Chapter Thirteen: The Story of the Turtles and Splinter:

Buffy had just gotten home from work. It was 6:30PM. She had to work over time at the Pizza Palace. The place was packed. Buffy didn't mind though. The more customers, the more tips she would receive, and she had earned a lot that afternoon/night.

At the moment, Buffy had just gotten out of the shower, and then put on some new clothes. She had just fixed her hair when she heard a knock at the door. Before she went to the door she turned and looked a clock that was on a nearby wall. It was now seven.

April and Casey waited outside Buffy's apartment. April had just knocked several times. When she was done, she turned to Casey. "Do you think that she'll be angry with us for not telling her about the turtles and Splinter?"

"I don't know," answered Casey. "We just have to wait and see."

A few seconds later, Buffy answered the door. April and Casey stood before her. "April. Casey. Hi." she said to them. "What's going on?"

"We need to speak to you." answered Casey.

"Yeah, it's important." April added. "It's about that turtle you told us about."

"What do you mean?" asked Buffy.

"Do we mind if we come in?" Casey replied. "We have something to tell you."

Buffy let them in, then closed the door behind them. She had no idea what they were going to tell her.

April and Casey sat on the sofa and Buffy sat on a nearby chair. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"We want to tell you that we've known about the turtles for a long time now." April answered.

"You did?" asked Buffy.

"Please, don't be mad at us." April said to her. "We kept their secret for the same reason you did."

"I'm not mad at you." said Buffy.

"You're not?" Casey asked.

"No," answered Buffy. "I just wish you would have told me sooner."

"We would have but we just wanted to get the official okay from the turtles." April said.

"Is that the only reason that you are here?" asked Buffy. "To tell me about the turtles?"

"No, we came here because they are waiting to meet you." Casey said to her. "Raph talked to them this afternoon."

"I see." replied Buffy. "So, I can meet them then?"

"Yeah," April said. "We are here to take you to see them."

"All right, then lets go." said Buffy.

With that done, the three friends left the apartment. Buffy couldn't wait to meet the others. She wondered if they were all like Raph. She would soon find out.

Below, Raph paced back and fourth. It was seven 7:05PM. April and Casey were late. He was waiting for Sydney to show.

"You know," Mikey said. "I wish you would stop doing that."

Raph gave him a cold glare. Mikey and Donnie were sitting on the sofa at the moment, and Splinter was sitting on a nearby chair. Leo and Venus were in another room. Raph knew they were not thrilled about Sydney coming.

"I'll do whatever I want!" yelled Raph at Mikey after he made his comment.

"Okay, putting hands in the air and backing away." Mikey replied with a laugh. "Just chill dude."

"Chill he says." said Raph with an eye roll.

"I don't see why you're acting like this." Donnie said. "I mean this Sydney girl seems fine by you. Why would she feel different about us?"

"Well, that I'm not worried about." replied Raph. "It's Splinter." He turned to his master. "No offense or anything. I just don't know a lot of girls who like rats."

"None taken." Splinter said with a small laugh. "I'm sure once she knows our story she will not mind us that much."

"I hope so." responded Raph.

"Hey guys!" a voice shouted from the entrance to the den. It was April.

Okay, it's time. Raph thought. Hope Sydney likes the others...

Buffy was amazed when she entered the turtle's home. "Wow," was what she said as she looked around.

April and Casey were the first ones down and led Buffy into the living room. "Guys, you have a visitor." said Casey.

Buffy looked around and saw Raph and two other turtles, along with one giant rat. "Uh... Hi."

Buffy said to them.

"Hey Sydney," replied Raph as he walked up to her. "Glad you could come down." He turned to Splinter: "Master, this is Sydney. The girl I was telling you about."

"It's very nice to meet you Sydney." Splinter said to her with a smile. "I am sure you are wondering who or what we are."

"Yeah, you can say that." said Buffy.

Donnie and Mikey exchanged looks. "Hey, how come you didn't faint?" asked Mikey.

Buffy turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when April first met Splinter and us she fainted." answered Mikey.

"I'm not scared of rats." Buffy said. She turned back to Splinter. "No offense."

"None taken." replied Splinter. "Now, how about you get comfortable, and I'll tell you our story..."

Buffy sat between Donnie and Mikey. She was a little uncomfortable but she soon got over it. Splinter went on with his story. "For fifteen years now, we have lived here underground." he began. "I was the first to come to New York. I roamed the sewers looking for a food and a home. As I roamed around, I soon came upon four baby turtles crawling around in a strange glowing ooze. When I saw the turtles, I gathered them up in a can, and the next day we began to change and grow. As the turtles and I grew, I thought them how the ways of the ninja, and then later gave them all names..." He turned to his sons. It was time for them to introduce themselves.

"I'm Michelangelo."

"Donatello."

"And you all ready know me." Raph told her.

"Wow, so you guys have lived down here that long?"

"Yes," answered Splinter. "However there are more of us. Two: Leonardo and Venus. They are not among us right now. They are in Leonardo's room. The two do not wish to meet you I'm afraid."

"You're wrong master." came Leo's voice as he and Venus came out of his room. "I wish to know Sydney."

"That would be me." Buffy said to him with a smile. "You must be Leonardo, and Venus."

"That would be correct." answered Venus.

"Now, that you know them, I wish to finish my story." Splinter said. "Venus came to us later on but we later learned that she was part of the group of turtles I found. She just floated down the pipes and ended up in Japan."

"Man, what an interesting story you all have." replied Buffy when Splinter was done. Your story would make an awesome movie or comic book series."

Mikey laughed. "I know, wouldn't though?" he asked. "I mean could you imagine me on the big screen?"

"See, what you started?" asked Donnie with a laugh.

The group laughed. Buffy liked the other turtles and Splinter. They were nice to her and she was not scared of them.

Splinter then said to Buffy: "You may come down whenever you wish."

"Yeah, it's nice to have new faces down here." Venus told her.

Buffy and the turtles, along with Splinter continued to talk. April and Casey joined in the conversation. Buffy told them her story. All though she made her past up since she didn't want them to know that she was the Slayer. She hoped they would never find that out.

To Be Continued...