Golden Angel

Chi ALWAYS wondered why the turtles had to be all ‘fancy’ as they tried to get to the front door of the antique shop.

Sure, her and the other human girls could just walk in, but were all those fancy flips necessary?

Still, at least they made it…

“April! Anybody home?”

Artemis seemed uneasy at the strange silence, and the Earthbender narrowed her eyes.

“She isn’t in ‘ere…”

“Where is she, then?” Mizu wondered, looking around.

There was a scream, and the girls were already running for the back.

The building rattled, pipes shook, and the air crackled with fire as three prepared themselves to fight, and Artemis took the lead, speeding up to get out into the alley faster.

“APRIL!!!”

Chi stopped, however, and growled under her breath.

“What is it?”

“The bonehead…”

The other three shared a glance…

“Casey…”

Leo screwed a light bulb back in, showing April holding a bat over Casey’s head.

“Yo, bonehead. Head hurt?” Artemis teased.

“Easy, April! It’s only me!”

“Casey?! What the heck are you doing?!”

“That’s what WE’D like to know…” Mizu agreed, crossing her arms.

“Yeah. We nearly ‘ad heart attacks ‘cause ‘a ya!” Chi added.

“That has to be the dumbest thing on the LIST of dumbest things anyone could ever do!”

“Not really…It’s not as bad as the time Mikey spray painted Raph’s name all over my room and stole my secret stash of white chocolate…”

“What were you thinking?!” April demanded, silently storing the she-turtle’s information away.

“I’m thinkin’ I’m just glad that’s a whiffle bat…”

“NO! I mean WHY would you do such a thing?!”

“Ya ASKED me ta, ‘member?”

Silence…

“Why the SHELL would she ask you to sneak up on her in a dark alley?” Artemis questioned.

“That DOES seem unlikely…” Kasai agreed.

“I did NOT!”

“Sure ya did! Ya was braggin’ ‘bout yer ninja fightin’ skills, and I said I should sneak up on ya sometime an’ see how good ya was. An’ ya said that sounded like an interestin’ idea.”

“…Casey…”

“Yeah, Artie?”

SMACK!!!

“YOU’RE AN IDIOT!”

“…So, how are you guys doing?”

The girls blinked at the sudden change in topic, then smiled in understanding.

“I was about to make hot chocolate. I can easily make enough for nine.”

Everyone was happy enough to join her, but April was MORE than happy to shut the door on Casey’s face…

With a smile on her face, Artemis led the way upstairs to the apartment.

The girl’s branched off, heading into April’s room to have some ‘girl time’.

If it wasn’t for that, they would hardly spend any personal time together.

When asked what they talked about, Artemis would just shrug her brothers off and say, “I promised I wouldn’t tell.”

Chi would be a bit…rougher…

“I ain’t tellin’ anybody. They trust me, an’ I ain’t gettin’ in trouble wit’ ‘em.”

Mizu was ever the master of changing the flow of a conversation…

“Oh, nothing. But aren’t you working on something?”

Kasai would get flustered and blush, and try to get away from the conversation.

“I-I don’t kn-know what y-you’re talking a-about! I g-gotta go!”

Mikey tried to listen at the door, but it suddenly opened.

He was met with an irritated-looking Artemis, and he smiled sheepishly.

“Hey, Artie…”

“Move AWAY from the door, or I’ll personally rip your shell off and hang it on my wall.”

“…Alrighty then! I’m OUTTA here!”

He ran, and the gold-banded turtle sighed, rubbing her forehead.

“I’ll get the hot chocolate, guys.”

“Hurry back.” Mizu stated, hugging a pillow.

Nodding, the crimson-eyed turtle closed the door, heading into the kitchen.

“Hey, April.” She greeted, picking up the four cups.

Balancing two on her palms and two more on her shoulders, she carefully headed back, a bit proud that she could still look ‘sexy’ while doing it.

Leo could never hide his stares from her…

Opening the door and closing it again, she was glad that she was relieved of the cups.

Settling down and nursing her drink, she smiled as the others started chattering.

“SO…how ‘bout ya an’ Raph?”

Chi smirked a bit at the blush and shy smile on the other girls face.

“What about us?”

Mizu smiled knowingly.

