoken a word since the invasion.
Elliot sat beside her in the grass, legs crossed. He tossed a pebble into the air and caught it.
"You know, I think I've said like thirty things to you today and you've blinked maybe twice," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "Kind of a tough crowd."
Cat didn't react.
He glanced at her, then leaned back against the tree. "I don't mind. You don't have to talk. I just like hanging out."
Cat rested her head on her knees, not looking at him—but she didn't move away.
Inside the house, the air was heavy and quiet. Raph walked the hallway like a ghost until he reached the bathroom door.
He pushed it open.
Leo lay motionless in the bathtub, bandaged and still. The light from the window fell across his face like a spotlight, highlighting the bruises that hadn't faded.
Raph sat on the floor beside him.
"C'mon, Leo," he whispered, resting his arms on his knees. "We need you."
Later that evening, the living room glowed softly under the flicker of the TV. Popcorn bowls lay scattered on the floor, mismatched blankets draped over cushions, and bodies sprawled across couches and rugs in a makeshift cocoon of comfort.
Mikey was perched dramatically on the arm of a chair, remote in hand like it was Excalibur.
"Okay, everyone, quiet down. It's time for my new favorite show," he declared with a grin.
The screen flickered, filling the room with the chaotic colors of Crognard the Barbarian.
"Wizardess, Graah, Spooch, ride!" Crognard bellowed.
"We're already riding, Crognard," Wizardess deadpanned.
"Graah!" Crognard laughed.
"Slug people," Wizardess intoned. "I sense danger."
"Greetings, travelers," said one of the slug men. "We bring tidings of—"
"ATTACK!" Crognard howled, launching into battle.
Mikey cackled, throwing popcorn at the screen. "Spooch is a legend. Look at that footwork!"
Donnie rolled his eyes from his place on the floor. "This is what entertainment's become. We've truly lost civilization."
Mari sat cross-legged off to the side, arms folded, clearly not paying attention. "This show's a war crime."
"I think that's the point," Elliot said from the couch. He offered Cat a popcorn kernel, setting it beside her on the blanket. She didn't look at him, but she didn't move away either. "Spooch is society's breakdown personified. I respect it."
"You guys are no fun," Mikey pouted, hugging a pillow.
Then—
"Guys! Guys! Get up here!"
Raph's voice cut through everything. Urgent. Raw.
The room jolted to life.
April was the first on her feet. Donnie and Mikey scrambled after her. Mari rose stiffly, her heart in her throat. Elliot looked to Cat—who had already bolted upright, silent and wide-eyed—and followed her.
They crowded the hallway and spilled into the bathroom.
Leo's eyes were open.
He blinked slowly, his breathing shallow, like the weight of waking was heavier than anything he'd ever lifted.
"Leo?" Donnie whispered, inching forward.
Leo's voice rasped from his throat, low and unsteady. "Hey... guys..."
"LEO!" Mikey practically flew to him, throwing his arms around him with a sob.
Leo winced. "Ow—Mikey. Still healing."
Mikey just laughed through the tears. "I missed your dumb voice."
"It's okay," Leo murmured. "I'm back."
Raph knelt at the side of the tub, his voice thick. "Took your sweet time."
"Wasn't my fault," Leo muttered weakly, cracking a tiny smile.
Together, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey helped him sit up, careful and slow.
April backed into the hallway, tears brimming in her eyes.
Mari stood frozen in the doorway, trembling like she might shatter if she moved. Her lips parted, but no sound came. Her tanto was still strapped to her side, like she had no idea how to take it off anymore.
Across from her, Cat stood with both hands pressed to her mouth, tears streaming silently down her cheeks. Elliot stood beside her, one hand hovering behind her back in case she broke.
Leo was awake.
And for the first time in months, hope didn't feel so impossible.
The farmhouse living room was quiet except for the soft thump-thump of Donatello's stethoscope as he pressed it gently to Leonardo's chest. Leo lay propped against the old couch cushions, wrapped in a thick quilt, his movements stiff and slow. The others stood around him, watching with varying degrees of relief and worry.
Mari stood off to the side, arms folded tightly, shoulders rigid. She hadn't sat once since he woke up, and her stare was hard to read—somewhere between cautious and angry.
Cat sat silently on the floor beside the couch, her hoodie pulled over her head. She didn't speak, hadn't for months, but her eyes never left Leo. Elliot sat beside her, arms loosely resting on his knees. He whispered to her occasionally, even if she barely acknowledged it. It didn't stop him.
