(Yeah I guess I do have mary sues of sorts; I thought she wasn't but…oh well, I guess you could view it as a parody, amateur writing, or whatever then…)

Chapter 3: Of Rough Days and Setbacks

It was pouring like it hadn't in months. The sky was unbelievably black and glowering, blocking out moon and star light.

Leonardo decided the only place to go was the park. He just wanted to be able to sit with his thoughts.

The rain was cold, freezing on his face and seeping through his trench coat, chilling his body past the thick flesh on his arms down through his meat to the bone. The paths were dark, but he'd walked them so many times he knew them all backward and forward.

He finally decided to stop and rest on a bench near Strawberry Fields of Central Park, a place he'd passed many a time where lovers sat, picnicked, kissed, drank champagne, and romanced. He frowned—another reason to dislike his life: he would never know love, not romantic love.

He knew he'd be good at those things. He was a teenage boy, seventeen years old for crying out loud, and he wanted a girlfriend! He scolded himself for even considering the idea; he should have been happy enough just living and having a sentient life. Still…it would have been nice to have a picnic, and someone to love him unconditionally in that romantic way.

The rain came harder before it began to tail off. Leonardo was grateful for the rain; it left him alone in the park with himself. He needed alone time just like Raphael did.

He wanted to take off his soaking wet hat, but duty and responsibility forbade it, even if there was apparently no one around to witness his presence.

He felt no one understood him, no one listened, and no one cared that he took the burden of all his brothers on his shoulder…and he took it willingly. They didn't care—just looked to him for answers, expecting the right ones and accepting no less. He wished he could reject his role. He brooded that somewhere, sometime, when it was crucial, he would make the wrong decision, choose the wrong path. Why did they trust him?

He knew these bitter feelings would pass. He was just tired, worn thin, had a rough day…

"It feels like it was only yesterday." Ura said to herself lowly, daring to raise her gaze from the pavement to look around her. Sure, maybe the lawn was a little overgrown and the house was a different color. But it felt so…right, like she was six again, shouldering a backpack as she came home from school with her friend Robbie. There was even the same crack in the sidewalk that she remembered tripping on when she was playing tag.

'Funny, the things I commit to memory.' She thought, slipping her hands into the pockets of her black leather trenchcoat. It hadn't taken her much time at all to find her old home, and she now stood before the walkway, dressed causally, sword, ears, and tail hidden. After all, this wasn't Nomékop—not that there were any warrior cat people there, but people were more likely to just stare blankly for a second before continuing on with their own business. She wasn't sure if the first person to see what she was would freak out and send her off to a lab, but she didn't want to take the chance until she tested the waters first and got used to things around her hometown.

It was sad really. Despite everything, if someone had asked, she would have insisted she was human. And she was; she really was. She just looked different and had sharper senses. She loved being what she was, regardless of who had turned her into this thing, but she didn't like the thought of humans not counting her as one of their own. She didn't want to be looked at as a monster. If it came down to mutants, aliens, and animals against humans, she'd obviously and instantly stake her claim among the latter group.

She supposed she shouldn't blame them for being so paranoid—too many horror movies.

But now she was just getting distracted. It must have been because she was so nervous.

Right, she was about to be reunited with her family.

The lights were on, presumably meaning someone inside was awake. Fighting emotions that threatened to consume her and trying to keep her excitement at bay, she began to move again.

'What will I say? Will they recognize me? What will they look like after all these years….I don't suppose Mew's alive anymore…' A million thoughts ran through her head even as she froze at the door.

Holding her breath, she raised her gloved hand and knocked.

Shortly a man with brown hair and blue eyes opened the door, stared at her quizzically and interestingly, and asked who she was.

'Too young to be dad…yet…too old to be my brother…' She tried it anyway, forcing herself to keep her eyes on his face, "Are you Steve Sydwell?"

"No," His look changed to suspicion, "Why?"

She had been expecting failure, but still, she had hoped for success. She felt her ears wilting sadly and was glad for the black puffy hat on her head as she lowered her gaze immediately, "Never mind, my mistake; sorry to bother you, sir."

Only after she walked away and out of sight did she let out a sigh. For a moment, it had seemed so real, so close. Either they had moved away…or something bad had happened to them.

'Alright, so you came and you saw, now move on and concentrate on your mission.'

She sighed again, wishing it were that easy.

'I mean it, stupid. You said you were going to scout, so go scout. Do something useful.'

Yes, doing her job should get her mind off her disappointment quite easily.

"I can't take just sittin' around and doin' nothing! I wanna bust some heads already!"

"I already told you that we can't do anything yet. Unless you want to go around town asking people where our enemies are and whether or not we can reserve a personal meeting with them, you have to wait.

"We need adequate information before we can start planning. It all depends on just how primitive their new locations are—how many members are there, what kind of weaponry and equipment they have, and whether or not their communication systems are well working."

"Still doesn't mean I have to like any of this." Musashi growled, putting her swords away after having wreaked havoc on the nearby trees. "Couldn't you guys have at least sent me out with Ura on recon?"

Kojirou opened one eye from where he sat meditating passively, "You lack stealth skills." He said perfectly tranquil. His unmoved tone only irritated Musashi more.

Karen didn't bother say anything more than she had already said, too busy studying reports. It didn't look good.

"Can you believe that Master?" Said the young, cute, blond teenager with huge cherry-red eyes and black raven's wings as she paced around the ornate throne room, "Despite their alliance with us, those worthless, puny lil Dan'in went and made a deal with the horrid Foot in New York."

"What course of action do you suggest we take?" An equally young male voice asked.

His advisor looked at him and blinked. "It's a choice between nobility and life—to submit to Oroku Saki is life but what a miserable one! Despite everything we stand for, Master, I do have a strong sense of honor. And he's just such a revolting person—if he even is a person. Ah, decisions decisions. It is you who must make the choice for your Gerard Foundation my Master. But I suggest we do nothing hasty. Allow me to go in your behalf to test the waters."

"Don't fail me." Said the boy, standing to his feet and reaching after her even as she started away. "And… be careful, Warui."

The girl only giggled, "And when have I ever failed you, darling?"