Everything Has Fallen to Pieces

April

April's always liked having Leonardo as a brother; she just doesn't like all the pressure that comes with it.

She's an only child, biologically, but during her early childhood her parents took in her friend and his dad, and they basically became siblings after that. Even if her parents don't see it the way she does, Leo's her younger brother and has been for the past eleven years.

And living with her best friend had been really fun at first! They didn't have to play in an alleyway anymore and they could see each other every day instead of only on the weekends. April still had to go to school, but they could see each other when she got home and play after she did her homework. It made her life a lot less lonely considering she didn't have many friends and her parents were always pretty busy with their work.

Her friendship with the red-eared slider also made all the whispering about her at school more bearable.

Weirdness and April O'Neil go hand-in-hand and she knows everyone knows it. On her first day of kindergarten she brought in a frog she'd found at recess and when it got loose in the classroom, it sealed her identity as that child.

You know the one: the weirdo kid that nobody wants to be friends with. And if you ever do become their friend, you'll end up regretting it.

Since that day, she's been the subject of quiet ridicule. Stares and weird looks and the whispers behind her back. All the rumors and judgmental comments, and the occasional laugh at her expense, had gotten to her at first. She was just like anyone else but they all acted like she was some other species! How couldn't she feel like a freak or that she wasn't wanted by anyone?

It only got worse as the years went on, and it wasn't until middle school when it all boiled over.

She'd come home one day with tears streaming down her cheeks. Splinter and Leonardo were home and they barely got a single word out before she ran to her room and slammed the door shut. Given that her parents were still at work, the rat man took it upon himself to see what was wrong. He spoke through her door for nearly an hour but got nowhere. So Leo gave it a try.

He approached the door and gave it a couple of knocks. "Apes?"

"Go away."

Her voice is weak and he could tell that she'd been crying for a long while.

God, what did those monsters do to her?!

"Nuh uh, you can't get rid of me that easily," he said as he opened the door. Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil didn't like when she locked her door; they insisted that she keep it unlocked in case of emergencies. When he stepped into the room he saw her face down on her bed with her face buried in a pillow. Without hesitation he walked over and climbed up next to her. "Now tell your best friend what happened."

She looked up at that comment. "Best friend?"

"Yes, best friend. Don't tell me you don't feel the same!" The turtle feigned offense and put a hand on his plastron. "We were only raised together! I would think our relationship would mean more to you!"

His charade succeeded in getting a small laugh out of April—it was more of a joyful scoff, really—and he took that as a sign that he made progress. The satisfaction disappeared a second later when she started tearing up again.

"I just... it doesn't make any sense! How can they be so cruel?"

Leo put a hand on April's back as she started crying again and let her get it all out.

"I'm just like the rest of them! I'm a kid, I go to school, I have a normal life—" After a quick glance at Leo, she reconsidered that last part. "I have an almost normal life, just like everyone else! So why does everyone always treat me like I'm not even human?!"

"Hey! What's wrong with not being human?"

April looked up as she realized her mistake and she shook her head. "No, I, I didn't mean it like that!"

"Okay, so if being inhuman isn't bad, then what's the problem?"

"The problem's how they treat me!" She wiped her eyes when another wave of tears formed. "They act like I'm some kind of freak."

Leo shrugged. "And? I'm a freak and you love me, don't you?" When she nodded, he smiled and continued on. "See? Freaks aren't so bad. And if those jerks can't understand that, or care that they're hurting you, then what they think doesn't matter!"

"Really?" She sniffed.

He nodded.

"Really! You're April O'Neil, the coolest person I know! You're ambitious and kind and you're way better at ninja training than I am, and I know whatever you do you're gonna help a lot of people. You don't need those assholes or their approval!"

After wiping her eyes again, April pulled him into a tight hug, which he happily returned. He was right about him being her best friend and she couldn't have been happier to have him in her life.

From that day on, she didn't care about what others thought of her, mostly. On the rare days that her resolve slipped and their opinions started getting to her, she could work it off during their ninja training. If she didn't pretend that she was fighting the Shredder she could pretend it was someone talking trash behind her back. Lord knows they'd deserve it.

Then one day she finds that no amount of training's gonna help work off the fear from her newest discovery:

The Foot Clan is reassembling the Kuroi Yuroi.

All the way to their secret training spot, April keeps kicking herself. For what, she's not even sure; she already knew the shoe store she works at is a front for the Foot Clan—the two bosses having foot symbols on their faces kinda gave that away—but she can't help feeling like maybe she could've done something sooner. No matter, she supposes. The only thing she can do now is warn the Hamato's and prepare for the future.

Splinter isn't at the train station when she arrives but Leonardo is. He looks so relaxed as he leans against the wall and scrolls through his phone. She almost wants doesn't want to let him know that anything's wrong. He's been so stressed lately worried about this exact thing, about if they're ready to face their destiny.

Looks like they don't have to wonder anymore.

Leo takes it about as well as she expects: he absolutely freaks.

"Oh god, are you serious!? The Foot's gonna be looking for the last piece of the armor before we know it—we're all in danger!"

"Leon!" April grabs his shoulders and makes him look at her. "Hold on! They're not onto us yet, alright? We've got some time to get ahead of the Foot! So what are we gonna do?"

The ninja nods and takes a deep breath. April's right; they're not in the thick of it just yet and they've got the advantage here. The Foot doesn't know that their plans were breached and it'll take them some time to realize it. What do the two of them do until then?

His eyes widen as he locks eyes with her again. "It's time."

Realization hits her like a freight train. Growing up she's heard mentions of them before, and when she'd become a high school freshman Leo'd promised that one day they would seek them out. But she never thought it would be under these circumstances.

"You don't mean—"

Leo nods. "We have to go find our brothers."