Leo blinked groggily, his voice raspier than usual, deeper. "So... we've been here for three months? I've been out that long?"
April gave him a soft smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You had us worried sick, Leo. Raph barely slept."
Raph leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "That was nothing."
April arched a brow. "You were literally guarding the tub with a katana."
Raph muttered something about "being cautious" but didn't argue.
Casey, ever blunt, leaned forward from where he was perched on the arm of the loveseat. "So, like... why does he sound different?"
Donnie adjusted his goggles, his voice more clinical than usual. "Leo sustained trauma to his throat—along with... pretty much everywhere else."
Leo groaned, shifting slightly. His wince was enough to shut everyone up for a beat.
April's expression softened, but she said nothing. There wasn't a cure for what he'd been through.
Donnie pulled out a small bottle filled with pale green liquid. "Here," he said, pouring a spoonful carefully. "Take some more of my special patented mutagen medicine. You'll be healed in no time."
Leo eyed the spoon warily. "That smells like it should be leaving my body, not entering it."
Still, he took it. The moment the liquid hit his tongue, he gagged. Seconds later, he curled forward, a hand to his stomach.
April rushed forward. "Leo?!"
Donnie dropped to his side, alarmed. "Are you okay?!"
Leo grimaced. "Ugh. That tastes like sewer slime mixed with... regret."
Despite the pain, tension eased just slightly with the familiar sarcasm.
Raph smirked and gave his brother a gentle clap on the shoulder. "First thing tomorrow, we're training again. Just you and me. Gotta get those muscles back, bro."
Leo nodded, still a little dazed. But Raph saw it. He needed the routine. He needed normal.
Then Leo turned, his eyes scanning the group. They landed on Cat.
She was curled slightly, her knees hugged to her chest. She didn't speak. But she stared at him like she wanted to say something. Anything.
"Cat?" Leo asked softly. "You okay?"
She blinked, then gave a small nod. Just that.
Leo frowned slightly. "You're not talking?"
Elliot spoke for her. "She hasn't said anything since... since that day."
Leo's throat tightened. "She hasn't... at all?"
Donnie nodded grimly. "She's physically fine. But emotionally... it hit her hard. Don't worry, I'm monitoring it. Her throat is fine."
Leo's gaze stayed on Cat a moment longer. "It's okay," he said gently. "You don't have to say anything. I'm just glad you're here."
Another tiny nod. Elliot gave her a light nudge with his elbow.
Then Leo looked toward Mari. "You haven't said anything either."
Mari's arms folded tighter. "What do you want me to say?"
Leo blinked. "I didn't mean it like that."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You're alive. Great. Happy ending."
"Mari," April said quietly.
"No, it's fine," Mari snapped, and then sighed. "I just... I don't get to pretend everything's okay now, alright? You almost died. Our dad probably is dead. The city's a war zone. Cat hasn't spoken in months. Donnie overworks himself. Raph barely sleeps. Mikey actually is pretending like everything is fine! And we're stuck in this rotting farmhouse while the world burns."
Leo opened his mouth, but Mari cut him off.
"So yeah, welcome back, fearless leader," she added bitterly. "Try not to almost die again."
Then she turned and left the room without waiting for a response.
Leo exhaled through his nose. "She seems... okay."
Raph gave him a dry look. "She's fine. That's just her being affectionate."
Leo glanced around once more—Cat still quiet, Mari storming off, Elliot silently watching them all like he wasn't sure where he fit—and leaned back against the cushions.
Maybe they had a long way to go. But he was finally awake.
And that meant they could finally start fighting their way back.
The next morning, the sun peeked through the trees as Leo and Raph stood by a shallow creek behind the house. The grass was slick with dew, and a breeze rustled the tall grass around them.
Leo bent forward, breathing hard. "Don't rub it in," he muttered, taking a shaky step—then stumbled.
"Agh!" He hit the ground, his hands scraping against the earth.
Raph jogged over and offered a hand, helping him up.
"I don't think I'm..." Leo swallowed, his throat dry. "I don't think I'm ever gonna be the same again."
Raph's brows furrowed. He didn't hide the hurt in his voice. "Don't talk like that. That's not the Leo I know."
He turned toward the creek. "Now come on. Let's cross this thing."
Leo hesitated—then took out the medicine Donnie had given him and downed another swig. Immediately, his face twisted again in disgust. But then something changed.
