Leonardo moseyed down the alley beside the club, kicking a soda can along. It had been nearly a week since his only lead was gone. He had continued to return to the pool, but it hadn't lead him anywhere. He was putting in extra time, meditating at home. Still nothing came to him. He was beginning to get frustrated. Especially when Raphael found an elemental, where he was the least motivated of the four of them. Leonardo sighed and stopped just outside the entrance to the alley. Failure was bitter.
"Why didn't you just take the bus."
"I don't like taking the bus." Leonardo looked out from the dark alley. The girl from the roof was being led away from the gym by her mother, being held by her arm. The only thing was, she didn't look like the girls' mother. She was tall with a long face and sallow cheeks, a large polish looking nose. Her platinum greying hair was short and curly. The girl had a rounder face and small nose, slightly course dark brown hair, she was a little shorter too. The older women scoffed.
"You should've just waited."
"The gym closed early. I didn't want to be hanging around all alone."
" 'I don't like the bus', 'I don't want to wait'." The women immitated her. "You're pitiful, Lita. I can't keep pickin' you up everytime you have no where to go. Next time you walk." The women let her arm go once they reached a car parked outside the club. Lita rubbed her arm and opened the door as the women mumbled to herself. Leonardo stepped back into the shadows. What a jerk. The car rumbled and started off. Lita…
"Erika?"
"Noriko?" The girls cocked their heads. Mike and his brother exchanged looks.
"You know each other?" Don asked.
"Yes. Erika comes for walks in the arboretum." Noriko said. "She helps me work." They both smiled.
"Well! Whatcha know!" Mike beamed, putting his hands on his hips. They stood in the den of the lair, Mr. Tagahasi and Splinter sharing tea in the kitchen. Noriko still held her little bonzaii tree. "Guess we already have a pair of roommates here." Mike grinned. The girls looked to him, then back at each other.
"If Leo would jus' get his ass in gea' we'd be done." Raphael came down the ladder from the hall.
"Oh, this is Raphael." Don introduced. "Raph, this is Noriko and-"
"Erika." Mike grinned.
"Air and earth, right?" Raphael leaned against the ladder. The japanese girl was blocking his way to the kitchen.
"Air and nature, genius. They didn't have earth in Delphus." He waved Don off. "Come on. We'll show you your room."
"Who's going ta get dinner?" Raphael ambled into the kitchen. Leonardo, Donatello, Master Splinter, Mr. Tagahasi, Joey, and Noriko sat around talking. "I went last time."
"You always go out ta eat?" Joey asked.
"Pizza or sushi." Raphael pulled himself up onto the counter, hoping Joey would catch a glimpse of the sai tip that touched the counter.
"Hey, why don't Maddie cook." Joey suggested. Raphael smirked.
"Maddie?"
"Aw yeah, she's a great cook. 'Ey Maddie!" He called. She arrived a few moments later holding a hand of poker cards against her chest, away from prying eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Why doncha make dinner."
"What?"
"Come on, you love ta cook." Her face started turning red again. "Go make some s'ketti sauce or something." He waved his hand around.
"Uncle-" She hissed. Raphael stifled a smile.
"Go on," He waved her to the stove.
"I'd like a home cooked dinner." Leonardo offered.
"Me too." Don chimed.
"Oh yeah." Raphael said sarcastically.
"Well, Raphael. Since you're so deft about Madeline's cooking, perhaps you should assist her." Splinter sipped his tea. Raphael's jaw hung open "If you do not object." He looked to Maddie.
"Ah… alright."
"Then we shall leave you two to your kitchen." Splinter eased out of the chair. Don took the cards from Maddie and followed the last of them out. Raphael grumbled and pushed himself off the counter. Maddie closed the door and went to begin.
"Thanks a lot." Raphael grumbled.
"You got yourself into it. Put on an apron now."
Sitting before the crystals Nikira found himself being lectured like a repugnant child. The halved elemental crystals were placed around the circle of matrix jewels. Two of the four had already been actived; Fire had been for a long time, Air was resumed very recently. A third had been accelerated, but not initiated. The ancients were angered the mission had gone only down hill. The anniversary was less than three months away. All he could say was the nature elemental had disapeared. He was in direct contact with it, and it got away. They were very angry about that one.
