#one of my favorite things tying Raph and Leo together is that they both *hide* | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

angeldormante · 3 years

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Hi!! Im the Leo-withdrawal anon! I didnt ask anything prior to the one you just answered, but I'm so happy you responded! I'd honestly listen to anything you write--I think you have a wonderful way of expressing yourself, and the way you write is just... *chef's kiss* I guess, a question I'd have for you is this: What sort of hobbies do you headcanon our fearless leader to have? Quirks? Both endearing and... less so? I think that'd be a fun start!

hokay.... finally getting around to this!! sorry for the wait and thank you for bearing with me, anon! (ty for the compliment, too -- i'm very flattered jfjflk i just like talking about turtles ok (•̥ ̫ •̥) )

now... lemme talk blue to ya.

if we're talking about hobbies, well. stop me if you think you've heard this before -- leo loves training. for all of the guys, ninjutsu is a way of life; it's how they survive the world, how they connect with themselves and one another; it's their entire culture that the foundations of their family is built upon. and that's super neat. but watch 2k3 for like, one episode, and you'll very quickly see that the only one that fully leans into it is leo. mikey and don have their own interests that they often can't get to quickly enough once the day's training session ends. i think raph actually enjoys training recreationally as well -- but he's more interested in the physical aspect, spending his energy, bulking up, not necessarily focusing on skill or technique. i like to imagine that growing up, leo and raph spent a lot of time in the dojo together doing their own thing, kind of "separate but together"; before casey came along and raph got into hanging out topside with him.

leo, though, he throws himself fully into training. he's incredibly dedicated to it not only because of his sense of responsibility, but because he genuinely enjoys it -- he enjoys improving his technique, his skill. he enjoys the repetition of learning, which helps to calm and center him. he enjoys meditation, which helps him focus and clear his mind. as an introvert, and precisely because his family doesn't hang around the dojo as often as he does, leo's solo training time is his time -- it's his chance to relax and decompress. i think it's exactly why he spiraled harder and harder in season 4 no matter how much training he did: at that point, it was no longer a hobby, but an obsession. leonardo normally uses training as a healthy outlet, but when he channeled his exodus trauma into it, he removed his main method of decompression and replaced it with the intent to fuel that exact trauma. (sidebar, though i've talked about it before: i also feel like this is why fast forward is so excellent at showing leo's character growth. he is extremely zen and such a huge advocate of healthy self-reflection in the way he coaches cody and his clone. my sweet boy, so proud of him in that season.)

now i know what you may be thinking. and you're right. there's more to leo than his life in the dojo... so let's talk about some other hobbies i like to think he has!

so here's the thing, and i think it's something else i've touched on before... but i think leo actually has a very strong bond with donnie. their temperaments are very similar, they feel similar burdens when it comes to protecting the family, etc... and to be honest, i think they bond a lot over the same nerdy hobbies too! i think leo is a huge freaking nerd.

i legit think that donatello has probably absorbed his brother into more than one of his hobbies, both unwillingly and not. some things click for leo, and some things don't. some things he has a hard time getting into until he discovers a certain aspect of it or views it from a different perspective. but he is very often willing to try anything.

for example, i imagine that growing up, leo and don played a lot of chess together. don used to overwhelmingly win, until they got older and older leo got deeper and deeper into the tactical aspect, and soon he was beating don quite soundly more often than he wasn't. don started getting into engineering manuals and physics books, while leo started getting into history texts and military treatises, but both shared a love for novels and would swap their favorites regularly. and they still play chess, of course.

don got into nerdy sci-fi shows. like, really into them. and leo couldn't quite pick up the thread on that one, but he was content to endure every fourth movie night when it was don's turn to pick. and slowly he began getting drawn into it, the same way anyone does -- he enjoyed the campiness of the plot, how absolutely ludicrous the fight choreography was, how sometimes there were actually deep and thoughtful moments. it was both a welcome respite from the intensity of his reality and something he could put to practical use if he had to, like, steal a spaceship one day, though the odds of that happening seemed pretty low⁽ˡᵒˡ⁾. he was never able to quote any of the episodes verbatim like donnie, but it was something they could discuss and lightly bicker about during the times when leo is mindlessly helping out around don's lab. (more on that in a sec.)

also? i can absolutely. totally. easily see leo as a tabletop game enthusiast. i think i'll refrain from getting lost in the weeds on that once, since this is already starting to run long, but i just want to put that in your mind. tmnt dnd gaming nights. let that sit for a second.

okay moving on.

