Hawk's Eye - SplendidByFastLass - Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018) [Archive of Our Own] (2024)

Chapter Text

April wasn't having a good day today. Really, really not a good day. And that meant a lot more than usual, especially since she was living in an apocalyptic hell world to begin with. The fact that she had survived thus far within the Krang's presence was a bloody miracle already, titled Commander or not. Mystic weapons, or not.

It had been several years in by now since it had all started. One mistake of young foolishness from her friends and one previously unknown threat too many in her life, and it came at a high cost. And despite many, way too many losses of lives and of limbs within their base's resistance, she and her bale, along with a large part of their starting crew, surprisingly, had managed to live till this point.

Yokai and mutants sure are tough. They had all managed to keep the Krang within a somewhat reasonable distance, and tried to keep a low profile as much as possible, by staying partially underground, and staying cloaked. No matter how hard that could be. And it was hard.

The Krang may kept their focus and distance largely elsewhere. For now. But they were never gone.

Life in and outside the base was a near constant shift between fighting monsters, stealthy and/or fast (often almost downright suicidal) travels, deciding who could be trusted to work with/for them within the resistance, and who had to be shown the way out the door. Dead. Or alive. Or anywhere in between. Deciding which missions were important. Which had to wait... Trying to keep everyone fed and -relatively- happy, feeling like they had a goal, and keeping everything working as best as possible.

Sure, they had warriors and handy folks to do and/or help with all these tasks. Many, in fact. New people and Yokai joined regularly, lost or wounded or simply looking for a solid place within the resistance from the get-go, wanting to fight back. Some were picked up along the way. Others found the base's vicinity themselves and were either picked up or guided in based on trust. And once settled, pretty much everyone would perform without too much complaint.

The resistance had a bio agent at hand that was actually capable of killing off Krang material, and was able to recreate it one on one.

The bio agent. A lucky find at a lucky time... By April. And luck at their hands for science. For Donatello and his knowledge, especially. But even now, whilst it could be recreated from scratch, the necessary supply of liquid was still scarce, batches coming in easily as fast as they went out, no matter the precautions. Using a drop too many today could always mean losing everything tomorrow. Constant risks, was what life in this apocalypse was.

There was grief and pain and hurt, in many ways. Grief was just a part of daily life, shared by everyone. One that had to be stepped over fast if one wanted to keep going.

Love helped relieve much grief, for many. Both for Yokai, humans, and mutants. And love was something April had found in the apocalypse, strange as it was. Love that had grown over the course of many years, for her and her bale. The one good thing. And it had taken them long to realize that, and to express that especially. But that love wasn't something she had right now.

Right now April had frustration, discomfort and anger, and it had nowhere to go.

Where to even begin?

First off, April was all by herself, off duty for the rest of the day. It was early midday now. Hours to go without any tasks and responsibilities were a very rare occurrence, but not necessarily a wanted one. There were still many tasks to be done, but each one seemed to have someone on it for once, wherever she checked. As an added bonus, April was actively encouraged to leave them to be done by others for once.

Even before being announced off duty that day, April had woken up alone. Eaten with her team of fighters, but feeling incredibly alone.

Mikey was sent off for some mystic training from some random Yokai master she and the rest of the bale could know absolutely nothing about. Safety reasons. It was only a recent occurrence for him to have to do so. An unfortunate but important necessity. Draxum's earnest recommendations: "To learn new things and become stronger the way you are evolving, whilst also keeping in mind your own health, and others' safety, is to train under more experienced eyes now and again. And yes, that goes, even if you are considered the expert mystic warrior here. Even professionals in their field need to keep up with their knowledge, and gain new insights from others."

Mikey didn't like it at all, but he really had no choice. And he understood why.

Mystic powers were no joke if you didn't know how to handle its full force under a highly wide array of circ*mstances. And, the apocalypse never seemed to stop coming up with new ones. Losing control over his mystic powers under any of them was not a risk he could ever dare take. So he had to keep learning. Simple as that. And that which he learned, he could later pass on to any other student that needed to learn.

At least Mikey wouldn't be gone long in these beginning stages of training, just several days at a time. But he was still missed. Not just by April either. Eating rats, or canned foods that had survived, or anything recently alive that would still be conscious enough to run from someone approaching, was just a better experience when Mikey had at least helped preparing it. April never thought she would have to admit to that. In an apocalypse, you get used to a lot of things.

Leo and Raph were both off on an unplanned retrieval mission that had already lasted and would last several days still, at least. Up till now, they had both had a steady rhythm in the distance they were traveling each day. A small form of relief, and generally a good sign for the absence of too many dangerous Krang in any form. Surely, they would be fine, April reminded herself for at least the sixth time that day. It was just that their absence wasn't getting easier anytime April could not actively join them. The first actual frustration, that came in two packages. Absent friends. Absent... loves.

Then, the second.

Just this morning, April had had to have yet another heavy worded argument with one of the new Commanders that had joined the resistance's base on short notice, for planning attacks and making agreements. This wasn't the first time that had happened. Oh no, far from it in fact.

Why was it that so many of them always felt the need to doubt April's abilities and decisions as a Commander? Even so much as her very title of Commander seemed to be nothing but a joke to many of them. It was the 2000's for crying out loud, not somewhere around the year 200 AD. It was April that had led so many of these people to safety and kept them that way, not any of these new men that showed up and then wanted to show off.

They never dared anything like this when the turtles were near. Of course not. If they did, a glare or a growl (from them or April) was enough to get the point across.

Now, usually April did not shy away from putting up an actual fight if she was on her own in a situation like this. But this one Commander was just slightly too influential outside their base to risk that. So this morning, she had had to swallow her pride. For now. The idiot would find out by his own stupid mistakes. Or she had to wait for the turtles to get back and step in eventually, showing him his place. Either option was annoying to wait for. The second frustration... And it made her want to punch something.

Donnie had had no time for April today, or yesterday. He had been working on... something... since the morning prior, and had refused to catch any sleep, or food, at all. He wouldn't tell her what it was. Not that it mattered. He hadn't been able to stand by her that morning, hadn't even spoken a word to her or given any sign of life. It hadn't really been much better the weeks before either, thinking back at it.

Sometimes Donnie just seemed to forget there was still -somewhat- of a life outside of protecting and inventing, it seemed.

