There Are 2 Things I Learned That Day
(Context: this takes place before “The Brothers Mess Up)
Trigger warning: Xenophobia and racism
2012 Y/N: Never let 'em see that they get to you.
2012 Raph: So... things do get to you?
2012 Y/N: Oh, I mean, not anymore, but I was small and emotionally unbalanced like you once.
2012 Leo: [sarcastic, the brothers, April, and Splinter roll their eyes] Oh har har.
2012 Y/N: No, it's true. [they look at her] I think I was eight or maybe nine, and all I wanted to do was join the Junior Girl Scouts. [A flashback shows a young Y/N in front of a mirror being fitted in a scout's uniform by her mother. Y/N stands straight, trying to look fierce. She tickles her from behind, causing her to flinch and giggle] So, my mom scraped together enough money to buy me a brand new uniform, because by God I was gonna fit in, even if I was the only non-mutant in the troop, the only human. [Young Y/N enters the Junior Girl Scouts where she is greeted by the scouts; a zebra, a hippo, a goat, a woodchuck, and an antelope]
Woodchuck bully: Okay, Y/N.
2012 Y/N: I was gonna be part of a group.
Woodchuck bully: Ready for initiation?
Young Y/N: Yeah! Pretty much born ready. [she comes down the stairs with a confident smile]
2012 Y/N: I was so proud.
[Young Y/N slaps palms with the zebra. The Woodchuck bully snaps her fingers. The lights go off and the Woodchuck bully shines a flashlight on Young Y/N's face. Young Y/N briefly winces at the bright light.]
Woodchuck bully: Okay. Now raise your right paw and deliver the oath.
Young Y/N: [raises her hand with two fingers up] I, Y/N L/N, promise to be kind, loyal, helpful, and trustworthy!
Woodchuck bully: [her smile suddenly fades] Even though you're a human?
Young Y/N: [confused] What? [The Woodchuck bully turns off the flashlight. Then Y/N gets roughly pushed to the floor and is held down by two of the girl Scouts. All of them glare at her.] No, no! What did I do wrong, you guys?! No, please! Tell me! What did I do wrong?! [Woodchuck bully straps a muzzle on Young Y/N] What did I do?! [shakes her head] No!
Woodchuck bully: [chuckles darkly] If you thought we would ever trust a human without a muzzle, you're even dumber than you look! [Young Y/N runs out of the building and goes to the side, terrified. The others laugh cruelly.]
Junior Girl Scout 2: [from inside] Crybaby!
Junior Girl Scout 3: [from inside] Aw, is she gonna cry?
[Young Y/N leans against the wall, panting. She struggles with the muzzle before throwing it away with a grunt. She breaks down in tears and begins to sob quietly, sitting down and rubbing her eyes.]
2012 Y/N: [narrating] I learned two things that day. [the flashback ends and we return the present] One: I was never gonna let anyone see that they got to me.
2012 Y/N: If the world's only gonna see a human as shifty, murderous and untrustworthy, there's no point in trying to be anything else.
2012 April: Y/N, you are so much more than that. [2012 April places her hand on Y/N’s arm. Y/N looks at her and pulls back.]