His balance faltered.
His pupils dilated.
"Oh man..." he croaked. "Oh, I'm gonna—"
"Leo?" Raph's voice broke in slow motion.
Leo stumbled and turned—then vomited violently onto the grass.
Raph reached for him. "You okay?!"
Leo groaned, wiping his mouth. "I think it's... that medicine Donnie gave me. I don't feel good."
"Alright, let's get you back," Raph said, looping an arm around his brother's waist. "No more pushing it today."
Together, they made their way back to the farmhouse.
Behind them, where Leo had thrown up, the green mutagen soaked into the earth... and began to glow.
Beneath the surface, something stirred.
The soil rippled.
A shape shifted in the dirt.
And something... was born.
The farmhouse had grown still as night settled in, the sounds of wind brushing through the trees just barely audible through the old walls. In the living room, a soft quilt was wrapped tightly around Leo's shoulders as he lay propped against the couch cushions. His breath was shallow, voice rough and low, but he was awake—and that was enough for now.
Cat sat curled beside him, her body pressed to his like a shadow. She was afraid that if she left his side, he'll be gone again.
Across the room, April passed out mugs of warm tea, the faint scent of chamomile wafting through the room.
"I just can't stop thinking about Master Splinter," Leo murmured, breaking the quiet. "Maybe he's not... really gone."
Donnie looked up from where he was inspecting a broken lantern. His voice was quiet but firm. "We saw it, Leo. Shredder threw him into a drain pipe. There's no way he survived that."
April hesitated. "But if anyone could survive something like that... it'd be Splinter. He was a ninja master."
Leo nodded faintly, but the crease between his brows didn't ease. He glanced around the room—then frowned.
"Where's Mari?" he asked quietly. "I haven't seen her since I woke up."
"She's been training nonstop," April said after a pause. "Alone."
Leo's frown deepened. "Did I do something?"
April looked at him sadly, but didn't answer.
From his spot in the old armchair, Elliot watched Cat in silence. She hadn't looked at him, hadn't clung to his sleeve or trailed him like she used to. She barely reacted at all. And now... now she was plastered to Leo's side like he was her anchor.
Elliot didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He just shifted, a little deeper into the chair, and rested his chin in his hand, letting his eyes drift to the floor.
Just then, Mikey bounced in with a grin and a remote.
"Showtime, my dudes! I need some animated nonsense to cleanse my brain!"
He hit the power button—
The lights flickered.
And went out completely.
The TV died with a click, leaving the room in complete darkness.
"Aw, come on!" Casey groaned, tossing the remote aside. "You've gotta be kidding me!"
"It's just a fuse," Donnie muttered, already moving to grab the flashlight. He clicked it on.
Nothing.
He opened the back. "...You've got to be kidding me."
A hush fell.
Leo looked down at Cat, noticing the way she'd tensed just slightly in the dark. "You okay?" he asked gently.
She gave a tiny nod, clinging tighter.
From across the room, Elliot let out a long breath, eyes flicking to the window. "Y'know," he said, not quite looking at anyone, "I never realized how dark it gets out here without streetlights."
No one responded.
The fire in the hearth sputtered once—and went out.
And the room fell completely still.
Out in the woods, the wind whistled low through the trees. Raph swung his axe down onto a thick branch, the crack echoing in the stillness. His breath fogged in the cold air, and every rustle in the underbrush made him pause.
Then—a branch snapped behind him.
He froze.
"...Who's there?" he called out, adjusting his grip on the axe. "Don't mess with me."
From the corner of his eye, movement—something tall. Something big.
Raph turned sharply—
—and saw a deer. It stood frozen, eyes wide in the glow of the moonlight.
He exhaled sharply. "Just a deer. Easy, Raph. Don't get paranoid."
The deer turned and bounded off.
Raph shook his head, returned to chopping—
And something lunged at him from the trees.
Vines whipped around his torso, yanking him backward with inhuman strength. He let out a strangled cry that echoed through the forest—
Then silence.
Back at the farmhouse, Mikey stood on the porch, hands cupped around his mouth.
"RAPH!" he shouted into the wind. "He's been gone for hours!"
The rest of the group gathered quickly, including Mari, footsteps thudding on the old wood. Worry crept into everyone's expressions.
"Raph!" Casey called, stepping down the porch steps. "You out there, man?!"
April scanned the darkened treeline. "He wouldn't just vanish. Not without a reason. Not this long."