But... Apart from all this, and most importantly, he had nearly managed to blow her up. Today. After her tiring debate with the Commander. And with her, that had also included Cass and little Casey Jr, who had just decided to drop by. A small break from Cass's usually nomadic life. To rejoin old friends, and for her to catch her breath somewhat, maybe get some actual food to go. Even if the time was short. She would not stay. She never did. And she probably never would.

Now...

Cassandra. Was. Pissed.

Rightfully so.

And, for all the amounts that April loved Donatello Hamato, and for all the things he had already done for her and everyone at the resistance... She was not gonna save his ass out of this situation. Today, if Cass so much as asked, or even thought of it, April would gladly help her glue him behind their theoretical wallpaper left on the walls, until she felt like seeing him again.

Donnie had tried to more or less begin to explain whatever went wrong for this to happen, switching between lowering his head like a corrected puppy towards April, whilst simultaneously trying to growl all serious at Cass for her to keep away. A hopeless display of displacement behavior. Nope. Not gonna work on April today.

April just glared, eyes narrowed. Then she turned her heel and left Dee with a foaming, thundering Cass and a tiny Casey Jr, who seemed... incredibly amused, somehow. He was bundled up, laughing broadly and audibly, yet without too much sound. His arms were bouncing up and down and his eyes were bright and focused, with not even an inch of fear despite the situation he had just survived. Despite his hair smoking still... April had to admit, she never thought such a tiny kid could express emotions so strongly already. He wasn't Cass's son by birth, she had found him. But Cass would surely teach him greatness. And he would need it to become someone great someday.

The third frustration of the day. This had happened two hours ago, and the screeching, swearing and sounds of breaking things and... lasers...?... that had followed after April left had since stopped. Cass must have found someone else to talk to by now, or left off already, leaving Donnie to be in his lab again. Probably to calm himself with his security system. Blowing off steam, cursing at whatever member in their base was doing something stupid this time. Or any other way he saw fit. Who knows what he could see with all his cameras these days. Not even April knew all their locations. And April didn't care for now. She had thrown out her clothes, that were now all black and largely shredded, smelling of smoke and questionable chemicals (more so than usual, that is). They were too broken to be fixed again.

And then, finally. There was the problem of hormones. Because nature always loved to peak her head through the door uninvited, flip a switch. No matter how much you tried, or wanted, to prevent it from happening. No matter how stable the situation generally was. Caught somewhere between peak high fertility and flood. Lovely. Just... Lovely...

April generally loved being a woman, and took high levels of pride in it. Not in an arrogant way at all.

It just felt good... feeling good, content and accepting. Feeling in tune with her body, no matter the harsh circ*mstances she lived in. She loved what she was capable of offering to her bale. She loved whatever all her pheromones and hormones, within their respective part of her cycle, could add to all sensations of their limited time for bonding and intimacy, and to their love in itself. It was a feeling that was hard to explain, but it was there nonetheless. Normally.

Not even the events of the day should have bothered April as much as they did, perhaps. But they did. And she just knew it was those damned hormones putting her off... extra. Something she hadn't had to endure like this for the last two or three years or so, as far as she remembered. Even then, she had been able to hide it better, she felt. By 'simply' pushing through, because she had to. But now, all alone, fluctuations of nature's messengers caused a havoc she did not want and could not hide as well anymore. They made her achy, muscle to bone. Feeling cold, unable to focus... She could hear and feel bones crack or be stuck that she was fairly certain were not supposed to that at her age. And she had to find a way to fix all that.

April had tried to go to sleep, and failed. It seemed like such an easy thing to do, right? Especially with so many things to do, all day long, every day, it should be a welcome relief to sleep extra. Just lay on a bed. Any bed would do. Close your eyes. Sleep.

It didn't work one bit.

Sighing, April made her way to the dojo instead. Maybe punching something would help after all.

She arrived in the dojo, only to find it empty. Not even the usual punching bags and dummies were there. Well, they were there, but they were all stacked up and next to each other against a wall, and April suddenly felt no need to even try and remove them for some punching. What was also there, standing proudly in the middle of the dojo, was a random plant. Weird.

Despite being alone in the dojo, April locked the doors. She did not feel like seeing anyone right now.

The plant gave off a strange vibe to the dojo's space. Like it was calling to her. It was a grown bamboo-like plant with large leaves, sat in a heavy looking pot, and it couldn't be much taller than she was. When had it gotten here? Who had even brought it in the first place?

You know what, maybe the plant's lonely presence with her was a sign. Maybe she should just be with the plant and... meditate. The plant was the most natural thing in life she currently had besides her own body, it seemed.

There she sat on the cold hard dojo floor, legs crossed, arms in her lap. Staring intently at the plant, then closing her eyes, breath even as she could manage.

"Be a river, April. Find a connection. Then flow. What has happened today is done, cannot be turned back. Rocks in a river are there, only to chip away at and flow right past. You'll roll with it as you've always done, got it?" April half thinks, half whispers to herself.

So she tries.

And tries.

And tries.

Aaaand lets out a heavy sigh. This wasn't working. Meditation had been too long ago to do so by herself it seemed.

Then.

''Eugh, you good April?''

What the?! Who was that?

April turned her head to try and pinpoint where that voice had come from. And then she saw. Behind all the stacked dummies in the dojo, in what was probably a nice, dark, cozy, quiet space, lay Mikey. All flat. His head was pressed down, resting on the floor, turned towards her. He didn't have his arms tucked away in his shell, they lay beside his shell on the floor, completely limp. He was watching her intently. Like a hawk. And there was nothing to hide from a hawk that had seen you.

So she stared right back.

''What's with you lying there, Mike? Wait. When did you even get back, I thought you weren't supposed to for some days still?'' April asked, not moving from her position.

''I've just arrived here... like an hour ago. I wasn't meant to, but the mystic Yokai master felt further training wasn't... ideal... at the moment...''

April lifted her brows at him. Further explanation was required. So Mikey continued, in the process of getting up and out of there, clearly finding it difficult to do so.

''Starts with Dee... ends with Raxum. And a roof that that was blown off the building meant to house me for training. And eh... That was the onlybuilding. But I'm not mad about it though. Training was way worse than anything Raph or Splinter or Leo have ever put me through. Combined... And it wasn't even actual mystic training yet. Can you believe it? I can feel muscles I didn't even know I have! It's weird! Like I am supposed to be able to move my entire plastron, with more flexibility than Donnie has! Leo would laugh at me in my face if I told him that!''

April smiled. He probably would.

''So what's up with you here? Having trouble focussing? You're all.. tense looking. And I'm pretty sure that's not what you came in here to do.'' Said Mikey.

