Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Egg whites sizzled in a saucepan, grease spray bubbling under the stove heat. It was enough for you to slip the spatula underneath it, flipping it over. The squeaks and bubbling echoed throughout the kitchen like the yolk was shocked and betrayed by your actions. You waited a moment before picking up the finished egg and placing it on a slice of toast. Another egg took its place, starting the cycle again.

It was a simple breakfast your moms liked. One of the only foods you could make over the stove too. You carried the two plates across the apartment, settling at your first stop. The scent of coffee wafted into your nose. Familiar and comforting. Mom liked to drink her coffee with just a little bit of creamer. Her favorite was french vanilla. So, you always caught a whiff of vanilla clumsily mixed in.

Mom liked to take over a special corner in the living room whenever a case got big. Papers scattered around her charging laptop and lap desk. Some were in folders consisting of confidential case files. Mom relegated herself to missing persons. Since more people were disappearing, she got busy. Her current case was on a news anchor called Warren Stone. You thought of him as a voice on TV and nothing else.

“Mom,” you waved your hand in front of her face. “Breakfast.”

She looked up from her computer, pushing her glasses up her nose. “Oh, morning [Name],” she said. “How’d you know I’d forget?”

“I figured,” you watched mom take a bite of her toast, leaving the egg on it. “How’s the case going?”

“Nothing yet,” mom said. “I’m heading to the station later tonight to work on it.”

“Can you tell me anything you know?”

“I wish I could, but it’ll be what you already know.”

Mom ruffled your hair, brushing away your small amount of disappointment. You lost count of how many times you asked her about her cases. She always said the same thing. Most of what she worked with was confidential, so you didn’t mind it. It kept you on your toes, even. Those words warped into how you might find someone that went missing or uncover an important clue to show mom.

“Fine,” you said.

“Good. Now, go get Ma her breakfast before she thinks you burned yourself,” she said.

“‘Kay.”

You continued your path to your parents’ bedroom. It wasn’t far, and yet, you had to make another stop. A small table stood in the dim morning light. An urn filled with ashes is placed adjacent to a picture. It is a headshot of an old man, brimming with joy and imagination. It was a shame he got confined to black and white. You gave your grandfather a gentle wave before passing by.

A shelf filled to the brim with books greeted you on your way to Ma. It stood next to her small desk and makeshift office. It would’ve been too expensive if the apartment had a proper office for her and Mom. Ma said she liked working in the bedroom anyway. She could take a nap as a break from writing. Your gaze wandered to the bookshelf, intently looking at the titles it carried. You’d borrowed a few of them at least once. Most of them were mysteries and fantasy books. They had romantic subplots, which was how you liked your romance. It was unlike what Ma wrote. She only had romance set in the real world. The only pure romance you’d read were works by Jane Austen.

You placed the plate of eggs and toast next to Ma, “Breakfast, ma.”

“Oh, thank you so much, sweetie,” Ma turned away from her laptop before taking the egg off the slice of toast. She bit into it, smiling in contentment.

“How’s the story going?” you asked.

“Well, after eating this,” Ma gestured to the toast. “I think I can get my word quota done for today. Oh, and I have to meet with my editor for dinner this evening. You’ll be home alone for a little while.”

“Oh.”

It wasn’t often that you got to be home alone. Most days, at least one mom was in the apartment with you. Ma said it was extra safety. Although, Mom called it an empty schedule. She thought you’d be safer too, even if she didn’t admit it. Being alone every once in a while was nice.

“I’d better head out,” you said. “I’ll see you later.”

You rushed out of your moms’ bedroom in a rush. You grabbed your bag from the kitchen table, almost getting to the door before you were stopped.

“Stop right there,” mom said. “Did you eat?”

“Yeah,” you lied. “I won’t pass out.”

“‘Kay. That’s all I need to hear. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

You were out the door in no time. The autumn breeze brushed against your clothes. Your constant moving prevented you from getting too chilly. Quick and impatient speed let you catch the subway in time. It was something you learned throughout your time in New York, walking to school alone. At fifteen, you were able to memorize the route.

Getting to school was easy; being in school was hard. You kept your head down and raised your chin. Grandpa taught you that when you were seven. It kept you confident, but also approachable to others. It never worked, but you held onto his words like a mantra. Most of the kids that made fun of you were homophobic anyway. They didn’t like the idea of you having two moms.

The crowds were horrible too. Having so many people in New York was enough. Why did schools have to cram so many people into a single building? You pushed away that thought. Focusing on it would make things worse. The sea that was in your mind would pull it away from you, nowhere to be seen until a few months later. That is the way it goes.

Instead, you filled your mind with the latest book you’d been reading. You brought it with you, hopefully, to read after getting your work done in class. Who were you kidding? You always had time to read.

You got into your first-period class a minute before the bell rang. A girl dressed in a black skirt and tee shirt enthusiastically waved to you. That was Anne. Black was just about the only color she ever wore. You asked her if she sweats much in the summer once. She said sweating was for the weak. To this day, you cannot tell if she was joking or not. You waved back and sat down next to her.

You liked to consider Anne a friend. You’d been together since middle school, attached at the hip in the hallways. When grandpa left the earth, you had each other's shoulders to cry on. Despite Anne’s attire, she would let her makeup run down her cheeks if she was sad enough.

“Look at this,” Anne grabbed your shoulder, making you lean to get a closer look at her phone. She had a video of a fennec fox open. The fox ran back and forth around the kitchen, trying to play with two dogs much bigger than it. You chuckled as it squeaked like a mouse. “Cute, right?” Anne asked. “God, foxes are cute.”

“You ever want one as a pet?” you asked.

“Oh, hell no. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.”

You both chuckled as the bell rang. This was how Anne greeted you most of the time. She would show you a video of a cute animal, or a piece of art that had a funny joke to accompany it.

You separated from each other the moment the teacher walked to the front of the room. His droning voice made you rear your focus to whatever thought came to mind. You rested your chin in your palm, pencil tapping the notebook. You would pay half of your attention to the class today. The rest were dedicated to words.

Words. Tools to weave whatever you wanted from them. You thought they were useful when they created stories for you. You could read or listen to them, giving your mind a break from the chaotic storm. Sometimes they were songs, sometimes books. It didn’t matter to you, they were words, poetry. Fairytale retellings were some of your favorites. People liked to reimagine how the same stories go, adding their own elements while keeping the same spirit of the plot.

Words carried you through a few more classes before dropping you off at lunch. Today, they were a bit harsh. You’re on your own now, kid. Perhaps it was the lack of attention you had at the moment. You wanted to learn the lesson and fantasize at the same time. Those days never turned out well.

You walked down the lunchroom line. Glops of food splatted on your plate. None of it looked real. So, like every other day, you wouldn’t eat lunch, just like you didn’t eat breakfast. With great haste, you found Anne with her head resting on the back of her hand. Her tray is in front of her. You waved at her, weaving through the maze of lunch tables.

They were full of friend groups and school clubs. You could tell which was which. The tech club all wore purple jackets made from fine satin. It made you question how they could afford it. The football team still wore shorts when it got cold outside despite their bones screaming for warmth. Regular people wore regular clothes and talked amongst themselves.

In the crowd of voices, you lost your balance. Your foot hit something that wasn’t there before. Another foot. Specifically the side of another foot. The plastic tray stayed in your hands while the disgusting food leaped forward. Your heart stopped beating for a moment, anticipating hitting the ground. Instead, someone tugged on the back of your shirt.

“I got you. I got you,” a voice stood out from all the others. It was a girl with a strong grip. Slowly but surely, she pulled you away from gravity’s hold. Only a little bit of your fake lunch slid off the tray. You turned around, getting a good look at her.

She wore glasses. Her hair was tied into two puffy clouds on her head. Her jacket was green and over a yellow dress.

“You good?” she asked.

“Yeah,” you stepped back. God, she was pretty. “Sorry. I space out sometimes and forget where I’m walking.”

“Oh, he tripped you on purpose,” the girl pointed to the boy who tripped you over with her thumb. “Yeah, that’s right. I’m talkin’ about you!” Her eyebrows furrowed, pouting. She glared daggers at the boy, making him unable to turn to look at her.

You turned to Anne a table down. Her head was off her hands, which were now fists.

“Thanks for the save uh…” your voice trailed off, trying to attach a name to a face.

“April,” she said.

“[Name],” you didn’t know why you gave her your name. But when you sat next to Anne, you were too giddy to care.

“Anne, I think I just fell in love, but in a platonic way,” you said.

“Yeah, I saw,” Anne said. “I think she’s an upperclassman too.”

“Wow. I gave my name to an upperclassman.”

“Yes! We’re moving up in the world. Just find a club your moms will let you join and we’re golden to sit with the big dogs.”

“You already know what I want to do,” you said.

“Archery, right?” Anne said. “Yeah, that might take years to settle. You’ll be well out of college before you can pick up a bow and arrow.”

You sighed. Sadly, Anne was right. Ma was the most overprotective out of your two mothers, but mom still didn’t want you to try archery. There’s too much focus in that, she said. You’ll shoot your foot.

“Why don’t you join a club?” you asked.

“I thought I told you. I’m too busy,” Anne said. “I have a pretty demanding job.”

“It’s a shoe store, how can it be demanding?”

"Retail is extremely demanding, thank you very much. Your bosses don't let you breathe, sometimes you run into a Karen. Oh, and that one coworker always shows up to make your day even worse," Anne continued to complain about the shoe store she worked at. It was a part-time job, one she only talked vaguely about, which was rare for her. But, you didn't mind. In retail, almost everyone has the same horrible experience.

You sighed, resting your chin on the table. Anne shifted her gaze from you to the food on your tray, slightly askew from the fall.

“Not eating?” Anne asked.

“Don’t feel like it,” you answered.

“Have you at least eaten anything today?”

“Yeah.”

Anne raised an eyebrow. You weren’t sure why, but her senses were keen when it came to you. She was the alert to your spacey. That meant you couldn’t lie to her.

“No,” you said. “I slept late and made breakfast for my moms instead.”

Anne didn’t say anything, only pulling out a granola bar. She set it in front of you with a smile. “And that’s why I save an extra,” she said. “Eat up.”

You didn’t hesitate to unwrap the foil and take a bite. Your stomach churned from having food being put in. The feeling was alien to it, usually waiting until the evening to eat. By then, ma would have cooked something, or mom would’ve ordered takeout. It made you want to throw up, but you had to keep eating. This was supposed to be good for you.

“Thank you, Anne,” your voice droned after swallowing.

“You sound like a group of kindergarteners,” Anne chuckled.

“Oh, how terrible.”

Anne already knew you were grateful for her. She always knew somehow.

…

By sunset, your moms still hadn’t gotten back from their dinners or interrogations. You poured hot water from the kettle into a mug. The teabag released the taste of Chai into it. You looked out the window, calmly waiting for the tea to steep.

The New York skyline at night was like looking up at the night sky. The lights from people's windows and billboards from miles away gleamed like stars. You lifted the window open a little, taking in the sounds of cars speeding past your apartment complex.

You smiled to yourself, walking back to your steaming teacup. You blew on the rim, cooling it down before taking a sip. This was the best part of being home alone. You could open a window, hearing the sounds of New York. You could let the wind brush into the apartment, gently greeting you like a house guest.

You scrolled through your phone. Anne sent you more videos of fennec foxes running from corner to corner. She didn’t seem so busy tonight, or else she wouldn’t send you much of anything because of work.

Something buzzed from outside. It couldn’t have been a bug. They would’ve died in the cold weather. At least, that’s what you thought.

You took another sip of tea, clicking on another video Anne sent you. Then, the buzzing turned into a sharp poke in your neck. It was like a syringe vaccinating you from a virus. Except, whatever went into your system didn’t feel like medicine.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then, pain. The ceramic mug broke into pieces, tea splattering across the kitchen floor. Your phone sat on the counter. It was like growing pains speeding up years and years ahead. All you could do was try not to scream. The neighbors would find out and see this horrible sight—a teen cramping from a transformation.

Hairs on your skin turned into fur. Fur? Why fur? You shook your head, swallowing bile down your throat. The worst of it had gone away. Now, there was only a beating heart to soothe. With shaky legs, you walked toward the bathroom mirror.

You let out a scream upon the first look.

Chapter Text

Grandpa told you about a dream he had about a fox. They danced in a ballroom filled with various other animals. That ballroom was the inside of a tree, lights strung up by faeries. He never told you what kind of fox it was. You weren’t sure he could tell the difference at his age. Yet, you clung to the fleeting dreams with all you had.

Those dreams didn’t seem like dreams anymore after you looked in the mirror. Your face still had vaguely human features. Human ears morphed into large fox ears stretching outward. Instead of skin, there was fur. Your nose became a small snout. You touched your face, recognizing that your hand was now a paw.

“Oh my god,” you said. “I’ve gotta stay calm.”

You ran out into the kitchen. You picked up the broken mug, trying your best to clean up the tea. For a moment, you glanced at your phone. Should you call Anne? No. As much as you wanted to, she wouldn’t get it. You turned into a fox for god’s sake. And by the looks of it, one of those fennec foxes she kept sending you. You put the phone down and closed the window. For another moment, you went back to the mirror. Denial took the reigns this time. This is a dream. I’m still human, aren’t I? I can’t miss school because of this!

You yelped again before going out to the kitchen. A message dinged from your phone. It was from Ma.

‘Dinner ended early. Will be back in around twenty minutes! :D’ the message said.

You let out a gasp, “Oh no…I’ve gotta stay calm.”

Ma was coming home soon. She said twenty minutes, that usually meant she’d be back in thirty. Still, you had to make a decision quickly if you didn’t want her to see you like this. Not human.

The calming lies you told yourself ceased when a thought came to mind. Leave. Leave everything behind. Your moms might as well not have a child anymore after seeing what you turned into. Doubt plagued you, however. It sunk its teeth into your brain, filling the sea with hurtful words.

They’d look for you. You’d be filed missing like all of the other cases mom had. Grandpa’s ashes wouldn’t get to see you anymore. You would leave Anne with no one to sit with at lunch. No one for her to send animal videos or complain about her job to. Ma would have too many books cramming her shelf because you’d stop borrowing them.

You took a shaky step forward. If only you had shut the window sooner or killed that mosquito. Then, you wouldn’t have to choose to run away.

You packed light, only fitting what you could in your hoodie pocket. It only consisted of a couple of things. Your phone, some money, and a family picture. You were seven when it was taken, sitting on grandpa’s lap. Your moms were on either side of him. It was supposed to be for a greeting card the rest of your extended family didn’t take. You pocketed the photo, not bearing to look at it anymore.

You did your best to bunch your new tail against your back before it was time to leave. Your feet tapped around the apartment like a thief. You couldn’t go out the front door. No. The fire escape was a better option.

It was more like a leap of faith, getting out of your apartment building. No one was there to catch you if something went wrong. Your legs were not strong either. They shook underneath the weight of nothing. Your legs threatened to slip and break everything in your body. Finally, you let go of yesterday. The light still leaked through the window; curtains flew out of the living area. You bit your lip and climbed down the ladder.

New York’s streetlights bore enough shadows for you to hide in. You kept to smaller crowds (if those even existed in a city like this). Your goal was to find a safer place to hide. You guided yourself through the city, walking for hours upon hours. You could’ve sworn someone caught a faint glimpse of fur, only to brush it aside. They said to themselves that it was their imagination.

You sighed, continuing to ignore the buzzing in your phone. Your goal was to find a place to dispose of your phone. Mom could easily track your phone’s location if she wanted to. And of course, she would. You were her child. She was your mother. It was for her own good—their own good. You continued toward a random building. The lights were a fairytale gold, shining across your eyes. It was almost like whatever turned you into this wanted you to come there. The letters elegantly curved along the lights.

Grand Nexus Hotel, it said. You couldn’t afford to stay at a fancy place like that, so you opted for the alley beside it. Some nicer-looking food could be in the dumpster, and it was a nice place to drop off your phone. Perhaps the homeless life will not be so scary.

Muffled voices bounced around like they were underwater. It sounded the same, getting louder with every step you took. Even in the shadows, they liked to follow.

Hey .

Hey ~

“Hey!”

You stopped the third time that voice spoke. Bad idea. Mom said to never stop when a stranger calls you. His voice barked like a dog. Not a friendly dog, a dog that wanted a fresh piece of meat. That’s how you knew he was a classic creep. You didn’t turn around, didn’t speak to him. You could move on, yet, your feet remained parked in your open hiding spot. The scent of alcohol burned your lungs. Great, he was drunk too. The man came up behind you. He didn’t touch you, but he might as well have.

“Don’t you know to turn around when someone’s talking to you?” the man slurred.

You didn’t say your age, no matter how much you wanted to. He might be more enticed if you did. Instead, you hoped he’d see you’re not human like him.

He turned you around, pulling out a pocket knife. He held it to your neck, pulling down your hood. You closed your eyes as your ears were revealed to him. They could finally breathe under the fake starlight.

“What the fuck?!” the man’s eyes went wide. The drunken flush across his cheeks darkened.

You stomped on his foot. The man yelped in pain. The knife pressed against your cheek, a thin line cutting into it upon your escape. You left your attacker behind, running through the shadows again. The blood leaked through your fur. 

The scent was not metallic, but sweet, like a field of flowers. A cloud of the scent spread around you. Flowers danced around your body. The strangers around you muttered about the various things they saw in the cloud of flowers. They spoke of how they were somewhere else. Their childhood home, a spa, or even an apothecary. Their eyes clouded over, in a daze, but relaxed. As you ran, more people had that same haze. Something akin to that became a running theme whenever you passed someone.

Anyone would know that stopping in the middle of the sidewalk is rude. So, you weren’t sure why you looked at so many that did. There were around forty? Fifty people? You shook your head.

Weird.

Finally, you got to the alleyway. Significantly fewer people lingered within it. As you expected, a dumpster sat next to a dimly lit door.

You took out your vibrating phone, throwing it where it wouldn’t be seen. You wanted it to break and be left behind so no one would find you.

“It’s for the best,” you sighed, sliding down the wall to sit. You pulled your hood down, seeing as no one else was around, head on your knees. Silent tears pricked your eyes. They rushed out with a single blink. You never gave yourself time to cry, lying to yourself that everything would be alright. It wouldn’t. The homeless life would never be fun or comforting. Hiding and potentially getting assaulted by a creep. You wanted to turn back—run home to your moms, hoping they would accept you as you were. Hiccups turned into full-blown sobs. No longer will Anne give you a granola bar because you didn’t eat breakfast, and refused to eat lunch.

You wept until there were no more tears to cry, grabbing at the fur on your head.

Then, silence took over as you sat there. Your stomach rumbled, vibrations going through your entire being. You made yourself some dinner before getting bit. Why were you so hungry now?

Transformation. It clicked like two dice being rolled in the palm of your hand. Gaining new body parts would make anyone utterly exhausted. You lowered your head in post-cry fatigue, wishing for sleep to take over.

Sadly, you were not so lucky. The dimly lit door opened, revealing an averagely built bellhop. You quickly pulled over your hood, although it was too late. He already got a look at you. He was not horrified, only eyeing you knowingly before talking into his wrist.

“They’re next to the dumpster,” he said.

“Good. Bring them to me,” a giddy woman’s voice responded to his message.

Did you hear that right? That man is going to bring you to some woman. You stiffened, dragging yourself further into your hiding spot.

“Don’t touch me!” you blurted. The flowers surrounded you again, coming out of the cut on your cheek. The petals came in puffs of clouds, swirling around you and the man. He did not seem to fall under a dreamy state like the people walking by did. Instead, he pulled out a pair of goggles, flipping a switch on them before walking toward you.

He grabbed your flailing wrist, dragging you from your corner like a ragdoll. Your feet skidded against the ground. The man grew tired of your struggle and hoisted you over his shoulder. Your fists pounded against his shoulder blade in a poor effort to get free. For some reason, he was too strong and had too much pain tolerance for a man his size.

The man took you inside. You kept punching his back, kicking the air flimsily. Your tail flipped around, batting against his eyes. Your voice felt like it was going into a vacuum, screams, and cries reaching no ears whatsoever. Instead, it made the strangers around the building scream too. Lavender became crimson until you were carried away into something so fairytale beautiful.

The building was lit with dim golden lights. Red carpets had shining lines embroidered on them. Staircases lead to the next floor looking down at the first. You thought someone in bejeweled clothes would descend them, a diamond ring on their finger tapping against the railing. The walls practically absorbed the clouds and flowers coming from your cut. The sweet scent morphed into a metallic one. One of blood. You quit your screaming, finally realizing that no one was coming to get you. They couldn’t care less. Maybe it was better. You wouldn’t have to explain your situation to a stranger. How could you? You didn’t want to tell your moms or Anne after all.

