Just Another Day

Whoohoo! My first Ninja Turtles fic! (Please review)

Not mine. Hmph.

"Pizza's up, dudes!" shouted Michelangelo, excitedly as he spun the pizzas in a way which suggested someone wasn't going to get any dinner. But as usual, they ended up safely on the table. Well, 'safely'- it was a case of 'out of the frying pan, into the fire' as the pizzas were immediately set upon by four voracious teenagers.

"Hey, Mike- you go to a new place?" asked Raphael in between munches of what looked like custard pizza, which even mildly revolted his younger brother who would eat anything.

"Yeah- for the change." he swallowed his own slice of pepperoni and ice-cream "New place, near the corporation block- y'know, where we met April that first time.

"As long as it ain't Foot-run, I don't care." shrugged Raph. "These pizzas are good!"

Mikey paused.

"Foot-run? You know, that would explain a lot…" he mused. The others looked at him in alarm and he grinned.

"Nah- just kidding! Nice guys- the new ones- Italian, Georgio and Mario. They're brothers and have just moved here. Got a chance to practice my Italian!"

"Your Italian?" asked Raph sceptically. He knew Mikey way to well. Mikey rattled off a stream of something that certainly sounded Italian.

"Wow, that was pretty good, Mike." put in Leonardo, sounding surprised. The other turtle, purple- clad Donatello was sniggering into his own pizza.

"Yeah- tell 'em what it means, Mikey." Mikey looked not in the least embarrassed.

"Which way to St Peters Basilica?" he shrugged.

"So if we ever get lost in Rome- you'll be a great help." snarked Raph.

"Hey, better help then you'd be." he replied. Raph narrowed his eyes across the table at his youngest brother. "I wouldn't get lost in the first place."

Mikey decided not to dignify that with a response. On the other hand he also wasn't going to mention the time when Raph had gotten lost in the sewers and needed a full search party. He had survival instincts. Leo, on the other hand, clearly did not.

"Wasn't there that time in…"

"Yeah, but we don't talk about that!" Raph cut him off with a scowl.

"It is time for training. Please come to the dojo," said the Sensai, coming in to the room. He had a knack for getting into these things before they got out of control. The four turtles cleared up after themselves quickly before following Master Splinter into the training room. They meditated for a while, each clearing his mind of unnecessary clutter and focussing themselves on the task at hand. The best time, in Mikey's opinion to annoy Raph was right before meditation. Afterwards, he was usually mellow enough not to physically attack him. Well… usually.

Afterwards they started training, first on their own, then sparring with a partner.

"Donatello, Raphael. You are first," said Splinter calmly. The other two sat, cross-legged on the floor to watch. It would be an interesting match. Raph was a natural, and had the strength and focus to make him difficult to beat. On the other hand, what Don lacked in Raphs physical strength, he made up for in intelligent fighting.

They started off fairly slowly. Raph had been beaten by Don the last time and was determined not to give him the opening this time round. Don was naturally cautious. But this time it was Don who made the first move, with a sweep at ankle height, designed to get Raph moving. Raph avoided it easily and attacked with the training sais. Don dodged one but took a hit. It wasn't serious but he was cross with himself for letting even that one connect. The fight got faster as each turtle tried to score a hit on the other. It ended in a draw with both turtles breathing heavily.

"Enough." Splinter called time. "That was good, Donatello, but be careful about leaving yourself open as you did once or twice. Raphael- also good, but you must take advantage of any opening- you let a couple of opportunities pass." The two turtles nodded acceptance of both praise and rebuke and sat as Mikey and Leo got up for their sparring.

This match started off fast as Leo attacked first. Mikey bounced backwards and retaliated, aiming below the wooden katanas. Leo blocked easily but the nunchukus were no longer there as Michelangelo took advantage of an opening. Again, Leo was too fast and Mikey was again backed down by the second katana guarding. Now it was Leos turn to advance and Mikey had to use all his natural athleticism and ingenuity to avoid the sweeping attacks.

"This match is already over." muttered Raphael as he watched Leo steadily back his younger brother into a corner.

"I wouldn't be so sure…" replied Don, looking intently at the battle. "I have ta admit- he's good with the gymnastics."