Leo, still pale and recovering, leaned heavily against the porch railing. The blanket wrapped around his shoulders billowed in the breeze. He took a breath.
"All right," he rasped. "We split up."
He pointed carefully, assigning without hesitation.
"April, Casey—take the east trail. Mari, go with them."
Mari raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
Leo nodded. "You're the sharpest tracker we've got. If anyone can find Raph's trail, it's you."
Mari huffed but said nothing, already moving to grab her gear. Casey gave her a sideways glance but didn't comment. April shot Leo a look, but didn't argue.
"Donnie, Mikey—go west, follow the creek bed. Take Elliot with you."
Elliot, who had been standing near the door, blinked. "Wait, me?"
Leo gave a tired nod. "You've got good eyes. And Mikey's not exactly the most focused search partner."
"Hey!" Mikey yelped, but didn't deny it.
Elliot hesitated for a beat before following Donnie and Mikey down the steps, glancing once over his shoulder at Cat, who hadn't moved from Leo's side.
Leo turned to her last.
"Cat," he said gently. "Stay with me."
She stiffened, clearly reluctant. Her wide eyes flicked from the others disappearing into the woods to Leo's still-healing figure.
"I'll be okay," Leo added. "But if Raph does come back... I'll need you here."
There was a pause, then she gave a small, solemn nod. She stayed.
As the others vanished into the trees, their flashlights bobbing like fireflies in the dark, Leo lowered himself onto the porch steps with a soft grunt. Cat sat beside him without a word, tucking herself close.
The wind rustled the tall grass. The house creaked behind them. The night stretched wide and silent around them.
Leo stared out into the dark.
"C'mon, Raph," he murmured. "Where are you?"
The woods were colder than they looked. Sharp branches clawed at coats and skin, and the deeper they went, the heavier the air seemed to get.
April ducked under a low limb, brushing pine needles from her sleeve. "This place used to feel a lot smaller when I was a kid," she murmured. "Less... haunted."
Casey followed a few paces behind, his bat slung over one shoulder. "Yeah, well, everything looks different after the world ends."
Up ahead, Mari walked in silence, her shoulders stiff.
April jogged a little to catch up. "Mari," she said cautiously, "you sure this is the right direction?"
Mari didn't stop. "He comes this way when he needs space."
Casey arched a brow. "What, like you two have a Raph-tracking system now?"
Mari didn't respond. She just kept walking.
April gave Casey a look, then tried again. "You've been on edge lately."
Mari finally stopped, her back still to them. "We're in the middle of nowhere. One of us is missing. Seems appropriate."
Casey frowned. "We didn't mean it like that. Just feels like... something's off with you lately."
Mari turned, her expression unreadable. "Everything's off lately."
And with that, she kept walking.
"Raph!" Mikey called, cupping his hands to his mouth. "Raaaaph!"
His voice echoed through the trees, unanswered.
"I dunno, D," he said with a sigh, slouching forward. "You think he got lost? Or maybe... maybe a rabid squirrel got him."
Donnie didn't even look at him. "I do not think that, no."
Behind them, Elliot walked with his hands in his hoodie pockets, flashlight swinging lazily at his side. "If Raph got taken out by a squirrel, I'll start believing in karma."
Mikey shot him a look. "That's dark, man."
"Yeah, well, welcome to the woods."
They pushed on, the trees pressing tighter around them. That's when Donnie spotted something up ahead—wooden slats and rusted metal barely holding together.
"Hello," he said, stepping closer. "What's this?"
Mikey squinted. "Creepy haunted shack. Fantastic."
Elliot tilted his head. "Well, this is definitely where people die in horror movies."
"Let's check it out," Mikey said quickly, nudging Donnie forward. "You first!"
Donnie rolled his eyes but entered. The shack smelled like mildew and dust, cobwebs clinging to the corners.
A small vial gleamed under a shaft of moonlight, resting on an old table.
"Interesting..." Donnie murmured, reaching for it.
Elliot moved beside him, eyes narrowed. "That's either medicine or the start of a zombie plague. Flip a coin."
"Donnie," Mikey whispered suddenly, tugging at his shell.
He pointed toward the far corner.
Something shifted.
A heavy scrape of vines.
"Uh... hello?" Mikey called out.
The thing lunged.
All three screamed, scrambling back and tripping over each other as they bolted out the shack. Outside, they turned, panting.
Vines writhed in the doorway—holding something back.
