Renet is adorable! I hope we get to see her again soon! Thanks for the reviews. It means a lot!

Chapter 7: Familiar Faces

Thanks to Mikey's assistance, packing had gone by much more swiftly than Noelle anticipated. Her intended objection was to not compress too much into her traveling bags, as she didn't want to weigh herself down, but there were just so many art supplies she couldn't bare to be separated from for an extended period of time. She was grateful to herself for already having her materials assorted into bins to avoid mixing up colors, which was a big help when it came to having to dispose everything into one rucksack.

"Why are there so many black chalks in here?" the freckled terrapin inquired from his kneeling position on the floor as he quizzically peered into her charcoal kit. He noticed that some of the ebony pieces were thick or thin, and others were either square or looked like short sticks, but he couldn't understand why she needed so many different ones when they all produced the same shade.

Noelle finished folding her last piece of clothing and zipped it into her luggage before she knelt down so she was on his level. "I try to keep them organized based on hardness, and whether they are vine, willow, or compressed charcoal. " She proceeded to point at different fragments. "The thinner ones provided skinnier, sharper lines, while the thick ones cover more of an area, but the lines aren't as precise. Also, the higher the hardness of the tool, the darker the shade."

Realization dawned in Mikey's baby blue eyes. "Oh! I totally got it now! So, if I wanted to draw me with a black mask on, I would have to use this one, right?" He triumphantly gestured towards a square piece.

She gently smiled. "That is the ideal one to use if you want it to be thick right away, although you could use one of the corners to create thinner lines, but this one actually doesn't have a high hardness, so you'd want to use this one." She hovered a finger over one that looked identical.

He analyzed the fragment in confusion. "Why? They look exactly the same."

"They do, but there is a difference, and you can usually tell by the letter and number on the side. See how this one says B6, but the one you picked is an HB? The lighter shades are in the H range, and the darker ones are in the B area. You could just layer on a shade of H until you reach the desired darkness, but it's much simpler to use one of the pieces with a B on it."

"Ugh! Art is so confusing!" Mikey clutched the sides of his head like his brain was detonating. "Man, I'm just gonna stick with crayons."

Noelle giggled, provoking the reptile to eye her in excitement as he bounced to his feet. Aware of his prompt observation, she ceased her laughter and allowed her timid nature to envelop her as she shyly stared down at the floor. "I'm sorry."

"What? Dude, I don't think I've ever heard you talk or laugh so much. It's awesome! You've gotta do it more often, ya know what I'm sayin'? I mean, life would just get boring and that would be lame." He genuinely appeared elated that she had started to establish a more cheerful demeanor, regardless of how minimal somebody might regard the progress to be. At least she was actually holding a conversation with him now that didn't involve her frowning or looking like she was going to cry at any second.

She rose up with him and bashfully loaded the materials into her artist bag, insecure about how to respond. Noelle had a lot of respect for Mikey, and appreciated his jubilant attitude and optimism towards her, but at the same time it made her even more self-aware of how different her personality was from his.

He was optimistic, jovial, silly, and curious.

She was shy, dismal, hardly smiled, and isolated.

She peeked over her shoulder and noted how he grinned like a teacher proud of his student. He was a talking turtle who knew karate, lived in a sewer, and was close friends with a cat made of ice cream. It was fascinating how in so many ways their looks and appearances were different, but when she saw him and his family she didn't really view them as animals. They acted like people, and she hoped that maybe someday she would be able to get to learn even more about them. The family had been strangers yesterday, and now they had opened a door to so many possibilities for her. Even though it would be difficult, she mentally promised herself that she would attempt to hold more conversations, and permit herself to be happy. She understood that it wouldn't be so easy, but maybe if she opened up a little more each day and permitted her new friends into her life, then perhaps her life could take a turn for the better.

She had pleaded with the stars only two nights ago to not let her be alone, so what if the Turtles were the answer? They had been kind to her, and she and Mikey had hit things off rather quickly. She didn't want to live a solitary life anymore, and that meant she needed to adjust her outlook on life.

For the first time in years, Noelle pushed her timid attitude aside and obliged the corners of her lips to turn up. "You're right."

"You know it!"

[][][]

They had ascended up to the roof of her complex, trudging up the stairs with the luggage locked securely within their grasps. When they reached the top, Noelle tied both bags around her back, which made her very nervous because she knew it was just even more weight for Mikey to carry. She was about to suggest that they could leave one bag behind and she'd just return for it later, but fortunately Raphael was waiting for them at the top, his bulky arms crossed over his scarred plastron.

"'Sup bro!" Mikey jauntily greeted with freckled dimples, surprised and pleased to see his bigger brother.