His appearance had been a catalyst, and only served to lose the elementals to the advisors. Please aleive me, my lieges …if you shall only lead myself to the elemental remainder, I give word I shall aprehend all. The crystal throbbed agitatedly. Nikira bowed his head. I shall suceed.
"Can't believe you cook," Raphael scoffed at Maddie mixed around the tomato paste in the cabinets; used to make pizza normally.
"Well. Uncle Joey can't boil water. So I sort of picked it up." She shrugged.
"What about your mom."
"My parents are dead."
"Oh."
"I kind of jumped around between relatives and foster families till I was ten, when I lived with Uncle Joey. He needed someone to take care of him. I just kind of hung around ever since." Raphael wiped his eyes with his arm. Maddie smirked and looked over at him. "…Are you crying."
"These fucking onions." He closed his eyes tightly. She scoffed and turned back to the pot.
"You can be sure an ass." She poured a handful of salt into the pot.
"Wha?" He looked over at her, going back to chopping onions. "Oh yeah, boo hoo. Sad story."
"You know, you could at least fake a little empathy."
"Yeah, but that would require some thinking. Here." He scooped up the onion in his hands and offered them to her.
"Put them in the pot." He shrugged and dumped them in. "Don't you have any garlic?" She asked, poking through the cabinets.
"Yeah, hold on." He left the kitchen. Maddie sighed and stirred the pot around. She watched the water on the stove began to get little bubbles on the sides of the pot, wisps of steam travling up. Something about it made her want to dump the pot out. Maddie took Raphael's cutting board and dumped it in the sink. "Here." He came back into the kitchen holding a braid of garlics. She took them from him.
"Where'd you get all these?"
"Mike was watching horror movies late at night a few weeks ago. Hung it over his bed." Maddie kept herself from giggling as Mike scurried into the kitchen. She ducked out of the way as the fur flied
"What's cookin'?" He whispered.
"Nuthin', buzz off." Raphael pushed him off.
"Come on, man." Mike moaned. "Lemme smell!"
"I think you've had enough." Raph turned him around by the shoulders and led him out of the kitchen. Maddie stifled a laughed. "Mighta had ta rough him up." Raphael came back up to the counter, rubbing his fists.
"You're terrible to each other." She stirred the sauce around.
"Yeah, he likes it though. Doncha Mike." He called out.
"You won't let me smell, I'm not sayin' anything!" Mike laughed back. Raphael chuckled.
"Jeez." Maddie shook her head. "See if the spaghetti's done." He took his sai off the table and used it to fork up strands of spaghetti.
"Looks pretty done."
"Raph!" "Wha?" She grabbed the sai.
"You can't do that." She let the pasta slide back into the pot. He shrugged. "Make the pasta all dirty."
"You sayin' my stuff's dirty?" He crossed his arms.
"No, no, I only saying-" She set the blade down again. He postured, waiting for an explaination. "I mean… Oh…" She scratched her hair, her cheeks starting to turn red. "Not that…" She swallowed. How was he unsulted exactly? Raphael smirked and twirled his other sai around.
"Jeez, you get nervous pretty easy." He went back to getting silverware. Her mouth hung open.
"You're such a jerk." Maddie took the pot with the spaghetti and brought it to the sink. She put the top over it and tipped the water out. Steam wafted up in a thick smog and burnt her hand. Maddie squeaked, loosing her grip on the pot handle. The top began to slid off, causing more steam to pour out with the water. Raphael came up behind her and took the handle. She let it go an stepped aside. He gave her a questionable look and took her place, draining the spaghetti. She rubbed her hand and went to stir the tomato sauce instead.
Lita sat on her pool stands in front of the racing rows, wrapping up her ankle. She had sprained it a few months ago and it had been bothering her again. The class had already finished, she was alone in the club that night. It was six o'clock, her ride was in an hour. One hour before open pool ended.
The life guard for the night was off talking with her boyfriend on the phone, so she couldn't be in the water. Which was lame because she was several times the swimmer Maura was. Lita sighed and hung her feet over the edge of the pool, splashing the water up her legs. Bored, bored, bored. She looked around the room. Behind her was the hallway to the locker rooms, saunas, and out into the lobby. To the left of the pool were stacks of towels and the little guard tower, behind which was the acess door to the roof. Lita rolled her head around and pushed herself off the stand and around.
