Disclaimer-I invented the story, not the characters.

It Begins-A Thief in the Night

The guardian at the gate watched, but saw nothing, and was not supposed to. When the figure moved, there was a slight curve of shadow. When it stopped, it disappeared.

It progressed through the hallway, weaving in and out of doors. The hinges never creaked, the handles never rattled. The figure made its way deeper into the blackness, sure of its purpose, as if guided by an unseen hand.

Suddenly it stopped. It raised a hand gloved in gray, and in an almost gentle fashion, ran its fingertips down the silver door frame. A small metal sliver was produced from an invisible pocket. The lock was softly and swiftly made redundant.

The door slid open and the figure paused to take in the room. This was clearly a room of discovery, of science and mathematics. Even when the brilliant minds were gone, the computers continued to compute. Pinpricks of light illuminated the figure. Azure eyes blazed as they found the object of desire. The gloved hand reached out and curled its fingers around a small sphere that hummed and throbbed with light. The sphere was lifted delicately from its pedestal, and the figured halted on the way out to relock the door.

Darkness rippled like water as the figure made its way up the staircase. On the fifth floor it found an unlocked window. Silently the window opened and the figure stepped out onto the ledge. The window closed, and the figure let out a sigh that was carried away by the wind. It was the first sound the figure had made all night.

Sciencey Stuff

"...are still investigating the disappearance of the last invention of the acclaimed scientist Dr. Ingmar Clutch." The red head on the television smirked slightly. "No doubt police chief Sterns is doing everything in his power to get to the bottom of this mystery." She smiled sweetly. "Back to you Vernon."

The screen cut to a man with a not-at-all-amused look on his face. "Thank you. That was our, erm, favorite freelance reporter April O'Neil."

The turtle sitting cross-legged on the living room rug spoke. "Turn it off, Casey. April's story is over and watching Vernon is definitely not what I'd call entertainment."

"I dunno, Leo," hollered a voice from the kitchen. "If his voice was as mondo weirdo as his face, he'd make a totally funny clown."

"He's already a clown. And it's always hilarious when he starts prodding his hairline to see if it's receded any further," quipped the turtle with a laptop sitting on the couch by his side.

"He makes my fists itch," the guy holding the remote growled. "When I think of all the grief he gave April..."

"Casey, cool it," the computer wielding turtle said in a low, soothing voice. "Now that she's a freelance reporter, he can't do anything to threaten her job."

"Plus she's got her computer and science skills to back her up, and now she's got her archaeology studies too," said the turtle on the rug in the same soothing tone. "And the girl can fly a helicopter. She's got nothing to worry about."

"I know, I know," said the guy, throwing the remote into the air and catching it. "I don't really worry about her. My girl always lands on her feet. And stop using the psychiatrist voice. It don't work on Raph, and it ain't gonna work on me."

"Poor dude," said the turtle emerging from the kitchen. "The sensai's really coming down on him hard."

Before the turtle on the rug could reply, the one on the couch said, "That smells great Mikey! What's the combo this time?"

The turtle known as Mikey set his creation down on the coffee table and lifted a hand with the air of a connoisseur. "Handa tosseda crust, witha slightlee spicee saucea. Musharooms, greena peppers, onions, a leetle bit of bacon, and mya secret, cilantro. Chowa downa, dudes!"

The was a general dive for the pizza.

"Ah, pizza the way it was meant to be," said Casey. "No napkins, no plates, just...pizza. I mean, I know April likes things neat, but there's gotta be a limit, ya know?"

"We know," chorused the three turtles.

The rug turtle looked at Casey. "Master Splinter says communication is the key to a fruitful relationship."

Casey glowered. "Have you guys been letting him watch Oprah again?"

"Seriously, Case," said the turtle with the laptop, "haven't you reached the point where you can just tell her what's on your mind?"

"Don, we are here today because I invited you over to watch the new Die Hard with me. I appreciate the complimentary therapy session, but I really don't need it right now, aight? Let's just watch Bruce Willis blow stuff up and eat this pizza before it gets cold."

Mikey jumped up, and put the movie in the player, then paused thoughtfully. "Hey Donny, you know anything about the growy thingy that was stolen?"