Green. Red. Familiar.
Donnie's eyes widened. "I think it's... Raph."
Mikey squinted. "He's all leafy and weird looking. Like a... like a salad!"
Elliot backed up slowly, eyes wide. "That is not a normal Raph expression. He looks like he wants to eat us."
"Something infected him," Donnie said, moving cautiously forward.
"WHAT?!" Mikey shrieked—just as a vine snapped around his mouth.
"Mmph! Mmmph!"
Donnie pulled out his bo staff. "Hold on, I'll cut you down—"
CRACK!
Something barreled into Donnie, slamming him into a tree. He collapsed with a groan, gasping for air.
Elliot lunged forward to help—but froze as a hulking figure stepped from the brush.
Not Raph.
Bigger. Covered in moss and vines. Eyes wild.
A pitchfork gleamed in his hands.
"RUN!" Elliot shouted.
Too late.
The creature lunged again.
A scream tore through the forest.
April's heart jumped. "That was Donnie."
She, Casey, and Mari took off running without hesitation, crashing through the underbrush, feet pounding the cold dirt. Every branch that whipped past only made April move faster. But as she pushed forward, she realized—
"Casey?" she called, slowing. "Casey?!"
She turned in time to see him—lifted into the air by a massive, vine-covered figure, his legs flailing.
"Oh my god," April whispered.
The man holding him didn't speak. His face was hidden behind a burlap sack, vines crawling from beneath his sleeves like serpents. He stared, unmoving, like something not entirely human.
"Let him go!" Mari snapped, already charging forward.
She threw a shuriken with precise force—it sliced one of the vines clean off, making the creature hiss. It didn't drop Casey, but it turned its attention toward her.
April launched her blade. It struck the sack, yanking it sideways and revealing a pale, twisted face—sunken eyes, slack mouth, something barely clinging to human.
"Gross," Mari muttered, already moving to strike again.
But in that split second, the creature yanked Casey's skull mask from the ground and slowly placed it over his own face.
Casey grunted. "Hey, that's mine, freak!"
With a sudden surge of power, the creature slammed Casey to the ground like a ragdoll.
"Casey!" April screamed, rushing toward him—but Mari pulled her back by the arm just as vines whipped out in their direction.
"Don't be stupid," Mari barked. "He's still breathing—we're not helping him by getting caught too."
The masked figure turned to them both, towering and silent.
April's breath hitched. "What... is that thing?"
"Something I'm gonna stab in the face if it takes one more step," Mari growled.
Then—it did.
April bolted.
Mari hesitated a second longer, her grip tightening on her blade.
Then she ran too.
Back at the farmhouse, Leo was struggling just to stand.
"Get on your feet, Leo," he muttered through clenched teeth, one arm clutched tightly to his ribs. "Stop whining. Get up."
From the edge of the trees, a moan echoed.
He looked up, blinking sweat from his eyes. Two familiar figures stumbled into view—April and Mari.
Mari was limping slightly, breathing hard, and April was worse—covered in scratches, eyes wide with panic.
"April? Mari?" Leo staggered a step forward, his heart hammering. "What happened? Where's Raph? Where's Casey?"
Mari didn't answer. Her jaw was tight, her fists clenched, blood drying on her cheek. April tried to speak, but her lips just trembled.
Then—before either of them could get another word out—something shot from the woods.
Vines.
They whipped around April's legs, jerking her off her feet.
"Leo!" she screamed, arms flailing.
"No!" Leo surged forward—but his body gave out, collapsing to one knee as pain ripped through him.
"HELP!" April clawed at the dirt, trying to hold on.
Mari lunged toward her, blade flashing—too late. The vines yanked April violently back, dragging her screaming into the shadows.
"MARI!" Leo barked, but she was already chasing after her, disappearing into the woods without hesitation.
And Leo?
Leo was left on the ground.
Frozen.
His sword had fallen, his bandana still wrapped loosely around the hilt. His body trembled with exhaustion, pain, and helplessness.
From the porch, Cat hovered silently just behind him, her hands clutched tightly over her mouth, eyes wide and tearful.
Donnie's eyes snapped open to a pounding headache and the tight pull of vines digging into his wrists. The world was tilted—dark, humid, moss-covered.
Beside him, Mikey was already squirming, tangled in the same twisted vines. On Donnie's other side, Elliot sat slumped forward, groaning softly, wrists bound like the rest of them.
