I have one thing to say before you get into this chapter... THANK YOU! To all of my beautiful (or handsome, if you're a guy) reviewers, favoriters, and followers. I think this is my most popular story, which has totally taken me by surprise. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it being liked by so many people... 12, to be exact. In appreciation to one in particular who has taken a huge interest in my story, this chapter is dedicated to grapejuice101. To Pharaohyaminfan, SuperNova2470, kimah36, MissGingerbread, WOLFJADE28, invula1, nemoshewolf, AprilO'NeilXO, basecannon, antaurilover685, LeoRaphsgirl21, thank you so much for either following and/or favoriting my story. I am so flattered that so many enjoy my work.

And again I apologize for the earlier confusement. I will endeavor to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Okay, teary eyed thank you done. Now... NEW CHAPTER! Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Taigā gripped Michelangelo's shell as he slid down the sewer pipe. It stunk to high heaven, permeating her sinuses. She shifted on his lap again, trying to move away from the liquid on either side. "You okay babe?"

"Yeah. Just not used to this kind of travel is all." Mikey chuckled.

"For a second there I thought it was something else." Sounds of other shells sliding directed the duo's attention behind them. "Glad you could make it bros!"

Leo slid next to Mikey. "You know we're all going to get sent to the Hasshi for this."

"Dude! Lady present!" Even though the lighting was dim, Taigā could tell Leo blushed.

"Sorry, Taigā."

"It's alright Leonardo." She smiled gently at him. It soon vanished with a scream of terror when the pipe dropped out beneath them. Taigā wrapped her arms around Mikey's neck, her emerald eyes wide. She grunted when Mikey's feet made contact with the ground. He rolled to absorb the impact, sliding as he regained his feet. He slowly lowered Taigā.

"Did you enjoy that?" Taigā tentatively stood, her legs shaking. Before she could respond, the others joined them. Don immediately rushed over.

"We heard a scream. Is everyone alright?" Mike nodded.

"I think so. Babycakes still hasn't answered my question." He looked down at her right as she looked up.

"That… was…" She grabbed Mikey's plastron, pulling him down to her level. "AWESOME! Can we do it again!? PLEASE!?" Donatello breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was worried you were in shock." Taigā whirled on him.

"I am in shock!" A huge smile split her face. "I've got so much adrenaline going right now I could stay up for a week!" Raph snorted.

"Hate to break this up-"

"No you don't."

"No I don't. Anyways, we need to get back." The turtles nodded. Leo took the lead, Taigā walking next to him. He glanced down at her.

"Now, I need you to listen very closely to me. We don't know how our sensei will react seeing you, so it's best if you don't appear right away." The girl nodded.

"Gotcha. By the way…" She looked back at the red-masked terrapin. "Are you ever going to tell me your name, or are you content with Fruitcake?" Mikey clapped a hand over his mouth, snickering into his palm. Raphael, on the other hand, growled.

"Raphael." Taigā smiled at him.

"See? That wasn't so hard." By this time, they reached the turtles' home. Don opened the covering while Leo kneeled down over Taigā. She crouched beneath his plastron, trying to ignore how close they were. Raph peeked over his brothers' shoulders.

"Is he here?"

"I don't see him." Leo glanced at Don. "Donnie?"

"My thermal scans indicate there's a 74% variable that there's a 61% chance that he's not here." Don yelped softly when Mikey bumped into him.

"He's not here guys. Then he's not here." Leo hushed the orange-masked terrapin.

"Okay, fall in. Quietly." He glanced down at the girl under him, tapping her shoulder. When she looked up, their faces were only inches apart. "You stay here until one of us comes back for you." She nodded. Shifting his weight, Leo jumped over her, landing on the cement below.

His brothers followed suit. Everyone was quiet (well as quiet as you could be for a seven-foot-tall, two-hundred-something pound turtle). Except for Mikey, who's nunchaku caught on a few bricks, skidding down the wall. The others then whirled on him, again shushing him. Taigā groaned as the brothers began arguing. 'Geez. They are so going to get-'

"Guys. We got a bogey." As soon as Donnie finished talking, a flashlight turned on. Taigā ducked back into the pipe. From her angle, she couldn't see very well, but she could still hear. A yelp and grunt from Leo told her his legs had been swept.

