Aikido is probably one of the most stress relieving martial arts on the planet; using people's strength against them and throwing them onto the ground. Although I guess you can count Kendo as well since you get to hit people on the head with a stick, but you can only go so far with that. During the last 24 hours I've been moving more with caution when I'm alone ever since last night with that attack on those weird ninja people. In a combat situation I can handle the Purple Dragons not counting Hun, but ninjas? No thank you!

I was walking down my street, heading over to my apartment building. I really couldn't wait to have a shower and to go to sleep for eternity. Although Aikido can be stress relieving the training session from tonight was difficult and tiring.

It was quite quiet on the way back to my place but I couldn't help but look over my shoulder just to check if the PD were wanting to stage another attack or of those ninjas wanted to chase me again. I really didn't want to run into them right now, I don't think I would have the energy right now. Plus if the ninjas decided to attack then I'll definitely be screwed right now. Good thing Raphael was there last night otherwise I would have been a goner for sure. And speaking of him...

"Ah!" I jumped in surprise as I felt a hand clamp my shoulder. My arms instantly went up the arm and flipped whoever it was onto the ground but he landed perfectly in front of me and ended up dragging me to the ground.

"God. You're so jumpy." He huffed as he helped me up. "And you stink."

"Well I was just training Aikido." I remarked grabbing my bag as I walked up to my apartment. "So of course I smell."

"I wasn't talking about how you smell, I was talking about your attempt at taking me down."

"Ouch." I said faking to be hurt. "We only just met and you're already criticizing my ability to do Aikido. That's harsh."

"That's who I am, harsh. Where are you going?"

"Home." I pointed over to the brick building that was my apartment. "What are you doing here?"

"Dear Fearless Leader's making us do night patrol every night now. We had to split up again and I got tired of waiting around, plus Casey was studying."

"So you decided to stalk me. And wait who's 'Fearless Leader?'"

"He's my older brother and I'm not stalking you."

"Oh sure."

"I swear it and it's not our fault that we're always around you when you get into trouble!" He interjected.

"Such lies! Now are you going to stand out here or are you going to let me go inside?"

"I just got here!"

"And I just did a million of hours of training and I'm all sweaty and tired." I said as I walked up the little flight of steps of the entrance and placed my hand on the brass doorknob. "But if you're so bored as you claim to be... Twelfth floor on the left." And with that I entered the old apartment. I walked across the dirty white tiles that were set in the entrance, it's shiny surface reflecting the dim light that lit the tiny room. I dragged myself over to the lift and pressed my floor number.

I watched the numbers flash by as I lent against the cool metal wall, catching my breath. Sometimes I wonder why I'm doing Aikido.

Soon as the doors opened I dragged myself to my area of the apartment and opened up the door, throwing my bag on the couch as I schlepped myself over to the bathroom to have my shower.

Once I was done with my shower and was dress in my pajamas, I threw myself onto my bed sighing in relief as my body relaxes. I would have stayed there until the end of civilization but I was greeted by an impatient tap at my window. Right, I had a guest.

I rolled off my bed and crawled to the window where I attempted to open it from where I was, which proved to be difficult. In the end I did and crawled back to my bed as Raph looked around my room. It was quite small with the classic white walls that had pictures of drawings and ideas stuck around randomly, a polished wooden desk in front of the window that had a bunch of clutter on it, a little bedside table next to my double bed that currently had black and blue bed covers and a large cabinet file which holds many folders of my other ideas, drawings and blueprints.

"Heh, you remind me of my brother." He commented looking at the mess on my desk.

"Fearless leader?"

"Nah. My younger brother, he's the brainiac in our family."

"Fun." I replied. "So what do you guys usually do out here? I wouldn't expect you to do much since you know.. You're a mutant turtle."

"I'm a mutant turtle? Wow I had no idea." Raph rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"I know right? It's really not obvious at all, I would have had no idea... But seriously what do you guys do on your night patrols?"

"None of your business."

"But I'm curious."

"I can see that. Hey shouldn't your parents be checking up on you?"

"Nope, my mum's business. Don't change the subject."

"What about your Dad?"

"He... He's out." I answered not feeling like sharing about the real reason for my father's absence. "And stop changing the subject!"

"Well what's in it for you? Knowing what we do on our night patrols and all. Trying to stalk us?"

I scoffed at him and rolled my eyes. "Yes, knowing what you do will help me find out where you guys are."

"You wouldn't understand or even believe me even if I told you."

"I've got a talking giant turtle in my room who can kick a bunch of ninja butt and you think I won't understand or believe you."

"Yes."

"Fine, don't tell me." I huffed in defeat.

"Wasn't planning on it."

"Well you know a lot about me so tell me about yourself."

"Actually I don't know a lot about you."

"My rooms says it for you!" I pointed out. "As well as the fact that you saw me wearing my gear earlier on."

"That's still not a lot."

"Tell me about yourself today then I'll tell you about myself on Saturday." I said lazily.

"Why not tomorrow?" He queried as he sat on my office chair.

"I hang out with my friends on Friday night." I confirmed.

"So you want to tell you about me."

"Yup."

"Fine." He sighed. I grinned at him as I rolled onto my stomach ready to listen. He told me how he was taught ninjutsu and how he was furious about the fact that his older brother got position as leader out of the family. He also told me how his family can be really annoying, especially his youngest brother and their mutated friend that lives with them (he also said that he thinks that they like-like each other which continues to irritate him for some reason).

He was about to go through another rant when his phone started to ring, he picked up the shell shaped phone and answered it.

"What?" He demanded annoyed. "...Mikey... MIKEY! For shell's sakes speak slower!" After a long pause Raph ended the call with a an aggravated expression on his face. "I have to go, my brother got into a tight situation."

"Okay, see you on Saturday then?"

"Whatever." Raph said as he hopped out of my window and left. I closed it after him and walked into my Dad's study where I resumed my research. I decided to look through his books to check if he ever kept a journal or some sort of planner.

The bookshelves that reached from the floor to ceiling contained a lot of books that seemed to be in Japanese and Chinese, a few of them were in German as well which I thought was rather strange since my Dad wasn't that interested in the German culture as much as he was with the Japanese and Chinese. Never the less I continued to look around, peering in the drawers of his desk and breathily looking through some of the books to see if there was something out of the ordinary in them.

I was about to give up and go to bed when I tripped over something and fell onto the floor. I looked behind me to see what I tripped over and saw that one of the floorboards seemed to be a little bit raised then the others. I quickly grabbed a ruler that was on my father's desk and went to the raised floorboard as I slid the ruler through the gap, attempting to use it as a crowbar. It worked! I was able to get the floorboard loose and once I did I saw something that shocked the living hell out of me.

? POV

I tried to stop the growl that was making it's way to out of my mouth. I have to be patient. I don't want to get killed by the Shredder. Or his daughter.

I hate watching the mission that I wanted so badly get past on to a bunch of people who have and will fail. I tried to persuade them to let me help as I did with Hun. But they all declined thanks to the fact that the girl manage to escape the burning noodle house.

Why can't Shredder give me the job instead? I'll do a much better job at it! I'll be able to have her here in an hour, not even. Doesn't he understand that if he had pick me to do the mission we still wouldn't be waiting here? Didn't he understand that we would have destroyed the turtles by now if he had so simply picked me for the mission in the first place?

I watched as Karai shouted at her Footbots in frustration as they come back empty handed once again. Maybe I'll do the job for her, save her the stress and save her from melting her brain. Or I should just tell her what to do.

It's quite easy to know how to get your target when you actually know them.