The man took you into an elevator, not nodding to the fact that the place was empty. The elevator was just as golden as the rest of the hotel. He flipped a switch that took away the gold. A blue mist revealed what was within, color. The columns turned green, gleaming like gemstones. Gold was still very apparent, but it was complimented with images of humanoid animals traversing the levels. The numbers on a dial turned into symbols for floors.

The man shifted the badge on his chest. A blue mist crowded his form, replacing his human features with that of a horse. A HORSE?! His nose became a snout and muzzle. His feet were not hooves and a silky tail protruded from his grey clothing.

“You’re…You’re like me,” you said, almost in awe of his animal characteristics perfectly mixing with that of a human. “Were you bit by a mosquito too?”

He did not answer. He could not answer. For the elevator arrived at its destination. It was a large office with a high ceiling. The walls were covered with paintings lit by two chandeliers overhead. The man finally sat you down, a hand still on your shoulder in case you tried to run away. A window with a picturesque view of the city stood behind a desk. Somehow, seeing a horse-man made New York look more fairytale beautiful than it used to. It was something out of grandpa’s dreams.

A woman sat at the desk. She looked human, save for the lavender skin. Silky white hair covered one of her golden eyes. She wore a dark purple blazer, framing her hourglass figure. She was beautiful, alluring even.

She looked at the horseman, then at you. “Is this the little one you found?” she asked.

Little one?

“They put up some resistance, but they were mostly annoying,” the horseman said.

Annoying?!

You frowned.

“Oh, you sound like you were kidnapping them,” the woman approached you with a smile. “Come on, you can stand. I don’t bite.” She quickly dismissed the man, letting him go back into the elevator. He made his way down to his next task.

You did as she said, not wanting to argue with who seemed to be the top dog. The horseman behind you gave the woman an inquisitive look. You’d seen it before on mom when she tried to figure out whether or not a suspect told the truth.

“Where am I exactly?” you asked.

“Why, the Grand Nexus Hotel, of course,” the woman didn't even answer your question right. “It’s better to show you the entire wizbang. Here now fox cub. And you can just call me Big Mama.”

She motioned you to follow her. At that moment, all of your knowledge of liars mom taught you became vague. Mom told you that body language can let you know if they were telling the truth. The woman talked like one of your aunts you didn’t contact even before you turned into a fox. She called you ‘fox cub’ too, almost like she knew you weren’t used to this new body.

This was a hotel, wasn’t it? You could just stay here for a little while. Surely, Big Mama would let you get your footing for a few days. She continued to wait for you, almost knowing that you would follow her. What would happen if you didn’t?

Chapter Text

You were taken into a hall bathed in heavenly light. Chandeliers were at every corner, switching from light blue to light yellow depending on the mood. A rhino woman took a sip from a tiny teacup. She wore a red dress with a slit that cut out her right leg. The rhino talked with her table partner about the screens around them. They were more like bubbles showcasing different angles of a battle.

The young animal darted around an enormous beast, blood sometimes spraying from both bodies. The rich animals around you cheered and bet to see who would win.

“Here is where you can take in our sporting events in the Battle Nexus,” you heard Big Mama’s words but didn’t listen. You kept gazing at the animals around you. There were newts, wolves, cats, and various other animals walking around like they were humans.

“It’s not polite to stare,” Big Mama’s face was uncannily close to yours. Although she kept her distance, her eyes pierced into yours. It was like she stabbed your gut with a sharp knife.

“I’m sorry. I’m just curious. Did mosquitos bite them too?” you took a step away.

“What kind of flim-flam are you talking about?” Big Mama asked.

“It’s just that I’m a human. I’m supposed to be a human. I’m not whatever these people are.”

“You’re not a yokai?”

“Of course not. I’m a human.”

“Silly fox cub,” Big Mama ruffled the space between your ears. “You don’t need to hide amongst your kind.”

She called their kind yokai. Yokai. Creatures from Japanese mythology that came in many different forms. It seemed appropriate. Grandpa would dream of yokai, wouldn’t he? That’s what those animals were. That’s what the fox was. Big Mama thoroughly convinced herself that you were one of them.

You didn’t have a choice but to continue the tour. She showed you a fountain and a spa room where various yokai shed their skin. The hotel went from fairytale beautiful to Las Vegas chic that blinded your vision.

The scent of the fanciest kinds of food wafted into your nostrils. It made your stomach growl like a wild animal waiting for the right opportunity to pounce. Your face flushed at the thought of someone else hearing how desperately hungry you were. Big Mama merely chuckled.

“I suppose your tummy would get the rumblies,” she said.

“Oh no,” you put your hands up, keeping a distance. “I don’t have any money.” You chastised yourself for forgetting it. The adrenaline rush from transformation and fear of your moms seeing made you. The one thing in your pocket, the one thing you focused on, was the picture.

“It’s alright, fox cub,” Big Mama said. “You’re a special case.” She turned to request the chef behind the counter to bring you some food. You didn’t get to refuse in time. It was similar to how Anne ordered food for you, but she was much louder about it. You chuckled to yourself, remembering the time she said you asked for no pickles. Similar memories whisked you away as Big Mama kept talking about the hotel. You picked up none of it.

All of a sudden, a plate of food landed on the sleek black counter. The sound of ceramic clinking against the marble made you jump. For a moment, you thought Grandpa would be there to steady you. He would never be able to again. That was the kicker. You waited and waited for almost a year only for an illusion to pass by.

You took the first bite of the fettuccine littered with spices you couldn’t care to name. Your stomach calmed itself, warming up to the food. It was good, wonderful even. It tasted like the fancy food mom would sometimes bring home after interviewing a rich person. She would give you and ma a few bites while she worked on finding which stories people told her lined up. Ma called the food ‘inspiration for her next scene.’ Oh, you were back to thinking about your family again. You dropped the fork back into the bowl, pasta half eaten. Your big ears drooped before fanning themselves. The ocean will take the sad thoughts away soon enough.

A cut on the back of your hand snapped you back to reality. Something as sharp as the pocketknife from earlier made blood soak your fur once again. This time, there was more. A simple nick became a stream. The sweet aroma of lavender, hibiscus, and carnations scoured the room, those same flowers washing away people's appetites in waves. The yokai stopped eating, speaking of what they saw aloud. You covered the wound, muffling the smell so Big Mama wouldn’t fall under the same fate. Miraculously, she was in awe of the flowers around her with no haze over her eyes.

A hand moved over your mouth, making you look up at a man in the form of a mastiff. His floppy ears dangled over the gas mask he wore. Is he a real person? You thought, unable to scream. You didn’t even flail like when the horseman brought you into the hotel. It was like your mind nagged you for going with the woman, for wanting to bathe in light. How dare you do that when you look like this? Mom would be ashamed of you.

Mom. A tear streamed down your furry face.

The mastiff tied your arms with a weird binding. It certainly didn’t feel like a rope. The hand was removed, letting you breathe, but still rendering you speechless. That was your fault more than anything—a punishment for you given by your intuition.

“Don’t be so aggressive,” Big Mama waved the two men away from you. “You wouldn’t want to break one of Big Mama’s new trinkets would you?”

“What’re you doing?” you asked.

They back away from you like robots, making room for the slim woman.

“I’m truly sorry fox cub,” Big Mama said. “But having you leave is a big no-no. Not after what you did here.” She gestured to the clouds of flowers surrounding you. “You might be a little confuzzled. You see, I prefer to keep a low profile and, it looks like this little gift of yours will help keep that profile right as rain.”

“Are you going to make me fight in that Nexus thing?” you asked.

“Oh, of course not,” Big Mama chuckled. “It wouldn’t be entertaining to watch someone get mauled a teeny tiny second someone enters the rink. No, you will create a shield over my sweet Battle Nexus. We’ve been low on illusory blood. But, it’s a miracle we found you.”

You were thrown over someone’s shoulder for the second time in a few hours. For a moment, you knew what had happened. From the moment you entered that alleyway, Big Mama had her eyes on you. Perhaps, she watched before you got close to the building, right when you discovered this strange blood you had. By the looks of it, Big Mama wanted to prove an inference she had.

She clapped her hands twice, ordering the men to take you away—to your new prison disguised as a home. A part of you was relieved that you wouldn’t be on the street, another disappointed that you got kidnapped the moment you ran away from home.

Your prison had been a room the size of a linen closet. The walls were red like the blood covered by a flimsy cloth wrapped around your hand. Your hands were untied and the door was locked from the outside. The ceiling was high with no windows. The walls closed in on your body without even moving.

You lay down on the carpet, photo raised above you. Its shadow cast over your face, blocking the light above. Tears leaked from your eyes and stained your fur. What were your moms doing? Were they worried? Of course, they were. It was stupid that you even asked yourself that.

Turning to face the door, you attempted to sleep.

…

It had been the kind of nightmare where you couldn’t picture the imagery afterward. Your mind had blocked them off the moment you woke up. This was the start of your day over the past week. The picture stayed on the floor, staying by your side like the anchor to a ship.

You would wait for several hours before the door to your closet opened. Someone would lead you to a special spot in the hotel. It was always someone different. One was a newt. Another was a deer. The crow was the most interesting looking, wings fraying from her human arms. They spread when she heard Big Mama’s voice, ready to take flight when the woman demanded it. Thankfully for you and here, she did not want to speak to you alone.

That spot in the hotel was a drain that led up and around the hotel. The newt-person from the first day said it was to hide the mystic aspects of the hotel from the humans. In a way, it hid you from your family. You had to bleed over the drain, fueling those pipes. The knife those people used to cut you was sacrificial to a degree. It was more like a piece of metal rather than a knife. The cuts were deep, sharpness becoming one with your body. They kept saying it was so blood wouldn’t leak into your fur.

When they had enough blood, the guard with you that day would wrap your wound and take you back to your prison. For the next few hours, you got food and water to rejuvenate more blood for the next day. It was decent enough, but you grew a disdain for it quickly. It was all the same taste to you, nothing new.

Today, the routine broke.

Your cutter for the day was a red panda man, short with stubby legs. His steps were shaky, unsure of where to go. He practically dragged you around the hotel, trying to find the spot to cut your arm down the drain.

“Are you sure you know where to go?” you asked, keeping your voice low. The last time you tried to speak to a guard, you were quickly told to shut up. You hadn’t tried again until now.

“Of course, I do,” the red panda said. “It may be my first day, but I wouldn’t be caught dead forgetting where to go.”

It’s his first day.

A lightbulb blinked in the deep trenches of your mind. It appeared at the end of a tunnel, vaguely shaping into an opening. You could escape the hotel.

The red panda weaved through unending halls, looking everywhere, muttering to himself. All were telltale signs that he forgot where the drain was. The light became brighter.

“Take a left here,” you said quietly. Normally, the cutters would take a right. If you took left, then you could find some help.

“I don’t need directions from a blood donor,” the red panda said.

He took a left not a moment later. For a few more moments, he let you give him false instructions, believing them wholeheartedly. Yet, he kept saying he wasn’t going to take instructions from you.

Surely, you would be far from the drain by now. No other yokai surrounded you, wondering why you were here. You were completely and utterly alone with an incompetent guard. The opportunity couldn’t be more perfect.

The red panda’s watch beeped. He scrolled through it, seeing a voice message that he played. His superior’s voice echoed in the empty hall. You stiffened.

“The donor’s late. What’s happening?” the superior asked.

“I’m trying to find it,” the red panda said.

“Well, find it soon. Gus is heading in your direction looking for someone else.”

“Who?”

“Some turtle with a blue mask and sword. He has the kid’s scent, but he will barrel through anyone in his way.”

Eager steps thumped against the carpet when the elevator dinged. You were no longer alone with your companion. The red panda, had his hand on your back, trying to push you down the hallway.

“Shit,” he said. “Could’ve gotten the warning earlier. I think Gus is here.”

For a moment, you glanced behind you, finally getting a glance at who you believed Gus was. He had a blur of brown fur spiked up on his back. He walked on all fours like the dog he was. His tail stuck up, trying to find any change in the air. Finally, he turned to the end of the hall, a shadow casting over his eyes. The red panda tried to keep running, even pushing you to go. Yet, you had an idea.

Gus ran toward you and the red panda, slobbering from his long tongue. The red panda shook within his boots. You slipped your hand out of the red panda’s grip, pushing him in Gus’s path. The moment you leaped away from Gus’s line of destruction, you pushed the red panda toward it.

You kept running from him, hoping he broke a leg, or something else happened so he couldn’t walk. Gus was still roaming the halls, now sniffing the carpet instead of growling to find the stranger who had the gall to attempt an escape from Big Mama. Although, you were trying to escape too.

A laundry chute stood near the end of the hallway. Gus was still on patrol, sniffing every inch of the red carpet instead of running at you with the gracefulness of a plane crash. The chute was big enough for you to fit through it. If anything, you could withstand a few smelly yokai clothing if it meant a taste of freedom.

The tunnel bumped into your bandaged arms. The tunnel bent a little, twisting toward a small light. That light was a laundry basket. You landed in the dirty laundry ungracefully, clothes spewing out the edges. You let out a grunt as the echoes of your yelps lingered in the room.

“What the heck?” someone said in surprise. It made you realize that you weren’t alone in the drab and gray laundry room.

The person with you was a young turtle boy clad in a blue bandana over his eyes. Red markings peeked through it, complimenting the boy’s green skin. He had a sword in his hands, three fingers curling around the hilt. It was strange, he only had three fingers on each hand and two toes on each foot. His shell was like a hump on his back, dark and almost blue. Despite him being part animal, he looked around the same age as you.

He fit the description the red panda’s superior spoke of. He didn’t have the uniform Big Mama’s workers wore, however. So, he couldn’t have been with her. Even if he did, he already defied her enough for the woman to send someone after him.

“Hey, earth to fox person,” the boy had gotten closer to you amid your thoughts. His hand waved over your face.

“Gah!” you yelped. “You’re…a turtle!”

“Okay, usually a human would react that way on sight.”

“But I am a human. Well, I used to be. It’s complicated. Ugh, that’s not important. I need your help!”

You berated yourself for thinking of your family during this time, a family you couldn’t go back to anymore. Covering up with needing the boy’s help was better. He was the first person that hadn’t told you to shut up the moment you started talking in the past week. So, he must’ve been good.

The boy’s gaze softened, eyes widening a little. It may have been because he was a turtle, but his expression was hard to read from beyond that. Mom would’ve been disappointed. Although, no interrogation or investigation was going on at this point.

“You were bit by an oozesquito?” he asked.

“A mosquito,” you corrected him. “But yeah. It was about a week ago and Big Mama found me. I have proof I’m a human. Here.”

You pulled out the one picture you took from back home, practically shoving it in his face. The boy leaned away from you, getting a good look at the frilly outfit your younger self had to wear. Still, you looked happy at the ripe age of seven.

“Cute kid. That’s you, right?” the boy chuckled.

“What?” you blinked a couple of times. “That’s irrelevant. I’m trying to prove to you I’m supposed to be human.”

“Oh. I knew,” the boy handed you the photo. “From what I’ve seen, a yokai or mutant wouldn’t bat an eyelash at someone like me. Unless they found me incredibly handsome of course, which is a given.”

Handsome?

The boy got up, beginning to leave before turning in your direction. “You coming?”

“Huh?”

“We’re gonna have to save my brothers first, but I’ll help you.”

You blinked a couple of times. It worked?! You got help from someone after a week of captivity. The boy held his hand out to you. You took it without hesitation.

Chapter Text

The boy led you to one of the many bedazzled elevators. But, not before he took the laundry bin you were just in barely a minute ago. Dirty yokai laundry filled the closed room with its musty scent.

The turtle boy fumbled with the buttons, finally getting the doors to close. His eyes were half-lidded, focused on the numbers on the yokai side of the hotel. You inspected alongside him.

“Where did Big Mama say she’d take your brothers?” you asked.

“She said something about us being clowns for her Battle Nexus,” he said.

“They might be headed for the gate. It should be on this floor. It’s only around three up from here.”

You immediately pushed the button for the floor the gate was on, telling the boy it should be there. His eyes went wide, mouth agape.

“How do you know where that is?” he asked.

“The gate is around where they harvest my blood,” you answered nonchalantly. You practically surprised yourself with your words. It was as if this life was already taking root in your memories.

“Excuse me?” the boy turned to you, increasingly shocked. “That spider lady is harvesting your blood?”

You began to stammer, fiddling with your furry hands. Your big ears drooped, shadowing the embarrassment creeping up to the tips. Mom told you not to say things like that since you were six. She said it scared the people around you, including her and Ma.

“Forget that,” you said. “Uh, what’s your name?”

The boy hadn’t let go of what you said. You could tell from the way he looked at you. He was quizzical about it, mentally taking note of your condition. You balled up your sleeves, hiding the cuts the yokai made on your arms.

The doors opened revealing a set of hotel rooms hiding the fact that the Battle Nexus gate was nearby. The walls were probably made tangible by your magical and flowery blood. Another droplet would give the carpet more embroidered patterns, likely gold or silver. You could picture the tapestry atop the red even now.

“It’s Leo,” the boy’s voice broke you away from your train of thought. “Actually, my full name is Leonardo, but people call me Leo. There’s also Neon Leon, ‘Nardo, my dad calls me Blue, and don’t forget handsome.”

“Hopefully, no creeps call you that last one,” you said.

“Yours?” Leo asked.

“Uh, [Name].”

With all things considered, he had a nice name. Leo, like the star sign. Leonardo, like the artist. Blue, like the bandana tied around his head. His brothers probably called him the other two names he listed. Handsome was a joke. You weren’t sure if anyone called him that.

Leo took out one of the vents and crawled into the ceiling. Even a normal person couldn’t do that, let alone the average yokai.

“Push the laundry,” his voice quietly echoed from the vent above you. You did as he said, kicking it down the hall.

“Now what–?” you were cut off when Leo took your hand, yanking you up into the vent with him. It was a swift motion, graceful even. It was like you weighed nothing to him. The only struggle you had was trying to get yourself situated in the claustrophobic vents. You were about to say something before Leo’s hand went over your mouth.

This was it. This was the part you got kidnapped. Mom would be even more disappointed in you now. Getting kidnapped twice the moment you transformed. Leo held his finger up, silently telling you to be quiet. He let go not a moment later, sword at his side. You followed him, the both of you crawling along the vents.

The gate got closer and closer. Its veins throbbed the moment you got closer to it. It was like a beating heart. The doorway glowed, a portal to the mysterious Battle Nexus. The drain was next to the doorway, the one your blood would run through to hide Big Mama’s secret hustle.

Two guards, a sea lion, and a beige owl led three turtles in strange handcuffs down the hallway. The biggest turtle had a spikey shell and a strong jaw. The fang sprouting from a bit of an underbite looked sharp enough to cut through steel. He wore a red bandana. The medium-sized turtle had a purple shell covering his real one. Goggles hooked over the purple bandana tied around his head. The littlest turtle was almost half the size of the biggest. Stickers decorated his front, you were pretty sure it was called a plastron. An orange bandana went over his eyes. They must’ve been Leo’s brothers.

“Here we are, gateway to the Battle Nexus,” the sea lion pushed the three boys forward. “Say goodbye to New York, turtles.”

The laundry basket you pushed earlier gently wheeled itself in front of them. You stopped, watching the scene like someone filming a nature documentary.

“Hey, there’s a laundry bin in the middle of the hallway,” the owl said.

“Classic trap,” the sea lion went up to the basket, rummaging through the clothes. “I shall investigate.” He didn’t find any bodies amongst the ruffling of fabric, stains, and lint. “It’s empty. Guess we can let our guard down, then,” the sea lion said.

“Sounds about right,” the beige owl checked the basket along with the other guard.

You slowly blinked. How could the guards be acting like this? You could’ve escaped days ago if you knew earlier. If you ever listened to their conversations instead of disassociating, fantasizing about becoming human again and returning home to two crying moms. Like your other dreams, that one could never be real.

As the guards took to looking at the throbbing door, Leo lowered his sword down the ventilation. The blade twirled in circles like a ballet dancer. Blue sparks crackled on the metal like lightning.

“Come on. Make a portal. Make a portal,” Leo muttered under his breath. Cuts ruined the red carpet before blue overtook them. The portal was like the sea, rippling against the confines of a sandy beach. Pure magic waved around like a curtain keeping an unknown location hidden. The guards stepped back, ends of the portal tickling their shoes. “Yes,” Leo muttered. “Now step into my trap you little–”

Something rumbled above you. The vents made it known it couldn’t hold your and Leo’s weight. The metal bolts flung out of their spots, the small tube cracking open like an egg. Leo fell through the vent, taking you down with him.