"Yeah, but ya need to fight as well as defend." begrudged Raph.

On the dojo floor, Michelangelo was nearly up against the wall and Splinter looked about ready to call time when Mikey turned quicker then Leo could react, bounced off the wall and used it to flip right over Leo with a shout of "Cowabunga!" He spun in the air and tapped Leo lightly on the head with the nunchucks. If it had been a real battle, he would easily have knocked him out.

"Well, that was a surprise." managed Raph. Mikey was grinning happily. It was a good day when he managed to beat Leo in the dojo! Splinter stepped forward.

"Very good, both of you. Michelangelo- that was a very good move. Well fought- but you need to work on your defense. And it is good to see you pay attention in training. Leo- good attack, but you must learn to anticipate a surprise, even when it seems your opponent is defeated. But overall, I am pleased with all of you."

Leo and Mikey bowed to each other and to Master Splinter before leaving the floor, Mikey bouncing slightly. They switched partners and it started again. Mikey got flattened by a relatively easy move on Dons part which earned a stern look and an injunction to concentrate from the dojo master. Leo regained his confidence by beating Raphael after a prolonged battle. Raphs mood was not entirely improved by a draw with Mikey who after the rebuke was concentrating hard and fighting well.

Splinter called an end to the training and they meditated a bit longer before being dismissed. They trooped back to their various activities- Raph and Mikey to fighting over the remote (Raph won), Don to the lab where he was apparently constructing a full brass band to judge from the noises. Leo polished his katanas faithfully and wouldn't dream of letting them get to be anything below perfect. Mikey sulked for a few minutes but then brightened up as he remembered a comic he'd been saving and hadn't read yet. So the evening looked set to pass peacefully.

Or nearly. It was Dons shell-cell that beeped but engrossed as he was in getting this spring to react with that…piece of plastic, he didn't notice. So it was Leo who got the call.

"April?" She looked upset.

"We were covering the scene of a break-in- the new Italian pizzaria of all places! Near the old Foot Corporation complex- when we were attacked. Foot I think. A rookie reporter was grabbed. I…I don't know where they took her." she trailed off as she looked behind her suddenly, as if hearing something. Leo noticed with alarm the cut on her head above the left temple. It looked nasty. She turned back, eyes wide and scared. "There's someone coming. I don't know where I am…"

"What can you see around you, April?" asked Leo urgently. The cell was shaking and April's face moved in and out of focus as she ran. "I…warehouses… Hang on- water! I can hear water- I'm on the docks! There they are!" There was shouting from behind her and Leo couldn't see her any more as she switched talking to running a lot faster.

"We're coming, April!" he shouted, hoping she could hear him.

"What's going on?" asked Don, who'd finally registered the outside world.

"April- the docks. Foot, come on." Don leaned back inside the door to grab the bo which was never far from him. Leo was still holding one of his katana- he'd dropped the other when April called. Don shouted for the other two and within two minutes they were out in the sewers, heading towards the docks underground. Leo, with his good sense of direction, was out in front.

"Here." They stopped at a manhole cover, which Raphael lifted and peered out. Nothing. They stepped out into the darkening evening.

"Whereabouts Leo?" asked Don. Leo shrugged and shook his head.

"Warehouses near the water- that was five minutes ago. We'll start at the waters edge- Don and me. Raph, you go with Mikey- check from the other end and work towards the water." Mikey and Raph peeled off and headed to the inland side of the docks. Mikey kept to the rooftops with the birds-eye view and looking in through the skylights while Raph stayed on the ground in sight. They'd covered most of the area quickly and were close to Leo and Don when Mikey, from the higher vantage point, spotted a flash of yellow.

"There!" he hissed to Raph who started in the direction he pointed in as Mikey sped over the rooftops to see if it was April. It was. She seemed to have lost her pursuers for the moment but when Raph touched her arm she whirled around and tried to hit him with a piece of wood. It was only Raphs good reflexes that kept him from being clobbered. Mikey stifled a snigger at Raph nearly getting clocked by April as he slipped down for the roof.

"Hey April. Leo and Don are over there."