"Ugh... okay... either I'm dead or this is the worst camping trip ever," Elliot muttered.
"Guys," Donnie whispered urgently. "Stay still. Raph's here—but not himself."
They looked up.
Raph stood in the clearing ahead, or what was left of him. His form was bulky and distorted, covered in vines and moss. His eyes glowed faintly. He looked like something pulled straight from a horror movie.
"Easy, Raph," Donnie said softly. "Try and remember who we are..."
"Yeah!" Mikey added. "It's me! Your baby bro! Remember the time I made you laugh so hard pizza came out your nose?"
Raph tilted his head. He stepped closer.
Then, like a big puppy, he panted and licked his lips.
Donnie blinked. "Weirdly... sweet?"
"Nope," Elliot whispered. "Not comforting. Still terrifying."
Suddenly, the brush rustled behind them.
A hulking shape emerged—the Creep. Massive, silent, dragging two bodies behind him.
Mari and April.
He dropped them unceremoniously in front of the mutant Raph.
"No!" Donnie and Mikey shouted.
Neither girl moved.
The Creep didn't speak. He simply walked up to Raph and seized his head with both hands.
"No—wait!" Donnie shouted. "Don't hurt him!"
Green light began to glow—mutagen energy draining from Raph's body into the Creep's hands.
"He's feeding off him!" Donnie realized, horrified. "He's stealing his mutation!"
Casey stirred nearby with a groan, lifting his head just in time to see it happen.
Then—FLASH.
Raph was gone.
In his place: a drooping plant. Quiet. Motionless.
Mikey's face twisted.
"...You turned my brother into a plant," he whispered. "YOU TURNED MY BROTHER INTO A PLANT!!"
He thrashed in the vines. The Creep turned toward him and grabbed his head, starting to drain him next.
"Mikey!" Elliot shouted, struggling hard. "Let him go!"
But Mikey only yelled louder, teeth clenched. "I swear, when I get out of this—I'm gonna turn you into COMPOST!"
A faint, rasping voice suddenly echoed through the trees.
"Help..."
Everyone froze.
A shadow limped out of the darkness. Mask on. Sword in hand.
Leo.
His stance wavered slightly, but his eyes burned with purpose. Cat trailed behind him—silent, clinging to his side, her hands fisted in the edge of his cloak. When Leo moved forward, she stopped just behind, eyes wide with fear.
"Stay here," Leo whispered gently to her. She nodded, pressing herself against the nearest tree.
Then he stepped into the light, full of pain but unshaken.
"Give me back my family," Leo growled.
The Creep charged.
Leo moved.
Their blades clashed—Leo holding his own despite the limp. He blocked one blow, then another, but the pitchfork ripped one katana from his hand. Leo ducked, rolled, came up with his second blade and slashed.
The Creep's mask tore away.
Beneath: a gnarled, moss-riddled face. Eyes glowing with pure rage.
The Creep grabbed Leo by the neck and lifted him clean off the ground.
"LEO!" Mikey screamed.
Leo thrashed, kicked, then managed to twist free—just long enough to grab his fallen sword and stab upward into the Creep's head.
With a terrible scream, the monster dropped him.
Leo crumpled to the dirt, gasping—but alive.
"Leo!" April's voice called weakly from inside the shack.
He dragged himself toward it, pushing the door open with his shoulder.
Inside, tangled vines and withered roots covered the walls. His eyes landed on a shriveled stalk lying in the corner.
"What is that?" he asked, voice low.
Still bound, Donnie winced. "That's... Raph. We think."
Leo didn't hesitate—he slashed the vines off Donnie, Mikey, and Elliot.
As they got to their feet, Mikey reached for the drooping plant with trembling hands.
They slammed the shack door shut, holding it with all their weight—but the Creep simply burst through the wall, snarling and wild.
Casey leapt in with a howl. "Goongala!"
He swung his hockey stick—and it snapped in the Creep's grip.
"Aw, dude."
"Booyakasha!" Mikey shouted, launching forward with his nunchucks.
April moved next, blade in hand. Donnie slashed with his bo. Mari, eyes blazing, darted in from the side and jammed her tanto deep into the monster's thigh..
"Stay down already!" she snapped, even as the Creep barely flinched.
Elliot lunged in next to her, flipping his kama upward to slash at the creature's side. "Heads up!" he called to Mari.
"I had it," she muttered through gritted teeth, ignoring the bruise forming along her jaw.
