AN: Thanks for all your reviews! They are very much appreciated!

tmntsurviver: Indeed…

Miraculous Pink Ninja: It's not me, it's the story! *nods convincingly*

yukio87: Thank you very much! I understand everything you write and I'm always happy to read your reviews. :)

Techno Dawn: Yes. At one point, it has to get better…right?

Savvywolf: I hope Raph does too, but he can be really stubborn, can't he? Let's see!

Getting to Know You

Leonardo didn't sleep well that night. He kept tossing and turning in his quilt. When he finally fell asleep, he dreamed that he was separated from his brothers by a thick glass screen. He was trying to call them, but they didn't hear him. He woke up shivering, a thin layer of sweat covering his skin. This situation is affecting me far too much if I begin to have nightmares about it, Leonardo thought bitterly. And it has only been two days.

He began breathing exercises that Master Splinter had taught him, and managed to fall asleep again.

The next morning, Leonardo was up early. He hadn't had any other nightmare, but didn't feel well rested. What's more, he was feeling anxious. Last night, Raphael had punched him, Michelangelo had all but burst into tears in front of him and Master Splinter had kept glaring at him. Only Donatello had seemed to be grateful for the information he had given him. Don't forget Casey. He took your defense, Leonardo acknowledged. Anyway, I can't say that I'm feeling welcomed. He gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to hide in this room for fear of getting out. He had faced powerful enemies with courage countless time before. But you had the support of your family then, a small voice whispered in his head. And it didn't go so well when you had to stand alone against the Foot and Shredder, remember? Not to mention that they are not supposed to be your enemies.

Leonardo shook his head and dismissed his thoughts. He just had to get used to this world. He asked for nothing more than getting to know the other turtles who by so many aspects were so much like his own brothers. But it goes both ways, he thought. They have to let me in if we are going to cooperate efficiently with each other. And cooperate they would have to, if they were to save April. Or if he was to ever go back to his own world, for that matter. I can't request from Donnie to focus on that now, he sighed.

Leonardo braced himself. He would have to walk on eggshells to avoid worsening the situation with Raphael and Michelangelo. And I still don't know what Master Splinter thinks of all of this, he thought with concern. He hadn't forgotten that the ninja master had threatened to throw him out if his sons couldn't adapt to his presence. Adaptation takes time, he tried to reassure himself. A master like Splinter knows that. He has to. Leonardo took a deep breath and left the room.

It turned out that he was the first out of bed. The lair was still dark and silent. Finally something I'm used to, he thought. He made for the kitchen and prepared himself some tea. After all, Michelangelo had allowed him to help himself. He drank his mug with deep relief. He then put it in the sink and headed for the dojo. Why not go on with his morning routine? It's not as if I have anything better to do, he thought wryly. He didn't switch the lights on and simply began to practice. As he hadn't his katana, he kept to kata which didn't require them. As he fell into the familiar patterns and focused on the required effort, he felt his mind relax. He was working on a particularly complex one which gave him a hard time – he had just stumbled and was trying to figure out where he got it wrong – when he became conscious of a presence in the doorway.

"Do you need help?" A teasing voice asked.

Leonardo turned towards Raphael, blushing. The red-clad turtle's smug expression made clear that he had seen him fall. Of course, he had to arrive at precisely that moment, Leonardo thought with irritation. To the blue-clad turtle deep annoyance, it wounded his pride. Don't let pride get in the way of your progress, his father's voice echoed in his head. Leonardo shook his head.

"Good morning," he said. He was still feeling irritated and he forgot that he had decided to be careful with Raphael. "Are you going to punch me today?"

Raphael crossed his arms.

"Nah. I talked to Donnie before he went to bed. He wants you in one piece."

"You're very generous," Leonardo answered dryly.

Raphael snorted. He hesitated before going on.

"And I've thought about what Casey told yesterday. That you saved his life."

The red-clad turtle shrugged.

"He's my best friend."

Leonardo heard the silent 'thank you' behind Raphael's words and felt a little better. He nodded.

Raphael quickly changed the subject.

"Anyway, Mikey is asking if you want breakfast."

"Really? He seemed pretty mad at me last night," Leonardo admitted.

"He's worried about Donnie," Raphael said. His tone contained a slight warning. "As I am. But he has decided that you're our guest nonetheless, and Mikey has a strict policy concerning guests."

You three talked it through, I see, Leonardo thought with bitterness. He couldn't help feeling left behind. It's stupid, he admonished himself. I should be glad that they are both in better spirits today.

"I'm going for breakfast," the blue-clad turtle declared.

Raphael nodded his approval and they both left for the kitchen.