"Boy, am I relieved to see you guys." she sighed as she dropped the piece of wood. Sounds of distant fighting made the two turtles spin around.

"You might need that after all, April!" warned Michelangelo as they started moving fast but silently to the source of the fighting, keeping the non- com behind them.

Raph flicked his fingers towards the roof with a nod to Mikey and turned the palm to the other roof signifying that they would take to the opposite roofs, surround the fighting and get the jump from both sides.

"April- stay here." he whispered as the turtles got into position.

It was dark as Mikey reached the apex of the roof and could now see the fighting. Leo and Don were surrounded by Foot and fighting back to back in the center of a tightening circle. Raph jumped off the roof on the other side of the yard and Mikey followed suit with a yell both meant to surprise the Foot and divert their attention from his brothers. And of course partly for the hell of it. It worked. Leo and Don both notched up their scorecards in the few crucial seconds, widening the circle around themselves and gaining a quick breather. Raphael was carving a good path himself towards his brothers in the middle and grinning fiercely. The Foot were milling slightly- they'd been fighting two turtles who'd been holding their own- now there were two more- one of whom had just appeared out of nowhere with a howl and the other of whom was scaring the life out of the people nearby just with that damn grin. It was the teeth that did it.

A few of the newer recruits decided that they didn't need this at this early time of their lives and a life shark- fishing in Asia seemed like a much better option. They scarpered. Most of the older ones- the warriors stayed and fought tenaciously. Without the panic of the newbies –who would not become oldies- they regrouped and seemed to become more focussed. Raphael had made it to his brothers and they were now standing as a triangle and beating the hell out of anything that came near them. There were less then a minute ago.

"Where's Mikey?" asked Leo, looking at Raph who hit someone before glancing around. His eyes widened a bit as he discovered where the other Foot had congregated into a corner. An orange bandanna was just visible from some where near the center.

"Hell- there he is!" But they were surrounded again and started beating a path towards their youngest brother.

Mikey was beginning to regret that yell at the beginning. It had drawn the pests like moths to a flame and he'd been trapped. They were backing him into a corner, in which he wouldn't be able to maneuver. He fell back and they closed in on him as his foot touched the wall.

"COWABUNGA!" he shouted with glee as he preformed the move that had stumped Leo earlier, launching himself off the wall and over their heads, twisting in mid- air and landing behind the group. From which point it was easy enough to sort out most of them with feet, nunchucks and elbows where needed. He spun to find Raphael behind him who kicked a sneaky Foot, who hadn't been as down as Mikey had thought.

"Oh, thanks." he panted. He looked around. There were plenty of wounded and unconscious and probably dead Foot around but no Foot capable of fighting.

"Were there only that many?" he looked puzzled. "There seemed to be a lot more."

"They ran off while you were busy with the gymnastics." he replied as Leo and Don joined them.

"Nice move Mikey." congratulated Leo and the youngest turtle glowed. It had been a good move.

"But ya shouldn't have gotten into that situation in the first place." added Raph. "You were lucky."

"Yeah, but he got himself out of it as well." put in Don mildly as they moved off. Raph nodded grudgingly.

"Yeah- I guess ya did at that," he admitted.

"Where's April?" asked Raph as they reached the area where the red and orange turtles had left her.

"Here, thanks guys." she said, coming out of the shadows, still holding onto her plank of wood. Two Foot- soldiers were on the ground, one clutching his head and making little whimpering sounds. The other didn't look like he'd be causing any trouble for a while.

"Hey, nice one, April. Ya got some!" said Michelangelo happily.

"Yeah, some of them ran this way. I thought they were attacking me. I sorta…lost it." she glanced at the plank before chucking it down with a grimace.

"Hey- ya did good- these guys aren't easy to get." said Raph, wondering why she looked so upset. She smiled shakily.

"Yeah- it's just been a rough night." She rubbed a shaking hand across her forehead, and looked up, eyes widening as she remembered.

"Finn! The Foot- they took her!

If anyone finds my mutant plot-bunny (which did a runner due to exam-stress) can you please redirect it back to Ireland? It nicked the rest of this story when it scarpered.

It might return with the lure of reviews…(hint hint)

;)Aries