“Oh, we know you guys have a thing for each other.”

The blush deepened, and Kasai almost didn’t keep eye contact.

“Th-There’s nothing going on…”

“Kasai, I know my brother pretty well. I know all of them as well as they know themselves. Maybe better. And I know he really cares about you.”

Kasai looked unsure, rubbing the inside of her wrists.

“I just…don’t think I deserve him…”

“What kinda nonsense is that?” Chi demanded, eyes narrowing.

“That’s ridiculous!”

“I-I’m sorry…”

The Firebender fidgeted, a bit shaken at the shout.

“I-I just can’t help that feeling…”

Artemis took the hold of the girl’s shoulders, looking serious.

“That’s Bishop talking. Whatever he said to you isn’t true.”

Crimson eyes locked with gold, holding them.

“You’re a sweet, beautiful, big-hearted girl that any guy would be lucky to have.”

“A-Artemis…”

Mizu put an arm around the Firebender’s shoulders, smiling reassuringly.

“You’re a good person, and you deserve a good life.”

“An’ if anybody tells ya otherwise, I’ll beat ‘em up good!”

Kasai smiled at the thought, but still shook her head.

“I’m just lucky enough to be with all of you…”

“What have I told you? We’re family. Sisters.”

“I know…I-I just…”

Gold, doe-eyes seemed to sparkle with tears…

“I-I’ve just…I-I haven’t had a family for so long…”

“Well, yer wit’ us now.”

Chi smirked.

“An’ yer stuck fer life.”

“B-But…Bishop…”

“We won’t let him hurt you ever again.” Mizu promised.

“I swear on my honor that I’ll protect you.” Artemis agreed.

“I’d rather die than let any of you get hurt…”

“Same ‘ere.” Chi added, joining the close hugs.

“Then its settled. All for one and one for all. If one of us goes down, we all go down.”

“Of course. Sisterhood.”

Kasai smiled hugely, gathering all three into a hug.

“Thank you…”

Someone knocked on the door, and the four separated, the gold/red-haired girl wiping at her eyes.

“Yeah?” Artemis called.

“Love, we’re going soon.”

“Alright.”

Standing, the jade-skinned turtle stretched her arms, heading for the door.

“Artie.”

She stopped, looking back at the three benders.

“…We’ll ‘lways be there fer ya…”

A small smile…

“I know…”

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“Darlin’?”

“I…feel like I need to tell you something…”

Raph felt, deep inside, that he really didn’t want to know…

“A’right…”

The Firebender led him into his room, where they would have privacy…

“What’s wron’?”

“…There’s something I need to show you…”

She’d been wearing a sweatshirt lately, and pulled up the sleeves.

Tilting her underarms up, the light caught on the shimmering scars.

A strange anger filled his veins with fire, and he bit back the automatic reaction to yell.

“Did ya…?”

“No.”

She seemed so…scared?

“Not me…”

It clicked, like the pieces had come together with a spark of electricity…

As gently as he could manage, he took hold of her wrist, his other hand running over the pale scars.

She seemed to shudder under the touch, but didn’t pull away.

“…Why?”

It was a simple enough question, but the answer was a bit more complex…

“I don’t remember…”

His grip tightened, but instead of the original reaction of fear, she felt comforted.

“No, I mean…why’d ya show me?”

He figured this would be too sensitive a topic for her, that she wouldn’t want to talk about it with him…

“…I…”

Kasai couldn’t seem to keep eye contact…

“…I thought you should know…”

She gently pulled her arm free, backing up…

“I-If you don’t want to b-be around me anymore, I-I’ll understand…”

“Darlin’.”

She was surprised by a hug, taking in his strong scent…

“I just…Ya mean a lot ta me, Kasai…I didn’t thin’ ya’d tell me somethin’ like this…”

Relaxing, she wrapped her arms around his shell and buried her face into his shoulder.

“I-I would have said something s-sooner…I was j-just scared…”

“It’s a’right…”

Hesitantly, still unsure of himself, he put a hand on her hair, taking in her scent.

Something like cherry blossoms and fresh rain, but it was soft.

“…Just…Don’t let go…”

Tightening his grip, he closed his eyes…

“I promise, darlin’…”