"Maura, come on already!" She paused. A tall man stood in front of her. He had long white hair pulled back in a pony tail and a pair of black sunglasses. His cream colored dress suit struck her as odd, and out of place. Lita swallowed, his gaze boring into her. "Um… the registration desk is out there." She pointed to the hall. He started walking towards her. She stepped back. "Uh…" Her eyes widened. "Maura?" She looked over his shoulder. Maura lie on the floor down the hall, the pay phone hanging off the hook. She tensed.
Lita collapsed backwards into the pool. She resurfaced and wiped the water out of her eyes. Way to go, Einstien. The man smirked and pulled a necklace from beneath his purple shirt. It had a crystal hanging from it, giving off a blue light. He held it out for her to see. Lita peered into the crystal. Huh? She stood up in the pool, water running down her face, into her eyes again. Her pulse began softening. The crystals' light swelled gently, casting a blue light over the mans shirt. …Lita's eyes began to droop, looking into the milky center of the stone. So pretty…
The man jerked forward, then lost his balance and toppled into the pool with a splash. Lita blinked several times, water bursting over her in a wave. She wiped the water off her face and looked about as if waking up. There was what apeared to be a giant turtle wearing a trenchcoat and hat taking the mans' place. He leaned over the edge of the pool, holding one of the diving stands and reaching out to her.
"Give me your hand!" She looked back at the man in the water, now getting up to his feet. His beautiful suit was soaked. He was beginning to regain his senses, and looking severely pissed off at his dampened state. Alright then,… Giant turtle…or creepy guy. Lita looked back to the turtle. "Come on!" He reached out to her farther. Aw damn. I just wanted to go swimming, She groaned to herself, reaching out to him. The turtle grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the pool with a swift jerk. She stumbled to her feet, her hair falling in her face. "Let's go!" Still holding her hand he ran around to the side of the pool by the guard tower. She looked over her shoulder one more time to see the man pulling himself from the pool. He looked like a wet cat. She had to try not to smile. The turtle threw open the door to the acess stairwell and ran up it, pulling Lita along behind him.
"Hold on! I can't run that fast!" He apparently didn't hear her since he didn't slow. Lita stumbled along behind him trying to keep up. The turtle opened the top door way to the roof and continued running right up to the edge. It was cold out compared to the humid air of the pool, her heat was leaving. Lita doubled over and wheezed for air, putting her free hand to her chest. The turtle was looking over the edge of the roof into the alley beside the club. "Oh jeez." She closed her eyes.
"There's a garbage crate down there, come on."
"What?!" She looked up incredulously. "I don't think so." From the stairwell could be heard the sounds of footsteps running up the metal stairs. The turtle looked at her. "Woah, no way."
"Come on," He grabbed her waist and leapted off the roof. Just like that. Lita screamed, air whistling around her. The turtle brought one of his hands up to the back of her neck and smothered her face against the shoulder of his coat. She went to pound his chest but found her arms pinned up against him.
They landed in a full garbage crate, Lita lying over the turtle. She didn't move for few moments, then looked up. She wasn't dead. That was a surprise... maybe not the preferred one. The turtle bent his neck to look down at her. She sat up quickly, stradling his waist.
"Oh gross, garbage." She saw all the crud around them. He put his finger to his lips in response. Lita pulled herself off over the edge of the crate and onto the dirty ground of the alley. The turtle pulled himself out after her and went over to a man hole cover at the opposite end. Lita made a face and started wiping off all the garbage that had stuck to her wet skin. Nastiness. The turtle signaled to her, kneeling in front of an open sewer hole. Lita opened her mouth and shook her head exasperatively. He shrugged and dropped into the sewer. God, I'm not nuts. She looked around. I'm not about to jump into some reeking sewer just to… She could hear footsteps on the roof above. A shadow passing. Screw. She scurried over to the sewer and climbed down the ladder. Can't belive I'm doing this. The sewer was mildly humid and damp. Kind of like the pool. A thin layer of sewer juices ran along the bottom of the tunnel. Now that was nasty. The turtle was down there waiting. He climbed back up and put the manhole cover back in place after her. "What the hell's going on?!" She demanded.
"Don't worry, you're safe down here." He climbed back down the ladder.
"Safe?! I'm with a giant turtle in a sewer! I don't call that safe! I call it weird as hell!" The turtle smirked. "What the hell are you smiling at?!"
"Nothing. Come on." He started walking down the sewer. She groaned and followed him, up on the side to avoid getting her feet wet.
