This is probably the fastest I've ever updated. You guys have been so awesome and supportive to me, and I really don't know how to thank you. : ] Thanks for all the love you've shown this story and the relationship developing between Noelle and Mikey.

Chapter 10: Practice Makes Perfect

"Ninjutsu is a sacred art of defense," Splinter explained once his students had assembled into the dojo and taken their seats on the tatami floor. "There are eighteen skills associated with this fighting style, most of which my sons have nearly mastered. Disguises, weapon-throwing, stealth and infiltration, unarmed combat, and spiritual refinement are only just a few of the techniques I have taught. They are a necessity for completely overthrowing the enemy and maintaining an advantage during the fight." He stared down at Noelle and raised a hand as a signal for her to stand up.

She stood straight with her head held high as a way to display her respect towards him. She knew that her eyes displayed uneasiness, for her stomach was already turning from nerves that she had tried to vanquish throughout the day. Mikey had done his best to assure her that making mistakes was only to be expected, but she didn't want to appear like a clumsy and weak girl who would never be able to stand her ground. The only thing she could do was fully commit herself to the lessons and practice whenever she could at home, otherwise she would always be scared of being defenseless, and that wasn't something she wanted to feel for the rest of her life.

"Noelle, we will waste no time in readying you for combat. This will not be easy, but I have faith that you will benefit greatly from my lessons. This is your last chance to back out, because once we start there is no stopping. Do you wish to proceed?"

She could feel everybody's eyes on her as they waited eagerly for her answer. She knew that this moment would be a critical point in her life, one that was important and essential if she wished to see her mom again. She couldn't afford to sit around while her and her loved ones were at risk, and she most definitely couldn't allow the Kraang to use her mother as a slave for taking over Earth, so she took a deep breath and stared right into Splinter's eyes, hoping that she didn't appear weak and hesitant about her decision.

"Hai Sensei."

"Yes!" Mikey exclaimed, prompting April to burst into giggles from her spot adjacent to him. Leo glared at his little brother for interrupting such an important moment, but didn't bother saying anything to avoid adding to the disturbance. Raph smirked over his leader's irritation while Donnie tried not to chortle at Mikey and April's amusement. Noelle bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from laughing in hopes that the rat master wouldn't think she wasn't taking the situation seriously, but her lips still widened into a tight-lipped smile over Mikey's excitement. The way he laughed and found humor in everything was contagious.

"Michelangelo and April, now is not the time for games. You know better than that," Splinter lectured, but he too was forcing back a smile over his youngest son's antics.

"Sorry Sensei," April and Mikey apologized in unison, though they were still clearly struggling not to grin. Leo rolled his eyes and shifted his attention back over to his father, willing him to continue before more nonsense ensued.

"Now, let us begin your practice." Splinter strolled over to one of the dojo's walls and grabbed two wood staffs that were approximately three feet in length. He handed one over to Noelle, and then gestured for April to stand and take the other. "This is the Hanbo, which can be used for attacking, but is more effectively used for defense, much like Donatello's Bo Staff. Therefore, I want you both to take turns delivering blows at the other so I can see where each of you stands when it comes to defending and striking."

Noelle gripped the wooden pole and attempted to calm her racing heart so she could focus on her opponent. She was grateful April was the one she was training with first, for if she had been facing one of the brothers she would have felt far more intimidated. Of course, she knew she would have to eventually, but for now she would take Sensei's words to heart and move forward only one step at a time.

"Noelle, I want you to go against April first. She has been my student for quite a while now, and should be able to demonstrate how to properly block an attack. Learn from your partner."

The red head bowed, and Noelle respectfully returned the movement. Out of the corner of her eye she could see all the brothers leaning forward in interest, curious to see just how skilled she was. Although she could understand their curiosity, she still couldn't help but wish for them to not watch her so intently, as it was making her feel more unsettled.

"Begin."

Noelle was hesitant, almost unsure of what to do as pressure crawled up her body and froze her. She tried to move, reminding herself that in real life an enemy wouldn't pause and allow her to hit them. Even with a weapon she felt defenseless, and the only one who could do something about that was her.