i genuinely think that leo just likes existing in the general vicinity of his family and extended family. not necessarily doing anything; just being there, doing something with his hands. if don is working on a project, leo may drift in, and don will ask him to hand him certain tools or read aloud certain notes on the screen, because he knows the deal. if raph is lifting weights and leo wanders over from his own training session, raph may ask him to spot, or set up the next pair of weights, because he knows how it is. if mikey is sitting in the living room playing video games and leo appears on the couch next to him, he might toss him a controller, or he may just start blabbering about what game he's playing and what level he's on, because he's got it. if april and casey are tidying up her shop for a new shipment of merchandise and leo just randomly appears in the window, feathered duster in hand, april smiles and puts on water for tea and casey teases him and throws him a broom instead without blinking. because that's just how leo is.

the thing is, leo is one of those people who have such a strong presence that -- as long as he's not trying to hide it, of course -- you know he's there because he carries such an atmosphere with him. on the other hand, leonardo is the type of person who is genuinely content to just be in the background. which may sound totally at odds with the whole leader schtick, but i think it's just kind of this duality he has: he can be both at the forefront and in the background, depending on the situation and what is needed from him. does this mean he doesn't have his own hobbies or interests? of course not! but even canonically, throughout the series leo is shown to be just as happy with his hands off the reins so long as there's not a mission in front of him. and i think it's precisely this lack of that constant need for control that shows just how whole and rich leo's inner life is, how he feels full and complete without his leadership/big brother role completely defining him, and how season 4 rips that carpet from under his feet to show the unhealthy side of that particular coin.

so as much as a cop-out answer it may sound like -- i think that leo just enjoys doing things with his brothers. he likes rooftop runs with them. he likes pizza and cards with them. he likes movies, sports, and games with them. but he's also his own person, and he enjoys being in his head, and he has hobbies that help him make his head a healthy place to be; his family absolutely respects that quality, and leonardo is a much more well adjusted person for it.

er.... i didn't really get into quirks or bad habits, but this has run really long already and it's getting late, lmao. so i think i will stop here for now. =w= thank you for letting me ramble again about my blue boy, anon; i know i'm slow, but hopefully i rambled enough to make up for it!

#tmnt #tmnt 2003 #leonardo #meta #long post #if u aren't sick of me.... ofc i'd be happy to talk about the rest sometime flkjfds

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thatcrazyfanfictionwriter · 6 years

Text

Secret of the Sewers: Recovery

Karai laid on a hospital bed inside Saki Enterprises, an IV in her arm and breathing tubes on her face. The Shredder, free of his armor, sat by her bedside holding her hand. A young doctor with fiery red hair was examining a clipboard full of information on Karai's condition, including at least five cat scans.

"Well Mr. Saki." The young doctor, Dr. Chaplin, began. "I have some good news. While Karai's brain has sustained some damage from the backlash of Project Oracle's powers, it is minor damage that the brain can naturally heal over time."

"Excellent." Saki said, a hint of relief in his voice before he squashed it with his usual cold, calculating tone. "How long until she is conscious?"

"Unfortunately, it's too early to tell." Chaplin informed him. "She could wake up any minute, or be in a coma for months. I'm afraid we just don't know enough about what Oracle did to her to give an accurate assessment."

Saki's fist clenched at the idea of his daughter being in a coma. He slammed his fist on the side of her bed in anger, eliciting a gulp from Chaplin. The doctor excused himself, exiting the room just as Hun entered. He still had the bruises from the battle, and looked physically drained. Still, the behemoth managed to give a proper bow, albeit painfully.

"Master..." he groaned.

"Have you found them?" Shredder asked.

"No Master..." Hun answered. "All we found was this."

He produced a bloody piece of white cloth, the remains of some sorts of lab coat. Saki looked at it, remembering a similar coat on one of the turtles.

"Where was this?" he demanded.

"Near the edge of the city." Hun replied. "It would seem they've fled."

"Hmmm… we best be on guard then. They may have gone, but they will soon return."

"Yes Master." Hun agreed.

As Hun left, Saki looked out the window at the sun rising over the city.

…

The Shellraiser twisted and turned down the gravel road that led up to Northampton, the large canopy of trees providing little relief from the bright sun of the late fall months. They had been driving for a few hours now, Donny doing the best he could for his two patients with what he had on him, as well as anything they could scrounge from the various CVS' and Walgreens they hit along the way.

"How they holding up Don?" Casey asked from the driver's seat.

"Hisako's stabilized, and with any luck, she'll wake up soon." Donny replied, tying off the bandage around Hisako's waist.

"And Leo?" April questioned.

Donny looked upon his fallen brother, feeling more than a bit helpless.

"He's got a fever, and he's still out cold." Don lamented "I can't work on him fully until we're somewhere off the road."

"Don't worry bro." Mikey assured him. "I'm sure we'll be there soon."

"I hope so." Donny replied quietly.

As the four of them conversed, Raph cradled Leo's head in his lap. The blue turtle's hair was matted with sweat, which worried the red turtle, and increased the size of the lump of guilt that had settled into his throat.

"Leo…" He muttered.

As they kept driving, Hisako groaned slightly, coming to. Master Splinter, who had been holding her this entire time, looked down and sighed in audible relief.

