When Destiny and Casey get back into the pizzeria, the others are gathered in the living room. Leonardo is at the head, standing next to Splinter and talking to the others in a calm voice. Michelangelo looks up when he hears Destiny and Casey's approaching footsteps, his face breaking into a wide grin.
"Destiny!" he squeals, wrapping her in a hug and lifting her off her feet. "You're alive!"
She wiggles in his grip, nodding. "Yup, I'm okay. I also—" She wheezes as his hug tightens. "—can't breathe."
Michelangelo sets her down and lets out a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. Casey offers a quick nod to everyone else as both him and Destiny claim spots on the couch, settling in. Leonardo frowns and taps his foot.
"Go ahead, Leo," April says with a smile.
He clears his throat, donning his professional mask. "The longer Karai is out there, the more she risks losing her humanity," he starts, clenching his fist as his gaze glints with determination.
"We can help her," Michelangelo pipes up. "We just have to keep looking."
"For all we know, Shredder or the Kraang have her," Raphael grumbles.
"No," Splinter murmurs. "I saw her only a few days ago roaming the streets at night, but I was not in my right mind." He shuts his eyes and breathes deeply. "I could not help her."
"I think we can find her. I've been updating all of my surveillance tech and I'm just a few days off from finishing more retro-mutagen," Donatello says with a proud smile.
"Alright guys. Let's do this!" April says, pounding her fist into her palm.
"Sorry, April, you and Casey have to stay here," Leonardo says without missing a beat. "Mutants only."
"What? You need us!" she insists.
Leonardo doesn't listen, moving past the enraged teen and heading towards their makeshift edit. Destiny fidgets in place and glances sideways at Casey, shrugging as the boy arches a bushy eyebrow. Destiny is quickly distracted when Michelangelo takes her hand and brings her to her feet, leading her out after the other turtles. She looks back at Casey and April one more time, mouthing out an apology as she taps her nose.
"That's not fair! I wanna trash some alien scum too!" Casey agrees as they disappear from view. "Why you gotta pent up my rage, Leo?"
He huffs and crosses his arms, ticked beyond relief.
----------
"You continue to fail me in your search to find my daughter," Shredder growls.
Fishface and Rahzar whimper as they remain on their knees in front of their master's throne. Both mutants look scared out of their minds and the glowing yellow stares from Emery and Tiger Claw only make them even more uneasy.
"Eh, Master Shredder, Karai is just too scaly—" Fishface starts. Shredder's eyes narrow and the fish swiftly recovers. "I mean stealthy! And this city is so big..."
"She's as slippery as a serpent!" Rahzar adds, but also realizes his mistake. "Um, I mean...we've looked everywhere, master..."
YOU ARE READING
Forest Mutation (Book Two)
Fanfiction"In Saskatchewan, when I couldn't fall asleep, I'd watch the moon and think about how across the country and over the border, you were probably out on a rooftop beneath the same moon. You were the first person I enjoyed the moon with. Every other ti...