"Who are you?"
"My name's Leonardo."
"Ugh, That was less informative then I hoped."
"It's a complicated story. We should get to the lair first." Lita stopped in her tracks.
"Woah, wait a second." He stopped and turned to her. "I don't think so …I'm cold, I'm wet, I'm in a sewer, I'm half naked, there's some creepy stalker out there, and I'm with a giant turtle who wants me to go home with him." She crossed her arms under her breasts.
"Come on, I'll explain on the way." He turned back down the sewer and started walking. Lita pounded her foot on the cement, watching him walk off. …jerk. She ran after Leonardo and slowed to walk beside him. He took his jacket off and laid it over her shoulders. She held onto the shoulders lapels and glanced up at him. He walked in silence from then on.
Lita tied Leonardo's coat tight around her, standing outside her foster home. Sandy was totally going to bitch her out. It was 7 am, she had slept over at 'the lair' after spending the night listening to Master Splinters' tales. Splinter had established her as a water elemental and had asked her to return the next day. That wasn't so bad. She had met Maddie Carlino there too, a girl in her biology class last year, who thankfully let her borrow an extra pair of jeans.
She looked over her shoulder, Leonardo stood in the shadows with his arms crossed leaning back against another building. She still thought he was a jerk. Which was strange, since she usually got along with just about everybody. Lita sighed and punched the buzzer. She had left her keys in the gym.
"Who is it." The intercom fuzzed. Sandy. She was awake.
"Lita."
"Lita, you got a lot of explainin' ta do!"
"Alright, Sandy."
"Don't 'Alright Sandy' me! You know your case manager called last night!"
"San-"
"What were you off doin'? Weed?" Lita looked over her shoulder again, Leonardo was still there. Oh jeez.
"Sandy, could you just let me in?" There were several akward moments before the door unlocked. Lita relaxed and went inside.
Mike wandered about downtown, having gone out to get stuff for Maddie. He had forgotten the money. So he was just walking around now, not wanting to go home and get hassled by Leonardo. I'm outsmartin' him, and getting fresh air. Mike smirked, turning the corner. Down the street two guys were sitting on a cement stairwell siding. There was a clothes rack against the wall with little trinkets and wind chimes hanging from it. One of the guys had his feet propped up on a mini fridge. Mike glared and ducked back behind the wall.
"What's that?" Startled from his work, Donatello sat up. Noriko stood in the doorframe of his narrow little room. He wondered how long she had been standing there. "Oh, just something I've been tinkering with." He rubbed his finger over the wilting leaves of his test plant. She came and sat down on the end of his bed. "It hasn't been responding very well."
"Too what?"
"I've been growing it under a pink light... with some special water." He added in hopes of her frown lessening. It only deepened.
"That's not very nice."
"Huh?"
"Killing a poor flower."
"It's an experiment. I'm not trying to kill it." She took the pot from him. "It's in the name of science." He finished, turning into a mumble. "Many things are in the name of science." She said as she massaged the flower. Donatello straightened up his nightstand and put the pillow back in its place. He cursed himself for not cleaning up before his work. At least it wasn't Splinter giving him a spot check.
Don looked back at Noriko to see that she hadn't glimpsed his other atrocious experiments. She was still gazing down at the flower, holding the stem limply in her fingers. He perked up a little to see the leaves straighten out, brightening in green. The petals unfurled and flushed, the soil turned a richer brown.
"Wha…" He furrowed his brow. Noriko brought her hand back, revealing the completed little daisy. It was almost as good as the day he bought it.
"Mabye you should plant this in a garden. It would fare much better in sun." She ran her fingers over the petals and handed it back to him.
"Uhhhh…" He took it from her and looked at it scrutinizingly. Had there been some osmosis to strengthen the stem like that? Maybe the mitochondria were energized. Noriko smiled and slid off the bed.
"Not everything is science, Don-san." He nodded her off.
Mike peeked into Erikas room, hiding his eyes behind a renegade leaf of Norikos vine. She was sitting upon her bed. Her head stuck in a book. It was one of Leonardo's old japaneese readers. Not that she understood any of it. Mike grinned at his good fortune.
"Hey Erika!" He chirped, emerging from behind his cover. "Guess what IIIIIIII got!" Her head cocked and closed the book.
"What?" He grinned.