''Later.'' April responded at first. She was curious now about his training, but she quickly changed her mind. ''Wait. By any chance. You haven't even talked to Donnie yet, have you?''

''Well, when I came into the base I heard a whole lot of suspicious screaming and a child's giggling. Saw some people standing in the hallway all confused. That did have me curious. But I'm not ever messing with an angry Cass again within a mile distance from me. So when I heard her andDonnie... Well... I didn't feel like losing my life today, no thanks. Dee can surely handle that on his own.''

He managed a grin with his response.

Okay. That was fair. That earned him a little laugh from April. Mikey could break up fights with Donnie with a finger snap. But Cass was just... Special.

''Besides.'' He continued. ''I had to get that plant somewhere to safety and I figured this would be a nice spot for now. It requires minimum light and can thrive with minimum water. Though it may seem odd. Tough despite the circ*mstances, hehe! I think actual nature will do everyone some good. Raph should be pleased when he gets back. With the training facility out of order, it needed a place to be. But back to my question...''

He was now beside her, sitting down likewise. April's turn again to speak up.

''Hmn.'' she started, a balled fist resting against her chin. ''I felt meditation would actually do me good. It's been awhile. And I'm not gonna loop around it, but I may or may not have been hoping for Karai and Splinter to invite me over and just let me hang out within their spirit realm until all this is over. What do you say? Wanna join me?''

''An interesting proposal.'' Mikey said right back. His grin had never faded.

A moment of silence.

An intense stare at her.

And all of a sudden, his face turned all serious.

''You've been having trouble lately, haven't you? More so than you're going to try and explain to me if I asked.''

A hawk misses nothing.

She did owe him an explanation. So she handed it to him. How she had the rest of today off duty. All her frustrations of that morning and the days (maybe even weeks) prior. Missing everyone, wanting to punch the Commander. Her unfortunate involvement with Donnie's explosive adventures (Remind her to never let him get that uranium.) Even the whole hormone thing was laid right out on the table. She could entrust her bale with details like that if she wanted to share it.

Mikey believed her, but he did not buy all of it so easily. So he just kept that stare up, a thin smile rather than a wide grin.

''That isn't the entire story, I can tell. But maybe it is so...''

Another moment of silence. He was thinking. Then, he continued, his head turned towards her.

''You fear.''

Goddamnit. He was right. He was always right when it came to emotions. What she had left in her life was so damn fragile. Or at least it felt like that. She often wondered still, what powers were possibly involved to have them all live the way they had up till now. How everything had fallen into place the way it had in their life span. How overly lucky they had all been til this point. And in in all honesty, hadn't they been?

The Yokai existing, Draxum existing, the Hamatos existing. Mystic powers existing. The turtles existing, becoming what they are, who they are. The way they had. All of them having survived Splinter (no offense), each other, Big Mama, and many smaller foes, and the Shredder. And. Well... Life itself. And now this whole situation. Despite not having Splinter in their life anymore to share it with. There had not been enough grief to completely accept that loss. That couldn't really be there, no matter how much they had all wanted it to be there. And the fear of losing everyone and everything she had left just seemed to grow more on her every day. Added to everything else going on. They just couldn't truly stay that lucky for that long, right? At some point, things would have to start falling apart and then it was a losing game for good, unless they still found some miracle solution. Or had some unknown hero in their midst that could switch things to be better. But how high were the chances?

April leaned back and let her arms hang to the side, hands resting on the floor. After she thought of all that for second, she spoke up.

''You got me there, Doctor Feelings. So what's your advice? Is it a simple recipe? Do I have to steal it from Leo's supply?''

Mikey's grin was back shortly.

''If I ever needed to get me or you anything from Leo again that is medicine related... I'm going to sweet talk my way into getting it. The mystic Yokai master speaks both French and Italian, fluently. I may have picked up on some of its words and sentences. In time, as soon as that roof is fixed and there's a floor again... that will only get better! And then I'll outcompete Leo in using the power of words with heavy accents to get what I want!''

"Like you need that already..." April said.

Both were laughing now. God how she had needed to laugh again.

''I am going to help you meditate. That's what you came here for. But it's not going to be like anything you're used to. You need a little more than to just sit here in the quiet of an empty room, following boring voices from unknown assistants and trying to get through to yourself on your own. If you will allow it.''

''You already got me curious, Mike. Tell me more.''

Mikey shifted behind her, a hand placed on her back. Warmth that was welcome against her cold feeling body, even though it was clothed. His own breath added rhythm for breathing and she followed swiftly. He did that on purpose. She was meant to follow it.

Mikey spoke.

''As you know... There are many ways one can meditate effectively. Different cultures all have developed their own adaptations to it. There is rarely just one way of doing something right. That includes methods in meditation, I would say. What I intend to do, is help you feel like you can regain some of your control again.''

A heavy breath in.

''Regain your focus.''

A heavy breath out.

''Get back in tune with your body, and with your pride.''

Gone was the hand that had grounded her.

"And... have less fear."

He blew some wind in her hair.

"Do you have five minutes?'' He said, as he stood up.

Then he was gone. And April took some time to actually think, whilst she looked at him keeping himself busy. Mikey was never out of the dojo. Rather, he was at the opposite wall, prying at some of the wooden planks on the dojo's floor. Stopping occasionally to tap his fingers on his chin, to then move further and try at others. When he had ripped enough of them out of their place, he took out a wooden box with handles on each side, lined with a variety of Japanese symbols. The box had a detailed painting on it, that much she could tell. But she couldn't quite see the details from her spot. Looking happy as can be, Mikey all but sprinted back to her. Where was all that muscle pain of his now, huh? The loose planks remained where they were, lying there without further purpose.

Mikey placed the box between her and the plant.

''What's with this?'' April asked.

''Just a little something I took off Draxum's hands a long time ago. Who had gotten it from someone else.... Who had, also, gotten it from someone else. Back then I never thought I'd actually get to use it, so it's been hidden in here ever since. And I pretty much forgot about it.''

Lifting the lid off the box, he revealed a can that seemed to have liquid in it, as he picked it up and carefully shook it. Despite the can's walls being entirely wooden, and probably quite some years old by the look of it, it held its contents well within. It showed no signs of discoloration in any way. No cracks. No mold. No dust. No signs of damage from mice or insects. Looking back into the box, April spotted a set of paint brushes, all different sizes and brush materials.