"You can do it," April mouthed with an encouraging smile when she sensed her partner's reluctance. When she'd first started, she been more excited than anything to learn how to fight and push back the people who went after her. Noelle wasn't like her though, which meant she would need a little boost in moral support. For a girl who was always silent and withdrawn from society this was probably a nerve-wrecking moment, and April was going to do all she could to help her friend.

With a bit of renewed faith in herself, the blonde teenager lifted the stick up and focused on trying to strike April. She reminded herself that this was something the red head had done before, and would probably be able to block every strike easily. Sure enough, when Noelle lunged forward to attack, her staff was blocked by April's. The wood smacking into each other created a sharp slapping noise that echoed within the dojo's walls and caused her to cringe.

"Do not hesitate. Show me what you can do," Splinter instructed in a gentle but stern voice.

Noelle aimed for April's left side, and once again was blocked. A new sort of determination filled her, and she was suddenly hit by the realization that everything that was happening in that moment was very real. She was being trained by a master of Ninjutsu to defend herself and take down enemies, and she couldn't waste his time for nothing. Even though she was a naturally timid girl, she had no choice but to leave her shy nature behind and seriously fight. She wasn't a child anymore, and it was time for her to grow up a little.

Her strikes became more frequent as she fixated her sight on different parts of April's body to hit. With each impact deflected, Noelle grew more eager to prove to herself and the others that she really could do this, that she wasn't some wimpy girl who sat and cried in her room all day. With adrenaline flowing in her veins, she put all her strength into one final blow and struck her combat partner in the side.

The freckled girl cried out as she fell to the ground, but she was also proudly smirking and waving Noelle away as the blonde guiltily rushed over to help. "No, that was awesome! Good for you."

"Booyakasha! You go girl!" Mikey held out his hand and Noelle slapped it, her bashful nature beginning to return as her pounding heart slowed down and sweat trickled down her forehead. She glanced at the other turtles and saw approving nods and a proud smirk from Raph. He pushed his fist forward, prompting a fist bump from the newest student. All she had done was land one blow, but it made her feel empowered in a way she'd never felt before.

"Well done my students," Splinter praised with a pleased smiled. "Noelle, I was truthfully a little worried about you holding back, but I am glad you gave it your all. April, you blocked exceptionally well. You are improving each and every day."

Both of the sweaty and heavy-breathing girls respectively bowed their heads in appreciation. "Thank you Sensei."

"Noelle, it is April's turn to attack you. Block her as much as you can. Begin."

The two girls bowed to each other and began their fight. Noelle tried to remember how April had poised her body, but after a couple stinging slaps against her arms she decided to not think about it and just naturally defend herself. She attentively studied the red head's hand and arm movements to get an idea of where the next blow would come from. Sensing a movement on the right, she quickly raised her staff and bounced off the strike, this time finding satisfaction in the emphatic sound of the wood coming in contact with each other. Mikey cheered, filling her with more certainty in her movements. April did manage to land a hit a few more times, but a majority of the attacks were pushed back.

"Enough! Step away from each other."

Following his instructions, the young ninjas broke all contact, heavily panting and dripping with perspiration.

"Noelle, you are to strike April once more. Begin."

Although her arms and legs ached considerably, Noelle prepared herself to attack again. The lessons were repeated about five times, each session more difficult than the one before due to exhaustion and fatigue settling in. Their movements were beginning to turn sluggish, regardless of how much effort Noelle put into each strike or block. She nearly collapsed on the floor in relief when Splinter finally announced that they were done for the day and could go clean up. Once more the girls bowed to their master before proceeding to commend each other.

"Dude, you guys are amazing!" Mikey exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around both girls and pulled them in for a crushing hug. They giggled and Noelle felt herself flushing from the contact once again, as it was still something she was unfamiliar with. She appreciated the gesture though, and managed to muster up a gentle pat on his hand to show her gratitude towards his support.

"I've gotta say Noelle, I'm impressed. It's like you became a whole new person," Leo sincerely complimented.

Raph smirked and crossed his arms. "Yeah! Where did that side of you even come from?"