"Ta da!" He wobbled into the room, the refridgerator and a box full of her things balancing precariously in his arms. She looked over the edge of the bed as he set them down.
"Is that…?"
"Yup." He grinned proudly, setting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest. Erika hopped off the bed and knelt beside the box. She pulled out one of the tangled up wind chimes, a wide smile spreading on her face. "They didn't have your furniture, and some of the wind chimes were already sold. But most of the stuff's there. Had ta rough some people's up, though." He took on an accent mixxed with Joey and Raph, rubbing his knuckles.
"Oh Mike, Thank you." She hugged him. He blushed and returned the hug with a ninja like humbleness. "This means so much to me."
"Well…" He scratched his head, grinding his toe into the floor. She knelt by the box again and scooped up the knot of fishing wire, watches, windchimes, and crystals. It lay inert in her hand, a few apologetic tinkles sounding out. "Hmmmm…" He looked at it as well. "I'll-uh." The mass was transferred from her hands. "I'll take care a that." Mike mumbled as he wandered off.
"You're late."
"I had to sneak out." Lita climbed down the ladder to the sewer floor. The voice from below had obviously been waiting with some impatience for her. "Here." She handed him his trench coat.
"Thanks." He laid it over his arm. "Come on." Leonardo turned and started down the sewer. Lita rolled her eyes and followed him, imagining he was thinking he was king of the sewers. "…Did you get in trouble?"
"Hmm?" She looked up.
"With your mom."
"Oh, yeah…uh, kinda." She scratched the back of her neck.
"We'll have to do something about that."
"About what?"
"Your foster family. You need to move down here now. You're in danger."
"Mmm."
"You should be taking this more earnestly."
"I am!" He laughed through his nose. She crossed her arms.
"You fell into a pool." Lita fumed. "You screamed your head off." He faced ahead. "And you nearly got us caught." He ended very matter-of-factly, as if giving a lesson to a child.
"So sorry." Lita rolled her eyes. He glanced at her, then back ahead.
"What did Maura say." She sighed.
"She didn't remember anything. Or any guy for that matter."
"Hmmm."
"Hmmm, what does 'Hmmm' mean."
"It means I think Master Splinter would be interested to hear that."
"Right."
"We're here." He opened the door to the lair, hidden in a cement alcove in the sewer wall. Inside the den was relatively quiet, from the kitchen Master Splinter's and Mr. Tagahasi's voices emanated in foreign tongues. Leonardo hung up his coat on the hanger by the door. Lita began to take off her jacket too. "What's that?" She jerked up. Leonardo was looking at her shoulder. She pulled the jacket back up swiftly, hiding the black and blue. But it was too late.
"Nothin'." She walked away. He grabbed her shoulder, making her wince.
"Hold on there."
"What? Lemme alone."
"Where'd you get that?"
"I fell." She pulled her arm. He appreciated enough about bruising to sense that could be only if she had fallen onto a fist.
"No you didn't. Who hit you."
"No one, let go."
"Who." She growled, trying to pull her arm back. The truth was, it was completely embarrassing. She wanted to melt into the floor. "Who."
"God." She exclaimed. "Sandy, alright?!" He looked at her for a moment, but she avoided his eyes. He scoffed and let her go.
"Sandy." He walked past her.
"What?!" He turned back.
"You just let her hurt you?"
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Fight back." She rolled her eyes.
"Oh yeah, that's smart."
"How could you- ...Why didn't you-..." Words got stuck in his throat the same way the meaning did in his head. In the end he just let it go.
"Just leave me alone." She whispered.
"Hey! Lita Pita!" Mike slid down the ladder on the sides of his feet. "Aloha!"
"Hey Mike." She ran her fingers through her hair.
"Aloha-wa-na Lo-ha-wa-na-na-na Waaahiiii!" He hoola danced to make her laugh. "Hey, Erika! C'mon!" He called up the ladder grinning.
"Coming!" Someone called back down.
"Hey Lita, you stayin' for dinner?" Mike hopped up on the hammock.
"Uh, no. I'll probly just go home." Lita scratched her head. Mike shrugged.
"Hey Lita." Maddie appeared from one of the other hallways, ducking under army netting. The black and white waitressing clothes looked familiar. Like she had been wearing them yesterday.
"Oh damn," Lita pressed her hands to her head. "I forgot your jeans."
"Don't worry about it."
"about what." Raphael came out of his room.