"Where have you been?"

"We weren't-" Raph didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Splinter's tail wrapped around his neck, lifting him up before dropping him.

"I forgot to soak my retainer." 'Don has a retainer?' He was soon on the ground.

"I'm totally sleepwalking. Uh, Mikey sleeping. And walking. He's totally innocent!" He was quickly on his back.

"Enough! You disobeyed a direct order! Why did you go above ground? What happened?!" Splinter sniffed the air, his eyes widening at the scent. "You were seen!? By two humans!?"

Raph and Leo looked at each other. Splinter swept his light over to Donatello, who whimpered away. Finally, the light landed on Mikey. Unlike his brothers, he sighed. "Don't blame them, Master Splinter. It was my fault." Everyone gaped at Michelangelo, Splinter included.

"Mikey don't do it."

"Guys, I said I would take responsibility and I am." He stood up, walking over to the pipe. "It's alright. Jump. I'll catch you."

Splinter looked on in horror as a girl appeared. 'That's why the scent was so strong! She's here!' Shaking out of his thoughts, he stared the girl down.

She was clearly nervous, if her shaking, dilated pupils, and clenched fists were any indication. From the blue tinge on her lips, she was freezing. Splinter's stance relaxed slightly at this observation. A slight grimace of disgust pulled at her lips as she looked at her feet. Nevertheless, she sat down, swinging her pink-pajama adorned legs over the edge.

'She's in her pajamas?' Splinter glanced at his sons. They were all staring at the girl, oblivious to his stare. 'Is that why they brought her here? Because she was lost?'

Taking a deep breath, the girl pushed off, landing in Mikey's arms. Once she was secure, she huddled close to him, trying to calm herself. Mikey turned around, keeping her in his arms. He addressed Splinter first. "This is Taigā. Taigā, meet our sensei… Master Splinter." The brunette in Splinter's youngest arms nodded respectfully.

"Hello." Splinter looked among all of his sons.

"Is she the reason you went above ground?" Leo sighed in defeat. He stood, helping Raphael up. Don stood on his own.

"No, Sensei. The Foot were taking hostages, but we stopped them."

"There is something you're not telling me."

"A girl named April O'Neil took our picture, but I wiped the phone." Splinter's head whipped towards Donatello.

"Oh no. My worst fear has come true." Leo tilted his head.

"We're not in any danger."

"No, it is April O'Neil who is in danger. Find her! Bring her here!" Splinter motioned for Mikey to put Taigā down. "I will look after Miss Taigā." Mikey rested the girl on her feet. Her bare toes curled reflexively at the cold.

Immediately after, the boys grabbed their gear and left. Taigā sighed as she looked at Splinter. "So… I wouldn't suppose you have a blanket or something I could use to warm up?" Splinter chuckled.

"This way my dear."

~ *.* ~

April jumped out to the van, pulling her coat closer around her suddenly frigid torso. She shook her head as she walked up to Sacks' massive iron-wrung gates. "I can't believe Vern. Can't he see I'm not interested?" Huffing once more to herself, the brunette pressed the button. "Hi, it's April O'Neil here to see Eric Sacks." Immediately, the massive gates began to open.

April breathed a soft sigh of wonder as she walked through the expansive courtyard filled with semi-trucks. She looked up at the sound of a door opening to see Eric standing there, fixing his jacket. "April's arrived early this year." She giggled.

"I"m sorry to barge in on you like this, Mr. Sacks."

"No, no, no. Please." He gestured inside his house.

"Thank you." They began walking through his mansion. April took a deep breath to steel her nerves. "I've been working on a story, and I have this theory that there are these vigilantes that are fighting back against the Foot. I think that you and my father may have created them." Eric paused, turning to face the young woman.

"I'm... I'm not sure I'm-"

"Please tell me everything you know about Project Renaissance." Eric inhaled deeply.

"Well, um... it was a dream. A dream that died with your father."

"What if it isn't dead?"

"That's impossible. We lost all our research in the fire. All our specimens, everything. I've spent the last fifteen years trying to replicate the results." April took out her phone, displaying the picture she had taken.

"You didn't lose everything in the fire." She handed the device to Eric. His expression turned from one of skepticism, to disbelief.