You screamed on your way down, falling through the circle of magic that was Leo’s portal. An electric sensation made you shiver. Goosebumps made your fur stand up. Your tail and ears stiffened. Your arms made their way around Leo’s middle to stay together. Your cheek pressed against his plastron, squishing against the semi-hard body part.

Ugh, this probably looks like something Ma would write, you thought. She would make the position you were in be part of a meet-cute, minus the animal people and magic. You could see it now, the knight in shining armor protecting a hopeless damsel as she clings to him.

Finally, you landed on solid ground. This time, you were joined by the turtles from earlier. You quickly let go of Leo and scooted far enough that your back hit the wall. You were in another hallway, on another floor of the hotel. One of the room doors said ‘685,’ so you were on the sixth floor.

The four turtle boys got up not long after you did. Leo cut off the strange handcuffs the other three had. They were a glowy orange, not unlike the ones you had for half your week in Big Mama’s hands.

“You’re welcome for saving you,” Leo said.

“We could’ve saved ourselves together if you stayed,” the spikey turtle said.

“What?!”

“Leo, who’s that?” the turtle in orange squatted in front of you. His eyes were curious.

Neither you nor Leo could answer right away. Howling and snarling interrupted the potential words you could’ve used to explain yourself. Gus’s stomps padded on the carpet heading straight for Leo. He was panting and spikes sprouted on his back.

You couldn’t think of anything else but rolling up your sleeves. A bit of blood still leaked from your latest blood donation. You unraveled the clumsily placed bandages and let Gus smell your flower-infested blood. His eyes went into a daze. They stopped glowing. Drool no longer pooled from his mouth. Four pairs of eyes were on you. Two were shocked. Two were curious. None of them fell prey to whatever magic your blood had that Big Mama praised.

The Orange turtle quickly stepped up front, holding a tennis ball to the yokai.

“Hey boy, what’s this?” he said.

Gus snapped out of the illusion. His eyes went wide, trained on the ball.

“Woah, what is that?” he gasped.

He can talk?!

Orange turtle waved the ball around. Gus’s entire body moved with it. Then, the orange turtle threw the tennis ball down the hall and past his brothers.

“Oh man, I gotta get that thing and bring it back,” he pushed through the armored and spiky turtles. “Epic!”

You let yourself relax now that Gus was more than distracted by the ball. You assumed that some yokai act like their animal counterparts more than others. You put the bandages back on, rolling your sleeve over it as if nothing happened.

“Uh, what was that?” Leo asked.

“Gus was sent to eat you,” the purple turtle’s voice was strictly monotone.

“Okay, time to blow this balloon factory,” Leo dragged you along into another elevator. “Once we’re safe at home, I can brag about how right I was and in turn how wrong you were. So, let’s do it.”

“I got it,” the red turtle slammed the elevator wall. “But we’re not going without Donnie’s bug slapper and the oozesquitos. We can’t leave them in Queen Eight-legs’ hands.”

“Also, who is this?” the purple turtle pointed to you.

“And why are they magic like our weapons?” the orange turtle asked.

“Alright, I can explain,” Leo said. “This is [Name]. They got bit by an oozesquito a week ago. Big Mama’s been taking their blood, and you just saw why. [Name], these are my brothers. Donnie, Mikey, and Raph.” The one in purple was Donnie, the one in orange was Mikey, and the one in red was Raph.

Leo looked at you, expecting you to say something while you reeled from the conversation. That word, ‘oozesquito’ got brought up again. Was it not a mistake they made, then?

“Hello?” you retracted back to your quiet self. It was like meeting Anne for the first time in middle school. The questioning tone you had, the softspoken words, the clammy hands.

“Alright, that’s done. Since we indubitably don’t know where–” Leo spoke again, fingers making their way to the elevator buttons.

“Spill the beans, Leo,” Raph said. “Whenever you say ‘indubitably,’ you’re up to something.”

“Fine, everything’s in Big Mama’s office and we can risk our lives getting it right now,” Leo pushed the button to the top floor where her office was.

“And that’s what we’re gonna do. Guys, stealth mode!”

“Or…stealth mode,” Leo whispered.

It wasn’t long before the elevator dinged, revealing Big Mama’s office. The office you sold your life away in desperation for shelter. It was just as glamorous as before. The window at the end of it reveals New York at night. Wait—nighttime? Shouldn't it be daytime right now? Big Mama messed up your sleep schedule entirely. All for a drop of blood to hide the Nexus.

Leo pulled out his sword while Donnie pulled out a purple bo staff made of metal. Big Mama didn’t look to be in here, or else she would’ve acknowledged you. A shiver ran up your spine even when she didn’t call you ‘fox cub.’

Leo inspected the wall of paintings, focusing on one in particular. It was of a man with a square beard. His finger gingerly poked it and the wall rippled before falling away. A large golden safe stood in the wake. Leo’s hands were on his hips, proud of himself for doing the bare minimum.

“This calls for a delicate touch of genius,” the purple turtle pushed him aside. A saw sprouted from the bo staff. Goggles went over the boy’s eyes as he chipped away at the safe.

“I’ll cover the sound for you!” Mikey broke a lamp that certainly did not cover the sound.

“This’ll only take a few hours!” Donnie shouted.

“Or we could do this!” Leo spun the code into the safe. It was a row of ones that opened it. He smirked while his brothers stood in awe of the trinkets Big Mama kept.

“That’s not very good security,” you said.

Leo, Raph, and Donnie went into the safe to grab their things. You stayed behind with Mikey.

The tennis ball from earlier rolled from the elevator, lightly tapping Mikey’s foot.

“Hey, my ball,” he picked it up.

Something snarled from the elevator. Gus. “Don’t start a game of fetch you can’t finish,” he said.

His words brought the other three out of the safe. Raph held a big jar of green mosquitos. From behind the office chair, a voice tutted at you.

“Oh, no, no, no, no dears. This simply won’t do,” Big Mama turned around from where she sat. “If there is one rule that Big Mama has–”

“Is it forgive and forget?” Leo said.

“Don’t chew on the guests’ slippers?” the red turtle asked.

“Is it not using Raph’s toothbrush?” the orange turtle asked.

“Is it Ohm’s law?” the purple turtle asked.

“No!” Big Mama transformed into her spider form in a millisecond. She got much larger than before. Her hair became unruly. Four pairs of eyes strung the middle of her face. She had one pair of small arms and another of larger arms. Her hips became a bulge a spider would have. She spat webs at you, restraining your movement. “My rule is no stealing from Big Mama,” she said.

Before she could do anything to you or any of the turtles, a blade cut through the window. Two blades even. They formed a perfect circle before loudly smashing through the glass. A man stepped through that broken glass, another yokai. He had broad shoulders where two little animals perched on them. A porcelain mask hid his face from the world and accentuated his ram horns. Branch-like tentacles carried him through a breach between the outside world and the office.

“And my rule is not to steal from me,” his voice was a deep baritone.

“Mr. Sheep to the rescue,” Mikey said.

“And that’s a good thing?” Donnie rolled his eyes. “He tried to kill us last time we saw him.”

“You have two people trying to kill you?” you said.

“More than two.”

“Scramulent to see you Baron Draxum,” Big Mama turned away from you. “But you need to learn to use the dimbly door.”

“You must learn to use real words,” Draxum said.

“Huh, they know each other. If only one of us saw that coming,” Leo said.

“You’re a poor winner, Leo,” Raph said.

“Those are my property,” Draxum pointed to the jar of mosquitos. “Fetch them, my pets.”

The two creatures leaped for them when Gus immediately swung them around in his mouth like chew toys.

“I need those bimbally bugs for all of those tasty victims,” Big Mama said. “They will mutate for my Battle Nexus like the fox cub.”

“Those are made for something greater. They are to eliminate the human threat forever,” Draxum said.

Human threat? He wanted to hurt humans. People like your moms and Anne. Those things he created hurt you already. You were nothing more than a human threat quelled by a sheep. His arms turned into thorns slashing their way toward Big Mama.

For a spider, she was swift in her steps. She blocked his attacks with ease and kicked him aside. They continued to duel. Draxum had veins of thorns sprouting from the floor like it were soil. Big Mama jumped from wall to wall, spitting webs. The spider woman got too greedy, however, vomiting a long line of the web that Draxum tugged on. She lurched forward and was punched into the ground.

You and the turtles tumbled helplessly in your trap of webbing.

“What is this, another one of your success-proof plans?” Leo asked Raph.

“Yes, I mean, no,” Raph said. “Look, use my shell.”

You all immediately did as he said. The web caught into the spikes on his shell, ripping the thread. You could finally wriggle your arm out to get rid of the rest of it as well as free Raph.

“Now, to the roof. It’s time for us yokai to take over the surface,” the thorns and vines carried Draxum up the building while his pets carried the jar of mosquitos. At this rate, every human will become an animal.

“Leo, portal to the roof. Now,” Raph said.

“There you go, telling me what to do again,” Leo said. “Well, actually no. That’s a plan I can get behind.” He cut his sword through the carpet, making another portal surrounding him and his much larger brother. They both cheered at the success and jumped through.

The portal disappeared as quickly as it came. You were left with the orange and purple turtles to fend off Big Mama. Escape could still happen yet.

“What are we supposed to do?” Mikey asked.

As if to give him an answer, Big Mama let out a battle cry as she got up. It was as if nothing hurt her.

“Um, get away from her?” you said.

“Right,” the orange turtle said.

Donnie pulled out a purple case he got from the safe. It must’ve been the bug slapper the red one mentioned.

“This’ll teach you to compliment my work and give me the first positive reinforcement from a parent-aged adult ever!” he shouted as the case turned into a hoverbike he and his brother jumped on. You latched onto Mikey, shutting your eyes tightly as you zoomed out the window.

“Cowabunga!” he yelled with glee.

Big Mama did not let you get away that easily. A string of web goo latched around your ankle. With the quickest reflexes you’d ever seen, Mikey took both of your hands. The tug of war pulled on your arm muscles more than it should have. Your weak set of arms could not compare to what comes out of a spider yokai.

“Only one web left. Better make it count,” Donnie said.

“Let them go!” the orange-clad turtle shouted to Big Mama.

“No, Mikey, you let go.”

“What?!” you shouted, exasperated.

“Oh, Okie-dokey,” the smaller turtle let your grip slip from him. The webs instantly pulled you back.

You screamed. This is the part where you died wasn’t it? That, or you would be Big Mama’s blood slave forever. Perhaps death was a better option. Mom and Ma wouldn’t have to break into a hotel to see you as a fennec fox being coddled by a spider woman.

The purple turtle swung the bike under in a loop-da-loop. A web shot out of the bike this time. It hit Big Mama’s eyes and cut the connection between you and her. Now, you were falling through the air. Your heart leaped from your chest at another potential death. The heart got proven wrong when a pair of arms caught you. It was Mikey this time, carrying you bridal style while Donnie flew you down to where Leo and Raph were. They sat on a bench near a crashed car. You assumed they fell on it while trying to get the mosquitoes from Draxum.

“Everyone okay?” Donnie turtle asked.

“We’re fine, but the mosquitoes got away,” Raph said. “Another failed mission.”

“Not a total failure, we’ve got this to get them now,” Donnie gestured to the bike. “But we’re out of web goo. So, partial failure?”

“ And we saved someone,” Mikey held you a little higher as if you were a baby being shown off by their mother.

“Raph, what was that power-up back there?” Leo asked Raph. “You saved my life.”

“I dunno,” Raph said. “I just knew that if I didn’t save your life, I wouldn’t hear the end of it from you.”

“And a side-note, Draxum created us. He told me right before he threw me off the roof, so I don’t think he’s very attached.”

“So that means we’re teenage…” Mikey started.

“Mutant…” Donnie said.

“Ninja…” Leo said.

“Sheepmen?” Raph said.

His brothers sighed. There might have been a phrase they wanted to say, but couldn’t because he said the wrong word. It was the sigh only siblings could let out in disappointment at one another. Anne had done it multiple times to her younger brothers and sisters. You could only experience it from the outside and leave the scene to your imagination.

Maybe Mom’s siblings sighed like that about her before she cut them off.

“You’re turtles,” you said the first thing that came to mind. “And, um, thank you for saving me. Now can you please put me down?”

“Oh, right,” Mikey set you down. Your legs were still shaky from what you just experienced.

“You need me to portal you home?” Leo asked. “I can make a good guess on where you are.

“No!” you abruptly shouted. Leo stopped, letting whatever magic he began to cast fade.

The four brothers had their eyes on you now. How could you have been so stupid? You could’ve lied and have been back at square one again, living on the streets and the run from Big Mama. Still, that was no way to live. Grandpa always said you shouldn’t live in fear.

You sighed and let the words fall from your lips, “I don’t exactly have a home to go to anymore. Ugh, that sounds bad. My parents weren’t awful or anything. It’s just uh…” Your voice trailed off. Maybe you weren’t cut out with this ‘talking about your problems' thing. You didn’t want to scare them like you did Leo. However, this was not true. The brothers looked at one another for a moment.

“You can stay with us!” Mikey grinned at you, expecting you to take the offer like you were being given a handout by the desk in front of you.

“What?” you said.

“Why not?” Raph said. “Our pops will be fine with it.”

The turtles still looked at you thinking you would give an enthusiastic ‘yes.’ It was like Big Mama all over again. She wanted you to stay with her, and she got what she wanted—your hand. However, the turtles were different. Leo was different. He asked for your hand; he and his brothers saved you.

Apparently, it did not take much to convince someone like you. You couldn’t tell if that was a blessing or a curse.

“Okay,” you sighed. For the first time in a week, you were safe.

Chapter Text

Their father was a rat. To be frank, you expected a much older turtle. Instead, you got a short and chubby rat on a recliner. A projector played a soap opera at a low volume before cutting to a commercial. It was like you stumbled upon something important. You always had that feeling whenever you walked in on someone watching TV. It wasn’t like reading a book where you could still be in that world while your family or even strangers passed by.

The trip down to where the turtles lived was unexpected. You were starting to sense a pattern in that regard. Leo took you through a portal deliberately this time. The blue current running through you warmed up to your furry form. Maybe because it wasn’t some random location in Big Mama’s hotel. By the time you got through the portal, you were hit with the burning stench of sewer water.

It was practically the perfect place to hide. Big Mama seemed too prissy to get her hands dirty trying to find you. Not to mention, your moms wouldn’t be able to track you down the sewer. You liked to think they had standards with their dedication to you. Now, you waited for the rat to acknowledge you like waiting for a job interview.

You felt for the picture in your pocket. It was still safe, even when you were tied up with webs and flew around in Donnie’s hoverbike. Yet, you didn’t want to look at it. Feeling the paper was all you needed to remind yourself of life before all of this existed. Before yokai and mutants were a fairytale dream.

“Pop’s we’re home,” Raph said. “And uh…we’ve got somethin’ to show ya.”

The rat man jumped from his seat slowly, stubby legs padding against the floor. “Alright, but make it quick, so I don’t miss too much of my TV shows,” he scratched behind his ears before getting a good look at you. The height difference was odd. Although, rats were small in their own right.

“So, this is [Name],” Leo gently pushed you forward. “They’re kinda homeless, so they’re gonna be staying here for a little bit.”

“It’s not the best way to put it,” Mikey said.

“By definition, they are homeless,” Donnie shut down any kind of argument Mikey was about to put up.

Homeless. Donnie was right. You were homeless by an unfortunate circumstance. You were a number added to another list of numbers. Your contribution to New York would be nothing more and nothing less.

“So, it’s cool if they stay with us, right?” Leo asked, changing the subject smoothly. He smirked at his father like he was already going to accept you.

Splinter glanced at you, then at his sons. A smile curled upward and he immediately shook your hands. You almost lost your foothold, abruptly leaning forward to match the man’s level. “So they’re our new tenant,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too?” you said it like a question.

The meeting got cut off when the soap opera came back on. Splinter rushed to the recliner, done with his sons’ antics for the night. It was as if you no longer existed.

“That went surprisingly well,” Raph said.

“Come on! We’ve gotta show you around,” Mikey took you away from the TV room. “There’s the ramp room. Oh! We’ve gotta show you the Turtle Tank!”

“Mikey, they’ve been through a lot today,” Raph said. “Maybe you can take them somewhere for them to sleep.” He gently guided his younger sibling in another direction.

“Oh yeah, it’s almost one a.m.,” Mikey said. “Oh well, I can show you in the morning.” He dragged you in a different direction this time. His hand was firm around your wrist. For such a small turtle, his grip was strong. It was as if you weighed nothing to him. It was the same when he caught you while escaping Big Mama.

“What is with this family and arm-pulling?” you blurted. No one seemed to listen to you. Your words had not been a concern, but an observation. To you, it was a thought that was meant to stay in the sea of other thoughts.

Instead of going through the elaborate tour Mikey wanted, you were shown where the bathroom was, and where you’d be sleeping for the time being. It was surprising that they even had a guest room set up. On the way there, you passed a few bedrooms that seemed to belong to the boys. They were veiled with curtains, one having a ‘keep out’ sign hung over it. It was Donnie’s room as well as a lab no one can go in.

Once you got to the guest room, you found that it wasn’t as colorful as the other rooms. All that was there was a plain bed and a minimal amount of blankets. Although, it’s better than sleeping on a carpet.

“Our friend is in here whenever she sleeps over,” Mikey said. “She won’t mind it if you stay here, though.”

So that’s why they have this.

“Let me know if ya need an extra blanket, ‘kay?” Raph said.

“I will. Thank you,” you said. A simple thanks would not be enough for what they’ve done. You owed them your life at this point.

You calmed yourself enough to lay down. However, sleep could not overtake you. For an odd reason, Big Mama changed your sleep schedule entirely. Until today, you thought you’d be active during the day. In reality, that was when you’d sleep. Each companion had a whole to-do list before approaching your door. Time began to flow in a reverse direction. Today was tomorrow and tomorrow was today. Your picture taunted you now because all you longed for was yesterday.

Your emotions brought you to sleep this time, not sheer tiredness.

That sleep did not last very long. An oil spill in the ocean brought you into a dark and twisted nightmare. The pain from transforming into a fox increased tenfold. Your newfound ears were ginormous instead of large. The fur growing on your body became ten thousand tiny pricks on your skin.

The worst part of it is that your moms watched. Ma was screaming at the vomit on the floor. Mom tried her best to ease her pain along with yours. The vague scent of flowers carried through the room as a mist. Animals from grandpa’s dreams danced on the clouds. The music was misery-coated screams.

You woke up with a sharp inhale, wiping any kind of tears from your eyes. They soaked the fur under your eyes and on the back of your hand. Your heart was beating fast. Deep breaths attempted to calm the anxious heart. The guest room was so dark it was suffocating. A stray shadow could be a figure wanting to take you away.

You flipped the curtain open, noting not to wake up anyone in the lair. The kitchen shouldn’t have been far. Your feet tramped toward it out of instinct. Water, tea, anything to forget the nightmare. Eventually, you found the kitchen bathed in a reddish-orange. It was just about the smallest room in the lair so far. A dining table stood near the center while a proper stove and microwave setup were to the left. A tea kettle sat on that stove. It was in the shape of a helmet more appropriate for an episode of Supernatural. Its eyes glowed with malice as water housed inside boiled.

Speaking of that, someone was already in the kitchen, Leo. He was boiling some water in the creepy kettle. His pajamas had stripes of alternating shades of blue and a nightcap of the same color. The shirt in particular stretched over his back, outlining his shell. Leo already noticed you, turning his head away from the kettle. He didn’t have his blue bandana over his face, however. It made the red marks over his dark eyes stand out more than they already did.

“So, here’s our kitchen,” Leo said. “Usually whenever Mikey’s in here, it’s off-limits.”

“Okay,” you nodded.

“You having trouble sleeping too?”

He leaned over the counter. His unassuming pose led you to step in instead of standing at the doorway.

“A little,” you said. “I think Big Mama messed up my sleep schedule. She, apparently, had me waking up once the sun was already down.”

“Yeah, that can make someone get insomnia,” Leo nodded.

“You have the same problem?”

“No one messed it up for me, but I end up sleeping at six a.m. Drives Raph crazy.”

“So you wander around looking like Ebeneezer Scrooge?”

Leo blinked, “Who?”

“You haven’t heard of A Christmas Carol?” you raised a brow. For a moment, you wanted to regret saying what you did, but Leo was too clueless to take offense.

