Nighttime soon arrived. Raph, Donny, Mikey, and Leo put on their trenchcoats and hats. Venus and Splinter put on their cloaks, and Ashton put on her hat and sunglasses. Carefully concealed in their disguises, they all grabbed whatever luggage they planned on taking with them, left the lair, and proceeded to a remote location on the outskirts of Manhattan.
There, they waited near seldom-traveled train-tracks in a somewhat deserted area.
"So, what exactly are we waiting for again?" asked Mikey.
"A cargo train." said Leo.
Donny glanced at his watch. "It should be coming through any minute now."
The distant bells alerted the group to the coming train. They all picked up their luggage, and hid near some bushes as the train came closer. The bright lights of the train nearly blinded them, and made them momentarily visible in their hiding place.
After a little while, the train slowed down to a crawl as it waited for another train to pass.
"Now's our chance, get on." said Leo.
They all quickly ran from the bushes, to one of the back cars of the train. They jumped into a car whose door was partially broken so that it was always slightly open.
After they were on the train, they settled down in the darker parts of the traincar. The train soon began to pick up pace, and they were off to California.
"So, how long's this trip gonna take?" asked Leo as he leaned back on a bail of hay.
"Approximately three to four days. This train doesn't make very many stops." said Donny.
"That's good to know. I can't wait to see L.A.!" said Mikey.
"Me neither. I've been meaning to buy some suede to make a second outfit. I can't find any in N.Y." said Ashton, pulling a loose string off of her pants. "This thing is coming apart."
"Finally, warm weather." said Splinter with a slight smile. "The cold was aggravating my arthritis terribly."
"Too bad I couldn't bring the cycle, otherwise I'd be tearin up those L.A. streets in no time." said Raph with a smirk.
"And getting caught doing so." said Master Splinter as he looked at Raph accusingly.
Raphael pretended not to see the look Splinter gave him.
"The scenery is so beautiful." said Venus as she looked out of the opening of the train car.
Leo looked at Venus. "Yeah, beautiful."
Venus turned to him.
Leo looked back at her and smiled.
Venus smiled back at him, then turned shyly away and went to lay down.
Everyone soon fell asleep, enjoying their free ride to California.
A few days later, the train began slowing down.
Warm sun poured in from the opening and hit Leo's face. He winced a bit and soon opened his eyes. A distant palm tree caught his attention. He then sat up and looked to the side of him to see Venus laying there, peacefully sleeping.
"Hey, wake up Mei, I think we're here." said Leo, gently rubbing her shoulder.
Venus stirred a bit. "Hmm?" she opened her eyes and soon sat up. "What? We're here?"
"I think so." said Leo. He got up and went over to Donny, and began waking him up.
"What?" Donny mumbled, half-asleep.
"I think we're here." said Leo.
Donny sat up and stretched. "Hmm, looks like we are here, finally."
Raph, Mikey, and Master Splinter soon woke up.
"We're here? Yes!" said Mikey excitedly. Then he turned to the still-sleeping Ashton. "Hey kiddo, wake up, we're here."
"Huh?" she sleepily asked.
"We're here." said Mikey.
"Where?" asked Ashton, still not fully awake.
"California." said Mikey. "Come on, get up."
Ashton slowly rose to her hands and knees, then stretched, extending her nails for a moment, then retracting them. She soon joined everyone as they watched the warm sun rise higher into the sky, and the train come to a full stop.
Master Splinter saw people coming around the train to unload cargo. "Humans." he said thoughtfully.
"Don't worry Master, I've got a plan." said Leo. "Put on your disguises everyone."
They all did so quickly. Following Leo, they all got out of the train with their luggage, and quickly, but unnoticeably, crept to the other side of the train, and quickly made their way down a hill behind some bushes.
They soon came to a backstreet with a manhole.
Raph and Mikey took off the manhole cover, and they all jumped inside.
"Now, to find a suitable place to call our vacation home." said Leo as they began walking down the passageways of the sewer.