"Just here to help," Raph grunted. He raised a brow when he noticed the two bags, eying the bigger of the two. "You definitely pack more clothes than April."

"Actually, those are my art supplies," Noelle meekly informed him. "I didn't mean to grab so much-"

"She was actually going to leave some stuff behind, but I said 'Nah girl!Let's go!'" the younger turtle interrupted, leaving the blonde in a surprised silence. " I mean, we've totally got this! Pssht! This is lighter than the junk Donnie makes us carry, know what I'm saying?" Mikey leaned forward and winked at his older brother, who merely rolled his eyes.

"I apologize for being so selfish," Noelle regretfully expressed with guilt. "I use my supplies on a daily basis, and I was rather torn on what to grab. Mikey was kind enough to suggest that he would carry my art bag for me, and all I needed to do was fit as much as I could in it. I would be more than happy to come back later in a cab and pick up the luggage myself."

"Nah, don't worry about it." Raph grabbed the bulging pack and and slipped his arms through the loops so he was wearing the duffel like a backpack. "You can just wear the other one the same way while Mikey carries you. It'll be about the same amount of weight."

Noelle mimicked the red-masked turtle's movements and proceeded to climb on Mikey's back. "I'm sorry this is heavy."

"Hey, I gotcha, because I'm awesome!" The lime-green terrapin sung out the last word as he cantered and escalated over the alleyways. "Booyakasha!"

"Idiot," Raph mumbled, his jade eyes twinkling as he pursued his youngest brother.

[][][]

As the trio trekked down the dim tunnels, Noelle used this opportunity to try and memorize their surroundings in case she visited the turtles on her own. She noted the numbers painted on the walls and how many turns they needed to take before finally reaching the lair. Mikey rambled on about a comic he'd been reading to Raph, who didn't seem remotely interested but listened anyways. The blonde could tell that although the moody reptile tended to always seem grumpy or annoyed, he cared a great deal about his little brother. Noelle had always wanted a sibling to care of or play with, so she was rather envious of the four brothers, but it made her smile to see how much they clearly cared about each other.

At last the lair's light arose out of the darkness, brimming with the sound of television and chatter. Mikey, Raph and Noelle casually proceeded through the turnstiles and joined the others in the living room area. Leo and Donnie were conversing with two other people, and when the strangers turned around Noelle shared the exact same reaction as the pair of familiar humans in front of her.

"Noelle?!"

"No way!"

"April and Casey?"

"Oh, do you guys go to the same school?" Leo asked, just as surprised by the coincidence as everybody else.

"Yeah, Red and I just met her yesterday. 'Sup Noelle? I didn't know you knew these weirdos."

Raph playfully nudged Casey in the side with a snort. "Like you're one to talk, Jones."

"Actually, we came across her last night," Donnie explained before his voice turned sympathetic. "She can really relate to you, April."

The yellow-clad teen's freckled face fell as she realized what the tall terrapin was implying. "Oh, did the Kraang take one of your parents, too?"

"My mom," Noelle morosely answered. "They also wanted me for some reason."

April lowered her brows in confusion. "Wow, that's interesting. They kidnapped my dad to get to me, but if they want both you and your mom then I can't even imagine what their plan is."

The blonde rubbed her arm uncomfortably. She was still working on her ability to talk with people, and while she had already vastly improved, she still felt odd about discussing things that made her uneasy or upset. "My mom is a really well-known science-fiction writer. Her most popular series called "Hello Earth" is about aliens taking over, and we think they want to use her ideas to rule our planet."

"No way! I love that series!" April excitedly exclaimed. "So your mom is the Savannah Jackson?" She calmed down when she remember their current dilemma. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm glad you're supportive of her work." Noelle replied with a bashful smile, and the other teen girl mirrored it back.

"Ah, I see you have returned." Splinter descended down the stairs, each step producing a tapping sound as his staff made contact. "Were you able to acquire what you needed?"

The blonde bobbed her head. "Yes Sensei."

"Good. Are you residing with your father for the time being?"

"Yes. I talked to him earlier and he said I could stay as long as I needed to. However, he won't be home most of the time because of his job."

"Then you should be safe as long as the Kraang don't find you. It would be wise to keep an eye on you though. How will you get to school?"

The artistic teen bit her lower lip as she pondered over methods of transportation. School was farther from her dad's place than her mom's apartment, so if she walked she'd need to leave extra early. She hadn't been given a bus pass due to the modest distance from from home, and riding a taxi everyday would be expensive.

"Casey and I can walk with her, Sensei," the red head suggested. "She can take the subway and we can meet her when she gets off. It'll be safer with us in a small group, right?"