"My child." he whispered.

Hisako blinked slowly as she came to, her entire body hurting. The other turtles looks over at their sister, each of them relaxing a small fraction.

"Hey sis." Mikey called out softly.

"Hey..." Hisako croaked, her voice weak from pain. "What happened… where are we?"

"We got our shells kicked." Donny informed her. "After you got struck down, we were forced to flee the city."

"We're almost to my grandma's old farmhouse." Casey added. "I figured it be as good a place as any for us to hide out while you and Leo heal."

Hisako gave a small nod, then glanced over at Leo. Even through her pained haze, she could make out a faint buzz of activity going on in the blue turtle's head. He was alive, but he was badly hurt.

"He's still holding on..." Hisako said softly, a note of happiness in her voice. "Even after everything, he's still holding on."

"Course he is." Raph declared, doing his best to sound brave and tough. "His skull's thicker than Mikey's."

For once, Mikey didn't attempt to deny the jibe. Thankfully, the pained silence that filled the Shellraiser was soon broken by Casey calling out in relief.

"We're here."

As they made their way through the thick canopy of trees, a large farmhouse became visible in the distance. It looked old and the paint was faded, but to the battle-weary travelers, it looked like heaven.

"The place could probably use some TLC," Casey admitted, "but it's got water, electricity and heating, so we should be good for a while."

"It will be sufficient." Splinter replied. "We cannot thank you enough."

"Look, you guys are practically family by now." April explained. "And family sticks together through good and bad."

"You said it, April." Casey agreed.

…

Splinter carried Hisako into the home, her wounds making walking next to impossible. Trailing behind him, the three conscious turtles worked together to bring their injured brother inside.

"We need to get him in water." Donny announced, feeling the heat radiating off of Leo. "It will help him heal faster."

"The Master bathroom." Casey replied. "There's a big bathtub in there, and a bed for Hisako. Second floor. Third door on the right."

They made their way up the stairs, Master Splinter gently depositing Hisako onto the large bed. As he worked to prop her up on the available pillows, the other turtles gently put Leo in the tub, removing his clothes and letting the cold water cover him up to his neck.

"Now what?" Mikey asked.

"Now, we wait." Donny replied. "It's all we can do right now."

"I'll keep an eye on him." Raph volunteered.

"I can do that, Raph." Hisako told him, her voice a hoarse whisper. "It's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon."

She attempted to sit up, but instantly regretted it as pain lanced up her side.

"It's fine." Raph reassured. "Really."

He glanced down at Leo, regret in his eyes.

"I've got this."

Raph then took a chair and sat down so he could watch over Leo. The others just looked at him a bit before exiting the room. Splinter gave Hisako's hand a final squeeze before leaving himself. Once they were alone, Hisako looked at the red turtle.

"It's not your fault you know." she croaked.

"Get some rest sis." Raph told her.

"Raph..." she began, trying a second time to move, but once more regretting it, "None of this is your fault."

Raph sighed, realizing his sister wasn't gonna drop the issue quickly.

"Yeah, well then whose is it?" Raph asked.

Hisako grunted a bit before answering.

"Karai." she muttered. "Her and that…. Shredder guy… They hurt Leo. They hurt me. Not you."

"Leo wouldn't have been out there if I hadn't yelled at him." Raph replied.

"If you hadn't done it, one of us would have. We were all just kettles ready to boil over..."

"Yeah we I popped first." Raph interjected. "Figures. Me and my temper screw everything up again."

Hisako let out a sigh, then settled onto the pillows. It was going to take a while for their wounds to heal. All their wounds.

…

A few weeks passed since the eight fugitives had fled New York. In this time, everyone had done their best to find some way to keep themselves occupied. April and Casey and thrown themselves into cleaning and repairs of the farmhouse. When they weren't washing windows or doing dishes, they were out in the barn trying to get an old riding lawn mower to work.

The turtles were no different. Raph hadn't budged from that chair in the master bedroom, keeping a close vigil on both of his injured siblings. Whenever they needed their bandages changed or Leo's tub needed to be cleaned out, he made sure it got done.

Donny had built himself a small work station in the attic, allowing him to do the one thing that never failed to calm him down: tinker. Though he did let himself out every now and then if there was something in the house that required fixing beyond Casey and April's grasp.

Splinter, meanwhile, was working with Hisako to try and help her walk again. Much like when she was first learning how to walk, it was a slow process, one that got her easily frustrated. On one particularly bad fall, she banged her fist on the ground in anger, tears of frustration rolling down her face.

"Why can't I do this?" she seethed.

"You have been through a trying ordeal." Splinter told her. "It will take time to fully recover."

"I feel like a little girl again..." she grumbled bitterly, "That helpless little girl unable to even defend herself..."

"You know you have come a long way from being that little girl the turtles found in the dumpster." Splinter reminded. "You cannot allow this new set back to mar everything you have become."