Donnie cleared his throat. "Adrenaline can metamorphose people's personalities into one of contradictory traits-"

"Blah blah blah," the red-masked terrapin interrupted, not in the mood to listen to another one his brother's obnoxious and lengthy rants. "Point is, she kicked butt."

"Y-you think so?" Noelle's cheeks darkened at the compliment, unsure of how to even respond to such praise. "Th-thank you."

"Noelle, after you refresh yourself, might I have a moment of your time?" Splinter requested from his spot in front of the hefty tree. He didn't appear troubled or upset, so she put the thought of possibly being lectured or scolded out of her mind.

"Of course, Sensei. I will hurry." Noelle bowed and began walking out of the room, almost jumping out of her skin when she saw Casey leaning against the sliding screen's entrance with a hockey mask pulled over his hair and hockey sticks protruding out from somewhere on his back.

"I've gotta say Blondie, I'm impressed. You and Red are almost as good as Casey Jones."

April snorted and nudged the hockey player aside. "Yeah right. You know I could take you on anytime."

"Blondie?" Noelle rubbed her lower forearm, rather taken back by the sudden nickname.

Casey grinned and placed both hands over his hips, seemingly proud of himself for the idea. "Well yeah. April is Red because of her hair, so you'll be Blondie because of yours. I like to give my female friends nicknames."

She supposed that made sense, and even found the term a little endearing, as she'd never actually had a nickname before. She wasn't sure if she should feel flattered by his choice, but welcomed the friendly term nonetheless. "What do you call Irma then?"

He physically cringed. "Uh...Ew-rma?"

"Oh. I see. Pardon me then." She passed by him, Mikey chortling as he witnessed Noelle trying not to burst out into laughter. When she disappeared around the corner and into the restroom, Leo cleared his throat and drew everybody else's attention.

"Okay guys, we're going to be patrolling the streets again to make sure there aren't any Kraang still looking for Noelle. Mikey, go with Raph and patrol the east side of the area. I'll patrol the west, and Donnie and Casey can control the North. We'll meet back here in about two hours and escort both of the girls home. Any questions?"

"Yeah, can we stop and get pizza? My poor little stomach is going to implode!" Mikey whined, his hands protectively covering the area of his plastron concealing his stomach.

Leo shrugged. "I guess so. I'll text April and have her call it in so it'll be ready to go by the time we pick it up. Now, let's move out!"

The boys pumped their fists in the air and armed themselves before they took off running towards the tunnels. Splinter waved them off, even though they didn't turn back and see him, and then seated himself in front of the tree to initiate meditation, chuckling softly at his children's energy.

"Kids."

[][][]

April had fortunately been smart enough to leave a supply of soap, shampoo, and conditioner for showering after training sessions. She generously shared all three with Noelle, who immediately felt ten times better now that she had fully freshened up and wiped away all the sweat. Hot shower water had been a pleasure she'd originally taken for granted, unaware of just how much of a comfort it could be on her sore muscles. She shared small talk with April, listening through the thick stall walls as the red head told of how often she'd fallen or returned home with bruises because of how clumsy she was when she first began her fighting lessons. She reassured Noelle that things would eventually get easier with practice, and the blonde had no problem believing her.

When Noelle stepped out of the shower to dry herself off, she was completely shocked at all the bruises emerging from her ivory flesh. Most of them were meager, not at all an alarming size, as April had done her best to hold back and not completely hurt her friend. Even though they stung a bit when touched, she couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. In her mind, they were like temporary battle scars that symbolized the process she'd made that day, and she was rather relieved that not a single one was visible on her lower arms, otherwise questions would be asked and she simply didn't have the audacity to provide answers.

True to her word, Noelle finished changing and immediately went to seek out Master Splinter. She found him in sort of meditative pose in front of the alluring tree she'd come to cherish. He didn't so much as flinch when she entered the room and slid the door shut as quietly as possible behind her. For a moment she just awkwardly watched him, unsure if it would be wise for her to disturb him in such a peaceful moment. Fortunately, he finally opened his eyes and stared up at her as if he had been aware of her presence the entire time.

"Please, sit."