"Are you sure?" Noelle hesitantly asked. "Won't that be out of your way?"

"Nah, Red and I got this," Casey chimed in. "Besides the station isn't too far from the school, right? We'll be good. I'd much rather walk with you than Irma any day."

"Casey!" April admonished with an eye roll. "Seriously, she isn't that bad."

"Yeah right. If I want to be lectured about pointless science crap I'd go to Donnie."

"Hey!"

"Sensei, why don't we train her to fight?" Mikey elatedly interrupted. "It would be super rad because then she could come out on missions with us!"

Everybody stared at the fatherly rat. The humane rodent twitched his ears and stroked his beard as he contemplated over his youngest son's idea.

"Noelle."

The blonde stepped forward, nonchalantly meeting his eye as she wondered what he would say to her. "Yes?"

"My son has just proposed that we train you in the ways of Ninjutsu. Do you have any objections?"

She was honestly a bit apprehensive about the whole fighting thing. She'd never been one for violence, but she also understood that this was necessary. Her friends wouldn't always be around to protect her, so she needed to step up a little more and figure out how to defend herself in case somebody went after her again. Noelle straightened her posture, hoping that she appeared at least a little more confident when answering him. "No, Sensei."

The rat's eyes seemed to gleam as both of his hands wrapped onto the top of his walking staff. "Are you sure? This will be hard work. There will be days when you are sore and exhausted, but you will have to keep going if you wish to grow stronger."

Her heart pounded as seriously considered her decision. She wasn't sure what his training entailed, but it most definitely wouldn't be easy. On top of that, the others would be watching her while she probably made a fool of herself in front of them. She couldn't remain scared forever though. Her fear wouldn't bring her mom back. "I can do it, Sensei. I need to."

His auburn eyes gazed at her with approval. "Then it would be my honor to take you on as a student."

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Mikey exclaimed as he held up his hand, his baby blue orbs shining at her expectantly. The corners of Noelle's mouth curved up as she chastely slapped her palm against his, grateful that he had suggested the idea. She knew that the work would be difficult and strenuous, but she had a feeling it would all be worth it in the end.

"Sweet! I'm glad there will be another girl in the group," April enthusiastically beamed, pleased that she finally had a female companion she could talk to about her time in the sewers. It was nice having Casey around to discuss things with at school, but it would be a lot easier to be open with a feminine friend. She didn't know Noelle very well, but she seemed like a decent girl with a respectable head on her shoulders, and that was good enough for the red head.

Raph, Leo and Donnie looked at their new training partner with approval, appreciating the fact that she was putting forth an effort. They didn't object to helping her out, but it would make things a lot easier if she could fight back when they were unable to keep an eye out for her.

Casey lifted his head defiantly. "Casey Jones can take care of himself! You guys stick with your Ninja stuff, and I'll do things my own way. I don't need a master."

Splinter advanced over to the gloating hockey player and leaned over his staff, compelling the toothless vigilante to freeze up in fear. "I am sorry. What were you saying just now?"

"N-nothing sir."

"I thought as much." When the rat turned away he smirked, enjoying how he was able to shut up the bragging teen. "Noelle, we will begin your lessons after school tomorrow. I suggest bringing a change of clothing."

Remembering how the brothers responded to their father, Noelle briskly bowed her head. "Hai Sensei."

"Very good. Now, let us know when you plan to depart. My sons will escort you home."

"Yes, Sensei." She nodded in acknowledgement and observed Splinter leaving the room before she felt a pair of human hands on her. She swiveled her head to see April smiling.

"So are you staying in my old room?"

Noelle couldn't really understand why the redhead looked so delighted. "I believe so."

"Cool. Wanna go chill in there for a moment? It might be nice to talk to someone."

The blonde was confused once more until she remembered how Mikey had claimed that her and the yellow-adorned teen would probably get along really well, and she was beginning to understand why. April had also had a parent taken from her, which already made the two girls very similar. Besides, perhaps talking about it might help relieve some tension off both of them.

"Sure," she finally answered as her jade eyes traveled over to Mikey, who looked very pleased with the mini bonding session he was witnessing. She gratefully smiled at him and allowed her female companion to pull her away from the group.

Once the girls had left, Raph groaned and lumbered over to the pinball machine. "That's just great. I can't wait until they start giving each other makeovers. Maybe they'll even paint their nails and talk about boys."

"Maybe April will talk about me!" Casey and Donnie hopefully exclaimed in unison before leering at each other. "You wish!" they shouted before trudging off, leaving Leo alone with Mikey. The youngest turtle blinked and smiled at his oldest brother.

