From the Shadows: Warriors || BOOK 2 (TMNT)

Chapter 4. A Story

     "Casey!" Mikey yells, running up to his friend and hugging him.

     "It's good to see you again too, dude," Casey says, playfully pushing Mikey off of him.

     Raph walks up to Casey. The two initiate their handshake. It's a very elaborate greeting and takes a good while. To this day, Mikey cannot figure it out, even as he deeply watches them perform it.

     "I thought you were supposed to get back in a couple of days?" Raph mentions.

     "Yeah, well some crazy things-"

     "Casey?" April yawns. She stretches coming out of her room. It was Mikey's yelling that had woken her up.

     Casey smiles, breaking away from Raph and Mikey to go see April. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and leans his head down to hers. "Wasn't expecting you to be here, Red."

     April rolls her eyes. "You weren't supposed to be here for a couple more days."

     "I know but here I am."

     "Well tell me," April begins, "how was Canada? How'd you and your dad do in your hockey tournaments?"

     "We did awesome!" Casey responds. "We won, as expected."

     "That's great!" April laughs. She hugs Casey and backs away. "So then what's the deal? Why are you back early?"

     "That is a story for the whole crew," Casey says. "Where's Gap Tooth and Fearless?"

     "Lab," Mikey answers.

     "Great!"

     Before Casey can even start heading to the lab, Raphael stops him. He grabs his shoulder and walks in front of him. "You can't go in there."

     "Why not?"

     "We've got a lot to catch you up on too," Raph says. He sighs. "I'll go get them."

     Raph slowly opens the doors to the lab. The room was dark, only dimly lit by Donnie's computer screen and a couple of candles. Leo leaned against a wall, arms crossed and head down. When he heard the doors being opened, he looked up. Donnie continued to stare at his computer screen, paying no attention to anything else.

     Raph taps a finger against the door. In his excitement with Casey's return, he had forgotten just how depressing this room became. Donnie spent much of his time in the lab anyway, which usually didn't bother him, but Leo had been spending most—if not all—his spare time in there now too. No one had seen their leader like this and Donnie, frequently being around him, could feel his spirits being drained as well.

     "Casey's here," Raph says.

     Those words catch both Donnie and Leo by surprise. Donnie, who had been completely focused on his task, looks up and frowns.

     "Don't tell him April's here," Donnie says.

     "He already knows."

     Donnie shoots up from his computer and runs out of the lab. Leo is, by far, less enthusiastic.

     "I'll see him in the morning," Leo mutters, rubbing his eyes.

     Raph frowns. "You say that but I know you won't. You're too busy sulking in here."

     "I'm not sulking."

     "We've all been patient with you, Leo. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but every moment you spend in here with her is time Shredder spends planning his next move."