She seated herself right in front of him, attempting to anticipate what he wished to speak to her about.

"I am proud of you." He watched her gaze at him curiously before he continued. "I know you were frightened to stand before us all and display your abilities, so I commend you for finding the courage to do so."

Noelle stared down at her lap, still feeling a little ashamed of her earlier hesitance. "I...I was scared. Everybody was watching me so closely, and I had no strength."

"What awakened your determination?"

She jade orbs gradually lifted up. "April gave me encouragement. She made me feel better, and reminded me that she went through the same thing once. I realized just how important this all is, how I really need to step up if I ever want to find my mom." Her smile faded as her lips sadly turned down, her heart aching at the absence of her mother.

Splinter leaned forward and gently tilted her head up. "My child, what you are going through is not easy, especially for somebody as young as you. I still hurt over the loss of my daughter, but I will not give up on bringing her home. You are much braver than you believe, which is why I think I will allow you to choose a weapon."

Noelle's mouth dropped open in shock. "I-I mean, do you think I'm already ready? Are you certain, sir?"

"Oh, you are more than ready. You demonstrated great abilities today, and I saw deep passion in your eyes. If I thought you could not handle such a responsibility, then I would not be offering you this decision so quickly."

She bowed her head, humbled that he had already entrusted her with something so serious. "Sensei, I know that this isn't to be taken lightly. I promise to do my very best and make you proud."

"My child, you will do wonderfully. Now, let us go see what weapon works well for you." Splinter stood up and walked to a nearby wall, which he slid open to reveal what Noelle assumed was the armory. She peeked around his frame and curiously eyed all the weapons, marveling at all the different shapes and wondering if her master would perhaps allow her an opportunity to sketch out some of them.

"What are you thinking about?"

Noelle apprehensively glimpsed up at the rat before her vision was once more drawn back to the unique and unfamiliar objects. "I like the shapes, and the way light shines so differently along all of them. The shadows are interesting too."

"Ah, a different perspective about weapons is rather refreshing. You truly have a gift." He stepped back and waved a hand over the impressive collection. "Please, choose one."

She nonchalantly walked into the room, carefully examining each and every blade, spike, stick, and chain. This decision was immensely important, and she wouldn't allow herself to be weakened in a serious fight because of a misguided choice. They were all so captivating to look at, but if she was going to choose then she needed to narrow down her choices immediately. She mentally crossed off all weapons that would be too heavy or difficult for her to handle, along with the ones that matched anything the turtles used. She needed something that wouldn't be heavy, but could still cause a lot of damage when used properly. According to her reptilian friends, the Kraang strolled around in robotic suits, which meant she needed some sort of blunt object that could damage metal.

As if sensing her dilemma, Splinter entered the compartment and picked up something that Noelle hadn't even considered. "What do you think about this one?" He turned around and displayed the object so she could properly analyze it.

The weapon was of decent length, and wooden with a curved handle on the side and string wrapped around the bottom of the handle. She did like its shape, but she wasn't entirely sure if it would be strong enough to actually damage the Kraang. To mention such a thing sounded rude to her, as if it wasn't good enough for her to use, and she most certainly didn't want to get off that impression.

Before she could so much as utter a polite word, Splinter pulled the top off and revealed a blade. "This is made of iron," he explained while gesturing at the tip and down to the handle. "It is called a Jitte, which is the main weapon the Japanese police force used. Like Raphael's Sais, the curve of the handle can be used to trap Katana blades and break them. It does quite a lot of damage." He extended it out to Noelle, who carefully took it, and was pleased that it wasn't at all heavy.

"You should swing it around to see if you like how it feels," he advised with a knowing twinkle in his eye.

Noelle nodded, trying not to feel embarrassed as she took his advice and swung the weapon around. What amazed her, though, was how natural everything felt. The Jitte was like a paintbrush, and the air her canvas as she waved it around, wondering how she could possibly wield it in battle. She supposed that after some training she'd be more than able to defend herself and push down her opponents. Fighting wasn't something she was keen on, but if it meant saving her mother than she would do what was necessary, regardless of how frightened she was.