Hisako took a deep breath, then slowly struggled to her feet, clutching the makeshift crutch Donny had made her.

"I know it may seem hopeless now, but you will rise above this." Splinter consoled. "In truth it took me quite some time to adapt to my 'new form'. I thought I would never be used to it, but I was wrong. This is no different for you."

Hisako nodded.

"You're right." she agreed. "And in time, these will just be new scars."

"That's my girl." Splinter said smiling.

Mikey slid into the living room balancing a bunch of trays in his hands and on his head.

"Lunch time!" he declared. "I made beef stew, you're favorite sis."

"Thanks Mikey." Hisako replied. "Smells good."

He slid one of the trays off his arm, which held two steaming bowls of stew.

"Eat up." he told them. "And if you want more, just ring that bell I gave you."

Hisako chuckled, looking at the little bell that Mikey had found while rummaging through the basement. He had dubbed it the "Mikey Bell" and had given her instructions to ring it if she ever needed anything.

"No problem bro." she assured him. "Now go find Don. He's probably starving by now."

Mikey smiled before exiting the room.

…

Donny was bent over his work table, several pieces of metal tubing in his hands, as well as his own broken Bo-staff. He compared the tubing to his staff over and over again, testing its strength and relative flexibility.

"Almost got it..."

"Hey Donnie." Mikey greeted, entering the room.

This surprised Donny to the point of tossing the two staff into the air and having them both drop on his head one after the other.

"Mikey!" Donny exclaimed. "You know better than to sneak up on me like that"

"Sorry." Mikey apologized. "What are ya working on?"

Donny recovered the two staffs, returning them to his work table.

"I'm trying to make myself a new Bo staff, one a bit sturdier than a piece of wood."

"Good call. For when we run into that Shredder dude again."

"Right." Donny agreed. "I'm also working on adding some personal touches. I'm thinking a piston extension and a blade."

"Cool." Mikey said, then he stroked his chin. "Maybe you should try two blades. One at each end."

"Actually, that's a pretty good idea Mikey." Donny concluded, already figuring out how he could make it work. "Got any other ideas?"

Mikey hesitated for a moment, a bit reluctant to ask.

"Actually Don, there is something you could do." He finally admitted.

He set down Donny's bowl of stew, then took his Nunchucks off his belt.

"Do you think you could upgrade these too?" he asked.

"Hmm…" Donny thought. "I'll see what I can do."

Just as Mikey prepared to walk out, Donny spoke up again, his eyes not leaving his work table.

"How's Raph doing?"

"About the same." Mikey reported. "He hasn't left Leo's side since we got here."

"Has he eaten?"

"Oh yeah." Mikey told him. "I've got my best agent making sure he does."

…

Klunk sat in Raph's lap, the red turtle absentmindedly scratching the cat behind the ear. Though he would never admit it out loud, Raph was kinda happy Mikey had plopped the cat into his lap, declaring the small feline his guard. It gave him someone to talk to aside from his unconscious brother.

"Hey there little guy. Can I tell you something?"

Klunk looked up at the red turtle, giving a single meow and rubbing his head against the turtle's hand.

"I'm scared." he said. "Scared for my brother Leo."

The cat cocked his head, then looked over at Leo's still form.

"I'm scared that he's never gonna wake up…" he continued, "And that the last thing I said to him was that we didn't need him."

Tears started to roll down his eyes as he continued.

"I just… i just wish i could say how sorry I am. That I didn't mean what I said. That I should've never said what I did… that we do need him… that we all need him back. I need him back."

There was a small sound of moving water, accompanied by a slightly pained groan.

"Raph….?" Leo's weak voice called out.

Raph turned to see Leo slowly waking up.

"Leo!" he called out moving to his side. "Are you alright? How ya feeling bro?"

"Lousy..." Leo admitted. "Everything hurts… and it's cold."

"You're gonna be ok bro, I promise." Raph told him before heading to the doorway. "Hey everyone! Leo's awake!"

From all around the house, there was the sudden sound of various people dropping what they were doing to come and check on their friend and brother.

"Leo!" Mikey and Donny both cheered, nearly tackling Leo inside the tub.

"Easy guys. Easy." Leo told them. "I just came out of a coma remember."

Casey and April were next, tears of relief pouring from the latter's face.

"Leo… Thank god." April sobbed.

"You had us worried there buddy." Casey informed him, lightly conking him on the head.

Splinter trailed in as well, followed closely by Hisako, who was still leaning heavily on that crutch.

"It is good to see you well Leonardo." Splinter told him putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Bro, never go and do that again." Hisako told him, her own face red from crying. "I can't lose my family. Not one member."

"I'll try." Leo replied smiling.

Raph pulled his chair over towards Hisako, allowing her to sit down. This gave Leo a chance to notice the large bandages around her torso, as well as the stitches on her face.

"What happened?" he asked.