"You think they'll give me a makeover?"

Leo just stared at the freckled terrapin, who cheerfully stared back.

"No."

[][][]

"Wow, it's been almost almost a month since I've been in here," April mused as she peered around her bedroom. "Do you like it?"

Noelle ceased packing her overnight bag and glimpsed at her freckled friend so she didn't appear rude. "I do. It's very homey."

The redhead casually plopped onto the bed and leaned back on her arms. "Most people would find it strange, but I honestly liked living here. The guys are great, Splinter stepped in as a father figure, and I rarely experienced a dull moment. There was just always something going on."

Noelle zipped her bag up before she took a seat on the bed with her fellow classmate. "How long did you stay?"

"A few months," April responded. "Even though I enjoyed my time here, life still wasn't easy. I missed my father everyday. I did stay with my aunt while dad was gone, but the guys suggested I hide underground for a while until the coast was clear." She frowned. "I hated the idea. I wouldn't be able to go to school or hang out with Irma. My normal life just suddenly had to not exist for a while, and I wasn't okay with that." She sighed. "We did eventually get my dad back, and I was able to go home, but then my dad was mutated when the guys tried to stop a Kraang ship from flying around. Mutagen canisters fell everywhere, and unfortunately my dad was one of the people who was affected."

"I'm so sorry. That sounds awful."

"It's hard, but I have to believe that Donnie will find a cure to reverse the mutagen. Things will turn out alright. We'll do everything we can to help you."

The blonde was rather taken back by how kind her new friend was being. It was amazing how only yesterday she was completely alone, but now she had six new friends who completely understood her and were patient with her timid behavior. She provided a sincere smile. "Thank you."

After about a half hour of discussing classes, art, and memories with the turtles, Leo knocked and announced that dinner was ready. April opened the door and teasingly smirked. "Let me guess: pizza?"

The blue-masked terrapin rolled his cerulean orbs. "Well, you know how insistent can be about his favorite food."

"Last time I checked, you all loved it," the red head playfully jabbed as her and the blonde trailed after the turtle. Noelle couldn't help the smile growing on her face as they neared the emphatic den, basking in the lively atmosphere that was so different from the one she was used to at home.

"You're going down Raph!"

"You wish Jones!"

"I face the winning meat head."

"SHUTUP DONNIE!"

" 'Sup guys!" Mikey waved from his spot on the floor. In front of him was an open pizza box with half the food already devoured. "We've got more if ya wanna eat!" He reflexively moved the box out of the way as Casey and Raph propped their elbows against each other and jutted their legs out, thumbs furiously pressing buttons on their controllers. Donnie straightened himself up on the edge adjacent to Mikey, setting the half-eaten pizza slice back down as soon as he saw April, a blush staining his cheeks.

"Would you like a slice?" the Kunoich asked the blonde as she retrieved a piece for herself.

"No thank you. My dad and I are going to be eating soon. I appreciate the offer though." She sat next to Mikey, observing with amusement as he shoved the whole slice into his mouth and contently chomped away. "So how do you get pizza?" she asked, hoping to not sound too rude.

The young reptile grinned. "Ok, so check this out: we use a phone or go online, and-"

"I think she means how we are able to get it without going above ground, and also how we manage to pay for it," Leo interrupted before he took a bite of his food.

"I apologize for asking."

"Don't worry about it," Donnie assured her. "I'm actually the one who earns the money. I tend to salvage a lot of useful items for one of the nearby junkyards, and then make a profit by selling it online. April or Casey sometimes bring us pizza, but when they aren't around one of us will disguise ourselves to pick it up, or we'll instruct the deliverer to drop it off at a certain spot and retrieve it once he goes away."

Mikey thrust a finger up and composed his face into a serious expression. "Wise men say forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."

Everybody gaped at him, and even Raph and Casey paused their game to questioningly stare.

Noelle owlishly blinked at the unfamiliar saying. "Do people truly say that?"

He shrugged and picked up another slice. "I dunno. I just heard it in a movie once."

"I totally know what movie you're talking about!" Casey exclaimed. " The lead female is a total babe, and the guy she ends up with is super awesome!"

Leo cleared his throat. "Anyways, you need to head back soon, right Noelle? Mikey and I can escort you."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to be a bother."

He waved off her concern. "Nah, it's fine. Go ahead and get ready. We'll wait for you."

She bobbed her head in appreciation before returning to her room to grab her belongings. As she stood examining the room, a feeling of morose swept into her. Of course, Noelle had only stayed the one night, but she couldn't help the feeling of attachment she'd grown for the lair and its occupants. She reminded herself that she would be returning within the next couple days, and proceeded to leave her room, only to run into Mikey.