Donny's face clouded. "The maturity intensifier, according to GQ, that's Genius Quarterly, augments the growth tendencies of living organisms using varying frequencies of sound and light. With the aid of the right chemicals, plants effloresce faster, since cell development is amplified."

"Ummm, and what does that mean in non-dorkanese?" asked Mikey.

There was a long sigh. "It means, little brother, that it makes stuff grow faster. The uses of the device are endless. Faster growing crops means more food for famine-stricken countries. Faster development of cloned organs means more people who need transplants can get them."

"Heh. No wonder it was stolen." Casey commented.

"No, no. There's no point in stealing it, it's too notorious," Donny shook his head. "It's like a famous painting. Everyone would know it was stolen, so no one would dare to buy it. Besides, no one knows how to use it."

Leo stood up from the rug in one smooth motion. "This marvelous thing, and no one knows how to use it? What? Why?"

"The doctor who created it was a little...unhinged toward the end of his life."

"Most of them guys are," said Casey, "No offense, mighty boy genius."

"None taken, you hockey puck. Anyway, he got really paranoid and was constantly worried about his discoveries being stolen and falling into the wrong hands."

"Considering how many inventions we've seen falling into the wrong hands, a little paranoia is understandable," said Leo.

"True. But Dr. Clutch stopped trusting everyone. He never wrote anything down. All his computations, blueprints, instructions, and everything were kept in his head. He never explained how to make or use the maturity intensifier. He made it, then he died. The only reason we know what it does at all is because they found the results of his testing in his lab after his death."

There was a pause.

Casey took a deep breath. "Okay, Don, I'll bite. What kinds of results?"

"Nothing spectacular. One side of the lab had tomato plants and mice that, according to the labels on them, had been exposed to the device. The other half had plants and mice that hadn't. The first set of plants and mice were more developed, even though all the plants were the same age, and all the mice were the same age. But that's the thing about the device. It doesn't make anything grow that wouldn't normally. It just amplifies normal growth. The building the maturity intensifier was in was a government research facility. I guess they were trying to figure out how to make it work."

Leo raised his hand to his chin. "So whoever stole it can't use it or sell it. So why steal it?" His train of thought was interrupted by snoring.

Mikey had sprawled out on the floor and was now twitching in his sleep. Donny climbed off the couch, crept around the sleeping turtle, and pulled one of the speakers close to his head. He gave Casey the thumbs up. Muffling a laugh, Casey turned the volume all the way up and pushed play.

The screams of one teenage mutant ninja turtle could be heard halfway across the city.

Time for Some Wisdom

"Be aware of the pattern of your breath. Breathe in the calm around you and hold it within yourself. Let go with a slow and smooth breath out. Quiet your mind and..."

"Come on Master Splinter! You know this inner peace stuff has never been my thing. And we've been doin' nothing but breathing in and out for two hours!"

The wise, furry face sitting opposite the turtle opened eyes that were clear and steady as they gazed upon their brash student. The student looked down sheepishly and muttered something that sounded like an apology. He straightened and closed his eyes. "Ummmmmm...rummmmm...bummmmmmm..."

The master smiled slightly at the impertinence of his student. Raphael had always been the one who's energy was most difficult to contain. "All right. You may stop."

"Master, I'm...you know what. It's just that I hate sitting around doing nothing. It's useless."

"Sitting doing nothing, and being in a state of contemplative nonaction are two different things."

"Yeah, I know they're supposed to be different. But they feel the same to me."

"The key to the way of the ninja is the skillful use of your ki. It is the universal energy within us all. The only way to master it is by uniting your mind with your body. Meditation is vital to this unity, my student."

"I just wish it wasn't so boring," said the turtle under his breath.

The sensai stopped, putting his staff to Raphael's chest. "Your movements are full of earth and fire. They are strong and solid, lashing out like flames from your emotions. You must learn to use the air and water within yourself as well, so you may move with more fluidity, speed, and stealth. You must find balance."

Raphael's shoulders dropped. "I know, you've told me. I just don't understand how I'm supposed to find this legendary balance."