“Oh, the old guy,” he nodded. “Are you calling me an old man?”

“What? No.”

“I guess this gives me an old guy vibe,” Leo gestured to himself. “I’d be a good-looking old guy, so whatever.”

“Sure, why not?” you rolled your eyes. “You’re a handsome old man.”

“Ooh, you’re saying I’m handsome?”

“Absolutely not!” you said. “I just—”

He was smirking, hand resting on his chin. His eyes were glued to yours. He wasn’t fazed by your sarcasm or the eye roll. You took at least two steps away from him.

“You’re teasing me!” you pointed at him accusingly.

“Me? You’re the one calling me handsome,” he said.

“Forget it.”

“You mean, fur get it.”

You sighed. It wasn’t the worst pun you’d heard but that didn’t mean it was anything good. Leo was only increasingly satisfied with himself. He only saw this exchange as playful teasing like you accused him of. However, you could not be offended even if you tried. Maybe it was because of his face or the pun, but something in you said he meant no harm.

The tea kettle whistled as if it grew tired of your conversation. The glowing eyes became more intense before Leo turned off the stovetop. He poured the hot water into his mug. The water ran through the herbs and bloomed into another drink entirely. Leo opened the cabinet again, pulling out a second mug.

“You want some? There’s enough for two,” he said.

“Sure,” you said with little hesitation. It looked like the kettle would jump to life and kill you if you refused.

Leo didn’t tell you what kind of tea it was but, you tasted chamomile. Who knows? It might be enough to get your sleep cycle back together, wrapped as clumsily as the bandages on your arms.

Your late-night/early-morning talk led to how Leo and his brothers learned combat. He said their dad taught them. You almost couldn’t believe how someone like him could know how to fight. It might be a compelling story.

“You know, a lot of the stuff we learned was from Lou Jitzu movies,” Leo said.

“Really?” you said. Lou Jitzu was a martial arts actor a while back. He had an odd catchphrase, ‘hot soup,’ and was the subject of many conspiracy forums. Mom wanted to find him someday if he were alive. You highly doubted that he was. His whereabouts were left unknown for three years before being declared dead.

Anne was a fan of his films in general, Punch Chowder in specific. She had you sit down and watch it with her on many occasions. You never got through all of it without falling asleep. You always felt bad for it, but Anne didn’t seem to mind.

I get it’s not for everyone, she said. I’m just glad you’re here.

“Yeah, I guess dad’s a big fan of him,” Leo said. “It worked though. You saw us in action, right?”

“You portaled us through the hotel on accident,” you said.

“Uh, it’s a new sword. I gotta get used to it first before I wow everyone.”

He rolled his eyes with a semblance of a smile hidden behind them.

“Do you have a favorite?” you asked.

“A favorite?” Leo turned his head. “For fox sake don’t get me started.”

That one came out of nowhere. You were so caught off guard that you let out a chuckle. Your hand covered your smile, muffling any snort coming your way. “Why did I laugh at that?” you exhaled. “That was awful.”

Leo paused for a second. His expression was unreadable. Then, a slight smile decorated his features. “I can’t blame you. That was one of my better ones,” he said.

“If that’s true, then I don’t know what to say.”

“Your sense of humor is broken?”

“Probably.”

Perhaps it was because of the tea, but you were a lot more relaxed than before. It made you sleep peacefully that night.

Chapter Text

Two days passed by quickly in the Hamato household. They were both filled with tours and the boys dragging you around to impress you. It turned out that Donnie’s lab was not in his room like you assumed. A separate room got carved out so he could create any kind of trinket needed. When you asked how he got the materials, he and his brothers went completely silent. You never asked them about how they got something ever again.

During that time, you stood idly while the turtles did something else. They’d either look around the city for more mosquitos or played video games and skateboard. They did the scoping the first day you were in the lair and played video games the second. At least when they played video games, you could watch or play with them.

Freedom took a toll on you, you concluded. It was strange how much a single week could damper the feeling of freedom. It was in the palm of your hand. And yet, your heart craved for it still.

Today was no different. Leo and Raph were watching a magic trick on a laptop. Mikey and Donnie were out somewhere. They said something about a guy with a puppy sanctuary. You sat at the bottom of a ramp in the middle of the first floor. It was so tall, stretching to the railing on the second floor. You weren’t sure how they got it where they wanted.

The video was of a magician called Mind Bender Sheck making a middle school disappear. “It’s gonna be way sick because us kids don’t need school,” he said. The video went viral, having millions of views. Leo might’ve been half of them.

“Did you see that?!” he said. “The school was there and then, poof! It’s gone!”

“I still don’t understand. What happened to the tater tots?” Raph leaned closer to the screen. “The sandwiches? The pizza?!”

“You’re focusing on the wrong thing.”

“I think those kids are better off without them anyway,” you said. “The school didn’t disappear completely either. It’s an illusion.”

“You can say that again once you make a school disappear with your mystic blood,” Leo said.

“Sure, I’ll practice with the Grand Nexus Hotel.”

You rolled your eyes. The idea of making that place disappear was a fantasy more than anything else. Although, your blood was concealing the yokai parts of the building. You were already making something disappear.

After watching the video two more times, something appeared in front of the laptop. It was a swirl of light that turned into an animal. Was it a fox like you? A cat? A dog? It had tusks like a walrus. Its fur was a combination of blue and orange. Its little body slid onto the keyboard, eyes droopy and exhausted.

“Mayhem?” Raph said. “What is it, boy?”

The animal, Mayhem, ran in circles around the laptop. He screeched as a fox would. It stopped, looking at the three of you as if you could understand him.

“I think someone’s in trouble,” Raph said. “Is it us? Are you from the future?”

Mayhem slowly blinked and leaped toward the three of you. It was like you were being compressed in a swirl of light. That might be mystic energy released from Mayhem’s powers. It was unlike Leo’s portals where the mystic energy went through your veins. The good thing was that he held your hand through it, being a guide through this weird and wonderful world.

Not a second later, you appeared in a locker room. A chalkboard stood behind, you detailing a football strategy for an upcoming game. The circles were labeled with last names vaguely familiar to you. ‘Jameson.’ ‘Smith.’ ‘Brown.’ They were football players constantly parading around the school. Anne wanted to fight one of them because he ‘looked at you wrong.’

A poster strung overhead, ‘homecoming’ front and center in big letters. Today was homecoming. You thought it wouldn’t be for another couple of weeks. Although, you were trapped in Big Mama’s awful hotel for one of those two weeks. You couldn’t read the time correctly anymore afterward.

“Why am I back here?” you muttered.

“Hold on, this is April’s school,” Leo said. “She’s the one in trouble. We gotta go high school stealth.”

April?

They couldn’t have been talking about the April you thought of. There were plenty of Aprils in your school, let alone in New York. She couldn’t be the one you met the day you became a mutant.

“There might be something your size in the lockers. Those jocks are too stupid to put in a real combination in their locks,” you pointed to one of the lockers. “See, this one doesn’t have a lock at all. I think it’s the captain’s too.”

“You know the guys who have these lockers?” Leo put on a basketball jersey and replaced his mask with a pair of goggles.

“Not really. But, I’ve seen them around well enough.”

“You go to this school?!”

“Yeah. I forgot it was homecoming too. My friend and I were supposed to go together.”

Your heart dropped the moment you said that. Anne. If their friend is in danger, what’s stopping the whole school from being in danger?

“Oh no…Anne!” you ran out of the locker room without a second thought. ABBA echoed in the hallways singing about being seventeen and dancing. You followed the music and found an empty gym. Lights swirled around like a mirrorball. Balloons scattered across the floor, popped and blown up.

You crawled under the tables, calling to Anne. There was no one there. Everyone packed up and left without cleaning up the gym. You stepped out of the room, defeated. She could be anywhere in the school by now.

You were running again. Other high school kids wandered the halls. Their eyes were as blank as the strangers you accidentally put under an illusion. Although, the whites of their eyes turned purple. They walked with their phones in front of them. At the front of their brigade was a girl in a pink dress. Her blonde hair was tied up in a topknot. Her face was narrow and she had a sharp chin.

“Taylor Martin?” you said. She was one of the rich kids in school. You bumped into her once on accident. She was a bit rude about it, even though it was an accident.

“Hello,” her voice was monotone, dead. “Do you mind telling me where April O’Neil is?”

You stepped back. Was she the April Leo and Raph were trying to find? She’s okay! You just needed to find her. And Taylor, she didn’t sound like herself. She didn’t sound like a human at all. It was almost like someone else was controlling her. No, not almost. Someone was controlling her. They were controlling the student body.

“Uh, April’s dead!” you ran in the opposite direction. The kids you once called acquaintances or strangers went after you like a piece of meat. The first room you stumbled into was the cafeteria. You hid in the kitchen and tried to find anything you could use as a weapon. You had no experience with combat, but by god, you were going to try for Anne.

The first thing you found was a kitchen knife. Outside, the hypnotized students were still looking for you and April. You rolled down your sleeve. The cuts left on your arm were almost gone.

It was like putting a plug into the outlet or putting two puzzle pieces together. The knife brought up a question in the sea. This person is doing something similar to what your blood can do. What happens if you used your powers to cancel the hypnosis? It sounded so stupid when you thought about it. So stupid in fact, that you did it anyways. Being an idiot was fine when you wanted to save lives.

The knife slid over your skin effortlessly. Blood leaked through your skin and fur. The smell kidnapped the air right away, becoming a bouquet smelled by the hypnotized students. Blood dripped on the floor, your shoes smearing it. You leaned over the counter and let the smell spread. Flowers physically manifested on the walls and floor. The chairs became a small tree in the center of the room. The students’ purple eyes were fading but fell into another haze. They picked the flowers, smelling the petals only for them to disappear.

Once everyone was distracted, you booked it into the hall again. You covered the wound with your sleeve to block a little bit of the smell. If you ended up finding April, there were chances she might go into a trance by accident.

“Hello? Any Aprils around here?” you said. “April O’Neil? I promise I’m not hypnotized. I don’t even have a phone anymore.”

You got no response, understandably. Someone who’s hypnotized might say the same thing you were. You might also be in the wrong hallway. “I’m with Raph and Leo. They came to help along with this fox…dog-animal? Is he yours?” you continued to ramble while wandering through the halls. They were recognizable to you, even without kids going through them every second of the day. They were a lot creepier at night and with such dim lighting. The shadows were pronounced like the ones in the guest room back in the lair. They were like figures looming over you, waiting for the right moment to take you away again.

A locker shook back and forth. The metal clashed against itself as something tried to get out. It was more like someone was trying to get out. They thrashed and kicked before stopping for a second. You slowly approached the locker. The lock was already opened. You pushed up on the silver lever and opened the dark green door. The same person from a week ago tripped out of it.

April was in a nicer dress this time and still wearing a green jacket. You pulled down your hood to hide your ears, but your tail failed you. It stood up straight from the shock of April almost kicking you in the face.

“Are you okay?” you asked.

“Yup, I’m good!” April stood up quicker than you thought.

“Oh, that’s great.”

Behind you, a hat fell to the ground. A ticking sound morphed into crackling electricity. April took your arm, pulling it away from the cap.

“Stay back,” she said.

The lockers around you imploded, shrinking into the hat. It was a void for any object in the world. And from the looks of that purple lightning, the person hypnotizing everyone was behind it.

“What the heck?” you jumped.

“That hippo is gonna make us all disappear, permanently,” April said.

“Get them,” Taylor Martin caught up to you. Her voice was even more monotone than before. Her eyes had bags under them, illuminated by her phone screen. Two other kids were behind her before more of them showed up.

“And this is where we run,” April took your injured arm and the two of you were running away. However, at the end of the hall, more hypnotized kids stood. They cornered you as they chanted, ‘Hypno is great,’ over and over again.

All of a sudden, you warped again. Mayhem showed up for a second before swirling you and April out of the crowd and to the other side. He was in a tiny cheerleader outfit. April hugged him, a smile painting her face.

“Mayhem! You came back!” she said. “I’m so sorry I said–”

“The crowd is still behind us,” you said.

“Right, not a good time,” April said.

It didn’t take long for the hypnotism to corner you again. Mayhem attempted to teleport again but failed. He exhaled like a rusty exhaust pipe.

“Oh no, you must be out of poof juice,” April said.

“Don’t worry,” you held up your bloody sleeve. “I’ve got an idea. Just cover your nose.”

You unleashed the flowery scent of blood onto the crowd of teens. Flowers were growing on slick floors and badly painted walls. Your arm was still bleeding from the deep cut, even now. Your fur was dyed red from the among of blood leaking. The teens were wildly confused about which illusion to follow. Half went with the fake flowers and tiny branches sprouting from the lockers. Others were still trying to convince you and April to join someone called ‘Hypno.’

“This had everyone distracted earlier,” you said. “The wound is still fresh. Or is it the number of people?”

“Don’t worry. Let your mutant magic do its thing. The rest will listen to me. I’m April O’Neil!” she declared with striking confidence.

“Who?” the teens immediately shut her down.

“You know, April O’Neil!” you gestured. “The coolest girl in school!”

No response.

“We’re in trouble,” April said.

You would’ve been if an engine wasn’t rumbling behind you. It roared as something crashed through the wall. It was a party float shaped like a hippo. The pink paper mache broke apart, revealing a golf cart. Leo and Raph were inside, Raph being the one driving. You couldn’t help but sigh of relief. They were here. You were saved once again.

“Tally-ho!” Leo shouted before the golf cart bounced around in the hall before steadying. “Oh, is this A.P Bio?” He was acting like he was a normal kid.

The golf cart skirted to where you and April were. She stood there for a moment, mouth agape, before shaking her head. She took your arm again and told Raph to drive.

He wasted no time in listening to her, and you were away from the hypnotized kids in no time.

“Where’s the exit?” Raph asked.

“We can’t leave,” April said. “Hypno is gonna make the whole school disappear.”

Hypno?

“Another school is gonna disappear?” Leo asked. “These magicians are out of control.”

“Yes, and it’s for real this time,” you said. “No illusion!”

“Oh, is that why you ran off shouting about some ‘Anne’ girl?”

“She’s my best friend. Of course, I’d be worried!”

“He’s got doom hats all over the school,” April said. “But, it’s gonna be fine. I’ve got a plan.”

You rolled down your sleeve. Hopefully, April’s plan would not fail. As much as you didn’t want to doubt her, you pictured Anne quickly disappearing from your life forever. She might be hypnotized, have no agency, or escape, and has to deal with the feeling of being gone forever. You didn’t know which one was worse.

The golf cart stopped at the auditorium. April took the wheel and dropped off Leo and Raph to deal with Hypno. You and April went to collect all of the disappearing hats around the school.

“Keep your sleeve up in case anyone tries to chase us,” April said.

You did so, letting the flowery scent spread. Your illusions combated against Hypno’s potent hypnosis on everyone. All the while, Mayhem took the hats and placed them in the back.

“So, who’s Hypno?” you asked April.

“He’s some mutant hippo the guys fought once,” April answered. “I think Draxum mutated him or something.”

“Draxum? As in the guy who made mosquitos to turn people into mutants?”

“I don’t think there’s another Draxum out there.”

You slumped in your seat. The blood continued to do its magic. The school was turning into a forest under your spell. It wasn’t like any other forest either, it was like the one from grandpa’s dreams. If only he could see it, walk through what you did. What would he say? What would he think of you now, were he still alive?

By the time you were reaching the exit, the hats were starting to glow and spark. Two boys stood in front of the doors as if ready to take pictures.

“Move out of the way!” April waved them off. “We gotta do something.”

Mayhem took what she was putting down. He took all of the hats and then warped away. The golf cart crashed through the exit doors.

“Where’d he go?” you said.

The universe answered with a pulse. It was like the core was the heart of the earth, beating with life. Then, there was a flash of purple life before it disappeared like a firework. The purple on everyone’s eyes faded. It seemed as though they remembered nothing.

Mayhem returned to April’s arms where he was more than comfortable being. Taylor Martin looked up from her phone, witnessing the mess before her. You hid beneath your hoodie, hoping she didn’t notice you. Taylor let out a disgusted noise.

“Your ugly cat destroyed my float, O’Neil!” she shouted.

Then, she left.

You sighed, “Thank god we didn’t die.”

“I think you’re part of the reason why,” April said. “Did you see your friend anywhere?”

“No. Now that I think about it, I doubt she showed up to homecoming. It was something I wanted to do with her but…”

But I got bit. You wanted to say that so badly. And yet, you couldn’t comprehend what Anne must be going through, losing a friend. From what you knew, she had no one else and Draxum took you away from her. Maybe she was wasting away by taking extra shifts at the shoe store she works. Or, she’s staring at the ceiling in her bedroom, wishing to disappear like the school was about to.

“So you’re the [Name] the guys were talking about,” April said.

“That’s me, I guess…” you said. “I wish we could’ve met under better circumstances.”

“We did. I’m pretty sure I caught you after someone tripped you.”

Your dejected heart became light again. A smile crept up on you, pouncing like never before. On that day, a new friendship formed on old ground.

…

Leo patched you up when you got back to the lair. His hands were delicate. They danced across your fur, cleaning the wound as much as a bit of rubbing alcohol could. Anytime you hissed from the sting, he squeezed your hand. It became a lifeline for your heartbeat.

Thank god you weren’t alone with him. You would’ve combusted from the awkward silence. April and Raph hung out with you while Leo worked.

“You should’ve seen them,” April said. “They were growing fake plants left and right.”

“Like the plastic ones you convinced me were real ones?” Raph asked.

“Okay, you have to admit that was funny,” Leo interjected.

“Raph was watering them for several months.”

“My ‘plants’ were illusions, Raph,” you said. “At least a plastic one is really there.”

“Those illusions blocked the hypnosis,” April said. “But, everyone was in another trance instead of wanting to disappear.”

“That’s probably the only thing I’m useful for,” you said. “I at least want to help you round up the oozesquitos. I can learn how to fight too. What if someone like Hypno shows up again?”

The words tumbled out of your mouth. All of it leads to a singular thought. I want to protect my parents and Anne. This new world was beautiful and oh so cruel. Any mutant created by Draxum was turned into a weapon against humanity. You assumed the worst if he were to ever find your family. Tonight only proved your point.

April and Leo looked at Raph. The much bigger turtle crossed his arms. His eyes were closed, a wrinkle appearing on his bandana.

“No way,” Raph shook his head.

“What? Why?” you turned to Raph after Leo let go of your arm.

“Come on, Raph,” Leo said. “They’d be a lot safer if they knew some self-defense. And it’s not like we’re gonna kick them out afterward.”

“Okay, but the self-defense they do needs [Name] to hurt themselves. They’re safer if they stay here. Besides, we’re heroes, we’re supposed to protect the innocent. Draxum or Big Mama could be looking for them right now,” Raph argued.

You witnessed a similar argument two months after grandpa died. Mom wanted to push back your curfew an hour later while Ma wanted to keep it the same thing. It was a small spat that you watched from the living area. You had to solve the argument yourself. You told Ma that you were happy with the original curfew time. Mom only asked if you were sure before both your moms conceded and apologized.

“It’s alright,” your instincts from that day kicked into gear. “Forget I brought it up.”

“Are you sure?” Leo asked.

You nodded. Just like Mom.

Peace was brought back to the Hamato household again. Although, it felt like freedom slipped from your hands just as quickly as you got it again.

Chapter Text

This morning, you decided you needed to live with the fact that you’ll live the rest of your life in a sewer system. If only until your wound heals. Your eyes bore into the clean bandages exposed by your rolled-up sleeve. The skull kettle was facing your arm as well. Healing takes a lot longer when you only pay attention to a wound. It was as if the gash got peer pressure because you were looking at it.

Someone approached you in the kitchen. You weren’t sure who, but they were there. Footsteps slowly got closer to you. You lowered your arm and rested your head on the table, ears wiggling to try and capture them into soundwaves.

“Something the matter?” Leo’s voice was unnervingly close to your ear. He didn’t even lower it to try and accommodate your massive fox ears. Was he trying to scare you? If he was, then it worked. Your heart rate increased while you let out a sharp gasp. In an instant, you leaned back. The force of it caused the chair to tip backward. Leo caught you effortlessly, albeit holding back a laugh.

“You scared the shit out of me!” your hand went over your chest.

“I can see that,” Leo said. “But you were totally spacing out again. I didn’t know any other way.”

“Then find one where you don’t scare me.”

You crossed your arms, swiftly turning away from him.

“Alright, alright,” you could hear Leo smiling. “Come on, I wanna show you something. It’ll make you so grateful that I’m the guy who saved your life.”

