"Hey, Leo."

Leonardo looked up from the carburetor he'd been cleaning and through the tire at Raphael, who was attempting to pass him a slightly damp rag.

"You gotta get everything outta there. This guy said he left the thing out in the rain—I'm bettin' it won't start 'cause there's water in the works." Raph chuckled. "If it got in the engine we're eatin' supremes for a month."

"Hey, don't be too happy about it, Raph—I can't help you every night, you know," Leo commented, unable to conceal a smile. It was nice to know Raph actually wanted him up here, if nothing else.

Raphael reached around the front wheel and lightly punched his shoulder. "What, you got a hot date or somethin'? Come on."

Leonardo laughed, then grew serious. "Um—you notice Master Splinter's been acting a little weird lately?"

"No, I got one better on ya—I noticed him packin' bags last night, when I was comin' in after puttin' the new steering shaft on the Tomos over there—you know, the one you ditched me on, bro."

Leo looked up so fast he hit his head on the right handlebar. "Seriously? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Figured he'd tell you," Raph shrugged. "You'd be the one in charge if he left. I thought you were keepin' it from the rest of us."

"I wouldn't do that," Leo said, very dignified.

"Yeah you would, ya kiss-up," Raph rebounded, smiling. "I swear, Leo, you got your head so far up Master Splinter's butt sometimes we're gonna hafta come up with a new mutant species for the two of you."

"What! Shut up, Raph!" Leo almost choked, realizing he'd been goaded into sounding like he was twelve again. He groaned. "Man, I can't believe it's almost eight already. Mikey's coming in from his gig over on 11th soon—we'd better get downstairs for dinner."

"Right—just let me finish installin' the brake, then we'll get it outta the"—

Raph didn't have a chance to finish, as the warehouse door's remote activated above them and the Cowabunga Carl van flooded them with light. Mikey honked several times, trying to make a tune.

"Aw, man, you gotta be kiddin' me!" Raph shouted, gathering tools. Mikey honked again, giggling inside the van.

"We're moving as fast as we can, Michelangelo!" Leo admonished, as he took the kickstand off the old Harley they'd been working on and wheeled it over to the shop proper, on the other side of the warehouse, which was crowded with other vehicles awaiting repair.

Once he'd parked and closed the door, Mikey jumped out, his large Cowabunga Carl head under one arm and a duffle bag over his shoulder. "What's up, guys? You look as gross as I feel."

Leo and Raph looked at each other; each of them was up to his elbows in axle grease and standing water, which had flooded out of one of the saddlebags when they'd started the repair.

"Hey, Mikey—don't make such a show outta bringin' that van in here. I don't want people associating' your clown act with the repair shop, got me?" Raph said, brandishing a wrench.

Michelangelo laughed. "Don't knock it, bro—might bring you some business, if those whack-bag soccer moms drove Harleys, that is."

"Bad day, little brother?" Leo asked as they dropped into the sewers and started home.

"Man—I had this nightmare that these kids were playing 'pin the shell on the Mikey'. It was narly."

Raph hooked his thumbs into his belt. "Yeah, I remember talkin' to that lady you were workin' for today. Sounded like she had her dress on backwards. Just be lucky you didn't have to deal with this nut that brought his bike this afternoon. I swear, guy's got a thirty-year old classic Harley Davidson, leaves it in the damn rain, and comes in to pay extra on an overnight job, like we ain't got enough work to do."

"Aw, and I was gonna ask you put a motor on my skateboard next, Raphi."

Raphael pointed the wrench at him. "Hey—what'd I tell you about callin' me that?"

Leo laughed. "Aw, but it's so cute, Raphi."

"Shut up, Leo!"

"Both of you shut up! I'm on the hotline!" Donnie's voice intruded from his alcove; Mikey had pulled the false drainage pipe that opened them into the den. "Yeah—no—look, just—it's one of the little slots on the side—they look exactly like the end of the plug, sir, I promise you—yeah, plug it in, and put the card in the bus port—the… the big one, on the left side! Did you even read the manual to your laptop?"

His brothers snickered as they moved toward the kitchen table, though Mikey fell over the back of the couch and flicked on the TV. Raph took up a grubby notebook.

"Hey, Donnie! You off the line yet?"

"No—pineapple, extra cheese, no anchovies."

"Gotcha. Mikey?"

"Uh… chicken, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms"—

"The Tuesday, got it. Leo?"

"I'll share one with you—what're you up for?"

"Meat Lovers okay?"

Leo nodded, his head in his hands. He felt Raph watching him for a minute, before moving off to place the pizza order, with a Coke in hand.

"Raphael," an aged voice called from the practice room, "you should not drink so much caffeine before sleep. Your late-night practicing has become disruptive."

Leo could head Raph grinning. "Hey, Master Splinter, if you wanted a pizza all you had to do was ask."

Master Splinter's stooped form shadowed the doorway into the practice room, and at last his whiskers appeared, over which he peered into the kitchen; Mikey looked over the back of the couch at him, and Donnie's chair span out of the alcove, with Donnie sitting in it, his headset fastened around his mask and a bag of pork rinds and a keyboard on his lap.