Master Splinter lowered his staff and put a hand on his son's arm. "You put all of your heart into everything you do. You must learn to let some things go."

"This is about the other day, isn't it?"

"My son, will you never learn that you can not save everyone?"

"Leo and Don and Mikey managed to get everyone out of that fire without my help. You're sayin' I should have let those punks mug that old man? He was helpless!"

"Do you think you did the right thing?"

"I'm not sure, now." The turtle lowered his head. "But I do think Leo's wrong with all his babble about the greater good of the city. I know it makes sense saving twenty lives compared to just one. But I can't...believe in that, ya know? You taught us all life is precious. Then doesn't that mean that all of it is worth saving? You can't just pick and choose which lives you can save and which you can't. I know I can't save everybody. But I have to try. If I don't stop the criminals of the city, no one else is going to."

"You are letting your anger against injustice consume you, Raphael. Defending and protecting those unable to defend and protect themselves will always be a part of your nature. But do not let it become the whole of your nature. Doing so will turn you into nothing but a being of vengeance. It is a sad kind of creature who defines itself by its anger." The sensai paused. "I think you need to get more fun out of life."

"Fun? The crime rate is higher than ever and you think I should be having fun?"

The teacher's ears lowered, and he smiled at his hot tempered son. "I can not begin to tell you how proud I am that you have devoted yourself to others, and have such respect for all life. But you must respect your own life as well, which means you must try to enjoy it."

"Does that mean I get to go watch Die Hard with Casey and the guys?"

The furry master of all things ninja closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes, my son. We are done for today."

Without a second's hesitation, Raphael threw on his overcoat, jumped over the couch, and raced out the door.

Splinter made his way to the kitchen to put his teapot to boil. He laughed lightly, "Kids."

Meanwhile...

"...so ummm..then the...wait, let me start over..."

"Leo," Mikey's voice cut in. "you are a ninja master and a great brother, but you couldn't tell a joke to save your life from a herd of angry pygmies."

"Why is a herd of angry pygmies attacking Leo?" asked Donny.

"He stole their sacred cookie."

"Why'd he do that?"

"He had the munchies."

"And now he's got pygmies after him. Poor guy."

"And the only way to stop the little dudes is to get them laughing."

"Of course," Donatello nodded sagely. "Everyone knows that's how you defeat pygmies."

"I'm really going to miss Leo. He was a good guy."

The object of mockery groaned. "Will you never stop?"

Mikey grinned at him. "Probably not."

"Definitely not," said Donny.

Casey was trying not to fall off the couch laughing.

There was a thud on the fire escape. "Don't get excited, " a voice called in, "it's just me."

"Can I get excited anyway?" said Mikey as Raph climbed in the window.

"Shut up, Mikey," said Raph, punching his little brother lightly on the arm. "What'd I miss?"

"It was awesome," said Casey.

"Totally sweet."

"Crazy good."

"Electric Mayhem."

They all turned to Donny and gave him a look.

He shrugged. "What?"

"Don, that's the name of the band on the Muppet Show," said Casey.

"So?"

Mikey put his head in his hands, "You're killing me, dude."

Raph slumped into the recliner. "Anyway, you up for watching it again?"

"Sure," said Casey. "This time, with commentary. Want some pizza? There might be some left."

"No way, amigo." Mikey burped. "It is most definitely gone."

"It's aight, I wasn't hungry anyway. Three hours of meditation kills your appetite."

Just as Leonardo was about to reply, Donny jumped up and yawned loudly as he stretched. "Push play, Case," he said. "We haven't got all night."

"Yes, we should start training before ten," said Leo as the others rolled their eyes. "Want to join us, Casey?"

"Sorry, no can do. April and me are going to spend some quality time together when she gets home."

"Awww. How adorable. I can hear the whip cracking now," Mikey chimed in.

"Leo, we've had a long day," said Donny. "Can't we just train extra hard tomorrow?" He glanced at Raphael, who was struggling to keep his face neutral.

"We have to keep on the top of our game," Leo replied. "And that means training even if we don't feel like it."

"Will you guys pipe down?" said Raph. "I hate it when people talk during movies."