The big kids always made her mad. It seems like whenever she was forced to spend time with them they hurt her feelings. She pouted, walking along the same worn path that she had followed her grandmother down to the campground on.

She was eight, tiny and stubborn. Her curly brown hair was tied up in pigtails. Her huge brown eyes angry. She was sick of being made fun of. Just because she didn't think picking on the little kids was proper. A bunch of the older boys had been trying to get one of the five year olds to crawl into a hole they had found.

She had thought it was dangerous and had told on them. You would have thought it had been the end of the world. All the other children had turned on her. Taunting her for being a "goodie-goodie". It had made her cry. Still sniffling she was going to sit in the car alone. It was better then being made fun of all afternoon.

This was why she hated family get togethers. She never felt like she fit in. It always seemed like she was the one that was pushed to the outside for thinking so different, but she couldn't understand why no one ever agreed with her. She only did what she was taught, what was right.

She heard voices behind her. She froze recognizing the tones of her two cousins. The ones that were most cruel. She frowned and dashed off the path, not wanting to confront them. Without reason or thought she started to run blindly through the woods. Careful not to trip over roots. She was breathing hard. Her heart racing as she stopped.

They always took their family outings in the countryside. Most of her family was from the city so they loved getting out and into the wild. She was born and raised a country girl so most of these trips meant nothing to her. She was used to the woods, to the sounds, the animals. So it didn't quiet hold the same awe for her.

She moved along slowly now. She could no longer see the path, she didn't care. It was good to be alone. To be out here where she felt safe and hidden. The air was warm. It was very pleasant July day and the sky was a rich blue over her head. She wandered for quite some time uncaring about what could happen. Just happy to be able to get away from everyone that was annoying her.

She stopped when she came to a gully. Down below was a huge patch of wild flowers. Her eyes grew wide with delight looking at them. She knew somewhere in the back of her mind she should head back, that what she was doing was dangerous but it just seemed to pleasant, too fun to just turn away. She started looking for a way down, her small sandals she was wearing slipping around in the lose dirt.

With a surprised squeak she lost her footing, panic consumed her, realizing she was going to fall. She flayed blindly trying to regain her balance, trying to find something to grab. Instead someone grabbed her. With a soft noise she fell against a strong waiting arm. It steadied her and pulled her back to level ground.

"Sara." The voice was stern. She turned looking guilty, her small dirty hands at her waist, she couldn't meet his eyes. "You know you shouldn't be wandering out here alone."

Her eyes lifted to meet her rescuer. Most people would have been terrified of him. He was a huge humanoid Turtle. He was easily a few feet taller then her. He didn't bother other people because he was Sara's "imaginary friend". No one could see him but her and she wasn't sure why.

It had all started a year ago when she had first started watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. At first she hadn't really understood the show. She had never been exposed to something like this. She had grown up with My Little Ponies and Fraggles. The concepts of Ninjas and their perceived world were foreign to her. It was the moment he had first spoken. Come on to the screen and given the first order that her perception of everything she had known had changed.

"But Leonardo…" She whined looking up at him pouting. "I was getting picked on. I hate getting picked on." She frowned and watched his expression soften. He patted her head, his hand warm. He had first appeared to her a few months after she started watching the show. She had been going through a lot of turmoil in her life. Her parents had decided to get a divorce and she had been left in the middle, confused and hurt.

She would lay in her room and cry a lot alone. It was one of those times he had appeared, rubbing her back lightly. Just like her Dad did to make her stop crying. Telling her it would be alright. That she wasn't alone and after that she never was. He wasn't always there, but whenever she really needed him like now he seemed to appear.

Sometimes he was very solid like now and she could feel his touch. Other times he was translucent and she could barely hear his voice. She wasn't certain why she was the only one who could see him, or why he choose to stay with her, but she was grateful. She loved him.

"You know they only tease you because you allow it to bother you." He looked down at her his brown eyes wise. "If you ignore them, then they lose their power." She considered his words for a moment, staring up at him. He was around her older cousin's ages. Right around 15-16 years old but he always seemed so much older then them, so mature. She respected that.

"But you let Raph bother you, Leonardo, when he picks on you." She was confused about his advice. She watched him smirk and tousle her hair again.

"Well that's different. Raphael is a REAL pain. You know that right?" He smiled at her. She couldn't help but smile back. He made her happy. "Now," Leo looked around. "Do you know where we are? Did you remember to keep track of your path as you rushed off?" He studied her. Crossing his arms waiting for an answer.

She shook her small head sheepishly. Suddenly feeling stupid for having reacted the way she did. She had been too emotional, she had gone overboard and now looking around she realized she didn't know where she was. "I'm lost now, right." She sniffled, feeling mild fear. Wondering how big the woods was.

Leonardo shook his head, trying to look stern with her. Trying to teach her, but finally gave up seeing how apologetic she was. "Come on." He held out a hand to her. "I know the way back. I'll take you."
She looked up at him grateful, sniffling. "Thank you Leonardo." She lifted her tiny hand and grasp on to one of his large fingers. He looked down at her, shaking his head lightly.

"Your more of a handful then Mikey sometimes I swear." He smiled, showing her he was joking. She pouted up at him again, as they started to walk back through the woods. She was no longer afraid. As long as he was near she never stayed afraid for long.

"I can't help it, I don't understand why they always have to pick on me. I was only doing the right thing. The honorable thing. Like you tell me too." She looked up at him with question. Her small face, confused. He reached across to pat her head again. She could hear his weapons clang on his back lightly as they walked.

"You know how I told you a lot of people don't like to do the right thing, mostly because its not fun, or its too hard. Well this is one of those times. Your cousins wanted to have THEIR fun they didn't care about the cost for others. You did the correct thing by stopping them. Even if they don't realize it you should and so you shouldn't let there words bother you, because they have no honor." He nodded and continued his lecture. "Even so you SHOULDN'T have wandered alone out into the woods, its very dangerous. And what if you got hurt, what would you have done?" His voice was scolding he looked down at her with question.

She looked back up at him, her eye guileless. "You would have saved me, just like you did Leonardo. I know I'm always safe as long as I have you." She smiled up at him, wide, sweet and pure.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. He kneeled down and swiftly drew her tiny body into a big hug. "Sara," his voice was soft. "I may not always be here. Things may happen that may take us apart, but you have to be strong for yourself you remember that. You are special. No one can change that or take that from you. Be who you are and love yourself. Promise me that, promise me no matter what happens you will always be strong and true to yourself, okay sweetie?" He looked down at the child who was staring at him with wide eyes.

She was mildly shocked. Not able to comprehend the thought of being without him but she nodded. She wanted to make him proud of her; she would strive very hard to please him. "I'll remember Leonardo and I will. I won't let people hurt me by picking on me anymore or do stupid stuff. I'll remember that I am special, to you." She smiled softly and hugged him back.

Suddenly he disappeared she nearly feel forward. A voice was calling for her. It was her Grandma. She turned in a small circle but Leonardo was gone. She was safe so he had left her to complete her journey alone. Silently she thanked him before running toward the voice of her family.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Leonardo had nearly taken her back to the path that she had run off of in the first place.

"Where have you been?" Her Grandmother scolded her. Her cousins were in the background making faces at her as she got in trouble. She ignored them, decided they weren't worth it.

"I just went for a walk. Its so pretty out Grams!" Sara smiled widely, keeping up her indifferent appearance.

"But the woods are to dangerous to just wander in Sara, you could get hurt!" Sara just brushed her off, with a giggle.

"I'm a ninja Grams, nothings going to hurt me."