''It's body paint." Mikey said. "But it's kinda special. From what I understood, it can cultivate mystic energy temporarily. Save it, and keep its warmth, or coldness, or buzz. Much like a warming or cooling gel would. But better. More intense. Different. Whatever mystic power the yielder has on him, it can be felt some way. It's a one time use item only. And I think it is just what you need. No need to wash it off either, this stuff will melt right into the body eventually. No health risks. Draxum's words.''

April was confused there for a second.

''I thought we were gonna be meditating. Didn't know that ever involved anything body paint related?''

''No.'' He responded. ''But if it doesn't exist yet, I can make it so. An artist can take inspiration from most anything. And something new, combined with something old, can turn out surprisingly effective.''

She should have known he would think of something unique like this. Mikey always had a way of surprising her and the rest of the bale. Dominant by nature? Yes. But still, never truly predictable in his ways, unless he wanted to be. And April was gonna add to that pile. Starting now.

''How about sexual meditation then? Ever heard of that?" April asked. A surprisingly bold and direct move. Might be considered a challenge.

"Fitting." was the only response she got for a few hot seconds.

"I have heard of it. A long time ago, when Raph had found a pamphlet on different meditation techniques, which he never read himself. I don't think it's very common practice, but I feel you are onto something that can combine many efficient meditation techniques. And if it's a wish of your own, I will gladly consider it. I am here now to help you after all. It might help alleviate your hormonal blockages somewhat as well, above all else. And it should relax your body and mind."

April was down for it. "Well then... Lead the way.''

It was all that was needed for him to start.

The entire meditation session that followed was an intense experience, to say the least.

The beginning had been slow. As Mikey sat himself behind her again, it was him in control. He didn't even need to say much of anything to be so. He never did. Relatively simple orders followed. Some silent, others not.

Following of breaths, hands massaging their way top to bottom. With each movement, April was asked to focus solely on what she felt. Allowed to make noise if she wanted to. Asked to keep her eyes closed for him. Quickly there was relaxation. In her breathing, her body, and her mind. As intended. Her hands followed his. In this manner, they already deviated from sexual meditation as it was generally performed. It could be done in combination with a partner, and may or may not include any form of masturbation, but it was usually performed by just one person, without anyone else touching the one meditating. But not them. Mikey was guiding April, hands on. And she followed with her own hands where she could, and learned.

As his hands warmed her through all the movements, each layer of clothing was shed. The massaging never did stop, repeating and focussing, and as April felt his head come to rest on her now bare shoulder in a near weightless, but present, manner, her offer on sexual meditation was truly initiated.

Hands and fingers focussed on her forehead, on her ears and behind them, on her cheeks, her neck, her shoulders. Her arms, her breasts. Areolas, nipples, and even the milk ducts behind them. They were both very thorough in feeling. And it felt good, for both of them, to just take their time. To breathe, to sigh, and let out soft moans on occasion. Despite the hormones causing aching no less, his hands could make up for it. Her tensing up ignited him softening, clearly caring. Whenever Mikey tensed up from his own aching muscles somewhat, April made sure to lean back into him, or lean a hand on him. Circles would be switched by lines, soft presses by harder ones. Occasional pinching and holding on, then letting go. April could swear she felt that plant breathe right back at her.

Hands continued their motions. Feeling continued. She was ordered to focus still, to keep following with her own hands. They could intertwine their fingers here and there, taking pauses. Back. Hips. Thighs. Ass. She could almost feel her backbones realign themselves under his touch with relieving pops. Felt their fingers snaking around her front, making a V shape around her labia, staying there only briefly. Grounding. Tension was replaced by warmth and want of togetherness. She had missed that.

She briefly felt warm chains snake across her body, to remind her of where their hands had been.

Then he was gone again, entirely.

"You may open your eyes for now.'' He said.

"I want for you to become a symbol of what we all are to one another, and to absorb just that. The things we share. The things that can help you remember us. And the things that make you, you. You may think as loudly as you wish, make any noise you want. But I need for you to listen to me. To trust me."

She did.

She leaned to him and gave him a slight headbutt.

Approval.

He stood up to go sit in front of her, on his knees. Like a sensei in front of his student, with nothing but respect fro the things they could do.

In front of her, he held out one of the brushes, so she could see. Red eyes staring at brown ones. He dipped it in the can of paint so the brush was halfway covered. The paint was a mix of orange and yellow coloring, glittering like gold leaf. April wondered wether or not that was coincidental, or if the paint knew things she didn't, because 'magic'. Clearly the can hadn't been opened before, as it was sealed intricately with strings before Mikey had opened it. She would take the chance.

Other than what she expected, Mikey ended up started his painting session at her back. Then again, she should never truly expect anything from him. Always a mystery. What he did do before he started, as he was still in front of her, was form a chain around her wrists. It was clicked shut via a small carabiner, leaving some space for it to move around still. Then, he formed the same system around his own wrists. He left some chain in between their 'cuffs'. Half an arm's length.

"First. Understand this. I am in control. But I'm giving you the key." he stated. It was for her to figure out what that meant. And it could mean entirely nothing, and she was okay with either option. He stood up and jumped over her effortlessly, landing behind her. It was calculated. No tugging. No pain. Only trust. She felt the chains cross over her front as he lightly kept contact. He lowered his arms. She was to follow him with hers.

"Close your eyes, please. Only your thoughts, silently against my words. Words are allowed, but let those be freely expressed. Let the mind find a quiet place."

That was an actual meditation aspect, April assumed. But indeed, this was no boring, unknown voice from an assistant. Someone who was just in it because it was a job. These were encouraging and guiding words from a master, a love, and a friend.

And so, the second part of the session began.

"You have a name. You. Are April O'Neil. You are a Hamato. Earned. With us, your bale, that makes five."

With that, he drew a circle on her back, right between her shoulder blades. Lines forming five triangles.

"Five souls combined." - Five dots, one within each triangle.

"You." - An extra circle to outline the first, keeping some distance. - "Are the sun. In a dark, cold universe"

April focussed. Hard. With purpose. She was succeeding.

"Allow me to be your fire."

- Flames around the entire circle, reaching upward.-

"A sun shines its light with the help of massive bursts of flames, reaching out to the earth that lies way below. That river you tried to find earlier lies on the earth, and is surrounded by a thick fog. That will block almost anything that does not already know its proper way. Only its rhythm can be heard, but it's hard to find it even if you look for it real hard. In addition, the river's flow is too low to drive that fog away..."

