AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place in April of 1999.

        It was a dark and rainy evening in New York City as Leonardo and Raphael were out on patrol.
  "Whoever said April showers bring May flowers obviously never lived out here!!!"
  "Quiet, Raphael! I'm trying to listen to the police radio!"
  "For what? Crime has been at an all time low ever since we put away those goons last year!"
  "Even so, we still have a few enemies running around!"
  "Like who, Tokka and Rahzar? Those two dimwits are usually just looking for a hot meal!"
  Leonardo groaned in frustration as the radio transmitter started acting up. "Oh, I sure wish Donatello was here! Half of our equipment is in serious need of repair!"
    "Right, and it's not like he left us with maintenance instructions for any of these gizmos!" Raphael retorted. "Anyway, lets just head on home already! It's not like any crazed evil villain is going to be up to anything in this lousy weather!"
  Leonardo let out a sigh. "It's bad enough half of our team is on extended leave. Now you want to call it quits?!"
  Raphael rolled his eyes. "You are one paranoid turtle, Leonardo! There is no possible way anybody in their right mind is going to commit a felony on a night like-"
  The sarcastic reptile's words were cut short when the police radio kicked in and a voice shouted "All units, please check our a robbery that just took place at the Natural History Museum"
  Leonardo smirked at his brother. "You were saying?"
  "Oh, just shut up and drive us to the scene of the crime!" Raphael grumbled.
  Moments later, the two interpret Turtles showed up at the museum. Leonardo was more than excited to go in. "Okay, lets find out who we're up against!"
  "I just hope this doesn't take us all night!" Raphael griped as he followed his brother.
  Upon crossing the police barricade, they were approached by a familiar cop with an Irish accent. "Well, I'll be a four leafed clover in a field of dandelions! It's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Leprech- I... I mean Turtles!"
  "Sergeant O'Flaherty?" Leonardo said.
  "Actually, that's Lieutenant O'Flaherty now. Me old commanding officer Fronski retired last year, and I took his spot!"
  "Oh right. He wanted you to arrest us for a crime we didn't commit!" Raphael remarked.
  "Aye, that was certainly a misjudgment on our part. But no matter! I've learned from my mistakes, and I know you four are only here to- oh wait, there's only two of you here,"
    "Yes, the other half of our team are out on the west coast for the next couple of months. Though if worse came to worse, we could always round up some good friends to help us." Leonardo mentioned.   "But enough about that. What went down here tonight?"
  "I'm not sure. Three guards were found completely unconscious, yet there were no traces of any sort of knock out gas or chloroform!"
  "What were they guarding?" Raphael asked.
  "Some type of ancient Japanese music box."
  "Hmm, that sounds like something Master Splinter might know about." Leonardo replied.
  "Good. Any excuse to get back to the lair." Raphael said as he stretched his arms and let out a yawn.
  "I was thinking we could just contact him over the Turtle Comm."
  "Oh... right."
  "Is there anything else you can tell us about this artifact, Lieutenant O'Flaherty?" Leo asked as he prepared to call up Master Splinter.
  "Just that it once belonged to a famous sorcerer known as Chakahachi."
  "Oh, great! Remember what went down when Shredder sent Lotus Blossom after us for that guy's haunted urn?!" Raphael griped.
    "Yes, but after Chakahachi reunited with the spirit of his long lost wife, he was able to rest. I'm sure whatever the deal is with this music box, it's not going to result in half the city being turned into ancient Japan!" Leonardo assured his brother.
  "Okay, but if the Turtle Van gets turned into some type of 16th century farm wagon, you're gonna get it!"
  "Raphael, what have I said countless times about speaking so inconsiderately to your teammates?!" Splinter's voice boomed through the Turtle Comm.
  Slightly embarrassed, Raphael bowed and said, "Oh uh, sorry about that. I'm just really exhausted!"
  Lieutenant O'Flaherty got a glance at Splinter's image on the Turtle Comm's video screen. "Faith and begorrah! That's a talking rat!!!"
  "Uh yea, it's kind of a long story." Leonardo said as he turned his attention to Splinter. "Anyway, the lieutenant here just informed us that a music box-"
    "I know, Leonardo. The artifact in question that once belonged to Chakahachi has been stolen. This is precisely why I sent you and Raphael out tonight! This music box is enchanted with the power to put people into a deep sleep. In the wrong hands, it could lead to dire consequences!"
  "He ain't kidding, by gumbo!!!" a familiar cajun voice shouted from across the room.
  Lieutenant O'Flaherty shrieked in fright at the giant mutant alligator.