"This can't be real."

"It is real. I saw all four of them."

"Do you really want to know about Project Renaissance?"

"Yes." That was all he needed to hear.

"Come with me." Eric led April to a private room adorned with rice paper paintings. They depicted an ancient Japanese samurai fending off attacking ninjas from his lands.

"I was born in Japan, at a military base in Okinawa. My father went to Vietnam. Didn't come back. I was an outsider in a foreign land. A freak." Eric sighed.

"I was a powerless and helpless boy, until a local sensei took me under his wing. And he saved me, taught me lessons I would later share with your father." He pointed towards the mural. "Ninth century Japan.
"An evil warlord ruled the land. He poisoned the water supply, bringing on the dark ages. Death and disease and suffering ran rampant, not unlike the Foot clan, and what they'd like to do to our city. Then one day, a hero rose. A great outcast. He discovered the antidote to the warlord's poison."

Eric looked back at April. "A cure, for his disease. Your father and I were trying to recreate that cure. We developed a mutagen, capable of stimulating self-repair on a cellular level."

"What were you going to do with it?"

"Imagine New York City... being victim to a chemical attack. This mutagen would be able to reverse its effects. It would save the city and it would save the people. Those test subjects... those turtles... running in their blood is the last of this precious mutagen. And up until a few moments ago... I thought we failed. I thought they died in the fire. How... How could they have lived?"

"Because I saved them." Eric smiled.

"Of course you did. April... the mutagen possesses powers... beyond our wildest hopes. Whatever resources you need," he pulled out a business card. "I'm here. Let's work together. We'll find them. The course of human history may be undone."

He tilted his head at her slightly tortured expression. "Are you alright?" April moved her head back and forth, grimacing slightly. "What is it?"

"The night I saw the turtles, there was someone else." Eric's eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Who?"

"A girl, not much older than sixteen. She appeared out of nowhere." Eric tilted his head, giving April his undivided attention.

"What did she look like?"

"Green eyes, brownish-auburn hair. Her skin was pale, and she was wearing pajamas. She was also really strong, if her muscle tone was anything to go by." April looked up at the man. "Do you know her?"

"I'm afraid not. What happened to her?"

"She went with them. The turtles." Eric nodded.

"I see." He sighed, looking down at his feet for a few moments before returning his gaze to April. "Thank you, April. For giving me hope in the Renaissance once more." He gestured to his left. "I'll show you out." He walked her to the door, closing it behind her.

As soon as he was sure she was gone, Eric tore down a flight of hidden steps. He threw open the cloth forming the door as he entered the dojo. He turned in place, looking for someone. An all-too-familiar shiver ran down his spine as another presence entered the room.

"Naza koko ni iru... deshio?" Sacks turned to face his adoptive father.

"There's been a miracle." He took two steps closer to the assassin. "The vigilantes that have been causing us so much trouble... they're the test subjects. Those... itty bitty box turtles that we thought we lost in the fire? They're alive, Master Shredder. And they've grown into something... powerful." The leader of the Foot Clan began walking around his student, listening with new interest.

"It won't be easy to capture them, but if we can... we'll finally carry out the plan we had all those years ago."

"Fūto-han o mugen no chikara ni narimasu. Anata ga okane ni narimasu."

"The world will be ours."

"Soko se?" Eric shook his head.

"O'Neil's daughter was the one who found them. Not only that, but she also found someone who might be adequate for Project F3L1N3." Shredder tilted his head in surprise.

"Jigyō neko-ka?" Sacks nodded.

"Yes. And April is going to be the one who takes us right to them.

I wanted a project name similar to feline. Since 1 and 3 were similar to I and E, it was an easy choice for me. Anyways, here are the translations for the Japanese.

Naza koko ni iru... deshio? - What are you doing here... student?
Fūto-han o mugen no chikara ni narimasu. Anata ga okane ni narimasu. - The Foot Clan will have unlimited power. And you will have your money.
Soko se? - How did you find them?
Jigyō neko-ka? - Project Feline?

The idea for this has to go to grapejuice101. They (I'm sorry I don't know if you're a boy or girl.) sent me this idea through a review. *hint hint* To be honest, this never even crossed my mind, so you can credit the extra scene to them.