“Huh? Where are we going?” you asked.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Does it involve one of those sparky portals or that dog that can teleport?”

“Nope. You just have to trust me.”

You took his hand. It was like an instinct, even though this is the second time it had happened. Whenever Leo holds a hand to you, saying either with his eyes or words to trust him, you were compelled to take it. There was something so earnest about it, his facial expression. It was unreadable but unabashedly showed his feelings to you instead of keeping them under lock and key. You just didn’t know what those feelings were.

Leo brought you up to the fourth floor of the lair. On the way there, he purposely avoided his three brothers, Raph in specific. His gaze would scan your surroundings, making sure you were alone. If you made eye contact with him, Leo would smile and pretend that none of it happened. By the time you got to the main training room, Leo was pushing you inside.

The main training room was empty, save for four dummies wearing bandanas. Arrows pierced the cloth. Although, you never saw the four brothers using a bow and arrow.

“You might wanna watch your step. Some sharp stuff is on the floor,” Leo said.

“The thing you wanna show me is in here?” you asked.

“Well yeah, this is where you’re training.”

“What? Raph changed his mind?”

“Yeah, he just wanted it to be a surprise. But, y’know, I had to tell you.”

A doorway that was previously closed opened again. It sounded too good to be true. A wide grin etched onto your face, unable to contain your joy during this moment. Then, a question popped into your head.

“Do you have a bow and arrow?” you asked.

“Yeah. You wanna learn archery?” Leo said.

“For a long time now. My parents never let me, though. They kept thinking I’d shoot myself in the foot.”

“Well, this turtle will make sure you don’t get shot in the foot.”

Leo pointed to himself with his thumbs. He grabbed the bow and sling of arrows for you and assembled what was supposed to look like a target. It was one of those mannequins from earlier. Leo grabbed the one with his colored bandana on it. He taught you how to get in the proper stance and how you should be holding the bow. It was reminiscent of your middle school’s archery unit in PE.

“Okay, now just draw back the string and let go,” Leo said.

You did as he instructed and the arrow was flying. It made a zipping sound, the arrow’s little feathers flapping quickly before it made contact with the dummy. You didn’t expect to hit the target, hell, you thought you wouldn’t hit it on your first try. However, the shot hit one of the red rings on your first try. It made your heart hammer with excitement. You wanted more of this feeling, this adrenaline rushing through your veins.

“I didn’t shoot myself in the foot!” you exclaimed.

“Yeah, not bad,” Leo said. “Go on, try another.”

You pulled out another arrow and positioned it on the bowstring. Closing one eye, you drew the string back, aiming for the target once more. If only Mom and Ma could see you know. They’d either be ecstatic or terrified at the thought of this.

You have to focus on one spot. You know how hard that is for you, Ma said when you were thirteen and asked to practice archery.

Those arrows are meant to kill people, Mom protested along with Ma.

They’re just looking out for you, Anne said after you vented to her. Maybe in the future, you’ll get to.

You never brought up the archery fiasco to your moms again, only to Anne. She supported your desires but looked so withdrawn.

By the time you got out of your head, the arrow had already hit the target. It was almost parallel to the previous spot you hit.

All of a sudden, someone busted down the door. You dropped your bow, retracting your hands toward your chest. They clasped together like they held a precious gem.

“I knew something was up!” Raph barked. “You’re teaching [Name] archery, aren’t you, Leo!”

“Yeah, what does it look like?” Leo gestured to you.

“Leo said you changed your mind,” you let the bow slip from your tight grip. It was now anchored by your furry fingertips.

After hearing those words, Raph’s eyes no longer held animosity toward you. Not even a little bit. It was all transferred to Leo. “I didn’t,” he said.

Leo kept from making eye contact with you. Your heart dropped into your stomach. His eyes were on Raph as if you weren’t a part of the room. He lied to you. Now, Leo and Raph were arguing again. Your body moved on its own, hastily putting away the dummy, bow, and arrows. All the while, you listened to the two boys’ words like tracks on a playlist.

“It’s what they wanted,” Leo said.

“They said they were fine without doing whatever you’re doing,” Raph argued.

“They were lying. I know it. That’s why I told them they were training.”

“No, you wanted to prove me wrong.”

You found where the arrows should go and placed them on the shelf. You took in a breath. So much for doing what I wanted. You turned back to the arguing brothers. Neither of them looked so torn up about what they wanted; that was good. However, the way both boys said those words didn’t settle with you. ‘They wanted’ this and ‘They wanted’ that.

“Ugh, I can hear your quarreling from a floor down,” Donnie was at the doorway.

“What’s happening now?” Mikey was on the other side of where Donnie stood.

“Based on how our guest looks, it’s about what happened last night.”

Your heart lept in relief the moment you saw the two much calmer brothers. If they’d seen the other two fight before, they could calm down the fight like you tried to do. You made your way toward them, paying no attention to what was on the floor. Mikey’s eyes went wide, but before you could notice him saying anything, your feet lost their place.

The fall wasn’t that bad, you had worse in the cafeteria at school. You almost tripped the day you became a mutant fennec fox. However, you weren’t in a room with sharp objects laying around.

Something sharp sliced through the bottom of your foot. It was probably the worst place to get a gash or cut as big as the one you got. With the hands, you could still walk, just not grab a bandage and keep up with the blood leaking onto your palm. You did not have that luxury with the foot.

The brothers heard your crash. You didn’t cry out in pain, no matter how much you wanted to. No one told you you could cry after all.

The smell carried through the room more quickly than usual. Flowers gathered around the wound as if trying to bandage it. The floor turned into grass. The shelf and training dummies were now trees. Raph, Donnie, and Mikey were covered by the illusion of a dream Grandpa used to tell you about. Leo did not fall for this. He covered his nose fast enough to not be affected.

“[Name],” Leo reached for your wound. “Oh god, that looks bad. Uh, don’t worry, I can get you to the medbay. Yeah, that needs stitches.”

“No,” you got the courage to look up at him. You almost regretted your words. Almost.

“No?!”

“I’m not trusting a liar.”

“Okay, I lied about Raph changing his mind. I’m sorry. Now just let me take you to the medbay.”

“You have nothing on you?”

“I didn’t think you were clumsy enough to get the bottom of your foot sliced!”

Leo was yelling out of pure stress. That expression was easy to read on him. The flowers around your feet grew along with the grass.

“You can take me to the medbay after you answer a question,” you said. “Did you lie to me because you wanted to prove a point?”

“A bit of both,” Leo said. “Look, I’m really sorry for lying to you. What can I do to make it up to you?”

“Carry me.”

“Okay, simple enough.”

Leo tried to place you on his back. You pulled away from him. If anything, you wanted to get under his skin a little. It was like petty revenge.

“Not piggyback,” you said.

“Fine, how do you want to be carried?” Leo rolled his eyes.

“Princess style.”

Leo reluctantly complied. A second door to freedom opened. You may sound annoying to yourself and Leo. However, the thought of having a choice on how to be carried was invigorating. It was a feeling you never wanted to let go of.

Leo’s arm went under your knees while the other supported your back. Your arms went around his neck as he lifted you. Your blood splattered on the ground and turned into flowers. Crimson dripped down to your heel now.

“There, happy?” Leo asked.

“Very,” you said. “But you’re not forgiven just yet.”

“When’s that gonna happen?”

“When I want it to.”

“Fine. So, did you keep the door intact?” Leo asked.

“I think so. Just walk a little bit forward and you’ll find it,” you were guessing at this point. The door had been permanently open to the lair ahead of you. Leo did not look like he believed you but wandered the world you created anyways.

A golden light leaked through the bark of a tree. A rectangle was cut out like a makeshift doorway. No. It was a doorway. You loosened your grip on Leo to try and open it.

“Are you sure that’s a door–” Leo was cut off when you opened the door. A ballroom was revealed within the tree. A chandelier hovered from the ceiling like a mirrorball. From inside, someone was shouting in terror as classical music played. The voice was of a woman.

“Someone save my baby!” she shouted. “They were cursed by the Wicked Goat King! Now they’re kidnapped by the Blood Witch!”

That voice was so familiar. Her high-pitched scream was something you heard whenever she and Mom watched a scary movie with you. It was the voice that thanked you when you brought her breakfast and tea.

You lurched forward, now fighting against Leo’s hold. “Ma!” you cried.

“Are you crazy?!” Leo pulled you away from the door and further into his embrace. “That’s not real.”

You stopped moving. He was right. That wasn’t your mother. She didn’t know what happened, or what those names entailed. Instead of focusing on that, you focused on your foot. Blood slowed down from your cut. Although, your fur and patches of skin underneath it were dyed red. But could you walk on it? God no.

Leo scanned the other trees in what once was the training area. Nothing resembling a door came up. He stepped through the golden threshold and entered the ballroom from the top floor. You were on the same level as the chandelier.

A winding staircase led down to the bottom. No dancers were on the floor, despite the music and lights making the floor shimmer. This changed quickly as you continued to bleed. Drops of blood turned into animals from grandpa’s dreams.

“That’s new…” Leo said.

“Yeah,” you nodded.

“None of these guys are your mom, right?”

“Nope. No hysterics.”

The animals walked right into Leo’s legs. He was forced to step in time with the crowd. They were all walking in the same direction, toward the staircase. Leo tried his best to avoid that direction and got forced against the wall. None of the animals seemed to notice that you were bleeding. They acted like mindless drones. They looked like normal animals seen in the wilderness as well, not like the yokai in the hidden city.

“Interesting…” you said. “I don’t think any of them know the way to the medbay.”

“It’s your brain,” Leo said. “You’re the only one that’s gonna know.”

“Well, I don’t.”

You vaguely remembered where the medbay was. You knew that it was on this floor, however. It shouldn’t take so long to get there. Now that fairytales got in the way, You knew nothing.

Leo broke out into a run, pushing past the animals. You knocked on every single door in the area. The first door was a void of darkness. Four pairs of glowing red eyes were the only light. Leo ran without you closing the door. A large tarantula stepped into the light. Its body had tiny hairs standing up. Two fangs sprouted from its face.

“Oh boy,” Leo said.

The spider did not hesitate to chase after you, hissing all the while. Your heartbeat quickened and your arms tightened around Leo. You couldn’t get any close to him now.

“Getting comfy now, are we?” Leo asked.

Heat bloomed from your chest and traveled to your cheeks. From all you knew, that had nothing to do with the illusion. Leo got to another door.

“Let’s open this one,” you said.

“You sure you want to? Could be another one of those things,” Leo cocked his head toward the spider hot on your tail.

“I’m sure.”

You opened the door. In an instant, a hoof and nothing else hit the floor. You closed it.

“Now I’m not,” you said.

Leo was running again. This time he was faster. The spider was a lot closer. You could see your reflection in its eyes. It was like your eyes had a filter of blood over them.

Trusting your intuition one last time, you opened a third door. Leo ran into the room without question. You slammed it and he pressed his shell against the wood. The spider’s hiss echoed outside. Its legs scraped against the door, prying it like a dog. Unlike the ballroom outside, the mystery room Leo burst into looked more like a hospital. The walls were white and clean, trapping a bed with all sorts of odds and ends on it. This was nothing like the medbay you glanced at a few days ago.

Then it hit you. For a moment, you saw your grandpa, laying in that bed. A journal was at this side. You were sitting on the chair next to the bed. He was giving that Moleskine journal to you. You shut your eyes tight, preventing tears from coming out. The image in your mind went away like blowing dust once Leo pulled off the pillowcase on the bed. He placed it over your foot, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

“You okay?” Leo asked, still inspecting the wound.

You nodded your head, “Yes. My foot is fine.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

You bit your lip. From that, it looked as though Leo knew the answer. You weren’t okay. You were stressed out of your mind. That’s why the lair looks like a fairytale dream.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Leo said. “Heck, Mikey can force you into therapy and you still don’t have to tell us anything. That’s your choice.”

“Is it my choice whether or not I can keep training?” you asked.

“Yeah. It should’ve been all along.”

You hugged him. It wasn’t desperate clinging, but a genuine hug. The embrace was light and a little warm despite Leo being a turtle. His free arm wrapped around you, returning the hug as much as he could.

“Now, I forgive you,” you said.

The hospital room your grandfather died in faded into the real medbay in the lair. In quick succession, all of the other rooms turned back to normal. Outside the medbay, Raph, Mikey, and Donnie woke up from the illusion.

“Thank god that’s over,” Leo said.

“I still need stitches, doc,” you said.

“Right, got it.”

Much like yesterday, Leo began patching you up. Although the cut on your foot was a bit more serious, the poking and prodding did not phase you. If it were anyone else, you would have flinched. But Leo’s gentle and precise first aid work kept you from panicking. It made your heart skip a beat.

Chapter Text

After your semi-adventure with Leo, Raph made a compromise. You were allowed to train. The catch is that you couldn’t go to the surface alone. Getting to that conclusion made you feel light. It was your decision after all. Practicing archery made you feel lighter. You were certain that nothing could get close to that feeling.

You liked to imagine you were the arrow, gliding fast and free. You would cut the air in half before stopping at the target. It was either a roadblock or a destination. Your skills improved over the past week. The arrows got closer and closer to the center, never hitting it.

Shortly after you got done practicing for today, you were in the projector room. The light bounced onto the paper covering the wall to get a better picture quality. At the moment, it showed nothing. As a mini surprise, the boys wanted to take you to a rooftop showing of a Lout Jitsu film. You’d never been to one, not even one starring the martial arts actor.

Donnie let out a disingenuous scream. He feigned helplessness against the light while Mikey and Leo dragged themselves toward him like zombies.

“We are mummies. Give us your soul,” Mikey and Leo said in unison. Their voices were monotone, much like the parody of Universal monsters.

“Help me Lou Jitsu,” Donnie said, voice just as monotone.

“Oh yeah! Who’s your daddy, mummies?” Raph tackled both Leo and Mikey. Their expressions stopped acting dead once their fate was sealed. But with the way the brothers laughed, it didn’t seem like they minded it.

“Ugh, I never get to be a mummy,” Donnie grumbled.

“Fine, be a mummy—if you can defeat Tazan, the Mummy King!” Mikey gave Donnie a noogie.

“Come on, we’re gonna be late,” Leo was pushing you closer and closer to the door, heading out of the projector room. An uncontainable grin was on his face.

“And where do you think you four are taking our guest?” behind you, a brown couch chair turned around. Splinter sat there with his arms crossed. He raised a brow, tail tapping against the cushion.

“A rooftop showing of the rare, Lou Jitsu Meets the Mummy Ninjas,” Mikey said.

“Oh, well tell me how it is…” Splinter paused. “After seeing it some other time because you are staying here, and cleaning!”

“No, the classic pause before pulling the rug on our plans. I hate those,” Donnie groaned.

“Come on, pops,” Leo’s hands rested behind his head. “We cleaned last year.”

“Last year?” you asked. No wonder the smell was rancid. It smelled like the sewer and teenage boys. You couldn’t tell the difference between the two smells either. Rotting pizza came in stacks next to a table swarming with flies.

“Uh, did I say last year? I meant last week,” Leo said.

“Now we’re gonna miss the movie,” Mikey said.

“Not necessarily,” Donnie’s finger went to the blue touchpad on his glove. “I may have a…”

“Please don’t say a ‘fix, bro,” Leo said.

“A fix, bro.”

“We’ll be here all night fixing your fix.”

“Scoff! Prepare to–”

“And don’t say, ‘eateth thy words,” Raph interjected.

“Eateth thy words!” Donnie exclaimed.

“You always say that, but we never do.”

Leo took the touchpad off Donnie’s arm. He ran away with it like a little kid with a rubber ball. Donnie went after his brother and reached for it. His fingers barely touched it before Leo had the device bouncing up and down off the sole of his foot.

“Not amusing, Leo,” Donnie’s brows furrowed.

“Relax, bud. Just saving you from another epic fail. It’s all good,” Leo said.

Eventually, Donnie got the device back. He sauntered toward the table. He kept his wrist close so nothing got stolen again. “Despite your juvenile antics and lack of faith, I give you all, Shelldon,” Donnie gestured to a purple case opening. It revealed a silver rectangular prism. Its eyes were orange and bulging out of the sides of its head.

“Good morrow, kind sirs,” Shelldon revealed a set of glowing teeth that blinked whenever he talked. He was floating in midair.

“Shelldon is our automated smart lair,” Donnie explained. “Here to keep our lives comfy, cozy, and free of all menial chores.”

An array of cleaning supplies scoured the lair with the clap of Donnie’s hands. Vacuums shaped like flying saucers drifted over the floor. Bits of dust and popcorn were picked up in their path. The seat by the round table was instantly cleaned of all grime and food waste. The flies went away seconds after.

“Wow,” you said.

“And I await your applause and applause. I’m still waiting for your applause,” Donnie bowed several times in all directions until his brothers gave him what he wanted.

“Okay, but what can he do for me?” Splinter asked.

“With my help, snacks will only be a split second away,” Shelldon said.

Splinter was flung from the chair and to a wall where popcorn, a Slurpee, and bags of candy sat. In one fell swoop, splinter grabbed them and was returned to his chair. He broke out into a fit of laughter, “I never have to use my legs again!”

“Allow me to clean the lair, gentlemen,” Shelldon spread out a second array of snacks for the boys. “I can also put on that Lou Jitsu movie if you’d like.”

Raph, Leo, and Mikey began to eat. Shelldon took it as a ‘yes,’ and put on the Lou Jitsu movie. Company logos flashed from the projector before fading to the first scene. You sat at the edge of the cushion around the table. What interested you was not the film, but the people watching it. The boys watched it with excitement in their eyes. Splinter gazed at the screen like it was a faded memory.

“Shelldon is crushing it, Donnie,” Raph said.

“What, Raphael? I couldn’t hear you over you eatething thy words,” Donnie said. “Zing!”

“Good one, sir,” Shelldon said.

“And, for you.”

A bracelet fell into your hands. It was simple in design. There were two buttons separated by a zig-zag line. It was like someone drew an ‘M’ with more steps. “What’s this for?” you asked.

“It’s merely a panic button. With a press of a button that wristband will alert me to your exact location,” Donnie explained. “Everyone else has it so, you might as well have one too.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” you grinned. “Thank you! I don’t know how to repay you.”

“No need,” Donnie waved a hand. “Although, you could let me test your blood…”

“Not a chance.”

…

You sit criss-cross, knee bouncing up and down. A pile of clothes sat in front of you. Tangled pieces of fabric taunted you about what little you had. They were clothes April got you, which you were grateful for. However, they never felt like yours. Maybe it was you itching to get outside paired with sudden independence. But you wanted to go out and get your old clothes from home.

There was also the fact that Donnie was blasting EDM music throughout the lair while Shelldon was saying positive affirmations. “You are the strongest, brainiest, and hunkiest turtle , ” he said.

You got up from the bed, dusting yourself off. You sighed. You had to get out of this lair. Suppose anything to get away from the noise. You made your way out of the guest room in search of someone to accompany you. It was like asking your parents permission to stay the night at Anne’s apartment. You took a deep breath to calm yourself. The boys were around the same age as you, give or take a year.

It was one in the morning. Leo should be up, at least. You made your way down the ladder to the first floor. For the entire climb down, your eyes were transfixed on Leo’s curtain. Your mind was being guided by an invisible string tied to him. It said he was someone to trust—a friend.

“[Name], you are about to fall off the ladder,” a light and robotic voice appeared next to you. Thank god you’d gotten used to Leo scaring you at the most opportune moments. You would’ve fallen off the ladder if you didn’t. Shelldon was beside you. His beady eyes were devoid of emotion.

“Thanks, Shelldon,” you said. “Wait, aren’t you in Donnie’s room?”

“Yes, but I’m also making sure you climb down a ladder correctly,” Shelldon said. “Are you seeking Leonardo’s assistance?”

“Well, not him in particular,” you said. “I just need to get some clothes from my old room. Someone has to go with me, though.”

“I can accompany you.”

“Is that allowed?”

“You will not be alone on the surface, so it is allowed.”

That was enough for you to agree to let him come with you. If you were honest with yourself, it still felt like sneaking out. You were as light on your feet as you could be, trying to avoid the boys complaining about Shelldon. It was obvious that Donnie made him favor him. However, that is a problem between brothers.

A rush of wind became flush against your body once you climbed out of the manhole. It was a strange transition from fall to winter. Nights were getting colder without a sign of snow in sight. Any trees were devoid of leaves. They all gathered at their feet.