  "Oh no, not Leatherhead!!!" Raphael griped as he took out his sai.
  "It ain't just me, turtle-boy!"
  Slash and Tempestra emerged from behind Leatherhead.
  "Hello, Leonardo. It's so nice to see you again." the evil video game villain said with a cackling laugh.
  "Tempestra?! I should've known! It's bad enough you joined forces with these two creeps!"
  "Well, ever since you convinced the Rat King to turn good, there aren't too many badguys left to join forces with!" Slash remarked.
    "Enough with the banter! We got us a city to take over, I guarantee!!!" Leatherhead said as he popped open the music box, which emitted a loud, yet lulling melody that caused Leonardo, Raphael and Lieutenant O'Flaherty to quickly drop to the floor and fall into a deep sleep. "That never gets old, by gumbo!" the gator said with a chuckle.
  "We had better hurry! The guards we used the box on earlier are about to awaken." Tempestra commented.
  "Time sure flies when you're breaking the law!" Slash commented as the three of them fled the scene.
    A few hours later, Leonardo and Raphael woke up to find themselves back in the lair. "I am relieved to see that the effects of the music box wore off." Splinter said.
  "Aw man, what a nap! Hey, how did we get back here?" Raphael said as he rubbed his eyes.
    "I overheard the altercation with our enemies through the Turtle Comm, so when Leatherhead used the enchanted music box on you, I called up April to help me transport you and Lieutenant O'Flaherty to safety. Since you were all effected at the same moment, he should be awakening at Channel 6."
  "When this is all over, we should really check in on O'Flaherty. He was pretty freaked out by the sight of those creeps!" Leonardo mentioned.
  "So how exactly do we put a stop to them?" Raphael asked.
  "You once met the spirit of the man who concocted this mystical device. Perhaps we can pay him a visit." Splinter suggested.
  "You mean we could just talk to the ghost of Chakahachi?" Leonardo asked.
  "Precisely, my pupils! Chakahachi's urn is still in possession of the elderly antique collector you encountered. I suggest we go pay him a visit."
  "I just hope he hasn't aged too much since then." Raphael joked.
    Meanwhile at Channel 6, Lieutenant O'Flaherty was fully awake and being doted on by a very smitten Irma. "Thank you, my dear."
  "Oh it's my pleasure. I've always had kind of a thing for guys in uniform."
  "Irma, quit flirting with the officer! We've got a news studio to run!" Vernon Fenwick said sharply.
  "Oh calm your whiny ass down, Vernon! Splinter told April and I to keep an eye on... what was your name again?"
  "Lieutenant O'Flaherty at your service, my dear." he said as he tipped his hat, causing Irma to blush.
  Vernon sighed as he headed to April's office. "April, it's nearly midnight and there hasn't been any sighting of those three goons!"
    "A magic music box that puts people to sleep isn't going to be of much use when most of the city's inhabitants are in bed! Still, after what happened to Leonardo and Raphael at the museum, I can't help but be worried, especially about how Splinter told me how it confirmed his concern over how the Turtles don't do as well when they're separated."
  "Have you heard much from Donatello and Michaelangelo?" Vernon asked.
  April couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry, I just can't believe you of all people would ask me that!"
  "Well, my nephew Foster was curious. He's going to be in town again around the 4th of July!"
  "Oh, they guys will be back by the beginning of summer, so it'll be no trouble!"
  "Speaking of trouble, I better make sure Irma isn't trying to talk Lieutenant O'Flaherty into a marriage proposal!"
  "Actually, I was kind of hoping it would happen." April admitted with a sly grin.
    Elsewhere in town, Leonardo, Raphael and Master Splinter managed to make their way to the elderly antique collector's home.
  "It's pretty late. I hope we won't be waking him up." Leonardo spoke softly.
  "If he's anything like Donatello, he probably gets up several times a night to use the bathroom!" Raphael joked.
  Splinter contemplated smacking his smart-ass student upside the head, but the moment quickly passed as the front door opened and the elderly antique collector appeared. "Hello, old friend."
  "Ah, Splinter, and two of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What brings you all here?"
  "It is most urgent! We must commune with the spirit of Chakahachi through his urn that we returned to you."
    "By all means, come in." as he lead Splinter, Leonardo and Raphael into his home, the elderly gentleman handed each of them a special wrist band. "These will allow you access to my collection room, however the batteries only last about 25 minutes. Once they've gone dead, the security system will see you as intruders and the room will be hermetically sealed for six hours!"
  "Well, lets hope we get this over with as quickly as we can then!" Raphael remarked as they entered the room.
  "Okay, there's the urn. What now, Master Splinter?" Leonardo asked.
