I once again apologize for the deletion(is that a word?) Of my other two stories. But hey, If all goes as planned, the three I have sloshing around in my head will be even better. Most of this chapter is just Kenji's history. The Turtles will arrive soon and this story will get better.

TMNT © Nickelodeon

Kenjiro Koseki and Shadow Ninja © TMNH (me)

Chapter One

"Kenji-chan!" a withered voice called from outside the door, "If you do not hurry up, you will miss your flight."

"Yes, Father, I know," Inside the room, a girl of about fifteen was messily packing her things into a suitcase. Her dark brown hair had been hurriedly thrown into a bun, and now strands hung in her face, covering her brown eyes. Eventually, she got the suitcase to close around the messy pile of clothes. She opened the door to find her father, still standing their.

"Father, I have to go. I will call you as soon as I reach America," she said, recognizing his I need to say something look.

"Before you leave," he said, pulling something out of his pocket, "a parting gift."

"Daifu..." she said. He father held out to her a symbol, resembling half of a yin-yang sign, on a string. It was red, her favorite color.

"Magatama," he stated. "It will protect you from evil."

"Yes, Father," she said as he placed it around her neck, "I'll wear it always." she pulled him into a hug. He hugged her back for only a second.

"Now go, or you will miss the plane!"

"Hai!" she called as she hoisted up her suitcase and bundled out the door.

Koseki Kenjiro didn't live far from the Airport. No one lived far from anything in the small village she lived in. The small jet that occupied the airport only carried so many passengers, and only flew when the pilot was around. He just happened to make an appearance at the exact same time Kenjiro had wanted to go to New York.

She'd told her father she'd wanted to go to learn. To go to college, and also first handedly learn the culture of her late mother, an American women. But that wasn't the full reason behind her desire to move to New York City. That was only part of it. And Kenjiro knew her father would never let her leave if he knew what she really had planned.

***

It was the kind of plane that only carried a few people at once. Including the pilot, single flight attendant, and occasional co-pilot. The passengers weren't the most talkative bunch. Most of them a family returning from vacation who didn't speak Japanese at all. Kenjiro hadn't felt like starting a conversation in English, and was glad she could escape from the stuffy-silent plane into her Sketch book.

Now the plane ride was over, and the few passengers were filing out into the airport. Kenjiro snapped her Sketch book shut, and stuffed it into the suitcase. She was the last one outside. She looked around as she walked.

New York was nothing like her village. It was huge. With buildings reaching the sky, neon lights made it hard to notice how dark it was even though it was nighttime. Its sort of like Tokyo, she though but so different from my small village.

***

Kenjiro's mother had given her an address and the key to an apartment building before she died. She'd owned it, with the deed and everything, and told Kenjiro if she ever went to New York, that she could live there. It was very helpful, since she'd heard it was hard to get an apartment in the middle of the city.

It took a few days to get settled in. Get new lightbulbs, dust everything off, get her things unpacked, that sort of thing. But she felt like she could finally call this place home. She glanced out the window. It would be dark soon. Her hand brushed the dark blue outfit on her bed. It was so much different than the red shirt and jeans she wore now. But to Kenjiro, it was as familiar as her own face in the mirror. She began to change. There was work to be done.

She hadn't worn the dark, full piece outfit in at least a month. She hadn't needed to blend into the shadows. Now she knew why. The criminal group of ninjas, the ones she pursued while wearing the blue guise, had left Japan. They'd come to New York for some reason. And Kenjiro was going to find out why.

I'm coming for you, Shadow. She thought as she slipped into the night.

***

"You can't tell me what ta do!" In another part of the city, the underground part, Raphael was going at it with Leonardo.

Leo was trying to stay calm. "Master Splinter said-"

"'Master Splinter said,' I don't care what Splinter said. I'm goin' Topside,"

"Raph!" Leo was starting to lose his cool. But Raph was practically out of the Lair. He glared at his brother over his shoulder as the metal doors slid shut.

Leo gave a defeated sigh.