There wasn’t any route you could’ve memorized like going to school or Anne’s place. You crossed your arms, staring at the unfamiliar buildings in Manhattan. How could you get home if you didn’t know the way there?

“Would you like to put in your address so I can tell you how to get there?” Shelldon asked.

“That’d be great,” you sighed and told him your full address, including your zip code. Then, Shelldon led the way to your apartment building. You stuck to alleyways and anywhere else harsh shadows lay. They reassured you that no one was going to find you, not even Big Mama.

Shelldon’s directions were, initially, loud. A few strangers turned their heads, thinking you were on your phone without earbuds. You convinced him to turn his volume down. That still didn’t salvage the embarrassment.

“We’re here,” Shelldon said once you came across your apartment building.

You climbed up the fire escape and up to your floor. The metal chimed lowly with every step you took. I was rusting all over. The black paint peeled off to reveal dark red. It was rough, even with fur.

Your apartment had two windows. One was in your room and the other was in the living room. The one in the living room had light streaming through it. It was like the sun being taken over by the endless night. Someone was awake. It was either Mom or both of your parents. You sat down, making sure not to create any noise. Shelldon hovered next to you. Your window was a few feet away. You could feel the void of what it used to be, despite all of your things being there.

“Can you see if you can open it?” you whispered to Shelldon.

Shelldon wordlessly floated to your bedroom window. He clicked it open, letting it swing open like a door. He retracted tools that included a welding flame. “Your window was unlocked,” he said with an annoyed drawl.

You said nothing beyond that and crawled as close to your window as you could. You got to the ladder and climbed around it so you’d have better access to your room. You planned to jump and hope to god you grabe the windowsill in time. That was until Shelldon ruined it and grabbed the back of your hoodie. He carried you into your room. He was silent when putting you down, to not alert your moms.

You dusted yourself off, heat rushing to your cheeks. Shelldon gave you an eye roll. You found your backpack next to your desk. After emptying it of your books, you began stuffing it with clothes. Shelldon did as well, going through your closet and carrying them with a metal hand with three fingers.

Then something fell out of the pile. A Moleskine journal tumbled into your hands. Even in the dark, you could tell the color. You saw it every time your mind went back to that hospital room. Blue. It was unlike the bright sky or the softness of Leo’s mask. The color resembled old jeans, having light gray mixed in to water down the blue. Your nails dug into the densely woven fabric.

Grandpa gave you this journal the day he died. He handed it to you with shaky fingers. You were blinking away tears. He said there was a note so you knew how to use it right. You never read it. You never opened the journal. It still smelled like the flowers your moms gave to him regularly, daffodils. It was etched into both covers.

“Linda, just come back to bed,” a muffled voice from outside said. It was Ma. “You’re going to pass out at work if you don’t.”

Your ears perked up, twitching from the familiar sounds.

“I’m sorry, honey,” Mom said. “I just don’t have any leads for this case.”

“Is it Warren Stone’s disappearance or [Name]’s?”

“Both. And somehow, I have more evidence on Stone than our kid. I even tracked [Name]’s cellphone.”

“You did what?!”

“Yes, I’m a bad parent. But, it was the only way. [Name] didn’t run away. The mug was broken. Tea got spilled everywhere. They were attacked. The phone was in a garbage depot from some fancy hotel. The owner doesn’t know anything. She was lying, but it’s out of my hands now. Someone else is taking the case.”

“Who?”

“Some guy named Bishop. I don’t know him. But who doesn’t let a mother look for their missing kid? I don’t want to find a new anchor. I want to find my kid!”

She was talking about Big Mama. Did she let your parents off your trail? She must’ve if she said she didn’t know anything. The only reason you could think of why she did that was to find you for herself.

A short-circuiting Shelldon took you away from your thoughts. He was twitching, eyes crossing before closing.

“Commencing system restart,” he said before falling through the air. Thank god you caught him in time. The problem was that you had no one to help you escape your parents. They were still in the living room.

“Who’s that?” a voice came from outside your room. Ma.

You had to act quickly. The backpack was dropped. You grabbed a handful of your clothes, taking the journal and Shelldon as well. Footsteps were approaching the door. You could tell they belonged to mom. Hers were always loud and sure of themselves. You had no choice but to make a run for it. You launched yourself out the window before the door could swing open. You tucked everything you held close to your chest.

A dumpster saved you from certain doom. Plastic bags, takeout boxes, and apple cores were like pillows to you. You let them hide you as your moms looked out the window to see who intruded on their home. Mom closed the window, muttering about how you never locked it.

Shelldon’s eyes lit up again. He levitated, looking at you up and down.

“Woah, these are some gnarly upgrades!” Shelldon was back at full volume. He sounded like a surfer from Cali.

“What the…?” your voice trailed off. “I didn’t think Donnie would change your personality.”

“Nah, he didn’t do this. His awesome brothers did!”

You climbed out of the dumpster. Your clothes and journal stayed put in your tight embrace.

“Thanks for saving me during the restart by the way,” Shelldon said.

“I had to,” you said. “Donnie put a lot of work into creating you. I wasn’t going to let that go to waste. That and I would’ve broken a rule if I left you to break.”

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” Shelldon was already ahead of you, clearly checked out.

“You know, about how Donnie created you with a lot of love?”

“Oh.”

Shelldon tilted his body to the side. His eyes were wide like a small child's whenever they ask a question.

“I’m taking you back to the lair. Just, stay quiet.” You pulled up your hood and left your apartment building. Not without taking one last look back. The clothes and journal became much heavier now that you carried your heart.

…

On the way back, you decided that Shelldon’s new personality was something between the brothers. You didn’t have a right in giving your two cents on the problem. Even though you lived in the lair now and part of why you took Shelldon out was because of the favoritism. You didn't mention almost being caught by your parents either. It was a compromise. You didn't need to know about their problems. They didn't need to know about yours.

Instead, you snuck back into the guest room as if nothing happened. Your clothes were added to the pile, mocking you less after all your hard work and almost getting caught. The one thing that lingered was the journal.

You sat on the edge of the bed. Part of you still didn’t want to open it. You shoved it aside and opened it anyways.

A note fell out of the book. The paper breathed into the sewer after being shoved between a cover and the first page for almost a year. To you, it was like opening a fresh wound.

I want you to write your dreams in this book, it said. When it’s full, put it next to my ashes. I’ll read them when I come and visit.

That was the last thing grandpa would tell you.

You blinked away the tears and picked up a pencil. Then, you began to write.

Dear Grandpa,

I know you wanted me to write down my dreams, but what I’m about to tell you is real…

Chapter Text

Most therapists are correct when they say a journal helps someone vent their frustrations. A weight carried itself off your back with every letter you wrote down. Something about weaving them into words made you feel safe in the pages: Ma always knew you were a writer. It was like unwinding a red string of fate created by her.

Aside from the initial opening of the journal, going through the pages wasn’t so bad. Instead of saying goodbye, you were saying hello to family. You caught Grandpa up to speed on Big Mama, the turtles, and your mutation. You didn’t know why but it felt like writing a story.

I knew that mom almost caught me based on her footsteps. You know how she walks. She’s always sure of herself. The thumps were loud. Her voice was echoing in the hallway. ‘Who’s that?’ ‘They’re in [Name]’s room.’ She probably thought I was a thief and narrowly got away from her. The little robot Donnie made was shut down. I guess there was more than one of him.

The Shelldon situation was solved the following morning. However, Shelldon was destroyed and Donnie was going to begin rebuilding him. You still didn’t tell him that you snuck out of the lair with him for the best. Raph’s overprotective instincts would ramp up even if you told the boys now.

You closed the journal for the day and went down to the main area in the lair. You were met with Mikey’s sparkling eyes. They were so youthful, even though he was a year younger than you.

“Oh, hey [Name]!” Mikey said. “Quick question, is fourteen old enough for someone to go up to the surface alone?” He was much too close to your liking. His face was a little less than a foot from yours. His beak upturned into a smile, cheeks puffing.

“Uh, sure. Why not?” you shrugged.

“Yes! Raph, they said it’s fine! Mikey out!”

You were left behind as Mikey leaped from the ladder and out of the lair. Raph had his arms crossed, a hand covering his eyes.

“Uh, what’s going on?” you approached Raph.

“Nothing, really,” Leo answered. “Our little Mikey is just going on his first solo mission.”

“Oh.”

You turned back to Raph. His shoulders relaxed. He let out a breath. Your hand was uncertain as it made its way toward the giant snapping turtle. You quickly pulled back as if nothing had happened.

“Where is he going?” you asked.

“An auction house to get a Lou Jitzu game,” Raph said.

“With this whole situation?” you gestured to yourself and the turtles. You were mutants and walking in front of a human freely. Mikey wasn’t an idiot. He might have a plan he wasn’t telling anyone. He certainly sounded confident as he left. “He’ll be fine. He knows what to do.” You sat on the edge of the ramp. Something in you told you that it’d be better this way.

It didn’t take long for Raph to start calling Mikey. You estimated that it was around ten minutes. Raph’s cell phone was tiny in his large hands. His three fingers struggled to dial the numbers to contact Mikey. The phone ran a low beep until Mikey picked up.

“Shell-o?” Mikey sang from the other end.

“Hey, buddy. Just checking in to see if you’re okay. Everything okay?” Raph said. “You’re okay, right?” He slipped into a baby-talking voice before he stopped talking entirely.

“Yes, Raph. I’m fine!” Mikey said. “I got everything under control–!”

He screamed. Then there was a thump.

“I have the artifact!” someone else said on the other line. “And you won’t leave until I’ve smashed your shell into powder!” It was a woman. A very loud woman. She said something about an artifact too.

“What? Hey, who was that?” Raph asked Mikey.

Another thump.

“Just uh–a pushy clerk trying to sell me an extended warranty,” Mikey said. “I’m not interested. I’m fine! Mikey out!”

Mikey hung up.

Raph stared at the blank screen. A chasm appeared like an invisible brow. “My overprotective brother sense is tingling,” he said. “Donnie, tap into their security camera.”

“Oh, sure. Let me just load my ‘tap into every security camera in New York’ app,” Donnie typed on his wristband. “I’m sorry if that sounded like sarcasm. It wasn’t. I am in.”

A hologram of one of the security cams in the auction house came up. Mikey was in the middle of a hallway. He checked his surroundings. No injuries were on him, however, he had no disguise. Then, a girl who looked about your age ran in from the right. She attacked him, causing Mikey to flip backward and out of sight.

Raph pushed aside Donnie’s head. His hand rested on Leo’s shoulder. He then processed what he just saw and came to the conclusion only an overprotective brother would

“That’s it! Mikey needs us!” he grabbed Leo, Donnie, as well as you and ran.

“Wait, us?!” you were locked under Raph’s muscular arm.

“It’s—on-field training,” Leo shrugged his shoulders

You didn’t have time to protest before going through another one of Leo’s portals. It was night. The chilly air brushed past your fur like a hairbrush. No sounds came from the inside other than Mikey sounding more cheerful than before.

Raph quickly busts down the door, ripping it off its hinges. Leo and Donnie already had their weapons out, ready for a fight. Mikey got squished underneath the weight of his brothers. He let out a small groan.

“Mikey! We’re here to rescue you, buddy!” Raph shouted.

No one was in the auction house other than the girl chrome the cams tied by the strings of a harp. She had a mask over her nose and mouth and a buzzcut. You nudged Raph off the door. He lifted it, letting Mikey free. He wasn’t happy to see any of you there. His teeth grit. The game cartridge pressed into his green palms hard.

“I had it in my hands! I was literally ready to leave!” Mikey stepped toward Raph. “What part of ‘by myself’ do you not understand?!”

The girl pulled out some kind of knife shaped like a triangle. She cut through the harp’s strings, her eyes on the conversation in front of her. You nudged Raph. He was too engrossed. You tapped Leo’s shoulder and Donnie’s metal staff.

“Aw, little man,” Raph said.

“What? Say what?” Mikey said. His hands went to his hips, appalled by the idea of being called little. He scowled at his older brother, silently warning him to choose better words. You recognized that look. You'd worn that look.

“I mean, big man. I will open up my apology wallet and give you a big stack of–”

“Yeah, yeah. Mistakes were made. Lessons were learned,” Leo was the one to interrupt Raph. “We’ve got a video game to play so, vamonos hermanos.”

You couldn’t leave. The girl was free and throwing multiple knives. Mikey swiftly avoided them before being kicked against the wall. The game tumbled onto the floor. You lunged for it while Raph was kicked in the stomach. You armed yourself with a knife from the wall. While a lot of your training was with a bow and arrow, you were taught a bit of self-defense. You were hoping it registered in the crevices of your mind instead of being swept by the ocean waves.

Leo tried to strike the girl. Her arms curled under his wrists and flipped him on his stomach. The girl blocked a hit in the stomach from Donnie and threw him across the room. You ran through the scuffle, game in hand. The cartridge was warm in your furry palms. You weaved through the knick-knacks while the girl chased you. She rounded a kick toward you, which you narrowly avoided. That was dumb luck.

The girl kicked the cartridge out of your hand. It launched in the air while you scrambled to get it. The girl’s heel hit your back. A puff of air escaped your lungs when you hit the floor. Her foot pressed onto your back, making you unable to escape. Your heart hammered in your chest, wanting more of the chase. It clung to the adrenaline, that rush in your veins. It was like an arrow cutting the air.

“Ha! Solo mission, complete!” the girl cheered.

The moment those words left her, the wall came crashing down. It cracked around the edges, still wanting to break and bring the entire building down. The bang the crash created left the girl stepping on you stumbling. The game fell from her hand.

Two figures emerged from the wall. One was much larger than the other. The difference was so stark it was comical. They both had an odd pinkish tone to their skin. Small flames erupted from their heads like candlelight. An orange silhouette of a foot was painted over their faces.

“We’re here to rescue you,” the bigger man said.

“No!” the girl gained composure quickly. “I had it in my hands! I was literally ready to leave. What part of ‘by myself’ don’t you understand?!”

“Yeah! She gets it!” Mikey sprang up.

“Stay out of this, pipsqueak,” the brute said.

“Woah. Whose brother are you calling a pipsqueak, toe-head?” Raph was quick to get up as well.

“Maybe you’re the pipsqueak.”

“I’ll protect you, Mikey!”

Raph tousled with the large man. The scrawny figure with the brute glanced at the fight and did not acknowledge any further. He picked up the game cartridge and raised a non-existent brow.

“This is not the artifact we seek,” his voice was raspy like a smoker.

“Wha—it’s the only Lou Jitsu thing here,” the girl said.

“It’s also a video game from the eighties . I’d hardly call that an artifact,” you rolled your eyes.

“Do not criticize the Foot Clan!” the girl pressed her foot into your back hard. You were likely to get a bruise from the pressure alone.

“Well, your mission is a bust,” the scrawny man paid no attention to your remark. “On the technicality, of course. But don’t be discouraged, the road to success is paved by miles of failure.” The scrawny man pulled out two circles from his palms. They were purple, containing layers of thin circles before becoming a dot. He combined them into one circle with a single clap.

“I will prove I am worthy next time!” the girl got off of you.

“Yes, yes, I know. Come. We’ll get a nice falafel.”

Both the girl and the scrawny man left the brute to fight Raph. Leo pulled you from the floor. You dusted yourself off, back aching. Mikey picked up the game, earning his victory for the solo mission.

“Who were those guys?” you asked Leo.

“The foot faces?” Leo said. “We’ve run into them every once in a while. They make these mystic ninjas out of paper.”

“They were looking for something.”

“Not our problem. We’ve got the game.”

It was suspicious. The girl said something about Lou Jitsu. Their clan needed something that belonged to him. It was an artifact. You could only think of the mystic world below when that word pops up now. What could they are looking for that was so important?

Leo nudged you away from the fight going on. His eyes went back and forth from you to the brute fighting Raph. For a moment, they were distant before going back to that regular smugness. You preferred it that way. He didn't leave your side until you got back to the lair.

Chapter Text

Three things were written down on a piece of paper. Foot Clan. Artifact. Lou Jitzu. After the incident at the auction house, whatever those people were looking for ate away at you. It went on for the past week. It didn’t seem like the boys knew of or cared for the connection.

All you knew at this point was that there was something the footmen wanted and that Lou Jitzu had. You’d think it’d be part of an online market. However, most of what you found was merchandise. You were officially at another dead end. Now, you were staring at the names connected as a triangle by a single line.

You turned toward the doorway for a moment, letting out a sigh. This was a big mistake. Someone was already there, watching you contemplate. It was Leo. Somehow, it was always him. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. You weren’t even startled by his presence anymore.

“How long have you been standing there?” you asked.

“About five minutes. I said your name a couple of times,” he answered.

A wave of heat went to your cheeks. It wasn’t for that long, but the thought of someone–Leo–watching you made your heart jump. You probably wasted his time by not paying attention. You shifted your feet closer together.

“So, what did you want?” you asked.

“Well, I was gonna ask about something else but now that I see you, you’re taking a break,” Leo sauntered toward you. He tugged on the back of your shirt. Your head was suddenly inches away from his plastron. Your footing was steady, forbidding you to fall on him. You couldn’t imagine how much he’d tease you if you did.

“What? Why do I need a break?” you asked.

“You’ve been in here too long, duh. Don’t you have any hobbies?”

“Of course I do.”

“Okay, what are they?”

You suddenly went quiet. You tried to look anywhere else but at Leo. God forbid you make eye contact with him. It’s almost like you were proving him right about something. You just didn’t know what. Heat bloomed within your chest, most likely by how close he was. It weaved its way under your skin, making you itchy.

“Books…” you muttered, only to get something out of your mouth to prove the turtle wrong.

“What’s that?” Leo asked.

“Reading books,” you said a little louder. The heat went up to your cheeks. Hopefully, Leo couldn’t see your flustered face under your fur. Why were you so embarrassed? Why did you choose reading?

“Huh? First time I’ve met someone other than Donnie that likes reading.”

“He only had all of the big-brain science stuff. Besides, you look like someone who hasn’t read a book in his life.”

“Comics count.”

“Sure.”

You rolled your eyes, a smile painted on your face. However, the smile faded when Leo approached Grandpa’s journal. He picked it up, eyeing it curiously.

“Is this a hobby too?” he asked. His mask made it look like he raised a brow.

“Put that back,” you stiffened, heart, dropping to your stomach. Grandpa.

“Why? Is it a diary?”

“Just give it.”

You tried to grab it, only for Leo to pull the journal out of reach. His hand rested on your shoulder, pushing so you couldn’t get closer. You pushed against his hold on you, arms flailing to reach the journal. Leo was grinning. It wasn’t a sneer, but a wide grin filled with boyish joy. The red markings on his face shrunk a little to fit his toothy smile. You stopped moving. He pulled you in with a single expression and a hint of laughter. It’s maddening. It scattered the ocean around before making it calm.

Before you knew it, the journal lightly tapped your head. You grabbed it quickly, hugging it to your chest.

“Don’t worry,” Leo said. “I’m not gonna read it or anything.”

You felt yourself relax again. The heat lingered but was much quieter than earlier.

“You’re still taking a break,” Leo grabbed your shirt again and dragged you out of the guest room. You were more prepared this time, enough not to fall on him. However, your feet were clumsy and trying to fight against the pull.

Leo stopped dragging you when a beep echoed from his wristband.

“What is it?” you asked.

“Oh, just a crime alert Donnie found,” he said.

“More on-field training as you like to call it?”

“Can I come?”

The words fell out of you before you could think. You sounded like a child with your tone. It revealed all of your request's earnestness and gave away its true meaning. I want to get better. One fight at an auction house wasn’t enough for you.

“Sure,” Leo said. “I don’t think Raph will shut you down.” He winked and gave you a knowing smile.

…

The on-field training was in a bio-dome. It was during the day, around noon to be specific. Arrows slung over your shoulder while your bow was at the ready. The commotion was a school field trip gone wrong. Two newly created mutants were rampaging around the dome and scaring people off.

You weave through the planted forest, navigating where your friends and enemies are. Various sounds of battle bounced from tree to tree. Flicks akin to an arrow being shot reverberated along with panicked screams. Some of them came from your friends. One flick, in particular, got louder and louder. You stepped aside before the object could hit you. Your heart jumped, arms raising a little to widen yourself.

A pair of crab pincers etched itself into the tree behind you. They were bright red on the outside with the sharp ends being orange. This would have been more jarring if Donnie hadn’t told you that the perpetrators of this raid were crab mutants bitten by an oozesquito. They were much like you in that regard.

More flicks are headed your way. You bobbed and weaved to dodge the pincers while following your friends’ voices. Their green bodies were covered with scratches and the beginnings of bruises. Other than that, they seemed fine. They were groaning in pain scourging them. You were the only one mostly unscathed.