Everyone went a bit quiet, Casey pulling April a bit closer.

"The foot trashed April's apartment." Casey explained. "Forcing us to flee for our lives."

"Shredder and Karai attacked as well." Hisako added. "I ended up going against Karai, but I blacked out."

"Dark Phoenix..." Leo realized.

"That's when Shred-head tried to kill her." Mikey continued.

Leo's eyes went wide, and Hisako quickly waved him down.

"It's okay." she assured him. "Donny said he missed kidney by scant centimeters. It's gonna leave a scar, but what else is new?"

Leo looked at his sister, feeling racked with guilt. Hisako sensed this, looking at him sadly.

"That's good to hear… I guess." he said.

"We're just glad you're awake." Mikey told him. "Raph hasn't left your side since we got here."

Leo turned to Raph, who looked down and seemed nervous.

"Look bro, about what I said before…" Raph began, "about not needing you..."

"Raph… we all did stupid things these past few weeks." Leo interrupted. "Maybe… we can forgive each other."

Raph smiled, then reached for a pile of folded clothes beside the tub, grabbing Leo's mask off the pile.

"I believe this is yours." Raph told him.

Leo leaned forward as best he could, allowing for Raph the tie the mask on his face.

"There we go." He said, sitting down and smiling. "Hey sis, show Leo what you've been working on while you healed up."

Hisako smirked, then her eyes began glowing. A halo of green energy surrounded Leo, slowly lifting him from the tub. Donny began drying him off with a towel quickly as Raph replaced the bandages. Once that was done, Hisako moved him onto the bed, a line of red dripping down her face.

"Can't do it for very long." she admitted as Master Splinter handed her a rag. "Still need practice, but I can better control it now."

"Yep, no more flying lamps." Mikey quipped happily.

Everyone chuckled at that, then Raph pulled a blanket over Leo.

"If you need anything bro, I'll be right outside."

"And you can take my 'Mikey Bell'." Hisako offered.

"Thanks guys." Leo replied.

Hisako then slid onto the bed next to him, sliding under the blanket.

"I still need my nightmare protection, so you'll have to share with me." she told him. "Hope you don't mind."

"It's fine by me." Leo told her. "It's just like home."

Everyone smiled, then slipped out, leaving the two of them alone to rest. Hisako took Leo's hand giving it a squeeze.

"I'll be here in case you're the one with nightmares too." she told him. "So get some rest."

"Can do."

Leo then closed his eyes and proceeded to get some sleep, his hand still in the warm grip of Hisako's.

…

Hisako and Leo hobbled behind Raph, trekking through the woods on one of the more stable trails.

"How ya holding up Leo?" Raph called back.

"A little sore." Leo answered. "But I'm good."

"How 'bout you sis?"

"I'm good." she replied. "But where are you taking us? Master Splinter was going to help me with my physical therapy today."

Raph grinned, turning to face his siblings happily and with determination.

"Well, now it's my turn." Raph replied. "I figured the best thing to do would be to go for a walk. Get the muscles moving and the blood pumping. Besides, Mikey said he found something out here while he was out the other day. Won't shut up about it until you guys see it."

"What is it?" Leo asked.

Raph gave a shrug.

"He threatened to 'unleash Doctor Prankenstein' on me if I squealed."

Leo chuckled.

"That alter ego he created when we were kids?" Leo asked.

"That's the one." Raph answered.

Hisako whistled.

"Beware Doctor Prankenstein and his water balloons of doom!" she joked, laughing before grunting in pain.

"Hisako!" Raph called.

"Are you alright?" Leo asked.

"Ow, laughing hurts." she winced.

"Just take it easy." Raph reassured her. "We got you."

Hisako gently waved them off, holding her side.

"I'm okay." she promised. "C'mon. Let's go see what's got Mikey so riled up."

The three continued walking through the woods until they came across one of the larger trees in the forest. They looked up to see Mikey perched up in the branches, grinning down like a monkey.

"You came!" he squealed happily. "Cowabunga!"

"Ok Mikey what is it you wanted to show us?" Leo asked.

Mikey smiled, then climbed up higher into the tree, disappearing into the leaves. Then, he jumped down, dragging a rope ladder with him.

"Only the coolest, most awesome-est tree fort in the history of tree forts!" Mikey exclaimed. "It's amazing!"

"Wow!" Leo exclaimed. "Someone's been busy."

"I just found it, though I have been doing my best to improve it when not cooking for everyone."

He then glanced at Leo and Hisako, giving a smile.

"And don't worry you two. I rigged up something for you guys so you could get up here."

He let out a whistle, and a makeshift lift made out of rope and wooden planks lowered down, big enough for the two of them to sit in.

"All aboard the turtle lift!" Donny's voice called from the trees.

Hisako chuckled.

"How many you got up there, bro?" Raph asked.

"Master Splinter stayed at the house, but everyone else is up there. They're waiting for you guys."