"It feels perfect Sensei. Thank you." Noelle smiled and sheathed the weapon, handing it back to her master before he shook his head and pushed it back towards her.

"No child. Take it. Practice with it at home," the rat kindly advised. "Just be careful with it, and avoid drawing it out in public unless you absolutely have to."

"I understand." And she truly did, for she couldn't imagine how her father or the rest of New York would react to her suddenly drawing out a weapon in the middle of a street. "I...I guess it will just take me some getting used to. "

"It can feel almost like too much power at times, but to hear you think such a thing relieves me, for I know you will use it responsibly."

Her eyes skimmed down to the foreign object in her hands, wanting to embrace it and yet throw it away at the same time. To have something that could hurt somebody almost made her feel sick, but she promised herself that she wouldn't ever use it to harm somebody unless it was in defense, although even then she would have to step up and not shy away from the thought of hurting another.

As if reading her thoughts, Splinter lay a claw on the blonde's petite shoulders. She gazed up at him, emerald orbs coated in guilt over hesitance at using such a marvelous gift. "I was also once wary of brandishing something that could hurt others, but I quickly learned that just because you hesitate to strike, does not mean the enemy will as well. To show compassion, even towards your enemies, can be noble, but not when you run the risk of being killed. You will understand when the chance presents itself, but until then, go home and practice. We will meet again tomorrow."

Reassured that even such an expert fighter like Splinter could at one point feel disdain over using a weapon greatly eased her worries. Although Noelle had never experienced the pleasure of observing the fatherly rat take place in a battle, she could only assume that he was highly skilled in combat based on how long he had been fighting and training his sons. She bowed her head once more and exited the dojo, her finger tips gently caressing the handle and enjoying the smooth wooden texture beneath her skin.

Splinter watched this spectacle with a smile, for he knew she would do just fine.

[][][]

"Man, why is tonight so boring? I wish something exciting would happen for once," Casey complained as he paced across the roof with his hockey stick balanced across his shoulders, his arms draped over the ligneous object. "Do you guys seriously think the Kraang are going to come back after we took them out last night?"

Donnie shrugged from his perched spot, eyes lazily drifting over to Noelle's old apartment complex before refocusing on the T-Phone cupped in his hands. The two of them had been stationed in the same area for a little over an hour, occasionally looking around to make sure the robotic aliens hadn't shown up. Unfortunately, Casey was impatient and craving a fight while Donnie tried to ignore the fact that he was stuck being partners with the hockey player. Although the two of them had recently started getting along, he still couldn't help harboring feelings of resentment towards the guy who also seemed interested in April, which often led to an uncomfortable atmosphere. Still, he did respect the teen boy for using unusual resources to fight, along with sticking with the turtles and not harshly judging them due to their appearances. Clearly he and Raph had grown to be really good friends, and he was able to keep April safe during the day when the terrapin could not, so differences were usually pushed aside in order to work together.

"I can't see us being here too much longer," Donnie answered. "At least, I hope not. I still have some tests I want to run on a potential new weapon for the Shell Raiser."

Casey spun around on his heel with piqued interest. "Dude, for real? What'll it do?"

The lanky reptile's face lit up as he began to explain just what additions would be given to the vehicle. "Well you see-" His sentence was interrupted by his phone ringing and Leo's picture lighting up the screen. Wasting no time at all, Donnie answered. "Yes?"

"Nothing is going on tonight. You can go ahead and head back. I'm going to do one more sweep of the area before returning. I'll meet you guys later."

"Be careful Leo."

"I will."

"Time to head back," Donnie announced. "Leo will meet us later."

Casey grinned and followed the terrapin over to the roof's edge as they prepared their descent into the alley, anxious to return and see just what kind of weapon his genius friend was working on. "Sounds good to me, bro."

A pair of eyes cloaked in shadow witnessed the reptile and masked vigilante abandoning their post and disappearing into the sewers below, curious as to what had the turtles so on guard. Apparently Leo would be searching around one more time, which gave her the perfect opportunity to corner the pesky leader and ask questions.