Michelangelo was here, adding another pancake to the already impressive pile standing on a plate at the center of the table.

"Hi, Leo," he said when he saw the blue-clad turtle arrive. "Sorry about yesterday. I felt a little upset and…"

The orange-clad turtle interrupted himself and bit his lip.

"No harm done, Mikey," Leonardo quickly reassured him, although he wasn't being entirely sincere. "I understand."

Michelangelo smiled at him and indicated the pancakes.

"Want some?"

Leonardo smiled back at the orange-clad turtle and nodded. Whatever happens next, at least I'll be well fed, he thought while taking a seat at the table.

Donatello didn't show up until later. He had been in his lab, learning everything he could about the O'Neil from the Internet. Of course, they were a lot of people named O'Neil in New York City, and he was busy classifying data.

However, the purple-clad turtle had to put his work on hold for his weekly session of training with his two brothers. He was less than happy about it, considering it a loss of time.

Leonardo wasn't of the same mind, but he wisely didn't express it in front of the irritated Donatello. He remembered what Michelangelo had told him about it. They are mostly training individually, which is why Raph and Donnie's attacks weren't really coordinated yesterday, he thought. Actually, Raph was forming a better team with Casey.

The blue-clad turtle was allowed to attend the training session as an observer. Even if he would have liked to participate in it, he considered himself lucky. One step at a time, Leonardo told himself firmly.

He sat cross-legged in a corner while the three other turtles knelt in front of their sensei.

"We will begin with the new moves each of you has been learning," Master Splinter told them. "You will demonstrate them to your brothers. Raphael, you will begin."

The red-clad turtle nodded and stood up, doing a series of swift moves with his sai. Leonardo watched him intensely. He's good, no doubt about it, the blue-clad turtle admired.

Michelangelo's turn was next. The orange-clad turtle smiled and launched himself in a series of moves involving both his nunchuks and a lot of curved lines and arabesques. You're showing off, Mikey, Leonardo thought fondly. The sequence was more beautiful than useful in a fight. Master Splinter must have noticed it too, because he discreetly sighed. Leonardo admired Michelangelo's talent nonetheless.

Donatello was the last to stand. He executed his sequence with a sullen expression, obviously wishing he wasn't there. Still, his mastery of his weapon was apparent.

"Very well, my sons," Master Splinter approved. "Now you will duel each other."

At this statement, Raphael grinned while Michelangelo and Donatello sighed.

The reason for this reaction quickly became obvious to Leonardo. Raphael was winning no matter who his opponent was. What's more, he was winning in mere seconds. Michelangelo won when opposed to Donatello, but the fight was more balanced.

"Yame!" Master Splinter shouted when the last fight was over. "Now you will stand two against one."

Fighting together, Leonardo thought with interest. That's bound to be interesting. He wasn't disappointed. When Raphael was paired up with Michelangelo or Donatello, he just beat his opponent without consideration for his partner. When he was the one against both Michelangelo and Donatello, he dismissed them with the same ease that he had shown earlier.

It really doesn't work, does it? Leonardo mused. And it doesn't help that Mikey and Donnie don't believe anymore that they can win.

"Raphael, you have to allow your partner to fight beside you," Master Splinter interjected once.

"But Sensei, I don't need them to win," Raphael protested. "What's the point?"

Master Splinter watched him sternly.

"You can't rely solely on yourself all the time, my son. Besides, don't you allow Casey Jones to fight alongside you?"

"It's different," Raphael protested. "We understand each other."

No doubt, Leonardo thought wryly. They are both hotheads to the extreme.

"Then you must aim at reaching that same understanding with you brothers," Master Splinter sighed. "Training is over."

The three turtles bowed to him and the ninja master departed. As soon as his tail had disappeared from the dojo, Michelangelo pretended to collapse from exhaustion.

"No offense, guys, but I'm glad this is over. At least until next week."

Raphael shrugged.

"You should step up your game, Mikey. Then it wouldn't be so hard for you."

Michelangelo stuck his tongue out at him.

Donatello shrugged.

"From my point of view, it was a waste of time. These sessions always unfold in the same way."

At this moment, Master Splinter's head reappeared between his screen doors. Michelangelo immediately stood up with a sheepish expression.

"Upon reflection, I think you need more training together. Let's do this again this afternoon." He addressed Leonardo, still watching the scene from his corner. "Maybe our young guest will agree to participate as well. Novelty can be refreshing."

"Hai, Master Splinter," Leonardo bowed.

Then the giant rat's head disappeared again.

"Oh, come on," Michelangelo muttered before collapsing on the floor once again.