The lift finally reached the top and Hisako and Leo climbed out, in awe at the fort. It was immensely spacious with windows on every wall. The trunk of the tree was in the center of the room. Inside there were three hammocks, a telescope near one of the windows, presumably for watching the stars, and a staircase to a second floor where a balcony was.

"Whoa!" they both exclaimed.

"This is incredible." Leo complimented.

"Gotta say Mikey, this is awesome."

"Thanks." Mikey replied. "It took a lot of work."

Hisako hobbled over to the balcony, looking out as the sun began to set.

"Look at this." she said in awe. "This view is amazing."

"You should see it when the stars come out." Donny replied.

Hisako turned, her eyes sparkling.

"Stars?"

"No city lights out here to pollute the sky." Donny explained. "Just think of the constellations we can find."

Casey and April looked in confusion.

"What's the big deal about constellations?" Casey asked.

"Never pegged you guys for astronomy." April added.

The turtles and Hisako all exchanged knowing glances, then grinned widely.

…

"I see… a two headed squirrel!" Mikey declared.

"I see… a water buffalo riding a whale!" Donny declared.

"I see… a police officer in a prom dress!" Raph exclaimed.

Everybody laughed in response to that constellation, especially April and Casey, who were soon finding themselves drawn into the chaos of the little game.

"I see… a walrus visiting the dentist!" Leo called out.

"I see… A car approaching the farmhouse." Hisako announced, leaning against the balcony to get a better look.

"Where?" Mikey asked. "I don't see it."

Raph smacked him on the back of the head in annoyance.

"Out there dummy." Raph pointed out.

Casey and April came over, looking out at the farmhouse.

"Greenie, can you tell who it is?" Casey asked.

Hisako closed her eyes, focusing in an attempt to see who it was.

"It's… a bit out of my range… I'm not getting much."

"Anything at all?" April questioned.

"Just… fear." Hisako replied. "Something about money… and Turks."

"Turks?" Casey asked.

"Yeah. Whomever this guy is, I these he owes money to some Turkish people I guess."

Donny thought for a moment, then an idea came to him.

"Hey guys, isn't there a street gang in New York called the Turks?"

"Yeah. Big on gambling and drugs as I recall." Raph agreed.

"Why would someone connected to a gang in New York be all the way up here?" Mikey asked.

Casey then let out a groan.

"I think I know who it is." he growled.

"Who?" Leo asked.

"My cousin Sid."

April blinked.

"Wait, the Sid?" April asked. "As in the guy who 'stumbles into your life' when he's strapped for cash?"

"One and the same." Casey confirmed.

"We best stay here then." Leo told him. "You go take care of your cousin."

Casey popped his neck, rotating his shoulders.

"Oh I plan on it."

…

Sid pulled up to the farmhouse, hiding his car in a bunch of brush as he snuck towards the farm doors.

"Just get inside." he muttered to himself. "Just get inside and they won't find you… Granny always kept the key under the pot."

He flipped over the pot, seeing the indent where the key should be. This was freaking him out.

"C'mon, where is it?!"

"Looking for something?"

Sid jumped seriously high, shrieking as he turned, arms raised. He looked up to see Casey standing there with his arms crossed and an angered look on his face. Sid straightened up, putting a strained smile on his face.

"Casey!" he called out. "Hey cuz… wha- what're ya doing here?"

"Hey Sid." Casey replied. "What brings ya by?"

Sid chuckled nervously, tugging at his collar.

"N-no reason cuz." Sid replied. "I just… wanted to crash here for a while."

He attempted to slip past Casey into the farmhouse. Casey just put his arm up blocking his entry way.

"Well you can't stay here." he told him.

"Aww come on cuz." Sid said, getting more and more nervous. "Just for the night. Ya have my word."

"Right. Your word. Why don't I believe you?"

"Cuz, please, can we talk about this inside? Please?!"

"Why? You in trouble 'again'?"

About that time, a large van came screeching down the dirt road, pulling up to the farmhouse. Sid shrieked, diving into the bushes beside the porch.

"Who are those guys?" Casey asked.

"Shush!" Sid hissed.

The van came to a halt, the side opening up to allow a group of punks to jump out, each of them armed to the teeth with different types of guns. One guy in a black coat with so many gold chains around his neck came out, looking at Casey.

"Hey there." He greeted. "Don't mind us. We're just doing a little pest control. Stay outta our way, and you'll live to see tomorrow."

Casey slowly raised his hands as he mentally broadcasted an SOS to the others.

Guys. We got trouble.

How bad Casey? Hisako asked.

The guy in the black coat gave signals to his cronies, who began fanning out to search the area.

Armed thugs bad. Casey answered.

Can you get to your gear?

Not without getting shot, no.

Hang tight, we're coming.

"Oi!" the black coated guy shouted. "I'm talking to you farm boy!"

