Together As Mutants (Book Six)

Chapter 27: Losing the War

Back at the lair, Splinter, Leonardo, April, and Destiny sit in the kitchen while Leonardo prepares tea. Destiny and Splinter already have their cups and Leonardo pours some for himself from the still-whistling kettle.

"I mean, getting my butt-kicked on the first night I become a kunoichi?" April asks. She flops her head onto her palm, staring at the table. "It's like...the whole universe is saying it's not meant to be!"

"That is not the universe speaking," Splinter says. "That is the self-doubt of April O'Neil speaking."

"I've been there, April," Leonardo says, sitting down at her side. "Doubting everything? It's poison." He rests his hand on her shoulder. "Believe in yourself."

"I just...feel like a failure," April says. "Maybe you should've made Des a kunoichi instead."

Destiny's ears press flat to her hair. "Hey," she says, sharp and directed. April darts a look at her from across the table as the wolf-raven's wild eyes bore into hers. "Look...I'd love to be a kunoichi, but..." She grits her teeth. "But, I'm not ready. You're more skilled than me."

April can sense the annoyance rolling off of Destiny in waves, that near-jealousy—only the latter is directed at April—and she lets out a tiny, self-deprecating scoff. "It sure doesn't feel like it."

Splinter stands up. "April, there is no such thing as failure until you give up," he says. "Destiny is correct. While you two have different strengths, you have had more time and more practice. You have an awareness of the world that she cannot match yet, and that gives you the upper hand."

Destiny stares into her tea before she takes a sip, her ears still pressed flat to her head. April exhales, biting her tongue lightly. She's only got that skill because the Kraang made her psychic through generations of selective breeding and mutating. It isn't something natural, something anyone could have.

She stays quiet. Splinter will just shut her down if she voices any of this.

Splinter gets a cheesesicle from Ice Cream Kitty before closing the freezer door. He sighs. "Leonardo, Destiny, you are sure that the woman you saw tonight was the one in Miwa's photo?" he asks.

"Positive," Leonardo says. "I can't imagine who else it could be."

"Hm," Splinter murmurs. "Taking a weapon as a prize..." His whiskers twitch. "That is an initiation into a ninja clan. We cannot know for sure what is going on until we investigate further, but be warned." He turns to them. "You must find out, for the sake of our safety...and my daughter's."

It would have been a serious moment, if Splinter didn't decide that right then was the best time to start nibbling on his cheesesicle.

"April," Destiny says, pushing her tea away from her. "Let's go spar."

"What? Now?" April asks.

"Yeah. Come on."

April frowns, but drags herself up and follows Destiny out of the kitchen. As they walk, Destiny glances back at her.

"I saw you use your powers to maneuver your tessen," she says. "I don't think you've done that in training before."

"It's something I just picked up," April says with a half-hearted shrug. "I never tried it in sparring. Thought it was a little dangerous."

"Well," Destiny says with a fanged grin. "You're in luck. I love a little bit of danger to get the heart pounding, so you're gonna practice with me."

It's not a cure-all, but April feels a little better at the idea.

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"I'm not coming up with anyone called Shinigami on the international crime databases," Donatello says, looking up from his computer.