Chapter 1

The familiar taste of blood filled Faith's mouth as she staggered to her feet.

Behind her, the six thugs sniggered. She turned to face them, holding her head up defiantly.

"This make you feel like men, huh? Six guys against one girl – that make you feel good, ya bunch of pansies!"

The sniggers stopped. Some of them took out their bats; while the others let their chains jingle threateningly.

She was going to pay for that comment.

One of them approached her and Faith smiled.

"Sucker!"

As he swung his bat, she dove, and swinging back, placed a well aimed kick at the back of his knee. He fell with a cry and there was a jeer of outrage.

"I may be small, but I'm fucking fierce, ya dig?"

Unfortunately, they did.

They attacked her together again. This time, no matter how hard she tried, Faith couldn't fight them off. They came at her from all sides, and Faith screamed out in pain and anger.

Finally, she was shoved back, and her head cracked against the brick wall.

She felt dizzy; blood dripped down the back of her neck. Her knees gave away and she slipped down to the ground. Her attackers towered over her victorious.

"Let this be a lesson to ya," one of them spat, "NEVER bad mouth the Purple Dragons!"

Suddenly, there was a shout. Newcomers had arrived.

The Purple Dragons spun round to face them. This was Faith's chance. But she couldn't move; she felt nauseous and her body felt heavier than lead.

She was helpless.

Her vision was getting blurry, but she could just make out the newcomers: four of them, confronting the purple dragons.

She reached out to them as darkness took over.

"Help me, please…"

Am I dead?

Everything was dark, and muffled.

If I am, it's a major disappointment.

She tired to move, and was greeted with a stabbing pain in her head.

Shit, being dead is fucking painful!

She could hear voices, as through far away, but coming closer.

Faith opened her eyes, and immediately her head started to ache.

Nope, she thought, slamming her eyes shut again. Definitely not dead.

The voices were louder now and she could hear what they were saying.

"We should've taken her to the hospital!"

"There wasn't any time – Donny said she needed treatment immediately.

"It's been a day and a half now, and she's still not woken up."

"What are we gonna do?"

"Don, how long till she wakes up?"

"For the gazilleanth time, Leo, I have no idea."

"What if she's dying?"

"I hope not, she's too cute to die."

Faith groaned and tried to move again.

"Hey guys! She's waking up!"

The voices hushed, and there was the sound of running. Faith sensed she was being watched, but it was too painful to move again, and she was afraid to open her eyes in case her head ached again.

"Hey, you alright?" one of the voices asked, "Groan once for yes."

There was the sound of a slap.

"Ow!"

"Shut up, Mikey!"

Faith coughed. "Argh! Don't make me smile – it hurts."

"She can talk!"

There were sighs of relief all around her.

"Quick, Leo, get a cold compress – Mikey, make some tea – Raph, get painkillers, and one of you get Splinter!"

Faith felt someone gently prop her up and check her vitals.

"My head hurts," she moaned.

"I know, you got hit pretty hard. Don't worry; the painkillers will sort that out. I couldn't give them to you until I was sure you were out of danger."

There were a few minutes of bustle as several hands helped Faith with eating, drinking and taking the painkillers. She gratefully accepted the cold compress, and with its help, felt able to open her eyes.

"Thanks so much," she said, as she tentatively opened them. "I'm sorry to have caused…you…"

It took a moment for the image to sink in. standing in front of her, were four, giant turtles, each wearing a coloured bandana.

As she gaped at them, the one with the orange bandana leant down.

"Please, try and not freak out," he said slowly, "take – deep – breaths – try – to – stay –"

"HOLY FUCKING FUDGE CAKES!"

Despite her injuries, Faith jumped up so fast she tipped the couch she had been lying on. Scrambling on all fours, she backed away from the creatures.

"So much for not freaking her out," the blue bandana turtles said wearily.

Faith looked about the place in horror.

"Where am I? What is this, some kind of religious cult? Shit, are you guys trying to sacrifice me?"

"That's a new one," the purple turtle chuckled.

"We're not gonna sacrifice ya," the red turtle said, "we're not gonna do anything to ya – we're just trying to help."

He took a step towards her, but Faith cringed back.

"What – what are you? I mean, how – where?"

"That will all take some time to explain."

This was a new voice; a soft elderly voice. The turtles stepped aside, and revealed a giant, walking rat!

"Jesus fucking sweet pea!"

The orange turtle laughed. "I like her, she's random – like me!"

"There is no need to be afraid of us, child," the rat said gently, "I will explain everything to you, but perhaps you would be more comfortable, sitting on a chair."

Faith considered, watching them warily. When her eyes tell on the red turtle again, he held out his hand to her, while the others beckoned her to join them.

"Okay…" she said, grasping the three fingered hand, "but, if you're lying, and you eat me, I'll make sure I stick in your throats."
"Understood," the turtle grunted.

The rat chuckled and the other turtles smiled, albeit rather nervously. Faith got the impression they were as unsure of her as she was of them.

The red turtle helped her up and led her to the chair. His skin was scaly; it felt like human skin, but…more rubbery. It was proof to Faith that they definitely were not wearing costumes.

When she was in the chair, they all backed away, apparently eager not to alarm her.

The rat sat at the other side of the table, and the turtles stood behind him.

"Now," he began, "sixteen years ago…"

Faith was fascinated, and listened to the story intently. Gradually, the tension subsided. Getting over the initial shock of their appearance, they weren't really that scary looking. The looked kind: genuinely kind.

Her instincts concluded that she was sage with them, and she started to relax. She even accepted a fresh cup of tea from the purple turtle, and didn't flinch when he ventured to sit next to her.

"And so, from an old renaissance book," the rat, Splinter, finished, "I named them: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo."

Faith smiled, nodding to each of them and laughing when Michelangelo bowed like a gentleman.

"This is undoubtedly, the coolest thing ever!" she said.

"I'm with you sis," Mikey agreed.

"So, was it you guys that saved me from the Purple Dragons?"

"Yeah, but please, don't thank us," Mickey gushed, "we're ninjas, it's what we do – Ow!"

"Mickey, its best you don't talk," said Raphael, "you'll freak her out again."

"Why were the Purple Dragons after you?" Leonardo asked over the ruckus.

"I bad mouthed them to the other street kids," Faith replied, "convinced some of them not to join."

"You like on the streets?" Donatello asked.

Faith nodded.

"For how long?"

"As long as I can remember. I used to live in Chicago, but…well…let's just say I thought I'd have better prospects in New York. Been here for the last three years."

"You must have suffered a hard life, child," Splinter remarked.

"And then some."

"Do you have no family? No friends?" he asked.

"Nope, no family – definitely no friends."

"That's not true!" Mikey declared, "You've got us now."

Faith smiled gratefully.

"Indeed," Splinter nodded, "my sons, how about we organise some food for our new friend."

"On it!"

Three of the turtles scrambled to oblige, while Splinter wandered off, out of the way of the ensuing chaos. Only Raphael remained, and he sat nervously beside Faith.

"I – um – forgot to thank you guys for saving me," she said to him nervously. Faith was very small and slight, and even sitting Raphael seemed to tower over her. He was different from his brothers; fiercer, more dangerous, and his voice was gruff and had a tone of sarcasm to it. However, he looked embarrassed when Faith thanked him.

"Hey, no worries. Like Mikey said, it's what we do."

There was another awkward silence.

"So – um…"

Faith looked at him curiously.

"You got a name, or what?"

She smiled. "Faith."

"Nice to meet ya, Faith."

They shook hands. This was where it began!