"Your face. Lita was wondering if it's always been that way." Mike teased. He was glared at.
"I di'not!" Lita claimed. A cane came out and slapped Michelangelo's shin. He grimanced and stiffened. Raphael smirked, and was bapped with the cane as well. Splinter frowned at them both and continued forward a few steps.
"Lita, please sit down." He smiled and motioned for her.
"Thank you." She sat down. Maddie came and sat by her as Erika and Norkio came down from the hall. Master Splinter took his seat, leaning his cane against the arm of the chair. Raphael sat down on the arm of the couch, twirling his sai about. Leonardo and Donatello stood.
"Now that we have assembled…" Splinter clasped his hands together.
Michelangelo glanced up at the elemental, holding a stop watch. The whirl wind flew around the cold metal room, blowing cool air through his beard and making him shiver. The tornado slowed, letting things come back into focus. The elemental regained it's footing, compensating with it's wings. Michelangelo clicked the watch.
"Quite acceptable." He nodded.
"I thank you." She bowed at the waist, folding back her new wings.
"The sun is giving to the night. Our comrades have attended us long enough to give an aching briar to their feet." He turned and left the maintinence room. Erika flew behind him, her glassy wings fluttering.
In the center hall the others had already converged. Pheonix and the nymph glared at each other while they waited. Ardimus stood at the head of the hall patiently, looking over his court. The nobles and gentlemen stood about talking softly. The other advisors stood about, looking up when they arrived. Sir Raphael crossed his arms. The elemental flitted it's wings, setting her feet back on the ground soundly.
"Many apologies your lordship." Michelangelo bowed deeply. Ardimus nodded.
"Please," He held his hand out. "…Demonstrate us the fruits of your labor." The court spread out to the side of the room, leaving the advisors and elementals isolated. Michelangelo and the fairy joined into the group and took their places. Fire and Water faced each other, Air and Nature beside them. The advisors stood behind each of them in a square.
Only after day light could they activate all their powers together, otherwise would signal the soldiers and send them straight to the underground. That was a very messy lesson they learned.
Each advisor closed their eyes. The elemenals began to glow softly. They held round golfball sized crystals before them in the cup of their hands. The crystals floated straight up and met in the center above. The glowing began to grow, the elementals turning into a sphere of single white light. A high pitched buzz became audible to the ear and began to grow. The sphere blasted into a tiny ball for a fraction of a second, then back out again, bathing the room in quiet light…
"Woah." Mike collapsed back in the hammock.
"What was that?" Lita's mouth hung open.
"A time space exchange." Leonardo filled in. She rolled her eyes.
"Sweetness." Mike grinned with exhaustion.
"Why'd you show us that?" Donatello asked. Splinter set his hands in his lap, opening his dark eyes.
"The more you know about your past, the easier things will become …you all must come to understand what you have become involved in." Leonardo nodded. He seemed to be the only one concerned with any gravity. Splinter seemed pleased and eased out of his chair.
"Cool. This kicks ass." Mike grinned.
"Lita, when do you need to get back?" Maddie asked, bringing her knees up onto the couch. She checked her watch.
"Crap, I'm totally late." Her eyes widened. She imagined just what was waiting for her at home.
"I apologize, Lita. This took longer then I had anticipated." Splinter stopped with his cane in hand. Lita got up.
"That's alright. I really gotta go now."
"Leonardo, take her home." Splinter turned to his oldest son. Lita froze.
"That's ok, I know how to get out."
"Truly, it's no trouble. Leonardo," Leonardo bowed and went to get his coat. Lita sighed under her breath and followed him to the door.
"Bye Lita." Maddie said.
"See ya tomorrow!" Mike called. Lita nodded and followed Leonardo out. "That was sweet." He said when they had left. "We should do that again." Splinter gave him a look, quickly silencing him.
"Thank you, Master Splinter." Noriko bowed also. Splinter smiled.
"You are very welcome, my child."
"Noriko, Kaketsukeru koko." Mr. Tagahasi called.
"Sannyuu." Noriko ran off to the ladder and climbed back up. Raphael toyed with his sai.
"So what're we gunna do 'bout Lita, anyway."
"She needs to be down here." Donatello added. Splinter nodded comtemplatively. "I don't know how easy that will be with SRS on her."
"Ey, I gotcha covered." Joey ambled out from one of the halls on cue.