He gave the chains a light tug, to increase some pressure. Her arms wanted to follow, but April found she couldn't. Mikey did not push further at that. April really was lost lost in fog, whereas she thought she had heard the river loud and clear earlier. Mikey continued speaking.

"To understand the dynamics of this river, to find it and bring it to flow harder, you must first be the sun. And find those that can guide you to it. We exist in a universe that is all kinds of weird and unique, but we have some of our strongest connections to rely on. To both help find the river, and to give it a purpose. Looking for the river in the dark and fog is dangerous to do all alone. It can lead you to drown with ease."

He painted four lines from the fire, that seemed random to April at first. They went over her shoulders, to her collar bones. Two on each side. Now she felt she could follow her arms with his motions.

"When we met, it was by chance. That fountain just outside the sewer. Remember?"

"...I do." She replied, quietly.

Four dots were painted. One underneath each line.

Mikey leaned into her further, to grab a different brush, dipping it in the can, then leaning back again.

"Many things have happened in our lives, which you've shared with us. We've all been lucky, that's true. Maybe too lucky for our own good, too many times. But we are all, in a way, each others strength and right mind. And..."

He wrote symbols on her back. Each one underneath the one before it. Each one memorized by heart. Despite not being able to see what he painted, she didn't have to think hard what it said. Anatawa hitori janai.

He let some extra chains snake besides the symbols, to encourage some relaxation.

"No matter what happens, you will never truly be alone to find the river, even if it may feel like it. Which I know isn't at all easy."

Random stripes and dots were added to her back, to symbolize their many other connections. Wanderers of the dark earth. Other stars in the universe. Friends. Enemies. Anyone that had not yet decided. Mikey mentioned each one he knew, and each one brought back some memories. When Mikey felt done, he rose up slowly. Then he jumped back to her front again. Another brush, another dip. The paint strikes were calming her, enlightening her. Slightly. They helped her feel her body again. But they did not feel really special at all. No warmth, no cold. No buzz. The sounds of the clinging chains calmed her extra though. That helped. It was familiar, and warmth inducing. The river was becoming louder within the realm April found herself drifting in.

"You remember three other Hamatos best, like you do us." Said Mikey. - Three stripes on her forehead.- "Splinter. Karai. Oroku Saki."

They were a memory. And always would be. Until they would meet again, someday. This time, to stay with them. A strange thought, but a reassuring one as well.

"We met you by that fountain, in the darkness of the night. None of us were supposed to be there, but we were." A circle underneath the four dots on her collarbone. A smaller one in the middle. And wavy stripes in-between. Water.

"First, it was Donnie." - From the first dot, he drew a softshell's head.-

"Then, it was Raph. Followed directly by me and Leo." - Three more turtle heads joined around the fountain, as Mikey kept speaking.-

"You became our sun that day. A door to the world. A friend, and a sister. And then more."

A moment of pause, before Mikey continued speaking.

"Where you are the sun, I am your fire. Together, we shine light down to earth, where we can make things visible. Now Raph... is a volcano! Standing his ground there. Strong enough to scorch when it bursts, red and powerful and fierce. But... A gentle soul in rest, grounding and offering a safe home to many life forms. It is up to the ones who know the volcano, to read it like it is the very foundation of the ground. And to follow up its signs. Sometimes it needs space. Other times you can stand on it, and play and climb and fool around on and near it as much as you want. The volcano always has its own beauty. It forms new ground to stand on. It keeps inviting to explore, even if it might be a little dangerous sometimes. Danger can be inviting to gain more understanding. The outbursts always stop eventually, helping the volcano grow even more. And it only brings more to offer, as it does. Eventually, this volcano will grow so big it can directly touch the sun. Until then, its lava can always be seen, even in the dark."

Symbolism talk helped April envision the environment around the supposed river. As the rays of the sun touched the earth.

In her mind, she could begin to see the volcano, proudly standing above the fog, from her high position as the sun. She saw lava flow, and water's steam rise. The river was close.

Where Mikey was her fire, he seemed to also share that position with the volcano, burning from the flowing lava. He was a connector to both of them. Mikey knew Raph, much like he knew her.

"Let's bring in some colors now, alright? A bit of contrast. Leo and Donnie are colorful masterminds in their own regards. It's extremely hard to compare them to anything that actively is at this point. That doesn't mean they can't become something in the end. And they can become many things in the context of our little journey, even. I will not go too far into that though. You may think about that for yourself. Whatever they are without the sun, they find themselves able to float around freely, and can read each other like no other. They can exist together just so, in the darkness of the universe. Neon colors they carry are visible for those who can see in the dark, but their very speed makes them hard to catch, unless you can draw them in. Their freedom in space can make them overconfident and unpredictable. Dangerous, with nothing to slow them down. Only following the one purpose they were originally created for. Following their very nature.

Now this was indeed symbolism at the very next level to April. Nothing to do but to listen, and interpret. So she did. In the realm of her mind, she could see them as meteorites, having formed somewhere in space, by who knows what kind of power. Now soaring together at high speed, fighting for the lead, leaving behind neon colors.

Uncatchable. Dangerous indeed. But materials from space could have incredibly much to offer. That, April knew.

"To those who wish to better know these two forces and their powers, they are best visible when enlightened by the rays of the sun. They would also need a steady surrounding, and elements to keep them in check. The volcano can very much do so. The volcano can lure them both in, and catch them. Its red, fiery lava can melt them down and reshape them, into a form they can choose for themselves somewhat. They will never lose all of their stubborn fighting spirit, after all... Once they have chosen a form the volcano can accept enough to let them go ahead, they can soon be seen as minerals, or gemstones, near the riverbed, in which they have cooled off over time. The river may occasionally finds itself engulfing them, chipping away at them further to form their final shape. One day there may not be anything left, but the things they left behind will still be able to help others. Will still be beautiful to others, or inspire them. Or even... Offer powers."

The painting continued without pause. Mikey was a detailed worker.

April could start to see the glistening of the two mineral forms in the realm she had entered. They stood proudly besides the river, right in front of each other, close to the volcano. They were large enough to stand out above the mist, where it seemed to be less thick than everywhere else. It indicated that they were not blocking the river at all, for steaming water was carried in-between them at a reasonable speed. A flare of the volcano's fire landed on both stones, intensifying their colors wherever it burned, before cooling down again. Blue and Purple.