"Hey, figured you'd need help with your lugg-age." He pronounced the last word like a french gentleman, prompting Noelle to giggle as she accepted his help.

"Thank you sir," she replied with a British accent, handing him over the heaviest bag. He seemed pleased at her willing to play along.

"Right this way, madame."

"You're too kind, good sir."

They arrived back at the den chuckling. A few brows were raised at Noelle's sudden cheerful behavior, but not a single complaint. Shoulders sagged in relief that she wasn't crying or depressed, and April and Casey exchanged smug looks, as the redhead had been the one to suggest that Mikey assist the blonde. She knew if anybody could cheer the timid girl up, then it would be him.

Leo took another bag from Noelle and secured it around his shell. "Ready to go?"

"Noelle, we will see you tomorrow, correct?" Splinter had exited the dojo and held a cup of tea while leaning on his walking stick. He wasn't demanding her to return so quickly, but was curious as to when she actually would stop by to initiate her training. Noelle nodded and respectfully bowed her head to him.

"Yes sir. Thank you so much for everything."When she lifted her eyes to meet his, she noticed a little twinkle in his auburn orbs. He wouldn't say a word to anybody about her earlier breakdown, and that meant a lot to her.

"Excellent. Until then. be safe my child."

Honestly, she wanted to hug the fatherly rat for all the kindness he had shown her, but she remained in her position until he turned away. She wasn't one to initiate physical contact, and she didn't want to appear too forward.

Donnie moved from his spot until he was in front of her, his arm extended towards her as he offered what appeared to be some shell-shaped device with a screen. "This is the T-Phone," he explained upon noticing her puzzled expression. He casually nudged the item outward so she would take it, which she did. "It's basically a cellphone, but there is also a tracking device involved. I already programmed all of our numbers in there, so call if you need anything."

Noelle scrutinized the phone for a second before she held it against her chest, the anxiety she'd felt since yesterday lightening up. "Thank you. I promise." She slid the phone into one of her bags before she bid her new friends a goodnight and followed the two brothers into the rancid tunnels.

[][][]

Just like before, the turtles nimbly vaulted across the rooftops, following her instructions as she navigated them from her seat on Mikey's shell. Noelle had eventually grown used to the spot, and even started to look forward to it, as it allowed her to relax while enjoying the view. The sun was just beginning to set, providing the city with a heavenly golden glow that encompassed the edges of tall buildings.

The reptiles were able to transport her to her father's place safely, delivering her and her luggage on the side of the house. She tilted her head up to double check that her dad was actually home, and was relieved to see a few windows lit up. She turned to the ninjas and gratefully smiled.

"I don't know how to thank you for your kindness. Just know that I really won't tell anybody about your secret. I promise." She stared into Leo's eyes so he would understand the sincerity of her words.

He nodded. "I know. Stay safe. We'll see you tomorrow." The oldest turtle viewed his younger brother. "You coming?"

"In a minute. I wanna say goodbye first."

Leo knew his brother had already developed a friendship with this girl, and he couldn't help feeling happy for him. He didn't mean to be so cross with his baby brother all the time, but he didn't have the patience when it came to dealing with childish behavior, especially during a mission. As leader, he knew it was his duty to protect his family, so the blue-masked terrapin hummed in understanding and escalated up to the roof to wait.

[Forrest Gump- Jenny's Grave]

The two teens stood in silence, with Mikey contently observing while she timidly gripped her bag. The situation had suddenly turned awkward, due to the fact that she wasn't sure how to say goodbye. She bit her lower lip and glanced at his face before looking away, her thumb rubbing circles on the back of her hand. "Th-thank you for all you've done," Noelle stammered, her cheeks heated from the nerve-wrecking atmosphere. She was ashamed that she had once again clammed up, as she'd believed she had possibly gotten past that phase. "You're a good, uh...you're a good friend." Her eyes shifted nervously to the side as she began taking a step backward. "Goodbye?"

The freckled ninja didn't want to scare her off, but he needed to give her confidence, so he stepped forward and expeditiously enveloped her in a tight hug before he pulled away. She gaped at him in disbelief as he patted her shoulder like she was a little kid. "See ya!" he grinned before he took off after his older brother.

She stood stunned and alone, watching as he reached the rooftop and waved at her before vanishing. Her eyes lit up, and she shyly returned the gesture before he disappeared. It was the best feeling to finally find friendship, and although she lectured herself for not returning his embrace in time she had a feeling that he knew it made her happy. She beamed up to where he had stood only a moment ago before she turned towards her dad's door.

She took a deep breath, ascended up the steps,and knocked.

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