    The wise rodent sat down in front of the urn and instructed his pupils to sit on either side of him. They joined hands and focused on the spirits within the urn. "Oh great spirit of Chakahachi, we seek help as one of your magical possessions has fallen into evil hands. Please aid us in our time of need."
  Chakahachi's face appeared in the pearl embedded in the front of the urn. "Who dares disturb my slumber?!"
  "I am Hamato Yoshi, a descendant of Hamato Koji, the founder of the Foot Clan."
  "As yes, I remember the Foot Clan. They were once a very noble army of ninja. However, I recall the Hamato family not being so furry looking."
  "It's... a very long story. You once encountered four of my students, two of which are here with me."
  "As yes, the talking turtles who reunited me with my kidnapped wife. I owe you a great debt! How may I be of service?"
  "Some enemies of ours took your enchanted music box!" Leonardo said in excitement.
    "Oh of course. Shortly before my beloved wife was taken from me, we had attempted to conceive a child together, but alas she was barren. Stricken with grief, she spent several nights unable to sleep, and I grew very concerned as she became very fatigued in the daytime."
  "So you made her that music box to help her get to sleep?" Raphael commented.
    "Precisely. After my bride's abduction, it occurred to me that if any of my magical devices were to fall into the wrong hands, it could mean much trouble to many future dynasties! So I enchanted all of them with a simple incantation that would reverse any spells I had cast!" Chakahachi used his magic to enchant a pen on the antique collector's desk and used it to write down the incantation.
  "Thank you so much, Chakahachi." Splinter said as he, Leonardo and Raphael all bowed to the spirit.
  "You are most welcome, Hamato Yoshi. Sayonara, my friends!"
  Leonardo got up and looked at the note with the reversal spell the ghost had left them. "Huh, how about that?" he chuckled as he showed Raphael and Splinter the note.
  "Ha, that is pretty good! Well, what're we waiting for? Lets track down those goons!" Raphael said as he and Splinter exited the room together.
  However, the buckle on Leonardo's wrist band got caught on a loose nail sticking out of the frame of a Bruce Lee poster. "Uh guys, I'm a little stuck here!"
  "Do not move, Leonardo! You could damage the circuitry in the wrist band, and you will be trapped in there for six hours!" Splinter advised.
  "Yea, but that thing's going to go dead in about 20 minutes anyway!" Raphael mentioned.
  "Then I guess there's no other alternative." Leonardo shrugged as he handed Raphael the note. "You and Master Splinter get April to help you track down Tempestra, Slash and Leatherhead. I'll catch up with you once I can get out of here!"
  Splinter and Raphael nodded in agreement as they left.
  "It's bad enough we were already down two turtles with Donatello and Michaelangelo out of town! Now we have to face those creeps without Leonardo!"
  "Perhaps we can get help from our former foes turned allies." Master Splinter suggested.
  "What, you mean Rat King, Bebop and Rocksteady?!"
  "Exactly!"
  Raphael let out a sigh. "I dunno, sensei. Those guys still make me uneasy, even if they did turn over a new leaf."
  "We have discussed this many times already, Raphael! You must find it in your heart to forgive them for their past transgressions! as the rest of us already have!"
  "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let bygones be bygones." Raphael said with a sigh as he and Splinter re-entered the sewers.
    Several minutes later, Splinter and Raphael were explaining everything to Rat King, Bebop and Rocksteady.
  "That is quite the pickle you seem to be in."
  "You know, Slash used to be Bebop's pet. Maybe he can reason with the crazy toitle!" Rocksteady mentioned.
  "It couldn't hurt to try. But what about Leatherhead and Tempestra?" Raphael asked.
  "Leave that wild alligator to me. I have a score to settle with him! We had a falling out shortly after that time Shredder gathered us all up to take on the Turtles."
    "Yea, I still have a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder from that, thank you very much!" Raphael mentioned sharply as he noticed Splinter glaring at him. "Look, I've been really struggling to let go of all the bad blood I had with you guys back when we were enemies, but Splinter suggests that with Donatello and Michaelangelo away and Leonardo stuck in some old guy's closet for the next few hours, we could really use your help... and it would probably help me get over my issues!"
  "Yea, we wus pretty concoined during that holiday party." Bebop mentioned.
  "So where do we track down this ungodly trio?" Rat King asked.
  "April is on that as we speak, but we must act quickly. We are certain whatever they have planned, they will strike as soon as the sun rises over the city!" Splinter exclaimed.
  "Good thing we haven't started Daylight Savings Time yet." Rocksteady commented.
