A/N: Here it is! My first chapter of my first chapter story! I'd like to profusely thank all of you that have read my drabbles and reviewed them; You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for all the critiques, support, and encouragement you've offered me. :) I hope this lives up to your expectations for my writing, and, as always, reviews and criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Nothing! No turtles or any other pets either. All I have is a younger brother. :P

Raphael padded carefully down the tunnels away from his home, pausing often; he had to make absolutely sure he was not being observed or followed. Having not yet completely mastered the art of stealth, his tiny footfalls were still occasionally audible as he pushed steadily onward. The hardest part about getting away was getting his brothers to leave him alone for long enough, especially now that they had begun to notice his habitual absence. He had often thought about bringing one of them along, but quickly dismissed the thought as, during games or adventures, Leonardo always lectured about the moral implications of any and all of Raph's actions, Don prattled on about the composition of various substances and the complexity of chemical compounds, whatever those are, and Mikey always whined, cried, or screamed until he got exactly what he wanted. None of them would be ok to introduce to his new playmates.

Raphael slowed once again and glanced suspiciously around; then, completely sure that he was alone, he then sat directly beneath a sewer grate and closed his eyes. A fierce look of concentration upon his face, he waited for almost twenty minutes before a soft, yet distinct birdcall carried down through the bustle above. Instantly on his feet, Raphael peered up expectantly and returned the call with one of his own. The fading notes of Raphael's call hung in the air like dark clouds before a spring shower and the young turtle waited with bated breath. At the sound of another, Raphael released the breath he had been holding to repeat the process several times over, varying each call slightly. Call- answer- silence. Call- answer- silence. The final silence was broken by the grating of a manhole cover against cement. Raphael sprinted to the opening and looked up, his face beaming so intensely that it rivaled that of the incoming sunlight.

A small face eclipsed the sun, "Sup, Raph!"

"Hey! I want to say hello too!" A higher voice whined from behind the head

Raph chuckled, " Hey, Mel! Hello Mat! Whatcha waitin' for? Come on down!" The turtle replied.

Two rugged boys clambered down the narrow steps; each playfully attempting to shove the other off and reach the bottom first. Their ruddy faces and tattered clothes were smeared with grime and their once-blonde heads of hair were nearly brown; neither of the two wore shoes or socks and their exposed skin was mottled with bruises in various places. However, both boys wore happy grins upon their grimy faces, elated to once again see their mutant friend. Upon reaching the bottom, the three young boys faced each other, proceeded with a ritual secret handshake, and escaped into their fantasy world.

Happy squeals and giggles floated lazily down the tunnels as the three youths fought dragons, rescued princesses, saved the kingdom and rode off into the sunset. Hours passed without notice; the outside world had fallen away; nothing existed save each other and their games. Sometime later, tired, they rested near the sewer grate. After several minutes, Mat broke the contented silence.

"Raph, how come you can't never come up with us an' play?"

The young turtle shrugged, "Masta' Splinta' says I can't go above ground. He says humans don' undastan' us and would try ta hurt us because we're different."

Mel frowned in confusion, "But we don' think you're bad. You're our best friend in the whole world!"

Raph shook his head, "But wha about tha other humans? You think they'd like a walkin' an' talkin' turtle playin' with their kids? No way. I guess it's better for me an' my bros if we stay outta sight."

All three looked sullenly at the ground, grimly acknowledging the truth in those words.

The fading daylight signaled the end of their play day; Mat and Mel rose so slowly it seemed even gravity itself wanted them to stay. Raph reached upward and was helped to his feet by the two brothers. They repeated the secret handshake and waved goodbye. Raphael watched mournfully as his friends began to ascend the ladder out of the sewers and into the real world. Before sliding the manhole cover back, the brothers paused above ground to wave sadly down to Raph

"Wait!"

Mel froze halfway through pulling the manhole cover into place.

"Would you bring me pictures? I wanna see.. what it's like. Up there, ya know?"Raph blurted quickly.

Mel flashed a grin and thumbs up, "Sure thing! See ya tomorrow Raph!"

The cover slipped into place with a heavy thud; Raph looked up longingly for a moment, picturing in his mind's eye the beauty of a world he could never experience. Sighing, and finally tearing himself away, he began the long walk back to his home.