He grabbed Casey by his hair, putting the gun under his chin.

"I asked if you'd seen a little rat by the name of Sid."

"... Never heard of him." Casey replied.

The guy dug the gun deeper into his chin.

"Why don't I believe that?"

"Paranoid perhaps?" Casey suggested.

The guy was about to do something when one of his goons came around the corner.

"Yo Jencko!" He called out. "There's a bunch of sleeping bags inside, and there's enough food to feed an army in the kitchen!"

The black coated guy, whose name appeared to be Jencko, gave Casey a sadistic look.

"Having a sleepover farm boy?" he asked. "Got a few buddies hiding in the bushes?"

In the bushes just inches from where Jencko was holding Casey, Sid covered his mouth to avoid squeaking.

"How about you show me where they are?" Jencko suggested, pushing Casey to the house.

"There ain't nobody here but me."

Jencko pistol whipped Casey across the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Don't!" He shouted. "Lie to me!"

Casey groaned as he slowly got to his feet. As he did, he saw a flash of black darting out from behind a tree. A skinny, serpentine tail was the only sign of who it was. Said tail then wrapped around one of the punks, pulling him towards the tree where he was quietly taken down. Casey smirked, quickly stifling it as he stood.

"You think I'm scared of you?" Casey asked. "I've stared into the eyes of hatred, the eye of a sadistic bastard that makes you and your goons look like kittens!"

While Casey ranted, another goon fell victim to the silent blitz attack of Master Splinter. Casey couldn't keep the smirk off his face this time.

"So go on and threaten me." Casey dared him. "Because you ain't gonna get anything out of me."

…

Up in the trees surrounding the farmhouse, the turtles and Hisako all sat in the branches, looking down at the land. April was up there as well, though she was doing little more than clinging to the trunk.

"What do you see Don?" Leo asked.

Donny zoomed in on the farmhouse, spotting Splinter taking out his second opponent silently.

"Looks like Master Splinter's doing what he does best."

"Kicking tail and taking names?" Mikey asked.

"You bet." Donny replied. "But we don't know how many are inside, or if more are coming."

"They're the only group." Hisako replied. "The leader, the guy messing with Casey, he thinks he's got enough guys."

"Well we better prove him wrong." Raph decided, cracking his knuckles.

"Raph, you take the rear." Leo strategized "Cut those guys off. Donny, go help Master Splinter with the punks inside. Mikey, get to the barn and get Casey's gear. Hisako, we'll stick together to keep them in the house and out of the forest. I'll need your powers to move fast."

"You got it Leo." Hisako declared.

They all then dispersed to complete their set tasks.

…

A pair of Turks slipped through the house, turning corners like they were on some cop show. Each small noise the house made had them on edge as they searched for any sign of the house's occupants.

"I'll check the attic, you check the second floor." one of the punks ordered.

"Got it X-Ray." his partner replied.

X-Ray then walked up the stairs towards the attic. As he pushed open the trapdoor, he was surprised to see what looked like a work table with a long metal staff laying on it. X-ray picked it up, examining it with curiosity.

"What the hell is this thing?"

"It's mine." Donny declared.

X-Ray barely had time to turn around before Donny punched him across the face, sending him colliding with a wall, knocking him out. The staff rolled on the ground to Donny's feet. He then picked it up and placed it on his back.

"Guess now's as good a time as any for a field test."

…

On the second floor, the other Turk started searching the rooms. As he entered the master bedroom, he failed to notice the large black rat hanging over his head from the rafters. However, he did hear a sight scrape as Splinter's claws against the wood as he landed behind the poor guy.

"What the-"

Splinter then struck him on the head with his stick knocking him out.

"You should be more mindful of your surroundings." Splinter told him.

Donny came down the stairs, armed with his new staff and carrying Mikey's new and improved Nunchucks.

"Are you well my son?" Splinter asked.

"I am, but I better get these to Mikey. He probably forgot I have them."

"Then make haste." Splinter instructed.

…

Mikey made his way over to the barn, slipping to the doors as quietly as he could. He stopped dead in his tracks when he was several Turks surrounding it. Mikey reached for his Nunchucks only to find he didn't have them on him.

"Nuts, I forgot Donny has them." Mikey lamented. "Guess I'm doing this the old fashioned way."

Mikey then sprinted over to the barn. He hid behind a stack of firewood as a Turk passed by. The guy paused for a moment, peering at the log pile curiously.

"Huh…" he grunted. ""Could a sworn I-

Just then, he was struck on the head by a log, knocking him out.

"Cowabunga." He whispered, punching the air.

"Hey I thought I heard something." another Turk called out.

Mikey heard this and proceeded to hide. Jencko noticed his cronies looking around, his eyes narrowing.

"What are those idiots doing over there?" he snarled.

He looked away for a split second, but it was all Casey needed to tackle him to the ground, causing him to drop his gun.