    Not long after the sun began to rise, Raphael and Splinter got word from April that Leatherhead, Slash and Tempestra were spotted at the front steps of City Hall, which Rat King lead them to through the sewer system.
  "I sure hope this incantation will work on that music box!"
  "It is our only hope, Raphael!" Splinter remarked. "Take Bebop and Rocksteady with you through the main entrance into the lobby. Rat King and I will enter through the basement."
  Raphael reluctantly bowed to his sensei and then turned to Bebop and Rocksteady. "Okay you two. Lets get this over with!"
  "You know I suddenly realized something." Bebop mentioned as they climbed up the ladder.
  "What's that?" Rocksteady asked.
  "We should've stopped at a pet shop somewhere and got us a tiny palm tree to coax Slash into giving up."
    "Well, we don't have time for that now!" Raphael said as he lifted the manhole cover and climbed up to the street. As Bebop and Rocksteady followed suite, Raphael got a good look at the front doors to City Hall, which had been blasted open. "Yep, they're definitely here!"
  Rocksteady gulped anxiously as they walked up the stairs. "Gee, I really wish we still had our old laser guns!"
  "Hey, anything can be a weapon. Try using a large hammer or a meat cleaver!" Raphael commented as they entered the main lobby. "Hello... anybody here?"
  "Maybe they went to the mayor's office." Bebop guessed.
    "It's worth a shot." Raphael replied as he put his hand on the doorknob, "Now remember, the incantation to reverse the music box is-" Before he had the chance to finish, Slash and Leatherhead yanked the door open from the other side, causing the turtle to fall onto the ground and hit his head on the ground, momentarily stunning him.
  "Well, if isn't Shredder and Krang's former bus boys! Come here to help them stinking Turtles?!" Leatherhead boasted.
  "Uh well, now that you mention it... I just really came here to see my old buddy Slash." Bebop said. "Hi, old pal. You remember your old papa!"
  "Daddy?" Slash said as he walked up to them. "Where's my binky?"
  "If you come with us, we can get you a brand new one!"
  "Yea, and we won't even make you do our chores this time!" Rocksteady added.
    Leatherhead grumbled as he noticed Raphael on the ground at his feet. "Okay, I know a trap when I see one, by gumbo. You boys be stalling!" Leatherhead shouted as he took out the music box and aimed it at the three mutants.
    Raphael came to his senses just in time to watch as the music box caused Rocksteady, Bebop and Slash all to fall asleep right on the floor. As he tried to get up, Leatherhead grabbed him by his belt and carried him into the office.
  "Look who I found, Tempestra!" the southern alligator said as he dumped Raphael onto a desk.
  "You fool! I told you I wanted Leonardo! I have a score to settle with him."
  Raphael groaned as he rubbed his forehead. "I hate to break it to you, ya wicked witch, but Leonardo isn't coming."
    "You done brought Bebop and Rocksteady with you... which means that old turncoat Rat King must also be here somewhere! When I find him, I'm gonna shove that hypnotic flute of his up his rear end, I guarantee!" Leatherhead said in excitement.
  "Is that so, my former partner in crime?"
  Leatherhead and Tempestra both were surprised to see both Rat King and Master Splinter at the doorway.
  "Whatever your evil plan is, it ends here and now!" the wise old rat spoke.
  "We'll just see about that." Tempestra said as she grabbed the music box from Leatherhead and prepared to use it.
  "IchaChacka!!!" Raphael shouted.
  "What?" Tempestra looked in bewilderment as the music box suddenly began to glow and then disintegrated. "No! What did you do, you rotten reptile?!"
  "That was the incantation Chakahachi gave us to break the music box's spell!"
  Back in the hallway, Slash, Bebop and Rocksteady began to awaken.
  "You miserable, meddlesome... oh screw this!" Tempestra shouted in frustration as she smashed open the nearest window and flew off, leaving only Leatherhead and Slash behind to deal with.
  Splinter went over to check on Raphael. "Are you all right, my son?"
  "I got a nasty bump on the head, but I think I'll be okay."
  "Leatherhead, my old friend, are you sure you wish to continue a life of criminal activity?" Rat King asked.
  "Uh, I guess not. To be honest, all I really wanted was a good hot meal."
  "Then that is what you shall get."
  "That's another former enemy reformed, and I'm the only Ninja Turtle here to witness it!" Raphael commented.
    "Two if you count Slash." Splinter said as he pointed to the aforementioned turtle hugging Bebop, "We should really go back to the antique collector's place and see if Leonardo has gotten safely out of the collection room."
  "Okay, but first lets stop at a drug store and get me some Tylenol!"

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