Pincers scattered around the boys. You had to step over them not to get your ankle torn off by one.

“Are you guys okay?” you asked.

“We’re fine. But, that did not go as planned,” Raph answered.

“Maybe not the result you wanted, but the result I expected,” Donnie said.

“I’m just surprised [Name]’s the most intact,” Leo said. You couldn’t tell if he was playfully teasing you or not.

The boys got up, groaning a little from sores. Leo used his sword as a makeshift crutch. Mikey was still on the ground, now sitting, and Donnie readied his weapon. Raph had his back turned to a few bushes. The shadow inside of them got bigger and bigger. Leaves opened a doorway to let the crab men through.

“Man, we are getting our butts kicked on an everything level,” Raph said.

You drew back an arrow toward the opening bush.

“Well, we still have to do something about it. They’re scaring everyone out of the bio-dome,” Donnie said. “And you know what a fan I am of experiential learning.”

“Come on, Raph. Think of something useful,” Raph said.

“Uh, did you say that out loud?” Leo asked.

You shot the arrow into the bushes. One of the crab people hidden in them let out a yelp.

“What was that?” Mikey asked.

“The people trashing the biodome?” you suggested.

The crabs jumped out of the bushes. One had stiff braids while the other had your arrow pierced into their arm. He took it out, hissing in pain. They both wore light blue leotards that hardly fit their bodies.

“Duck!” Donnie shouted.

“More like crab,” Mikey said. You grabbed the nimble turtle before the crabs could attack him. They landed with ease, crouching on the ground.

“Oh ho ho, step one of our plans: disturb a school field trip,” the bald crab said.

“Step two: Strike a pose,” the one with hair said.

The crabs made many poses that the average person could not do, at least if they weren’t part of a circus. Were they performers before they got bitten?

“Oh yeah, we’re totally nailing this introduction,” the crab with hair said.

“Come here, my little turtle,” the bald crab aimed his pincers at Mikey. “Let me pinch your cheeks.”

“How dare you take something as sweet as cheek-pinching and make it menacing?!” Mikey retorted.

“Taste my claw!”

Several pincers shot from his hand, regrowing within seconds. Leo got in front of the group and slashed a portal into the air. He laughed as the pincers disappeared. When he tried to release them, they flew back in his face.

“That went well,” you said.

“You’ve got anything better?” Leo said.

Mikey swung his kusari fundo, lighting it ablaze. The crabs dodged the heated chain, making it warp around his small body. It was still burning while Mikey lay on the ground, incapacitated.

Raph was in next, he made himself big to take on the two crabs. He was on the vines, on level with the crabs. In fact, he was too big. His weight couldn’t be taken by the vines stretching across the trees. He made them snap, and he fell back to the ground.

Donnie attempted to fight, but his tech bo had a dead battery. He took this as defeat and lay among his brothers.

You drew an arrow back, backing toward the four frothers. The crabs landed on the ground again and you shot the arrow.

“Looks like there’s one little fox left-OW!” the crab said as he got shot.

“It’s still two against one!” the other crab said. “You don’t stand a chance!”

Suddenly, something purple formed underneath you and the crabs.

“What the?” your body began to sink into the light. That’s when you realized that it was a portal. 

“[Name]!” Raph grabbed your wrist in an attempt to pull you back up. You looked down at the purple light. By then, you got an idea.

“Let me go,” you said.

“What? No.”

“I can follow them. If someone’s doing this, I have to check it out.”

“I swear, it wasn’t me!” Leo said.

“Fine,” Raph looked away. “But don’t get yourself into trouble.”

“Promise,” you nodded. It was surprising that he would say ‘yes’ so easily. You didn’t get the time to ask about it because you were dropped into the portal. Although, Raph’s expression told you enough that he didn’t like the idea. That was all you needed to see.

You were wrapped in a blanket of darkness. You landed on a carpeted floor with a soft thump. It was flat, clean, and harder than the carpet in your apartment. A table was in the middle of the room with several snacks on it. The crab mutants were seated at said table, just as confused as you were. However, they did not notice you landing.

The portals kept opening, letting in other mutants in each chair. The only one you recognized what the hippo mutant from homecoming. Everyone else was someone new. There was a purple mantis, with cat fur and claw scars on his pinchers. His hair was dark, swooping over his head in a nineteen-sixties look. Another was a pig with red eyes. A large roll of fat peeked through his white tank top. A vein sprouted from his neck.

“One of you muties know what’d going on here,” the mantis stuck one of his pinchers in the table. “I’ve got a birthday cake that needs repossessing.”

“Which one of you brought me here?” the hippo threw a bladed ring like a boomerang. “Who do I have to cut in half and then not bring back together?” He was interrupted by a hammer slamming on the table. A bone protruded from it.

“All I see is fresh meat for me to season!” the pig mutant held the hammer. He was also interrupted by tendrils of purple wrapping around his body. They squished him like a plushie before forcing him to sit down.

“Enough…Meat Sweats,” a deep voice resounded through the room. Even before he stepped into the light, he created a commanding presence. A pair of voices cackled while the man revealed himself. That porcelain-colored mask was familiar. So were the horns. Your heart stopped for a moment before you drew back an arrow aimed at him. It was Draxum. The goat man that created the turtles and the mosquitos that bit you and all of these other people.

“I am the one that brought you here,” Draxum continued. “I look around this room and see nothing but potential. Who thinks it’s about time we–”

A chair was being slowly pushed toward the table. It made a squeaking sound akin to nails on a chalkboard. You covered your ears, the intensity of it vibrating through your body. The chair stopped and a worm jumped onto the seat. He was tiny, small enough to be stepped on like an insect. But, he had a gauntlet way too large for his body.

“Please, continue,” the worm flipped his blond hair to the side, trying to fix it.

Draxum sighed, “We join together today for one purpose–”

“Lemonade!” someone flipped on the light switch. It was a short capybara humanoid with a tray of glasses containing lemonade. He had a permanent smile that showed his buck teeth. The darkness around you disappeared. You were just in the back of a conference room. The people around you were still dangerous, but it wasn’t some kind of dungeon-like you thought it was. It was still in a hotel. It seemed like you had back luck whenever you came across one.

“I hate to brag, but it has been called life-changing and dream-making,” the capybara said. “Who wants some?”

The mutants around the table raised their hand. He started to make his rounds, handing a glass to the dangerous people before coming over to you. He set a glass to the side, even though you didn’t ask. Not wanting to be rude, you relaxed your arrow and took a sip. It was good. This guy was just walking around without a care in the world. You doubted he knew that none of these people were safe to be around. It wouldn’t be right to escape this place on your own without taking him with you.

“What’s going on? Who is this?” Draxum asked.

“That would be Todd, sir,” the gargoyle on his right shoulder said. “Trust me, he’s as bad as they come.”

“I told you to bring me the worst, meanest, most dangerous mutants and you bring me, this guy?”

Your guard was back up again. The arrow was back to being drawn. This time, you fired it at Draxum. The purple tendrils from earlier caught it. His eyes narrowed at you, and you drew back another arrow. You were ready to fire it if he made one step closer to you.

“You bring me a kid too?” Draxum said.

“Well, actually, they’re a teenager,” the gargoyle on the left said.

“But! They’ve got some neat mystic powers. Rare too,” the gargoyle on the right did jazz hands. “Blood-based.”

“Fine,” Draxum sighed and raised his voice to the table. “Everyone in this room shares a common enemy. We are here to destroy the teenage–” He was cut off again by the other mutants slurping the lemonade. Their sighs in contentment after drinking filled the room. You tried to ignore them, but they unpleasantly scratched your brain. You wanted it to stop just as much as Draxum did.

“Enough!” Draxum slammed his hands on the table. “I brought you all here because the turtles, my creations, are ruining my plans for yokai-kind to reclaim our place on the surface. With your help, we can take them out, you can finally be free and become everything I so badly want you to be!” His speech was fast and filled with blind annoyance. “Now—who’s with me?”

“Excuse me,” the worm said. Squirming through the other mutants to address Draxum. “I, Warren Stone, former anchorman, and their official greatest foe, have a few questions before I join this ghoulish gang.”

Warren Stone? That name sounded vaguely familiar. That hair too. You’d seen it on one of mom’s case files. But it was just the picture, you weren’t allowed to look at anything else. He was one of the missing people in mom had to find. It was about a couple of months ago when he disappeared. To think that he turned into a worm with a very large fist.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Draxum said.

“I have no idea,” the gargoyle on the right said.

“Why is one of his fists so big?”

“Why is one of your fists so big?!”

The door to the conference room opened. You hid deeper in the corner since a human came through the door.

“Excuse me, sir, there’s been a slight problem with your credit card,” he pulled out something akin to a red artichoke. “It’s uh…a cocoon?”

Warren Stone used the oversized gauntlet to get the hotel worker out. The gauntlet shot blasts the closed door while also singing it.

At the same time, you shot the arrow at Draxum. It landed on his shoulder. Draxum did not react much to it, not in the pain department. However, he gave you a questioning stare.

“I think that’s a no from them, sir,” the gargoyle on his right shoulder said.

“Those are my friends!” you said.

“Oh, we should’ve thought that one through,” the gargoyle on the left said.

“You threw one of them off a roof!”

Purple tendrils sprouted through the ground. They zipped toward you. One of them got around your ankle. It knocked you on your back with a single harsh tug. You only had time to pull out one arrow. Draxum pulled you from the floor, dangling you by your foot.

“Well…if you’re not going to cooperate,” Draxum said.

Quickly, you pulled up your sleeve. The arrow pierced through your fur and the skin underneath it. It was the first thing you could think of to get yourself and Todd out of this room. You shut your eyes, trying to think of something other than getting kidnapped. You were back home. Ma was in the kitchen, cooking dinner and singing show tunes. Mom is humming along, watching her wife with hearts in her eyes. Their voices are filled with warmth. Everything is happy.

For a moment, there was silence. A sweet smell coming from your blood filled the room. It was like vanilla and lavender. You got dropped on the floor again. The mutants didn’t notice your presence anymore. You didn’t hesitate to run over to Todd, covering his nose so he wouldn’t breathe in the smell. He didn’t seem to mind.

‘Meat Sweats’ asked who Draxum was and why he kept saying he created the turtles.

“I’m glad you asked,” the gargoyle on the right said. Both small creatures clapped and the lights turned off.

Then, they started singing. The mutants around the table started singing show tunes. You and Todd watched them as an invisible orchestra backed their vocals.

“Why are they singing?” you said.

“Wow, you made them sing. I love show tunes,” Todd said.

“It used to be just a couple of flowers. Why’re they singing?”

It may not have been what you wanted, but it was enough to distract them from you and Todd. You opened a window and leaned over the sill. There wasn’t much to climb down from, but you could make it work. The singing continued, but you paused when they mentioned the turtles.

“ Was fourteen years ago today, he made the turtles from the ooze ,” the gargoyles sang. You stopped climbing. You should leave. You had to leave. But you couldn’t. Run. Run. RUN!

They continued to sing, moving on to a verse about a human fighter from the Battle Nexus. His human DNA was put into your friends, turning them humanoid. Purple flames gathered around the room. Draxum stood on the table as the other mutants gathered around, listening to his siren song. Technically, you were making this all happen with a few drops of blood. You weren’t sure if this fit the show-tune angle the spell went for.

You hesitated for too long at the windowsill. A purple tendril wrapped around your body, it trapped your arms, keeping them at your sides. You were kicking as the wound of your arm got covered. The illusion wore off so quickly for Draxum if he noticed you. Maybe it was because of his status as a ‘Warring Warrior Scientist,’ as the gargoyles say.

The panic button. The panic button, you idiot! Press it!

You struggled to get your arms out of the bindings. They only tightened the more you moved. Your ribcage got squeezed through the restraint, getting to your lungs. It was hard to breathe. It felt like the air was escaping you like a disease. The sun was beginning to set. How long were you in there? The mutants only sang a single song. You didn’t see Todd either. He was wrapped in a tendril too. The windows shattered, raining upon you. The glass didn’t cut through your body. And surprisingly, that was what you needed.

“Now, let’s commit some unnecessary but highly destructive violence, my Evil League of Mutants,” Draxum said.

“Woop! Woop! Our first hostage!” The gargoyle on the left said.

“Perfect bait!” the gargoyles high-fived each other. They didn’t seem to notice or mind that the song number was an illusion and that Draxum broke them out of it.

Chapter Text

Leo slumped next to his father’s chair in the middle of the projector room. His odachi leaned against the armrest. For once, Splinter hadn’t been there, opting to be in his bedroom. He was most likely asleep and forgot that the chair existed.

Mikey was beside Leo, sprawled on the floor, legs hanging on the chair. Donnie was on the other side of the chair. Raph was across the room, sitting on a beanbag chair. [Name] was nowhere to be seen. It was like his heart dropped within Leo’s stomach. He saw what had happened. They wanted to jump into that portal. Into the unknown. He couldn’t help but worry. It was a thorn in his side he couldn’t pull out and he didn’t know why.

“We can’t keep failing only to luck out in the last second,” Raph sighed. “I know no one wants to hear it but we need…”

“Don’t you dare say the t-word,” Mikey said.

“Training.”

Leo groaned. None of them had formal training in a couple of years. It wasn’t until they met Mayhem and Draxum that Leo contemplated the thought. [Name] was the one training most of the time. Leo convinced himself that they were the only one that needed it since they’d never picked up a weapon in their entire life. That was only because Leo didn’t need to train, or so he thought. After what happened at the biodome, he was inclined to believe Raph’s words.

“What’s training going to do for us?” he said. “I’d say we need better mystic weapons. Anyone wanna trade?” His brothers knew it was a joke.

“Mystic weapons or not, we need to get better at…everything,” Raph said. He got up on Splinter’s chair, one foot on each armrest. “I look at this room and see nothing but potential. Who’s ready to tap into that, eh? Take it up a notch? Be the best of the best?”

“What about [Name]? Shouldn’t we go and help him with the whole villain-chasing situation?” Mikey asked.

“They’ll be fine,” Leo assured his younger brother. “They can handle themselves. I’m more concerned about who’s going to train us.” Leo didn’t want to think of what could happen to [Name]. He already came up with a few scenarios of what could happen. All of them ended in capture. In a way, Leo wasn’t too different from Raph—always worrying about someone.

“I think I know who,” Raph said.

…

That was how Leo stood before his sleeping father while the TV in his room played. Splinter had the news playing in the background as his snores echoed through the room. The same snores kept Leo up at night as he heard them through the vent.

“Master Splinter!” Raph woke up their father with a shout. They would only call him that if they wanted to train.

“I swear I’ve never been to Dallas!” Splinter flailed under his thin blanket before he brought it closer to him.

“Master Splinter, we need your help. We need you to train us to be…heroes,” Raph said.

Surprisingly, Splinter agreed. He returned the boys to the projector room and began rummaging through weapons. Leo stood in line with his brothers. His hands were behind his back. It’d been years and he still memorized the order they would all stand, the posture they kept while being talked to. It was weird to think of something like training as nostalgic.

“Glad you boys are back for some formal training,” Splinter picked up a mace. “It is not going to be easy. I will break you down to your core, like a snowball. Then, I will build you back stronger, like a snowman. Now, let us begin.”

“Time to level up,” Raph said.

“Yeah, all of us say yeah,” Leo said.

Leo and Raph leaned in, watching their father pull out a katana. Leo’s heart palpitated with anticipation. Would he engage in a sparring session? If so, then the projector room wasn’t a good spot. Splinter then used the sword to push a VHS into the projector. It was a Lou Jitzu movie, 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Dead Fish. Then, Leo was back to being a child. Instead of wonder, there was disappointment running through his mind and body.

“First, we’ll watch Lou Jitzu in 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Dead Fish, ” he said. “Followed by–”

Leo paused the movie. “Are you serious? This isn’t training,” he groaned. He and his brothers stood in front of the screen. He leaned on his odachi.

“This is training,” Splinter argued. “You are not ready for more than this. Lesson one, WWLJD. What would Lou Jitzu do?”

“How is thinking like Lou Jitzu going to help us?” Leo said.

Splinter said something under his breath that Leo could barely hear. Something about–caring? He wasn’t sure if that lined up right because it didn’t feel like Splinter cared right now.

“This is the first and only time I will ever say this, but Leo is right,” Donnie said.

“Plus, we know all of these fights by heart,” Leo added.

“Oh, well, excuse me,” Splinter rolled his eyes. “I suppose you don’t know the fight in Litter Jacob’s Ladder ?”

“Do people even use ladders anymore?” Raph said.

“We need more! We’re ready for the floaty wings to come off,” Mikey had his shell turned to Splinter.

“We need real training. Not whatever this is,” Leo said.

“Yeah, what are the odds we fight in a fish market or ladder factory?” Donnie rolled his eyes.

“Well look at you fancy boys, thinking you know everything just because you taught someone your age how to shoot a bow and arrow,” Splinter stood. “Well, let me tell you about boys who know everything. They don’t. They should listen to their fathers who know everything.”

“What do you know about training anyway?” Leo rolled his eyes. “You’re just a rat and we need a tiger.” He left with his brothers, about to leave the projector room. He wanted to look back at his father, but he wasn’t sure if he would take back what he said if he did.

“We’re out of here,” Raph said. “Which you already knew because you know everything, right?”

“No. You will go nowhere,” Splinter scampered atop the couch chair. “Because you are grounded.”

“What?!” Leo finally turned around with his brothers, finding his dad’s angered expression.

“And give me your weapons! You don’t deserve them.”

Leo dropped his odachi to the ground and left. For a moment, he could hear Splinter sigh solemnly.

…

Of all the places Draxum could have brought you, it had to be an abandoned fish factory in New Jersey. Your bow and arrows were confiscated and put in a dark corner of the warehouse. Just when you thought you could do something, there would be a pair of eyes watching. The scent of dying fish burned your nose hairs. It was hard to breathe. Your brain kept giving you the idea that your lungs shriveled with every breath you took.

To think that you were going to be used as bait for Draxum to lure the boys. Although, the other mutants planned to write out anything that could get them to this warehouse. You wriggled your hand through the purple tendrils keeping you in place. Your nails scraped against the fleshy trap. You found that they had gotten a bit sharp since being bitten.

The first tendril to the point where it could snap. Your hand pushed through the tiny hole you made and continued scratching. You retracted it when Draxum approached. The tendrils made it so you hung from the ceiling. Thank god he didn’t notice the hole.

“It’s a shame that such a rare mystic power has to go to waste,” he said to himself.

“Good, I’d rather waste my blood by keeping it where it should be,” you retorted.

“I would hold your tongue if I were you. Your friends might pay the price if you don’t.”

Something covered your mouth, muffling your voice, making sure you did as he said and ‘held your tongue.’ You rolled your eyes at him. This wasn’t the first time you were kidnapped after all. At least Draxum was upfront about being threatening.

When he was gone, you took out your hand again and started scratching the bindings. Slowly, but surely, your arm was able to move more. The arm you were trying to free had the bracelet Donnie gave you, the one with the panic button you failed to push earlier. You contemplated it for a moment. Something in the back of your head told you not to push it. ‘You could figure this out on your own,’ they said. ‘You don’t need their help.’

Hypno hung you from the ceiling with an extending rope. You tucked in your hands so you didn’t get caught. All you had to do was wait for the right time and make a run for it. A voice in the back of your head said that this wasn’t that time. A pair of curtains closed in front of you while everyone hid in silence just a metal screeching noise echoed within the warehouse.

“Oh ho hoo-kay?” Leo’s disembodied voice was the first thing you heard.

“We’re sure showin’ pops,” Mikey was the next to speak. “Sneaking out, chilling in a fun, totally-not-scary…pitch black warehouse.”

He said that as the world around you plunged into darkness before being taken over by spotlights. You shut your eyes, trying to get rid of the sudden blinding light.

“Ooh, ambiance,” Raph said.

“Well, well, well, we meet again,” Draxum’s deep and guttural voice lept into the void beyond you.

“Where’s that voice coming from? Wait. Wait. Don’t tell me,” Leo said.

“You have entered, but none of you will leave,” Draxum said. “Welcome to your worst nightmare.” He stepped out from the curtains. You caught a brief glimpse of the turtles huddled together, watching as the spotlights revealed Draxum’s towering frame.

“Baron Draxum?” Raph said.

“Woo-hoo! Yeah! Go, go! Magisaurous! Magisaurous!” Mikey cheered, unable to get that this was a threat instead of an introduction to a magic trick. His words became muffled as he continued to cheer.