And then, all of a sudden, April found herself in a cycle of pure calmness. The sun rays had reached the earth, and its light bounced off and back to her. And as the earth turned, the sky's atmosphere would show her all sorts colors: Red, Orange, Blue and Purple. Both alone, and combined. It was beautiful like nothing she had thought of in a really long while.

Mikey seemed to understand that April felt connected again in some way, for he spoke of them again instead.

"With our bale we form a system, that can benefit greatly from one another, if we do not forget about what it is that connects us. We keep our friends in, our enemies out. We grow stronger together for what we know we are worth... Love each other in the best ways whenever we can. We take risks together, even if it means we may not physically return some day." Mikey said.

It sounded like he was talking to himself as much as he was to her. And maybe he needed that as well. None of them knew what they would do if they ever lost one of their bale's members. How they would all respond. It would be a hard hit regardless.

"If any of us can prevent it, then no one leaves this earth alone. We will keep each other in sight, or die trying. Sometimes we all just need a little reminder to keep up with all that we have. To remember that we love each other. To keep seeing each other in the smallest of things, even if we cannot be there. And, this will sound very harsh, but you must know that if there was ever truly, absolutely, no other way anymore... And if I was around then... I would end anyones life before the Krang ever had the chance to make them suffer the way they always do. That includes yours, April. And it would suck. It would hurt like nothing I've ever known. And it pains me to think about the possibility of ever having to do so. But it would be a decision out of nothing but love. You have to know that."

There was reassuring truth in these words, even though the context was extremely dark for many in the resistance. Tough choices sometimes did need to be discussed, no matter how much they sucked. Mercy killings were a part of life now, in this apocalypse. In another world, Donnie, especially, would probably never allow this. None of them would, unless they were desperate enough to not see another way anymore. Maybe not even then. Who would know. But imagining a different life was hard to do.

Maybe then, Donnie would find a way for them all to stay alive forever, or at least a very long time. But in this world, mercy killings were a form of love for anyone's dignity and sanity. A fair way to go, for all the effort that was made to keep everyone safe, and for all their effort to keep Krang out or damaged. Someone getting hurt was bad enough, but that could usually still be fixed in one way or another. A missing limb was often able to be overcome without too many complications. Their bio agent however, could only do so much.

Not everyone could be saved from becoming infected in fights, and to become truly infected by Krang, was to suffer an unfair amount. Even if Leo, or Raph, or even Donnie, would not ever gladly speak of it, understandably, they too would make these tough decisions for each other if it came to it. Mikey knew that, deep down. Very, very, deep down. And now, so did April.

"I can not take away all your fear, or pain, April." Mikey continued. "But I can share it, and I will. I do. To the best of my abilities. You need only ask for me to help you. And I may be able to show you the whole river again, that you wanted to find. For we can all be more than just one element, visible in the system."

He painted fire around the four turtles and the fountain on her chest. The fire then led downward to her heart's position. So he painted one. Then April found the whole connection. The fountain was also the river, flowing with water. And thus, the river was also the sun. Her. From the beginning to the end, she was the one connector that had so long not realized how needed she was for the whole. The sky and its colors she could see... She could see them from her position as the river, as well as the sun's. And it was even more beautiful, now the fog had gone.

"I understand. I... Understand. Thank you. You have no idea how much." April said. There was a silent tear in the corner of both her eyes, and they were because of contentedness, and love, and understanding.

With understanding, the river seemed to draw in even more water, melted from a cold, doomed environment, filled with frustrations and problems. All to flow away.

"That's good April. Till any and all of that ever happens, remember: We will all keep fighting regardless. Please keep breathing for me again. Steady."

The painting continued a while longer, forming lines, words, and symbols along her many remaining stubbornly aching muscles. The meditation session was still going, and the painting had indeed become a resourceful part of it, even if it -still- didn't feel that special at all. They had all the time in the world. Each line added new flows for the river to take in. Less pain, less frustration. Up until Mikey seemed to slow down. Suddenly not all so certain what to do anymore, or how to continue.

And suddenly April understood what Mikey had meant by him handing her the key. She had equal amounts control as he had. And now it was her turn to take it, even if it wouldn't be for long.

"Can you stand for me, please?" April said.

Mikey followed her, helping pull her up by the chains still connecting them. He tried to hand her the brush, assuming she'd want to try something.

"No need. I have something else in mind." She said to him as she tapped a finger against his nose.

She raised her arms over his shoulders so that she was now behind him, chains crossed over his front. Bowing down, she ordered him gently to follow, tugging down, whilst holding the chains in hand. He had to follow her, so she could reach the paint can. In which she dipped her very hands.

"Nowyou keep your eyes closed for me."

It always felt weird for April to try and be dominant with Mikey, who was such a natural at it. But now, it felt good, and he let her.

Standing up again, April took a moment to breathe again. Then, she laid both hands on his shell, creating a pattern on it. She repeated this motion several times, hand-like patterns switched by stripes. Blending the occasional pattern she had created, and reaching for more paint now and again. She was turning him into a more natural looking box turtle, all the while knowing the shell carried feelings, due to the nerve endings it had. All the feeling would get through to him, as much as they had to her earlier. All the warmth of her hands, all the massaging. And he let it all happen, silently, whilst she talked to him.

"You know, I really do feel you've helped me through my problems today Mikey. Thank you. I needed that. While you talked to me just now, I remembered something else from my teen years, very briefly. When life was so different for us. I remembered learning this one thing in high school. Greek gods and their love affairs. And... It reminded me especially of you." April stated.

"How so?" asked Mikey.

"Simple things really. I'm sure you'll know some of it. Greek gods... Well, a lot of them... Had many loves and a whole lot of drama going on all the time. Most of which was caused by no one but themselves and their many unchangeable destinies. Some loves they had were short lived, others long. Some sincere, others just for the thrill of it. No matter how strange the intimate relationships, fights and the mere creation of the many Greek gods often were described as, they were still looked upon with much respect by society. Even by the other gods. Some of these gods, Zeus especially, had a habit of taking on the form of animal-like entities. Much like you are... Only often more animal in nature. Which sounds weird, I know, but... they had the clear mind of living entities to make thought out decisions. And they would seduce... Initiate... Love. Betray. And punish. You're no betrayer Mike, but you are like a god to me. Maybe not necessarily a Greek one, but at least... a mythical one. A demigod maybe. Just... I just feel like we could easily be a part of these myths in some ways."

"Well..." Mikey then said. "I do know that in Greek mythology, a young woman was actually turned into a turtle once, but as a punishment. As a curse."