"My sons. Stand before me," Splinter beckoned. Raph finished the order and hung up, while Donnie disentangled himself. When they had assembled, their master struck up, his voice quiet but strong. "Seventeen years have passed since the death of my beloved Master Yoshi, and too long have I put off visiting the land of his birth, and the resting place of his ashes. Tomorrow morning, I journey to Japan, to the city of Kyoto. I shall be gone for several months, as I must make the journey in stealth, traveling by many boats in concealment. You are old enough now to stay here alone."

Donatello and Michelangelo both made sounds of shock and dismay, while Raphael and Leonardo remained quiet, having known he was leaving already. Leo, however, respectfully raised his head.

"But, Master Splinter—Karai hinted that the Shredder might soon return. What should we do if that happens while you're away in Japan?"

Splinter sighed, a weight on his ancient shoulders. "Leonardo. More than sixteen years ago, I found you, hardly three weeks old, here in the sewers. In that time, you have all grown to possess great strength—it is in that strength that I trust. As long as the four of you remain united, you may take on any adversary." He looked around at their faces. "While I am gone, Leonardo is in charge; if for any reason you should need someone in his stead, you will listen to Donatello. Raphael—you will repair with Casey in the shop only at night while I am away, and never during the day, when you may be seen. Michelangelo, you may continue to perform at parties; however, you must remain in the back of the van while April or Casey drives you."

Mikey and Raph riled immediately.

"Aw, I can't ask April to do that—she does enough stuff for us, sensei!" Mikey said, appearing sheepish.

"What? Is this some kinda joke? I'll never get all that work done!" Raphael protested. "Master Splinter"—

Splinter smacked his tail on the ground. "Raphael! I ask this of you for the protection of this family. Follow these rules while I am away and nothing shall befall you, my son."

Raphael closed his eyes, attempting to contain the overwhelming vision of all that work up in the warehouse, which had saved him from the problems of the world outside, that had given him some sense of purpose and accomplishment, however small. Donnie placed a hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry, my sons. I must complete this journey soon, before I am unable to," Master Splinter intoned; the four brothers looked up into his grizzled, furry face, the face of their only parent, and each of them grew suddenly still. "I shall leave early in the morning."

Leonardo bowed. "We shall wake with you, Father, and say our goodbyes." The turtles all nodded; Master Splinter gave one approving nod, and retreated to meditate. Donnie could not be still.

"You know, Raph, I bet I could build some sort of turnstile that could hide you the moment someone came into the shop. Or a steam-powered dolly down into the sewer, so you could still do repairs during the daytime."

Raph smiled and opened his mouth to respond; Leo cut him off.

"Don't bother, Donnie—his orders are not to be in the shop during the day. Raph, I'll help you at night until Master Splinter returns, okay?"

Raph sighed. "Yeah, alright. Still, I'm gonna have to tell Casey to take in fewer jobs. April's not gonna like this—she and Casey don't have a lot of clients right now in the antiques." He sat down, thinking.

Donnie paced. "Well, Mikey, maybe I could make some holographics card for the van so no one sees you driving—I mean, you can't drive with that big Cowabunga head on, so maybe"—

"No, I got it!" Raph said, snapping his fingers. "Take on a couple more gigs a week, Mikey, and pay April to drive you. You can use the shop for concealment. That'll help them and us."

Donnie looked disappointed. "Aw, come on, guys! I could whip something up in five minutes."

"Hey, don't worry about it, Don—you got your hands full with that tech support line," Leo said, calmingly.

"Yeah, and speakin' of hands full, I'm about to have my hands full of pizza. Toss in, guys—who wants to come with me? The tab's eighteen-fifty with the coupons," Raph said.

Mikey pinched his cheek, tossing a five on the table. "Raphi's been clipping coupons, how cute!"

"Shut up, Mikey! Leo, I got ya for helpin' in the shop today."

Donnie took a five from between the pages of a Spiderman comic. "I'll come with you, Raph. I could use a walk—been in that chair half the day."

Donnie and Raph sat waiting below the broken grille at what they called 122 1/8th to the delivery guys, saying nothing. Raphael looked at the night sky above, remembering free nights under a helmet, riding his bike and chasing perps, keeping one strong and very violent promise that led him further into darkness.

"You worried about Master Splinter leaving?" Donnie asked.

Raphael snorted, sounding as indifferent as possible. "Why should I be worried? I got his rules and you and Leo to tell me what to do. No responsibility, no worries, right?" He'd tried to sound as sarcastic and off-hand as possible; Donatello could hear the anger and the sadness under his voice, though.

"I'm really sorry, Raph. If it makes you feel better, we all know you make a great leader when it comes to battles and strategy. I'm sure Master Splinter only said what he did because I'm good in the at-home and problem-solving arena."

"You know I don't care about bein' leader, Don. I just don't see why I need two brothers around with orders to tell me what to do." He got up and kicked a beer bottle clattering down the passage. "Man, things were just fine for a month—why does Master Splinter hafta leave now too?"

Donatello squinted at his brother. "Wait—I'm not sure if I get what you're angry about."

Raphael sighed, then laughed. "Neither do I. I just—I just wish—I don't know, that things could be good and stay that way for a while, instead of somethin' always bashing in on us."