A/N: Set after the 2003 cartoon episode "April's Artefact."

Chapter One

"Thanks for your help, Leo," April said with an airy laugh, "I don't know what I'd do without you guys, really."

"It's no problem, April." Leo replied as he heaved the box onto the counter. "I mean, what else is family good for but free labour, right?"

April laughed. "Come on, there's one more box to go and then we're done." They headed up the stairs and into April's main office. She sighed and ran her fingers through her stringy red hair, "I can't believe they expected me to have this done by Monday... I'm going to go grab a drink. Would you like anything?"

"Some tea would be nice." Leo replied, "Thanks."

She nodded and turned on her heels for the kitchen. Leo wrapped his muscled arms over the rough cardboard box and lifted it. There was a distinct clatter as it hit something on its way up. Leo winced and glanced over his shoulder and was glad to see the sound hadn't alerted April. Swiftly, Leo bent over and scooped up the spilled objects. He was half-way standing up when his stomach turned hollow.

"Hey, Leo," April said, popping her head into the room, "What was that… sound?" her eyes glued onto the cube in Leo's hands.

Very slowly, very carefully, very deliberately, Leo put Uncle Augie's puzzle box onto the desk. The two let out sighs of relief, just before the cube split into a blinding light, engulfing Leo into it.

"Uh-oh."

He felt that strange shift feeling in his gut – sort of like on the way to Casey's farmhouse and they would go down too steeply on the road – and wind bellowed into his ear slits. The world zapped into vibrant colours – blues, greens, yellows, reds and purples. By the time Leo registered which way was up and which way was down, he'd already splashed into a large, deep muddy puddle with an oomph.

He lay there motionless for a moment and allowed his body the time to recuperate. Then, slowly, he lifted himself off the ground and wiped the mud from his face. He squinted at the surrounding trees. Some were large and ancient, with knobbly dark branches and giant purple leaves, while others were thin and spindly with clusters of yellow flowers blooming up into the sky and drifting on the light, warm breeze.

"What the shell?" Leo murmured to himself.

"Buddy, I could ask you the same question." A masculine voice laughed.

Leo turned his head and saw a mutant turtle standing before him, who Leo couldn't recognise in the slightest.