"Pffft, oh nonononono! You better keep that to yourself, or else Dee might do something he'll seriously regret." April responded, jokingly. "An actual female mutant turtle might awake some serious territorial or jealousy-related fights in you all. We can't have that now, can we? Fighting must be reserved for the Krang only. Who knows though, there may still be an alive, stubborn oozequito hidden somewhere that decides I too can become a turtle... mutant...? Yokai? It's all much the same really, isn't it? With all the turtle myths in the world, plus the things we've seen, I consider none of it an impossibility anymore."

"Ah." Mikey said. "Because Yokai comes from Japanese. And in Japan Yokai are simply translated as a high variety of mythical creatures, jokesters, shapeshifters, demons... animal like entities, and anything else within that realm. And us mutants are much like that... And like the Greek gods, they are perfectly capable of creating drama, and teaching lessons, and more. As you know."

"Precisely!" April responded.

Mikey turned his head around to look at her.

"You still are fascinated by turtle facts, even after all these years."

"You remember that phase? April asked, genuinely surprised. Mikey was so young back then still, as was she.

Then, she continued.

"Well... It's just... never left, I suppose. I just buried it, it seems. Isn't it funny how, for so many cultures over time, turtles were generally viewed as protectors, carriers of the world, symbols of wisdom, longevity and fertility, and able to provide their own home and protection... And then Nile river dwelling softshell turtles were just considered to be straight up evil and the fastest way to the depths of hell! Enemies of the gods themselves!"

They were now both roaring with laughter. Leaning into each other to try and prevent each other from toppling over. And it lasted several minutes before they were back in 'meditation mode', hardly as serious as before. Then April added some lazy dots of paint, to exist next to Mikey's natural ones.

"But. To come back to the Greek gods and why I think you could be like one for me. First off. You've initiated... all we have, without realizing you had..."

That was true. It was because of Mikey that Leo had started recording all his feelings and his doubts. Even if he didn't exactly always try his hardest to find the safest places to do so and it had almost cost him his life several times... In more ways than any of them had ever really wanted to know...

It was tough for Leo to talk about his emotions throughout the first years of the apocalypse. Feelings that went much, much further than loss and the harsh reality of dealing with nearly indestructible Krang. Feelings of guilt, of having to kill, and to confront foes to get his point across, time and time again. Of having to (try to) form teams and keep them working together efficiently. When he had had to make so many tough decisions so fast. Had had to grow up so fast. And, unbeknownst to them, had shared a deep love for each of them, that had grown over the course of many years.

Doctor Feelings had strategically advised him to at least talk about about his feelings with someone, or himself. Or better yet, and far more comfortable perhaps: write about them, and then just burn the paper. To watch the ashes float off into the air, and then move on. Mikey had even handed him the old as time recorder himself, surprised it even still worked at all.

Mikey had found the recorder shortly after his sincere advice to Leo. He had found it at an abandoned village during a foolish solo mission, whilst everything else there had already either burned to a crisp, or collapsed. Not even the wailing cries of any wounded could be heard there. Mikey was feeling an odd, complete loss of emotions and felt ready to collapse eternally, when he had stumbled upon the metal thing beneath his feet.

The recorder was rather big and heavy compared to the more standard cameras and phones he knew of the past modern time, but it could surely be of use. No need in wasting it unnecessarily. Even though it had nothing saved at the time, Mikey found it worked still. And it was able to do so without needing any internet connection or stupid paid subscription or membership that no longer worked. It must have been a collector's item in a prior owner's hands. What simple technology could survive sometimes... was truly remarkable in Mikey's eyes. He kept it to himself, and returned swiftly to the others. He had to go deal with Raph now, who wasn't happy at all about his little solo trip. Mikey had somehow outsmarted him, as well as Leo and Donnie, to end up here. If anything, he was surely grounded now. Adult or not.

Recording and replaying, once or twice or three times, in limited quality sound and image, was all the recorder really had to be able to do. To temporarily save a moment. And let go of it when so desired. And so it quickly became Mikey's personal gift to Leo. Leo, who was was supposed to be able to use it in order to keep expressing what he felt, all to himself. For as long and as much as he wanted. Or needed. And he had for a short while. Until Donnie had found out... The rest was history to them.

April continued.

"You've seduced all of us, just by being who you are. It's why we're standing here, like this. That takes trust, and love. Leo has trusted you enough to follow your advice. He could have stopped at any time, and just not continue, but he didn't! And you have love to give for decades to come still, be it in this world, or another. And I... I don't think I have to explain the punishment part on your hands, hehe."

A devious glare was shared between both of them.

Oh, Donatello.

Donnie had absolutely learned his lesson for disrespecting Leo's trust the way he had. Cause even if he hadn't done what he had done... Surely it might have taken them all (way) longer to find out about their feelings for each other. But there are multiple ways that can lead to the same goal. And surely, Leo would have had some kind of slip up or... No. No one knew. Maybe they should just be glad about what Donnie had done.They were all just glad they knew now.

Fond memories that would last them a lifetime, no matter how much his actions had confused and somewhat hurt them, initially. Donnie was a -bit- deranged sometimes, sure. But they as a bale loved him no less because of it. It made him highly productive and protective over that which he had. Where others would doubt, Donnie could finalize decisions, no questions asked.

Even if Leo had doubts, despite being the leader now.

And Donnie had quickly gotten Raph to mimic much of that decisive, no way back, now or never kind of behavior. They could make statements in far less civilized ways than just sending someone out the door. And they would not have to eat for several days to weeks after they had. They didn't necessarily rush these things either, oh no. Mercy killings that were quick and painless were for endings out of love and respect only, to them. That had to be earned.

Donnie would always be allowed to keep making mistakes and learn, or be locked up in his own world for a day or two at a time. April knew that as well as Mikey. He'd turn around for them again and again, and find some way to get back to them. Make up for it. He too had everyone to help him with that, if only he opened up. Whatever he had on his mind to work on now, it had to be mighty important. Maybe more so than April and Mikey realized. What would he be doing now? Would he be watching them right now? These were thoughts that would not be expressed, but they both at least shared them.

April continued her explanation without fail.

"And look at you Mike. No wonder you're a succesful seducer to me, like those Greek gods were to gain so many of their affairs. You're absolutely gorgeous! You've got the body... The hair... You're so damn sweet and wise in many ways. You're strong beyond compare already and I'm sure there's still so much more you can get out of being a mystic warrior in training. Even if everyone here already considers you the mystic expert. Who knows what else you can do still? It's so strange sometimes to realize we're all adults now like this. Where did the time go?"

