Splinter's Bestie

Chapter 32

 "I don't know maybe pizza rolls?" Nova offers sitting up and following her mother out the room.

Splinter chuckles and follow after the two, playfully placing Nova onto his shoulders.

****

Ugh I'm so bored..." Ruby said going back to standing on her head.

Splinter watches her amused just as the boys come back with a crazed Raph and April.

"ENTERTAINMENT!" Ruby cheered following them into Donnie's lab, "What happened?" Ruby asked.

Donnie dips a swab into a container of liquid before swiping it on her cheek as she cowers away.

"Why is she cowering away. Donnie looks much better then she could ever hope to look in the mirror." Ruby asked before turning to Raph who was staring at her with terrified eyes.

"April's been exposed to toxins, exposed from different types of fungi." Donnie explains to Ruby as he swirls the swab in the liquid, making it turn orange.

"Mushroom man must produce them as a defense mechanism." Donnie explained to Leo and Ruby.

"Defense against what? Being stir-fried? I-" Leo is interrupted by Raph.

"I'm freaking out! I'm Freaking out! I'm freaking out! Mom! Help!" Raph yells in panic causing Ruby to turn around and look at him in major concern.

Mikey pops up in front of him, "It's okay, dude. It's me, Mikey/ Give your bro a hug. It'll make you feel better. Come on now. Where's the love? Aw. It's right here between my arms." Mikey coos as he hugs Raph.

Unfortunately for Raph, he didn't know he was being hugged by his youngest brother, he thought he was being hugged by a roach.

"I think I'm gonna hurl." Raph groans before vomiting.

"Ew." Ruby says.

"Mom, we need to head back out to find Casey." Leo told her.

Ruby was tempted to go, but she figured it would be best she does not get exposed to whatever is making the group delusional.

"Be careful, Leo. Remember sometimes the strongest warrior is one who acknowledges their fear and embraces it." Ruby looks over at Mikey and Raph.

"Not literally though." Ruby said shaking her head.

The group head out, Ruby notices April staring at her and smirks evily before making a motion like she was going to attack her causing April to scream and run ahead of the group.

Leo and Donnie look at Ruby who was standing there picking at her claws, before shrugging.

"Can I go?" Nova asks her older brothers before noticing that Raph was chained up and raising an eyebrow.

"Not this time, kiddo. Something is making everyone delusional." Leo told Nova, ruffling her hair.

"Aw, okay." Nova pouts before going into the dojo to bother Splinter.

"Be careful you all." Ruby told them in a Splinter like tone.

Once the group exit Ruby goes into the Dojo and sees Splinter teaching Nova how to play Chinese checkers.

"What's going on?" Splinter asks as he motions for Nova to make her move.

"Apparently," Ruby says leaning her front to his back, his breast resting on top his head, her arms hanging loosely over his shoulders, as she stares at the cherry blossom tree in the dojo, "There is this Mushroom man who emits spores  that make you see your worst fear."

Splinter hums trying to ignore Ruby's body pressed against his own.

He could imagine the horror the group is facing right now. His worst fear is to lose everyone.

"What would your fear be?" Nova asks her parents.

Ruby and Splinter look down at her beautiful raspberry eyes.

"Mine, my little lotus, would be to lose this family. I have before, and I don't want it to happen again." Splinter told her booping her nose with his index finger, earning a giggle from her.

"Hmmm... That's actually a good question..." Ruby said moving so she's next to Splinter, "It's been a while, since I've thought about my fears..." 

"Don't you have a fear of fire?" Splinter asks her, remembering the time they had caught the kitchen on fire, back when they were teens.

"Yeah, I did but I got over that fear years ago." Ruby told him wincing at the memory of her hair being set on fire while they were making valentine chocolates.

"What about your fear of snakes?" Splinter asks remembering the time she and Saki fell in a snake pit.

"I met this snake mutant and got over it." Ruby told him stroking her chin in thought.

"What about-" Splinter and Ruby go back and forth listing her fears that she managed to conquer.

"The fear of the unknown, regarding your family?" Splinter asks her.

"That sounds about right." Ruby hums nodding in agreement.

Nova's eyes widen, "You had all those fears?" Nova asks.

"Yep. I have crazy anxiety. My fear of what could happen lead to those fears. As a leader I just had to learn to push them aside to think of what's best for my team." Ruby explained to Nova.

"What is your fear, young one?" Splinter asks Nova as Ruby settles in his lap.

Ruby had been this a lot more lately, clinging to him and being strangely affectionate. 

Shoot he wasn't complaining though, gave him excuses to get kisses on his face.

Nova thinks for a second before nodding, "Dolls." 

Ruby and Splinter raise an eyebrow.

"Dolls?" They asks confused, since Nova had a few dolls.

"Those creepy ones that blink and that are made of porcelain, the life like ones. I hate those Dolls." Nova said freaking out at the thought of them, "Their creepy smiles, their blinking eyes, the way they stare into your soul. And they always wear frilly clothes..."

Ruby chuckles, "You got that from my mom, definitely."

**

Casey and April explain to Nova and the guys their experience with the spores.

"Wow, how are you afraid of rats when my dad is one?" Nova asks Casey looking him up and down, judgmentally.

Meanwhile Leo was Explaining to Ruby and Splinter his side of the story, "And then the sunlight destroyed him and his little mushroom freaks." 

"I'm so proud of you, my little space hero." Ruby said hugging Leo.

"Most Impressive. And would you say you mastered your fear?" Splinter asks looking at him from the corner of his eye, with a knowing smile.

Leo sighs and slumps into Ruby's arms, "No. I- I just faced it, sensei. Like mom said to." 

"And that Leo, is why you are a great leader." Ruby told him smiling down at him.

"Yeah, boy. Check it out. A extra-large pizza with anchovies, pepperoni, and mushrooms!" Mikey cheered coming into the room.

"Mikey!" Everyone minus, Nova, Ruby and Splinter, shout in disgust.

"You can't be serious." Donnie said moving to his beanbag chair.

"Okay, that is just wrong." April said moving to the stairs.

"Mushrooms..." Leo said disgusted.

Raph looks over his shoulder at their mom, "Hey mom? What's your fear?" 

The others turn to Ruby who shares a smirk with Splinter while Nova giggles.

"We may be here a while." Ruby said, her and Splinter moving closer to them.