From the back of the room, Cat stepped forward, eyes locked on the Creep. She didn't make a sound, but her posture was firm—shoulders squared, hands trembling only slightly around the smoke bomb she held.
Leo caught her out of the corner of his eye. "Cat—wait for my signal."
She nodded.
The Creep roared and lashed out, sending April and Casey crashing into the wall. Donnie and Mikey were thrown out of the shack completely, hitting the ground with painful grunts.
Mari lunged again but was swatted aside by a tangle of vines. She hit the floor hard and didn't get up right away.
Cat sprinted forward, right toward Leo, and slammed the smoke bomb at the Creep's feet with a flash of courage. The room filled with thick gray fog.
The Creep shrieked and flailed wildly.
Leo's hand hit something—Donnie's glowing vial.
He looked at it. Then the monster.
"April!" he shouted, tossing the vial to her. She caught it and immediately passed it to Donnie, who had just stumbled back inside.
Donnie, without missing a beat, handed it off to Mikey. "Run!"
"Casey, the chains!" April shouted.
Casey dove for them as Mikey took off, vial in hand.
The Creep shrieked and gave chase, vines snapping behind him.
One caught Mikey's leg, yanking him back—just close enough for the Creep to snatch the vial from his hand.
"NOW!" Donnie yelled.
With every ounce of strength he had, Donnie hurled Leo into the air.
Leo flipped midair, grabbed the pitchfork, and brought it down on the vial just as he slammed the Creep into a tree.
CRASH.
The vial shattered. Mutagen burst across the monster's body in a glowing green splash. The Creep howled, thrashing.
Chains whipped around him—April, Casey, and Donnie yanking them tight.
"That's for my mask, freak," Casey growled.
Donnie dropped to a knee, panting. "That should hold him."
Leo stared at the pile of vines where Raph had once been. "You really think you can fix him?"
Donnie didn't answer right away.
"...I don't know," he said softly. "But we have to try."
Later...
Raph stirred beneath the sheets, blinking blearily at the ceiling. His limbs felt like stone, his throat dry, his body sore in places he didn't know could ache.
Then—
"Yes!" Donnie's voice rang out in pure triumph.
Mikey leaned in dramatically, eyes wide with fake horror. "Oh no. Look at him. He's hideous!"
Donnie rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about? He looks exactly the same."
April chuckled softly as she stepped forward, holding a folded piece of red cloth. "Let's see if this helps." She gently tied Raph's red bandana back around his head.
Mikey squinted. "Phew. Yeah. Way better."
Still groggy, Raph lifted a hand and shoved Mikey's face out of the way, sitting up with a grunt. "What the heck is goin' on?"
Casey smirked from where he leaned against the wall. "Crazy vine monster turned you into a salad. It was epic."
Donnie held up the I.V. tube proudly. "And I drained the mutagen back out of the Creep and into you. Like reverse fertilizer. Pretty smart, huh?"
Raph blinked. "Cool. Thanks, Donnie." He paused, then glanced around. "Wait... what happened to that freak?"
Everyone looked to the far corner of the room. A sealed canister sat on the table, glowing faintly green, filled with churning, swampy sludge.
"Turned him back into goo," Casey said, grinning. "Real satisfying."
April placed a gentle hand on Raph's arm. "Donnie worked all night to save you. And Leo... Leo didn't leave your side."
Raph turned.
Leo stood just behind him—exhausted, bruised, but upright. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"That's what brothers are for," Leo said quietly, extending a hand.
Raph didn't hesitate. He grabbed Leo's forearm, and Leo pulled him up.
"We gotta heal up," Leo added, voice soft but firm. "We've got a city to take back."
Mikey whooped, throwing a fist in the air. "I give that a big, fat, sloppy, wet—"
"Don't," Mari muttered from the far side of the room. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her tone extra dry. "We just got Raph back. Don't scare him off again."
Mikey stuck his tongue out at her. "You've been extra snippy since we got here, y'know that?"
Mari didn't respond. She just looked at Raph, her gaze unreadable.
Across the room, Cat sat beside Leo, curled partially into his side like she had since his awakening. One hand gripped his arm, the other clutching her blanket.
Near the doorway, Elliot leaned silently against the frame, watching the group with a strange mix of relief and hesitation. His gaze lingered a little longer on Cat.
The group slowly began to settle again. The farmhouse still creaked with night sounds. The monster was gone. Everyone was awake. And maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something.