"Oh you gonna pay for that you-"

Jencko's threat was cut off by an angry punch to the face.

"I told you, your threats are nothing to me!"

As Casey wailed on Jencko, his cronies prepared to fire on him to protect their boss. However, their guns were suddenly yanked from their hands by a halo of green energy.

"Nice one Hisako." Leo whispered.

Hisako crushed her and into a fist, reducing the guns to crumpled bits of metal. The guys looked at their guns, then they were knocked out by Mikey and his log.

"Talk about knock on wood." Mikey joked.

Jencko, meanwhile, was still wrestling with Casey. The gun had long since been discarded and the two were duking it out with angry fists. Casey was on top, being physically stronger after years of different sports. Jencko kept trying to break his arms free, but Casey wasn't letting up. Finally, Jencko got a hand free and wrapped it around Casey's throat.

"I have had just about enough of you!" Jencko screamed.

"Casey!" Hisako shrieked.

Jencko began laughing cruelly, until something bounced off his head. He turned to see April sitting in a tree throwing pine cones at him.

"Get your hands off my boyfriend!" she demanded, tossing another one.

"Girl! You are really beco-" Jencko started to yell.

Before he could finish, Casey quickly punched him in the face, and kicked him across the floor so he could get to his feet.

"Jencko." Casey growled. "You can punch me, kick me, try to kill me, I don't care. But you threaten April, and things get real ugly!"

Then, with a move straight out of the turtle's handbook, he spin-kicked Jencko across the face, sending him into the wall of the farmhouse.

"Nice kick Case." Raph said, coming out from where he was.

"Have you been watching us?" Mikey questioned.

"Certainly looks like it." Donny commented.

"Looks like you got this handled yourself even without our help." Leo added.

"And don't you forget it." Casey replied.

As Jencko got to his feet, he gasped at the sight of the four mutant turtles backing up Casey, Hisako coming up as well.

"What… what the…" Jencko tried to rationalize.

Hisako sauntered forward, leaning on her crutch.

"It was Jencko, right?" she asked.

Jencko nodded still trying to wrap his mind around this.

"Listen Jencko, you see these guys behind me?" she asked. "The turtles?"

"... Yeah?"

"You think they look scary?"

Hisako's eyes became solid green as she put on her most malicious grin. The other turtles matched her evil look, the combined effort making Jencko pee his pants.

"I'm the worst of them all." She snarled. "So ask yourself this, do you really want us as your enemies?"

"What do you want from me?" Jencko asked, his voice very high pitched.

Casey stepped forward, crossing his arms.

"Leave here, and never come back." Casey declared. "And if you tell anyone about what happened here, then you'll see just what these guys are capable of."

About that time, Master Splinter walked towards the group, his tail still wrapped around one of the Turks' necks.

"I would take him up on his offer young man." Splinter suggested.

Jencko screamed, scrambling to his feet as he ran for the van. His other cronies who were still conscious grabbed their unconscious comrades, dragging them to the van and piling them in, Splinter tossing the one he had in his tail onto the pile. The door barely had time to close before Jencko gunned the engine, tearing away from the farm as fast as it could. As they disappeared, everyone began cheering happily, hugging each other.

"We did it!" Mikey cheered

"Woo!" Hisako squealed.

"Two down and on crutches, and we're still one, mean, lean, green, incredible team!" Raph declared.

April, who had finally managed to come down from the tree, came down and joined the large group hug. Master Splinter watched, smiling happily. This was their first victory in a long time, one that had succeeded in boosting the team's moral.

"Go ninja, go ninja go!" Mikey exclaimed.

"Go ninja, go ninja go!" The others joined in.

Casey let out a laugh, then spotted Sid attempting to crawl through the bushes towards his hidden car.

"Going somewhere?" Casey asked.

Sid squeaked, then screamed when Splinter's tail wrapped around his ankle, dragging him into the open.

"C-Cuz…." Sid stammered. "Th-thank you f-for g-getting rid of those…."

"Save it." Casey cut off.

Sid gulped, shutting up.

"I suggest you get out of here. And if you ever cause trouble that threatens my friends again, you're gonna regret it."

Sid frantically nodded, trying to shake his leg free of Splinter's tail.

"N-no problem cuz…. Besides…. I-I here Miami's great this time of year…."

"Then you better get going."

Splinter released Sid, allowing the man to run screaming towards his car, gunning the engine and peeling off in the opposite direction of the Turks.

"Wow..." Hisako remarked. "And I thought my family was messed up."

"Yeah." Casey agreed. "Though I wish I had a family like yours greenie."

"You kidding?" Raph told him. "I figure you knew by now that you are our family."

"The good kind." Mikey added. "Not the lead-gangsters-to-your-door kind."

"Guess I'm still not used to it." Casey admitted.

Hisako wrapped her arm around his neck, giving him a noogie.

"Don't worry. You will."

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