The nimble girl ventured out of her hiding spot and briskly vaulted over to the next row of buildings, amber orbs scouring across various structures for any hint of green. She finally spotted her target positioned on top of the Fortune Cookie factory, seemingly on lookout for something in particular before he ascended over the nearest architecture and repeated the process. She decided to chance a run in the street before leaping onto a fire escape and finally coming face-to-face with the only person she could ever really view as a friend.

"Karai?"

Taking pleasure in the shocked expression on his face, Karai's ruby lips tilted up into a mischievous smile. "Hello Leo. Miss me?"

The oldest turtle really didn't want to fight her, but he would draw his weapons in an instant if he had to. Although he admired her strength and found her to be an attractive and formidable opponent, he still wouldn't hesitate to strike if she presented him a reason to, and the way she was slyly smirking at him immediately made him wary. "What do you want?"

Shredder's adopted daughter crossed her arms and feigned mock hurt. "Is that any way to speak to an old friend?"

"Spit it out Karai."

Pleased that he wasn't wasting any time, she straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, it's nothing too important. I'm honestly just bored and interested in what you guys are doing. "

Relieved that she didn't seem to want to fight him, Leo sighed. "It's really none of your business."

Truthfully, she'd expected that sort of answer from him. Karai enjoyed how challenging he was, which had immediately drawn her attention towards him when they first met. "If you're worried that I'll tell Shredder, don't be. He didn't listen to me the last time I warned him about the Kraang, and this time wouldn't be any different."

The blue-masked terrapin skeptically eyed her. She sounded sincere, and while she was a good actor and adept at tricking others with cunning words, he could tell that she wasn't lying. She appeared genuinely interested, and since her life was at stake he figured he could at least share something with her that might bring her onto his side, even it was temporary.

"Fine, but what I'm about to tell you is extremely important and needs to be taken seriously."

It had to be if he was telling her so easily. Karai nodded and heeded his words. "Fine. I'm listening."

Leo straightened up and took a deep breath. "My brothers and I recently found a girl about our age near here being attacked by the Kraang. She's about our age, and lives with only her mom, who just so happens to be a famous Science-Fiction author. Anyways, the Kraang kidnapped her, and we took our new friend back to our place to keep her safe and get more information. Turns out the Kraang is planning to use her mom to destroy Earth."

Karai's throat grew dry as her stomach twisted around in fear. The story seemed completely ridiculous and unbelievable, but after all the events that had recently happened in New York she was ready to believe just about anything. "So what are you guys planning?" she managed to ask, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

He sighed. "To be honest, I'm not sure. The Kraang have been showing up around her place, so we've been trying to get rid of them and keep them off her trail. She's living with somebody else now, so hopefully that'll throw them off, but we still don't have a clue as to much how much time we have, or even where they're located. Our main goal right now is to figure out where their headquarters are. Once we do that, we'll have a good chance at finding her mom."

Karai usually avoided working with the turtles, but when it came to her or her father's life being on the line she would do whatever it took. Besides, they had proved to be a great asset to have as allies. "I'll have to hide this from the Shredder somehow, but I'll keep an eye out for the Kraang," she decided, once again finding amusement in Leo's shocked expression. "We'll find a place to meet so we can keep each other updated. If Shredder does ask, I'll make up some lie. Even if I told him the truth he would just get angry and tell me to focus on finding Splinter. I mean, doesn't he realize more important things are happeneing?" Her voice had risen as frustration settled in.

Leo kept his mouth shut, not wanting to start an argument with her when she had volunteered to help. She was still refusing to accept Splinter's words that he was her real father as she continued living under the lie that Shredder had woven about the murder of her mother. He nodded instead and held out his hand. "Do I have your word?"

She slipped her hand into his and they firmly shook. "It's a deal."