"You going after him?" Don asked. He'd been standing a few feet away, waiting for everything to blow over so it was safe to cross into the kitchen. He held an empty coffee mug in his hand.

"I'll give him an hour," he answered.

"Dude, what were you two yelling about this time?" Mikey was talking before he was in view, "I could here you from-" He came up beside Don, who elbowed him in the ribs.

"Uh...I mean, er... Never mind."

***

Raphael glared into the darkness as he jumped rooftop after rooftop. Stupid Leo... He didn't even remember what they were arguing about, or how it had started. But he did know he had to get away from the Lair. At least for a while. Maybe he could take his mood out on some thugs.

Movement in his peripherals had him diving into the nearest shadow. What was that? Was I seen? He hadn't gotten a good view, but whatever it was was definitely human-shaped.

But there were no screams. No sound of panicking humans. Raph risked a look to the rooftop.

Empty.

I must've been imagining things, he thought, stepping back into view, What human would be up on the roof, anyway?

He was no more than three steps forward when- there it was again. On the other side of him. He turned to face whatever it was. "Foot Ninja!" He drew his Sais.

His eyes swept over the rooftop. Ten or so guys stood there. A smirk made its way across Raph's face.

This is all they send ta take me out? He thought, This is gonna be fun.

Though, he was faintly aware that some of the Foot soldiers weren't wearing their normal costumes.

***

Kenji stuck mostly to alleyways, trying to get any information she could from people who were chatting to each other. She was about to head home empty handed when she heard someone mention something about some guy in black wearing a mask.

That's a ninja if I've ever seen one, she thought, and trust me. I have.

It didn't take her long to find the stretch of buildings where the guy had come from. Someone had definitely been there before. Only problem was, they weren't there now. They can't have gotten far. She decided, and climbed the fire escape to the roof to see if she could spot anyone in black.

To her surprise, their were foot prints in the gravel. Many foot prints. Enough for a small clan of ninja.

She set of in a mild run. She'd catch up to Shadow soon enough.

Soon, Kenjiro was walking, never straying to far from the cover of the shadows. The sounds of battle were evident, and she knew she was getting close.

When the Ninja were finally in view, the first thing she noticed was a flash of green. One guy was fighting in some strange, bulky costume. Definitely Shadow's target. How does he fight in that?

The second thing she noticed was that some of the Shadow warriors weren't wearing the right outfit. The eye pieces were wrong. The symbol...

Some of them aren't Shadow at all! Kenjiro realized. Then who are they?

Then her thoughts strayed back to the green fighter. He certainly fought well. Especially with such a bulky...pack?

"Hmmm," What was that on his back?

Her hum turned into a gasp as one ninja managed to slice into his arm. That wasn't a costume. If it was, the blood wouldn't have come so fast, and it would have stained the fabric.

"It's his skin," she said out loud. As if she wouldn't believe it if she didn't hear it.

Kenjiro gave herself a mental shake. The green man was a good fighter, but no one could stand very long against fifteen opponents. And if he was fighting Shadow, he couldn't be bad.

She braced herself before leaping into the fray. She was going to help this strange warrior.

***

Raphael swore under his breath. There were more then he thought, and it wasn't getting any easier to take them down. One Foot had gotten a lucky shot with a knife and sliced his arm open. Whoever the new guys were, they were good too.

One guy practically tackled him, as another whacked him in the back of the head with a tonfa. His vision blurred for a second, and blood was running down his arm, distracting him.

I shoulda listened ta Leo, he thought angrily. He could anticipate a lecture when he got home. If I get home.

Suddenly, a guy about to hit him went flying in another direction. In his place stood a girl in a blue suit. She smiled at him.

"Need a hand?"

Raph gave her a dazed expression.

"Help. Get it?" Before he could answer, she moved so they were standing back to back.

Raph scowled at the ninja who were heading their way. Only a little surprised by the new arrival. After all, they'd been expecting four. What was two?

He spun his sais. We'll just have ta fight twice as hard.