Disclaimer:I still don't own the guys...My Ocs yes.

*Three Years after Leo joins the Tsume Leo(Kage-Ryu) is now Twenty and Toraha is now twenty-two.*

Chapter 4: First Apprentice

A young boy around twelve years of age stood in front of a large painting. Whoever did that is good! Wow! look at the detail! It looks just like the Golden Dojo from afar when your coming up the path...

The painting was signed Kage-Ryu. The boy was startled, he had heard that Kage-Ryu was one of the fiercest of the warriors who walked these halls, know for his deadly accuracy with his throwing blades. The boy shuttered. A figure walked up behind him.

"They are waiting for you in the hall," he said.

The young man entered the dark hall, he could sense the presence of other warriors moving around the edges of the hall. He made his way toward the candles and the figure in the middle.

"Are you sure?" he asked

The young man nodded.

"Kage-Ryu....you test the boy...now," Ryoshi no Nikko sharply. The young man bearly had time to prepare himself before a flash of green and black sent him sprawling. Try as he might the boy couldn't get up fast enough to block Kage-Ryu's attacks. He lay still, gathering his strength, waiting for Kage-Ryu to approach. Finally he did and the young man lept up and kicked out. A grunt and conection with a hard surface made the boy grin with excitement, it was quickly wiped off his face when he was slammed to the ground with a series of punches and a powerful kick. The boy black out.

****_______________________________________________ oOOo ______________________________________________________****

The boy groaned and rolled over. He was in a bed room in the typical Japanese style, a low set bed with plain white sheets, hard wood floors with a single plain rug. Off to the opposite side was an area that was a striking contrast to the side of the room the young man was on. Though the same low set bed, hard wood floors, and sinple rug adorned the other side but that was where the similarities ended. That side of the room was a mess paint splattered everywhere, pencils, paper, various other artwork related items, and an easle decorated the area. The boy took a double take at the sight of a turtle-like man standing at the easle. There was a paintbrush tucked into his bandanna, as if it were being tucked behind an ear, another paintbrush gripped in the creature's teeth, and a third painbrush held loosely in the creatures hand. It's other hand was holding a paint pallate. Golden-brown eyes were focused on the paper in front of it. The boy noticed a low table where five blades lay, one longer than the others, dragons on their hilts. His eys returned to the creature and he noticed the wires from Ipod ear buds snaking their way down to a blue Ipod attached to the belt of the creature.

As the boy watched the paintbrush touched the paper in quick practiced strokes. He failed to notice a figure sit down beside him.

"Hey kid," Toraha greeted, his green eyes friendly. The boy jumped nearly out of his skin. Toraha chuckled. the boy looked nervous.

"Um...how did I get here...and what is that?" asked the boy nervously as he jerked his head toward Kage-Ryu. Toraha grinned and pointed to his left cheek. The boy's eyes widened.

"That's Kage-Ryu? B-but he's...that's not human," the boy stammered.

"Naw...he's a turtle...mutated as a baby to be how he is...Ryu brought ya here...ya got spunk kid...and ya got some skill...landed a kick on Ryu's plastron...Ryoshi no Nikko appointed him as your mentor. Ya better hope he's goes easy on ya...he fights and trains like crazy...Oh and did I mentian he's fast? Almost fater than Ol' Ryoshi himself,"Toraha replied, "What's ya name kid?"

"Um...Jim," he replied after a moment, trying to take in the onslot of information. Kage-Ryu had set his things down and had came over, sitting on his bed he watched the kid quietly.

"Konichiwa genki desu ka?" Kage-Ryu asked quickly removing his earbuds.

Jim looked at him with a startled expression.

"I-I...I don't speak Japanese," He said, looking embarassed.

"Funny...that's weird...your training to be a Tsume Bushi...living in Japan...am I missing something Tora?" Kage-Ryu asked, his golden-brown eyes gentle hinting at humor.

Jim blushed. Kage-Ryu chuckled and Toraha smacked him on the back.

"Hey you've got a New Yorker accent!" Jim exclaimed.

Kage-Ryu looked annoyed.

"Grew up in New York," Kage-Ryu grunted, his eyes suddenly fierce. Jim took one look at those eyes and clamped his mouth shut.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

April looked up as Raph came in the window, a blue mask wrapped around his wrist. He touched it lightly as he straightened. He'll never stop looking for Leo...none of them will...Master Splinter wouldn't've...he never forgave himself for not seeing what they were doing to Leo...not even as he was dying...

"Hey Raph...please don't tell me your hurt again...don't know if I can stand to stitch you up again," she chidded.

"Naw...just...just wanting someone ta' talk ta'...." Raph sighed, sitting down heavily on the couch, "Case around?"

April shook her head. She hated to ask but she still had to know.

"Any sign?" she asked softly. She saw the flash of a pain in his eyes as he shook his head.

"He'll turn up...its Leo, Raph, you know that he loves all of you," she whispered, placing her hand on his carapace gently. He nodded, eyes filling with tears.

"Its been three years...the last thing I said to him was that I hated 'im....h-he could be dead...and its my fault..." Raph sobbed, breaking down.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reviews?? Please??