Family is Forever

Todd Scouts: Part 3/Goyles, Goyles, Goyles: Part 1

Aria's POV:

Once the kidnappers fall into our Todd Traps outside their tent and 'accidentally' ingest the no-no berries, we sneak in to rescue Todd.

Leo: "Todd, are you ok? Oh, you look terrible."

Todd: "No, I'm fine. Just go, leave me."

Donnie: "Todd, I'm really sorry my brothers said those terrible things about you, and again, it was just them, not me or Aria."

Leo: "Why don't we leave the apologies to the pro? Todd, you're our friend, and we never should have been such jerks to you. We're really, really so-"

Todd: "Apology accepted! You really are good at that. Wow!"

Suddenly, the kidnappers burst into the tent in their trucks.

Donnie: "Are these guys dentists?"

Raph grabs hold of Todd, and we run off to find safety from the oncoming tranquilizer darts the dentists are shooting at us. Unfortunately, Mikey, Raph & Donnie get hit in their arms and legs, while Leo gets hit in the face. I guide them into a nearby cave where we can hide until the effects wear off.

Raph: "Don't worry about us, Todd. We've got shelter and food and-"

Mikey: "And I've got this canteen of Todd's Lemonade Especial for drinking."

Todd: "Wait. My lemonade? Bingo! Stand back! This is gonna get wild!"

Todd guzzles down the lemonade and transforms into a stronger version of himself. We watch from the cave's entrance as Todd leaps into the sky and sends his animal friends to attack the dentists.

Raph: "Todd's magnificent."

Once the lemonade magic wears off, Raph catches Todd in his arms as he falls off the back of a deer.

Todd: "Well, I'm sure you guys wanna get back to your phones so you don't have to pretend to be Todd Scouts anymore."

Donnie: "Pretend? Who's pretending?"

Raph: "Yeah, I wanna learn how to cut a rope with my teeth."

{Time skip}

Once the weekend's over, Splinter comes back in the tank and drives us home. When the tank comes to a stop in the garage, Splinter walks up to me with a hand extended. I take it as he leads me out of the tank to the living room. I look ahead, but don a look of shock to find Baron Draxum standing in the center of the living room. The turtles draw their weapons, but Splinter raises a hand for them to stop and resumes leading me closer towards Draxum.

Splinter: "Aria, meet Baron Draxum...Your father."

{14 years ago}

3rd Person POV:

Huginn and Muninn follow Draxum into his laboratory.

Draxum: "This is my laboratory. These exotic creatures will one day protect the yokai from the human threat, except for my daughter."

Huginn & Muninn: "Daughter?"

Draxum leads them over to a crib made of vines, where a young infant lies sleeping in the center.

Draxum: "The first human-yokai being in the history of this or any other world."

The young infant opens her eyes as her father smiles down at her. She is the person he's sworn to protect with all his might and heart—one of the last things he has to remind him of his beloved wife.

Muninn: "Aw, she's so cute! Where's her mom?"

Draxum's smile fades as he looks at the family photo he keeps on his desk and the locket beside it that once belonged to the great Eliza Draxum. The picture contains him and Eliza sitting side-by-side, their daughter in their arms, as they smile with pride. Huginn looks at the infant, then Draxum, and then notices the photo.

Huginn: "Oh, man. Uh, I'm sorry. How did-"

Draxum: "She took ill a few weeks after our child was born. It's been 2 months since...it happened."

Draxum traces a finger along his daughter's cheek, and the little one grasps it in her hands. He smiles before gently picking her up and walking to a small box containing four baby turtles.

Muninn: "Ooh, look at these tasty treats."

Muninn goes to eat the red-eared slider until Draxum takes the young turtle out of the gargoyle's hands.

Draxum: "Stop! They're not food. They're my prime subjects. These rare surface creatures will one day become great warriors. Once I mutate them with the right DNA. Anyway, your first task. Put this bridle on my new pony. We'll be in my study."

{Time skip}

Once the gargoyles complete their task, they fly to Draxum to report said success. At the time, Draxum has just finished reading stories of ancient Yokai warriors to his daughter—stories in which the young girl seems interested.

Draxum: *chuckles* "Just you wait. We'll make a warrior alchemist out of you yet, little-"

Huginn: "All done, boss. Hoo, boy, that pony's all grown up, huh?"

Draxum: "Adequate work."

Huginn: "Well, now that that's done, we're gonna take a little catnap on the dog bed."

Draxum: "Uh, uh, uh. Dog beds are for permanent employees, which you are not until you complete your next task..."

Draxum uses his free arm to place the book on the end table next to his chair before gesturing towards the mystic orb that's showing photos of...

Draxum: "The mighty Lou Jitsu. With his DNA I could create warrior beasts to protect our people. But Big Mama refuses to part with him, even though he hasn't fought in ages. That's where you come in."

Huginn: "So you want us to sneak into the Hidden City's most heavily guarded place, the Battle Nexus-"

Muninn: "And kidnap its most powerful champion, Lou Jitsu?"

Draxum: "You get it. Wake me when you're back. Come, little one, time for a quick 'catnap', as our new gargoyles refer to it."

The little infant coos as her father takes her to his room, where he keeps another crib at the foot of his bed.

TO BE CONTINUED