"It has turned us into who we are now. And for that, we are lucky." Mikey simply responded.

He turned them both to face each other and leaned in for a kiss, almost knocking over the plant.

"I suppose there's one more thing that still needs to happen here, for us to end this meditation session all enlightened. Are you still in for finishing that sexual meditation? It can be done with or without an active partner, if you do so desire. It's all your choice. I wouldn't mind being involved though." Said Mikey.

April hadn't fully realized it, but by the time Mikey asked her this, she felt soaked. And in a good way again. A wanting way, instead of a pained and annoyed one, all by herself to fix it. Enough to significantly quiet down nature's cruelty that were annoying hormonal influences.

"Show me what you've got. We haven't officially ended our session yet, right? I bet we can get the river to flow even faster."

He did not need to have her say that twice. He had her take on her meditation pose again, sitting with her legs crossed on the dojo floor. The connection of their chains was severed, only to be replaced by two chains that hoisted her up into the air, so she faced him directly. None of it hurt. The hawk had an experienced grip, meant to keep its prey from squirming away, until it was high up. Ready to be dropped, or to be devoured somewhere high up.

And did she love the sight. Mikey's erection had dropped by now, ready to go. And much like her, he was leaking. Just a pearl of precum was visible, but a beautiful, nearly glowing one. A joy to her eyes. He had arrived at the base mostly undressed to begin with. She hadn't even really noticed that before. Except for his weapon belt and mask, those had stayed on. They were never in their way throughout their entire meditation session.

As he stood in front of her, they kissed again. Longer and deeper. Both occasionally breathed through their nose slightly harder, so they felt each other's presence within a certain rhythm. When they moved on, he licked and stroked in-between his carefully arranged lines of paint, and she found her way to his neck as well, to rest her head and scrape her teeth in-between kisses.

The dried paint could now be touched by anything, without smearing. It had already seemed to become a part of each of their outer layer of cells. Mikey replaced the chains, so April may use her arms. A slight drop in height had them giggling for a couple seconds, before the height difference was made up for again.

As they both breathed in rhythm again, he decided to work on her breasts. Expert hand and mouth work, whilst April felt content feeling up his plastron, his hair, his shell and his arms with her own hands. Old scars, burns, intact skin and healing wounds, nothing was missed.

Next thing she knew, he was under her, sitting in meditation position. Facing in the same direction as she was, and lowering her onto him. An extremely welcome, and missed, hot sensation that took no effort at all in the aroused state they were in. The chains were removed entirely, and whilst they adjusted, they felt content to just cuddle and be with each other. No hurry at all. Their breathing was hot, and rather faster than they would like for it to be. So both waited for it to calm down again, so they could think. This was a kind of patience that Mikey or April did not always have when making love within their bale's presence. Far from it. But this was an exceptional situation. Now they had the time to do so.

Mikey eventually reached out for the paint can again, closing the lid. Not much of it was left anyway. Then, he took hold of the bottom and twisted the upper part, with considerable force. April heard a crack. Turns out, the wooden can also had a hidden compartment. And stuck in it, was a white candle, with black and grey, marble-like color patterns around its outer wall. An incredibly small candle, clearly meant to burn only once in its life. Mikey held onto it, whilst the rest of the can was placed in the plant pot.

The candle was held out in front of April. Mikey summoned his mystic kusari-fundo, having the ball float in front of them for some swings, then willing it to light ablaze. April was in complete awe, the fire reflecting in her eyes. She couldn't look away if she wanted to. And again, the sound of these chains... The sound of Mikey's chains signified immense calmness for her, no matter how powerful, and deadly, and dominating they could be.

As the ball burned, it was lowered, and the candle was lit. That was when the body paint finally began to show its true magic.

The paint was warming up, colors becoming more intense, near glowing. It gave off a warm sensation that radiated and energized, warming every part it was on. It worked on both her and Mikey's bodies, and as they both felt and welcomed the sensations, they huddled even closer together, and began rocking into each other, moaning however they wanted to. Their cross legged meditation position made this surprisingly easy for them. Mikey, at some point, decided to start floating up into the air, still holding the burning candle in front of them whilst he also held onto April. He was in control again. And April loved every moment of it.

They made love that way till they lost track of time. Through meditation poses, and through connection of nothing more than each other. Not even the floor could touch them. And as April still focused intently on each ministration, each hot thrust he gave her, she felt truly enlightened. Everything felt so much deeper, so much clearer, and so much warmer than she ever remembered it could be. The words of Mikey's story were seemingly taken up into her body through the paint, and she could once again see the river clearly now. It was bigger and stretched longer than she realized, following their painting session. The fog had gone entirely. The hawk had caught its prey to float high up, and she was now the sun, and the river, whilst he was her fire, burning til they had nothing left to burn.

Right before they both felt themselves reaching closer to their org*sms, the candle was done for. April and Mikey found themselves shortly entering a dark realm together, in which they felt and saw only each other's presence, thoughts intertwined. Two wild spirits burning yellow and orange around each other. Nothing else. They were laughing, and dancing, and jumping to their heart's content. They felt everything they did in the physical world, felt their lovemaking no less. Just on a different level. A combined level.

It wasn't scary.

There was no fear.

It just felt good.

It was inviting and safe. There were no Krang, no foes, no opinionated folks. There was no loneliness. It was nothing like anything either of them had ever experienced before. Not even between any of the bale's other mates. This experience was only short lived. They regained their entire physical awareness again in time to live through their intense org*smic highs. And they laughed through it, dripping onto the dojo floor with no care, whilst they floated.

They would have to move things back into their right place soon anyway. What was a little cleaning as an extra task? After that, they could go sleep together in peace, and finally actually rest their aching muscles. All cuddled up, basking in each other's warmth, with the rest of the day off. Mikey could kick the Commander's ass if he saw him in the hallway on their way to go sleep. And Donnie? Donnie could join them whenever he felt like it. They allowed him to make mistakes, and learn from them, and would always do so.

All of these were thoughts for later. Later was soon enough.

And as they breathed through their afterglow, still cuddled up in the dojo, they knew. The magical mystic paint had gone forever. Nothing like it existed anymore, but through it, they had opened a new mystic ability between just each other. And this realm was worth an extra visit some time. They just had to survive long enough to get to that point again.