[][][]

As promised, Noelle and April sat in the den and assisted each other with homework. Usually the red head would be irritated over the boys leaving her behind in the lair, especially because she was trying to prove to them that she wasn't just some burden who needed protection all the time, but she had an essay due and she'd already used up too much time studying for a math test. Even though her fighting skills weren't anywhere close to being on the same level as the brothers, she had improved a great deal from when she first started and wanted to get in as much practice as possible. Training in the dojo was completely different from experiencing a fight first-hand, which was why she encouraged her sparring partner to not hold back. So far, the only one who had no problem giving her bruises was Raph, but only because he knew that mercy wouldn't toughen somebody up. He always apologized afterwards, and she defended him when Donnie yelled at him. She appreciated the fact that Donnie was concerned about her, but he needed to understand she wasn't some fragile little flower who couldn't take care of herself.

"So, you like your new weapon?" she suddenly asked the blonde, resting her fingers from the nonstop typing on her keyboard.

Noelle lowered her pencil, grateful for a moment away from numbers and equations. April had definitely helped in demonstrating how certain problems were solved, but that didn't mean she wasn't still feeling confused over finding solutions to x or y. "I suppose so. It feels...right, I think. I admit I'm a bit worried on using it though."

"That's understandable. Mine is a a Tessen fan, so I really needed to improve my aim when I first started using it." To demonstrate, April reached into her back pocket and pulled it out, basking in the pride she felt when she opened it. "It's an iron fan, and I guess this was supposed to be for Miwa, but Sensei gave it to me instead."

Noelle once more felt pity towards the man who had lost his wife and daughter. "Oh, she's Splinter's little girl, right? His story makes me so sad."

The red head closed the fan back up and secured it in its original place. "I feel bad for him too. Shredder is such a jerk."

"Yoo-hoo! We're back!"

Their conversation was interrupted by Mikey bouncing into the den with a huge grin on his face and two pizza boxes balanced on his hand, the others trailing right behind him. "No baddies near your place tonight! Coast is clear!"

Noelle's shoulders slumped down as she sighed in relief, grateful that the strange creatures weren't as intent on finding her. Hopefully they had also stayed away from her grandma, who she already missed a great deal and definitely needed to call within the next few days. "Thank you all once again. This means so much to me."

The freckled turtle slumped on the floor next to her, appearing thoroughly pleased with himself. "Girl, I told you we've gotcha! You've got nothin' to worry about." He opened the first box and exhaled the steaming scent with a blissful look.

April scanned her friends, raising a brow when she noticed their leader missing. "Where's Leo?"

"Fearless said he'll be back in a few. He's just double-checking the area," Raph answered as he sat on the bench. "Fine with me. I was bored anyways."

Casey collapsed next to him with a disappointed huff. "I feel ya, dude. Man, I would love to get in a fight right now."

The two of them stared at each other before they both broke out into a grin. In a mere instant they hurdled off their seat and tackled each other in the middle of the floor. April rolled her eyes at their wrestling match and snapped her laptop shut. "Well, I guess I'll head home for the night. Wanna come with, D?"

The tallest turtle was about to head to his lab to enjoy a slice while finishing some experiments, but instantaneously halted at her invitation. He beamed and immediately advanced over to her side, his cheeks stained pink and dinner forgotten on the floor. "Ab-absolutely! You ready now?"

"Sure am! See you guys tomorrow!" April waved, and together her and Donnie disappeared into the tunnels.

Mikey tauntingly waved a slice around in front of Noelle's face. "I know you want oneeee."

The blonde giggled and took the slice away after thanking him. They enjoyed their meal, Mikey occasionally bursting into laughter over Raph and Casey's fighting. Apparently it was something they did all the time, so Noelle tried not to worry about it. Eventually she finished and decided to go home before her dad grew worried.

"I suppose I should leave," Noelle mentioned as she packed her belongings away. She bit her lower lip and looked at Mikey, who appeared far too invested in his meal for her to disturb. "I-I'll see you tomorrow?"

The youngest brother discarded his unfinished food, sprung to his feet and shook his head. "You're not going home alone dude! I'll take ya!"

Eased by his willingness to join her, she accepted his offer with a smile. "Thank you so much." She wanted to add in that he didn't have to if it was an inconvenience, but going by his cheerful attitude that didn't seem to be the case at all. He announced to the others that he would be back, but Raph and Casey only grunted in response before delivering punches to each other.

"Pfft, kids. Am I right?" Mikey gently elbowed her in the side, and Noelle giggled.