“Wait. This guy’s a warrior, scientist, and magician? Talk about a triple threat,” Leo said.

“Boss, I didn’t know you knew magic,” one of Draxum’s gargoyles said. “We love magic!”

“Can you turn Munin into a bunny?” the other beamed.

“Silence!” Draxum cut them off. “The magic was a trick. This is a trap.” He snapped his fingers and the curtains pulled away, revealing the mutants holding you captive as you hung suspended over them.

“Breaking news: You’re toast!” Warren shouted.

“Liver toast,” Meat Sweats said.

The two lobster mutants chanted ‘crunch’ while snapping their pincers over and over again. The sound made you want to rip off your giant ears.

“As a magician, I find this trick offensive,” Hypno said.

“I’m going to repo your lives,” the mantis mutant said.

“And, we have a hostage!” the gargoyles said in a sing-song fashion. “This one said they were friends with you so…” One of them poked you, turning you around so you couldn’t see the boys. You gave them a deadly glare.

“This is why you never go to New Jersey!” Leo shouted matter-of-factly.

“This is your last chance, children,” Draxum said. “Join me and I can maximize your potential—be all that you can be. What is your answer?”

There was a moment of silence. Your hands ripped through the confines of the tendrils and began scratching at the rope suspending you from the ceiling. The material was rougher than the flesh of the other restraints. It pierced through your fur and scratched the skin underneath. A drop of blood stained your fur, its sweet scent beginning to travel.

“You threw me off a roof!” Leo finally answered. His browbone furrowed in exasperation. It had only been a few weeks since it happened, yet he clung to the event as if he were clinging to the edge of a cliff.

“So that is a no? Fine. You rejected me for the last time. Now, your and your friend’s lives will end.”

“Wait a minute. Is that Todd?” Donnie pointed toward the back of the stage. Todd was tied up, which was more or less your fault. Although, he looked chipper as ever.

“Hey, do you guys like my new friends? They’re all so serious and I’m all like ‘whaa?” he said.

The rope suspending you to the ceiling snapped when you scratched the last bit. You let the tendrils cushion your fall, escaping them as they splattered across the concrete floor. Your breathing was ragged and heavy. Your heart pounded in your chest. Your gaze darted from the fight that had just begun to your bow and arrows. You had to help your friends.

You darted toward the bow but got caught in a crossfire of sharp steel rings, pincers, and a mallet. You clung to the nearest of the boys, that being Leo, as you were flung into a pile of fish. Your arms were looped around Leo’s shoulders, legs around his waist. His gaze met yours when you realized his face was buried into your shoulder.

“So…how was the spying?” Leo asked teasingly.

“Shut it,” you grumbled, immediately letting go of him and succumbing to smelling like fish for a week.

“Do you think Splinter will be mad at us for not listening to him?” Mikey was suspended from a net hanging off a ladder. Donnie’s head emerged from another pile of fish. He groaned, almost like that was his answer.

“Dad was right, and we were so mean to him,” Leo sighed, his voice soft.

“It couldn’t have been that bad,” you said.

“No, we’re grounded. We snuck out here. Also, Dad took away our weapons.”

Your eyes widened, unsure of how to respond to that. Should you give advice? Were you even supposed to speak? You weren’t a part of their family. “Glad to see you almost forgot about me,” you said.

“Well, for one thing, you said you had it handled and then you got caught,” Leo said. “And we didn’t forget. At least, I didn’t.” Those last words were said in a mumbly and low voice.

“It was an honor serving with you guys,” Mikey replied.

“Do you smell that?” Donnie raised his head a little more.

“Is it Raph’s ‘facing impossible odds’ stink?” Leo rolled his eyes.

“No, it’s–” Donnie was cut off when Raph popped up from another pile of fish.

“Ladders!” Raph shouted. He pointed to a fallen yellow banner, labeling the warehouse as a fish market and ladder factory. His eyes were wide, jaw dropped. “It’s the fish market ladder factory we never knew we wanted!”

“W-W-L-J-D,” Leo said. “What would Lou Jitsu do?”

“Splinter’s training really did have a purpose,” Donnie sat upright, a small smile creeping up on his face.

“I guess Dad was right,” Mikey said.

Raph grabbed a ladder and set it down in front of all of you. Leo looked up at his older brother and smirked. “Let’s make him proud,” Raph said.

“Up for more on-field training?” Leo asked.

“I thought you’d never ask,” you smirked.

Leo took a fish, slinging it over his shoulder. Donnie and Mikey both grabbed ladders. Donnie stood atop the wooden box of fish. You took a ladder, running toward the warehouse to grab your bow from inside. You dodged the fish being flung toward the mutants, courtesy of Donnie twirling a ladder to launch them.

You held the ladder in front of you, blocking one of the lobster mutant’s claws. You tossed the ladder, kicking the end of it into his stomach. He let out a cry in pain before doubling over on the ground. Then you realized you aimed too low and hit him in the groin. Somehow, the result was better than you expected.

You took the ladder again, keeping up with the shield. You weren’t the best with close combat. Your bow was closer to the entrance. You stepped atop the ladder, launching yourself toward your trusty weapon. You grabbed it mid-stumble. Finally, you were in some kind of comfort zone.

Draxum was in the warehouse still. You drew back an arrow, letting it zip to the purple fleshy tendrils he sprouted from the ground. Arrow after arrow, you shot them, never hitting Draxum himself. You were about to grab your next arrow but felt nothing. You were out. Your heart dropped.

“Shit,” you muttered. Glancing behind you, you found the boys fighting valiantly with only the fish and ladders from the factory. It was…elegant in a way. It was as though they treated both random objects like real weapons. With a stroke of inspiration, you picked up a fish and drew it back like an arrow. When you shot it, it hit Draxum in the shoulder. It didn’t do any damage, but it hit him. His eyes were wide, nostrils flared.

“That worked?” you said.

Draxum went back into fighting mode. You weaved through the tendrils trying their hardest to grab you. You ran toward the first person you could see, Leo. He was using two fish like a sword before impaling one fish through the other.

“Catch of the day! Swordfish!” Leo slashed one of the lobster mutants. The lobster was thrown back toward the warehouse. Behind him, Hypno hid under the deck. His head peeked through the hole. You drew back another fish, shooting Hypno. Leo glared at the other lobster mutant behind him, throwing another fish at him. Then, he smirked at you, “Nice shot.”

“Thanks. I’ve been practicing,” you smiled. All of a sudden, the weight in your chest became much lighter.

Eventually, the mutants got up again. Each of the four turtles grabbed a ladder to bat them away. “Hot soup!” they shouted like a battle cry, much like what Lou Jitsu said in his movies. Raph extended his ladder to twice its length and struck them all away like a home run in a baseball game. 

“Laddering like a boss!” he grinned.

It felt as though you could breathe again the moment the mutants were gone. You lowered your bow, even with Draxum in front of you. He was no longer ready for a fight. He merely stared at the boys in awe.

“Now that your minions are done, how about we tango you sheep-looking–” Raph said before he was interrupted by Draxum.

“Where did you four learn to fight like that?” he asked.

“Only from the greatest action film star in history, Lou Jitsu,” Raph said. His three brothers said Lou Jitsu’s name along with him. Their fists were raised in the air in triumph.

“How could you possibly know Lou Jitsu?” Draxum asked.

“From his movies, duh,” Mikey answered. “Are you a fan?”

“No. I knew Lou Jitsu. He was the greatest warrior in the Battle Nexus. His human DNA combined with my ooze gave you four turtles life.”

“Say what?” Raph dropped his ladder, falling to his knees. “We have Lou Jitsu DNA?”

“You mean?” Mikey said.

“Cowa–boy am I speechless,” Leo lowered the fish slung over his shoulder.

“Of course. It all makes sense. Cool,” Donnie said.

“How does that make sense?” you asked. “That’s impossible. Lou Jitsu is dead.” It couldn’t have been that way. Lou Jitsu disappeared almost twenty years ago. How did Splinter find them if Lou Jitsu was their biological father? Unless…Splinter was Lou Jitsu.

“This is what I’ve been trying to tell you,” Draxum stepped forward. “You’re destined for so much more.” He extended his hand. You stepped back. Raph stood up. Just as you thought he would take his hand, he turned around quickly.

“Omigosh! Lou Jitsu is our dad!” he was grinning, hands cupping his face.

“Oh wow!” Mikey looked at Leo. “You kind of look like Lou Jitsu, Leo!”

“I always knew I felt famous,” Leo cupped his chin with his finger and thumb.

“Guys! Guys! Do I look like Lou Jitsu?” Raph asked.

“I totally see the resemblance,” Mikey said.

“Yeah, I see it too,” Leo said.

“Our connection to Lou Jitsu is not just emotional, but biological,” Donnie pulled his goggles over his head, inspecting Raph’s hand.

“Enough!” Draxum surrounded you with fleshy roots. They lifted him so he towered over you even more than he already was. “If you cannot see your potential. Then I have no further use for you.” Before he could attack you, something appeared behind him. It looked like the portal that dragged you to the hotel earlier today.

Draxum was sucked in, purple flesh and all. Raph jumped after him, wanting to ask so many more questions. You could only stand there and contemplate how something like this happened.

“Leo!” Raph turned toward Leo quickly like a snap.

“I swear to Pizza Supreme in the sky, it wasn’t me. Like, I don’t even have my sword,” Leo said.

“Well, if it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Mikey asked.

“It was the same portal that dragged me in, but I never found out who it was,” you said. “I guess it doesn’t matter. Let’s just go home.”

…

The boys had to sneak back into the lair. They jumped down through the fifth floor while you trailed downward as if you were here the entire time. Leo had fallen on his face while Donnie, Mikey, and Raph landed on their feet. Splinter’s chair was dragged out to the main area, covered in shadow.

“Land safely,” Leo groaned.

“Hey, what’s Pops’ chair doing here?” Donnie turned around.

“Where were you all? I was worried!” Splinter turned on the lamp next to him. “Didn’t I ground you four?” He pointed to his sons. You stiffened, your tail raising to the point where it was practically vertical.

“Yeah, and you took away our weapons,” Leo turned his accusatory point into a high five.

“We’re really sorry. But, we learned a really big secret today and [Name] was kidnapped so we had to save them. We need to tell you–” Raph fumbled through his words, trying to explain what happened tonight.

“Wait. Me first,” Splinter interrupted his eldest. “Ugh, being a single parent is…um…what I wanted too…I-I did not mean to lose my temper earlier today. It’s just that sometimes as a father–”

“I can’t let you finish that awkward parenting speech when…Lou Jitsu is our father,” Leo said. “Mind-splosion!”

“What? Who told you? I mean! How did you–” Splinter’s eyes went wide. His hands gripped the armrests of his chair.

“What he means is that Lou Jitsu is our human DNA,” Donnie said.

“Well then, I guess you know the fact that I am in fact–” Splinter was interrupted again. Leo’s hand was on his shoulder. The boys were all gathered around the chair.

“I know this is a lot to take in,” Leo said. “But, we just want you to know…”

“That regardless of where our DNA comes from,” Mikey said. “You’re still our dad.”

“And, we’re sorry we didn’t listen to you, Dad,” Raph said.

“Yeah, what they said,” Donnie added.

Splinter was silent for a moment, then his gaze softened and he smiled, “My sons.”

“Group hug!” Raph pulled Splinter in for a hug, and the boys gathered around their father in a loving familial embrace.

“I wonder where Lou Jitsu is now?” Mikey said.

“Wherever he is, I bet he’s being awesome,” Leo said.

You stepped away from the group. This was their moment. You weren’t their family, just a guest until you were willing to tell your moms everything. Although, you weren’t sure if that was going to be in a week, a month, or even years. Maybe never, and they would have to live with the fact that they don’t have a child anymore.

You left the main area, reminding yourself to confront Splinter about him being Lou Jitsu.

Chapter Text

The night was young. A full moon was high in the sky. Its light outshone the many city lights New York had to offer. You lingered on the rooftop next door to your and your moms’ apartment. It was midnight. Ma should be asleep, but you knew Mom would be working hours upon hours looking for you when it wasn’t her job.

Distraught still lingered in your home, but it wasn’t so explosive since the first time you broke in with Shelldon. Donnie and the guys had a mission tonight, something that he was leading. He mentioned something about the Purple Dragons, a group of thieves that went around stealing tech-related stuff to hack into banks. You were pretty sure that was the tech club at your and April’s school. The girl that ran the club, Kendra, was a bit older than you and in April’s grade. Anne never liked her.

Your opinion of kids from your old school didn’t matter anymore. All that did matter was that you were allowed to go on the surface alone. It took two months of living in the sewer with them for Raph to trust you not to hurt yourself. You weren’t going to let this fail or he might never trust you again.

Finally, Mom left the living room and went to her and Ma’s bedroom to sleep. It was time to make your move. You lept toward the fire escape near the window. Your feet softly landed on the metal material making up the terrace. You couldn’t help but contain your grin as you did. That took so much training to do and finally, you were quiet enough to enter the apartment. Quietly, you pulled the window open and crawled through.

The living room was dark. Papers were sprawled over the walls, coffee table, and couch. You tiptoed toward them, finding that they were all your files. A couple of them were pictures of you and notes jotted down about where you were last seen. Under the pile was a transcribed question from Big Mama.

“ I’ve seen nothing about a lost little one,” she had said. “ And Big Mama always has security patrol the hotel grounds. ”

You rolled your eyes. Yeah right. You tossed aside the transcript and found another paper written in the same handwriting. It was a letter addressed to Mom.

Detective [Last Name],

I’m giving you an update on the investigation as you asked. I haven’t found much about your kid’s whereabouts, but I was able to track down people smelling a certain thing before being trapped under some kind of haze. I promise I will investigate this and find your child.

Sincerely,

Detective John Bishop

You put down the letter. Mom mentioned someone named Bishop the first time you visited. He was leading the investigation into your disappearance. If anything, this was just a reminder that you had to hide from him. You quietly headed into your room, paying mind to that one creaky floorboard in the hallway.

You clasped the doorknob, slowly twisting it open. When you did, there was a sudden crash. A metal bucket fell to the ground as you backed against the wall. Your tail straightened, ears perking up. The lights in your parents’ bedroom are turned on. You tried to will yourself to move, but you couldn’t. Your feet were rooted to the ground.

“I knew the alarm would work!” Ma said.

“It’s a bucket, babe,” Mom said. “That’s not an alarm.”

“It is if it lets you know that a creep is trying to take your runaway child’s things.”

The hallway lights flicked on and you saw your moms in their pajamas. Ma had on a robe while Mom had a baggy and oversized Yankees t-shirt. You froze and so did they. Your eyes went wide. They saw you. This was the one thing that shouldn’t have happened.

The boys would never have you on the surface again.

“Mom? Ma?” you croaked.

Ma walked toward you first. Her delicate hands caressed the fur on your face. That was enough for the tears to flow. Ma pulled you into a bone-crushing embrace. Your arms remained at your side, unsure of what to do. Should you hug her back? Push her away and run?

“I can’t believe it’s really you,” Ma said through sobs.

“Wait that’s really, [Name]?” Mom asked.

“Of course, it is. Look at them.”

Ma gestured to you. You went stiff, staring at Mom with wide eyes. She walked over to you. Her eyes were half-lidded, brows furrowed. “And our kid just suddenly turned into a fox person?” she asked. “I mean, look at this, it’s probably not even real.” She tugged on a patch of fur on your face.

“Ow!” you slapped Mom’s hand away, covering your cheek.

“No, that’s real. Sorry, honey,” Mom said.

“How can you both recognize me?” you asked.

“I’m your mom,” Ma said. “I’d be ashamed if I can’t recognize my kid.”

That was enough for you to break. Tears streamed down your cheeks, making your fur wet. You threw your arms around your moms, sobbing into their shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” you hiccuped. “I’m so sorry!”

They hugged you back. The three of you embraced for a while, none of you wanting to pull away. You ended up shuffling toward the couch so you could sit down. That’s when your moms pulled away.

“How did you end up as a fox?” Ma jumped straight into questions. Her hands were on your shoulders.

“Where were you for the past two months?” Mom asked. “We thought you were kidnapped.”

“Did you run away? I know Grandpa’s death has been hard on all of us, but we’re here for you sweetie. You can talk to us anytime.”

“No…it’s not that,” you said. “I…it’s a lot to explain and it’s complicated. It’s late too, I don’t want to keep you up.”

“We have all night,” Mom said. “Tell us everything or you’re grounded.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you everything.”

You caved and told your moms the entire story, starting with the oozesquito and Big Mama. You statistically left out the part where she kidnapped you. It was safer to not have your parents even more tied up in Yokai drama than they already are. You told them that the turtles and Splinter took you in and a bit of what’s happened since then. Again, you left out that Draxum kidnapped you, but you did tell them that he did this to you. When you finished your story, your moms stared at you with wide eyes.

“I know you might not believe me, but it’s true. You know I wouldn’t lie about something like this,” you said.

“It’s extremely strange,” Ma said. “But with..um, you, it looks like I have to.”

“Is there a cure?” Mom asked.

“No,” you answered right away. “There’s nothing you or me or anyone can do. This is me.” You said that last part with a sigh and slumped your shoulders. You looked away from your moms in shame. Even after a couple of months with this form, it felt so unreal. You were a fennec fox-like in the videos Anne sent you.

You felt Mom take your hand. “Do you have any idea how worried we were?” she asked. “We thought you died! Anne was devastated when she found out you disappeared. I mean, what are we supposed to tell people–”

“You can’t tell anyone!” you barked, tail standing up straight. “ You weren’t even supposed to know.”

“So we were supposed to think you were dead?”

“No..yes? I don’t know.”

This took a lot of work to navigate. You bit your lip and stared at your feet. It was challenging to look anyone in the eye, especially your parents. Mom was using her special interrogation skills on you. It helped her with investigations and parenting alike.

“How about I make some tea?” Ma asked to try and de-escalate the argument. She was smiling but her brows were furrowed.

“I’m good,” Mom said.

“Same here,” you said.

Ma sank into the couch. Mom let out a deep breath. Your tail relaxed and you sighed.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” you said softly. “I just didn’t know how you would react if you saw me like this. I thought…you wouldn’t see me as your kid anymore.” You wanted to cry again. You could feel the tears creeping up on you again. It made your cheeks hurt.

There was silence. Then, you felt both your moms embrace you.

“Honey, you have two moms. We know what it’s like to not be accepted by our parents for who we are,” Ma said. “And we would never do that to you. We love you and there’s nothing that can change that.”

You let out a sob and buried your face into Ma’s shoulder. That’s what did it for you. You remembered being at your parents’ wedding once it was finally legal for them to get married. Grandpa was the only other family member that came. Everyone else in the family didn’t except your moms for who they were and who they loved. You knew that was why they clung to you so tightly. They had no one else.

You pulled away from the hug, wiping away your tears. You needed to leave, but the little kid in you wanted to stay the night. Just one night where everything was mildly normal. That was all you needed.

“Is it okay if I stay with you guys tonight?” you asked. “It’s getting kinda late.”

“That’s more than okay, sweetie,” Ma said. “And our windows will always be open when you’re ready to live with us again.”

That’s right. You’d be back to living with them again. The prospect of that made something within your chest twist. You ignored the feeling and went back to your old room. You buried yourself in the covers after turning on your old night light.

…

The following morning, you quietly slipped away and back into the sewers. It was like a weight was lifted off your shoulders. It wasn’t just because your moms knew you were a mutant either. Something about seeing that giant skating ramp in the main area made you feel light and happy.

The moment you stepped in, you were pulled into a sturdy plastron. Mikey had caught you in a hug, still holding a spatula. He was most likely making some breakfast.

“Where were you, [Name]?” he said. “We were having a Jupiter Jim marathon and you missed it.”

“Mikey,” you said. “I was just at my old apartment. No biggie. But when I got back you guys were asleep.”

That last part was a lie. It was easy to do that to Mikey. He was more inclined to believe you right away, making the rest of them believe you. The only one that would be the most skeptical was Leo. It surprised you. You expected it to be Donnie but knowing him for the past couple of months made you realize he wasn’t the best at picking out lies.

“Well, I made pancakes to get on over to the kitchen,” Mikey lightly pushed you towards the kitchen.

“Okay, okay,” you chuckled as you made your way inside. Donnie was pouring himself a cup of coffee while Raph and Leo were already at the table. You were waiting for it to be awkward, but it wasn’t. For a moment, you forgot that last night, you were seen by a human—your moms.

You sat at the table and ate your breakfast, trying your best to forget about the future.