Hello everybody, and happy New Year! I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 12:Two Different Worlds of Beauty

By the time Noelle and Mikey had finally left the museum the sun was beginning its descent. The streets were still overflowing with people trying to enjoy their Saturday afternoon, so the pair decided to sneak into the closest inconspicuous tunnel in order to avoid a lengthy journey home. Noelle's feet ached from walking and standing all day so she was a little fatigued, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face.

So many memories had been created during the field trip. From sharing a lunch in the cafeteria to the sense of accomplishment she felt in showing Mikey just how fascinating museums were, the day had really been a fun and fulfilling one one. However, she wasn't sure if she should've felt embarrassed or not from almost having an emotional moment in front of a painting. Mikey hadn't appeared confused by her brief minute of enthrallment, but he was also a kind person who did his best to make others feel good about themselves. Something told her that the grin he currently donned wasn't forced, nor were his earlier words of encouragement towards her skills as an artist. Regardless of that though, Noelle still couldn't help wondering if he truly had had a decent time or not. It wasn't that she doubted her friend, but it would take a while for her to not feel insecure about people spending time with her, especially when it came to activities that she enjoyed doing.

"Dude, why do you look so serious? Do you have to go to the bathroom or something?"

Noelle's face flushed red at the embarrassing question, not realizing that she'd made such a strange expression. "Oh, I'm sorry. No I don't." She cleared her throat to try and get rid of the uncomfortable air enshrouding her. "I was just wondering if...if you really enjoyed yourself?"

"Oh, has that been bugging you?" Mikey tilted his head to the side, puzzled as to why she seemed to have convinced herself that he hadn't liked being at the museum with her. He hadn't felt anywhere near bored during their little outing, nor did he think he'd come off as uninterested in what Noelle had shown him. "That place was awesome! Why would I be bored?"

She was instantly filled with relief. "It's just that a lot of people find museums to be dull, and honestly, I get really nervous while admiring art because I feel like I'll be seen as weird or strange."

"Nah. Girl, you worry too much!" He playfully hip-bumped her, and any other worries she had were immediately dissipated.

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"Meditation has been practiced for hundreds of years, and for good reason. It is a great aid in calming the mind, body, and spirit, which is why I taught it to my sons, and why I will now bestow its method upon you."

Noelle gazed up from her spot on the tatami floor, listening intently to every word Splinter spoke. She was the only in the room with him, as the others had already trained earlier and were currently preparing to do patrol while Mikey tried to remove all the paint and clay off of him. From what she could hear he was whining about washing the disguise off, which initiated an aggravated sigh from the fatherly rat.

"Now, sit with your legs crossed and your back straight so that the energy can move more freely through you." Splinter sat across from her and demonstrated the technique, which she carefully followed. "Your eyes must be half way open and focusing down the center of your nose while your shoulders are leveled and elbows bent slightly away from your sides." Once again, Noelle mimicked his movements. "Gather all your thoughts, and then focus on your breathing. When you breath out, your are removing negativity, and breathing in brings positive energy. It is a method to cleanse your thoughts and-"

"Alright guys! The Mikeynator is back! Booyakasha!"

Splinter stiffened and stood up. "Pardon me." He advanced towards the room's entrance and slid the wall open to face his sons. "I think a week without television for disturbing meditation sounds fair, does it not?"

The boys gasped in unison before they hurriedly sprinted out of the lair.

"Sorry Sensei!" Mikey yelled before he disappeared into the tunnels with his brothers, followed by a yelp of pain as Raph swatted his head.

"Please accept my apologies." Noelle watched her Sensei take his seat once more and resume his form, an amused expression on his face. When he saw the worry on his pupil's, he chuckled. "I would not actually ground them for something so little, but it is a nice threat when I want them to leave."

[Water for Elephants- Sanctuary]

Noelle relaxed and even smiled over her master's humor. She relaxed her muscles and straightened her posture like before, inhaling a deep breath as she ensnared all her thoughts and lowered her lids.

Dad is leaving tomorrow. Mikey is a good friend. I love museums. Michelangelo is such an inspiring artist. What if I lose my friends one day? I miss mom. What if mom isn't okay?

Her brows furrowed and moisture gathered across her eyes. "I don't know if I'm doing it right, Sensei."

"It is not unusual for one to feel sad or angry while organizing their thoughts. You have nothing to be embarrassed about, my child. What we are about to do will ease the ache in your heart. Now, breath out everything that is hurting or upsetting you."

Everybody thinks I'm strange. I've been lonely for so long. My friends might get tired of me, and then I will be alone again. I just want my mom back. Why is dad leaving me again? I feel like nobody likes me. I'm an outcast. I can't do anything right. Do my parents even love me? What if I'm a burden? What if I can't rescue mom?

As she breathed out, a tear slid down her ivory cheek, but her lower lip didn't tremble, nor did she tremble with emotion.

"Now breath in what makes you feel happy and at peace."

Walking through a forest. Central Park. Painting. A world of magic. Flying. Stars. Lights. Being friends with Mikey. Eating lunch with April and Casey.

"And repeat."

I feel sorry for myself too much. What if my skills don't improve? I'm so clumsy that I would do more harm than good. The turtles must think I'm a bother.

I like laughing with Mikey. Splinter has a lot of faith in me. People love my paintings. Drawing makes me happy.

For nearly five minutes straight she duplicated the process, her body growing even more relaxed with each breath. By the end, all her pessimistic thoughts had vanished, and a smile had unknowingly made its way onto her face. The tear trail had long since dried, and Noelle felt more at ease than she ever had prior to the experience.

"You may now stop." Splinters voice was almost a whisper as he drew her back from her near trance-like state. "How do you feel?"

Noelle gazed up at him, her eyes almost filled with disbelief. "I feel...light, almost like I could fly."

"Very good." He smiled at her fondly and reached over to place a hand on her shoulder. "I am proud of you, my child. Not even Leonardo was able to accomplish what you have as quickly, but he also has not been through as many hardships."

The way he beamed at her like a pleased father made Noelle feel accomplished, like she could do anything she set her mind to. She was filled with a new sense of determination, and somehow felt stronger than before. She exchanged a smile with him. "Thank you Sensei. That means a lot to me."

"You are very welcome. I look forward to our next session. We will start again on Monday."

[+]

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Noelle walked herself home that night, her Jitte hidden in her gym bag just in case. After paying close attention the last few days, she'd started to get an idea of the sewer system and which street each numbered wall led to. She didn't feel safe enough to walk through the streets alone at night yet, so she stayed underground for as long as she could, trying not to jump at each little noise she heard. Oddly enough, the drips of water leaking through pipes encouraged her to relax and think.

The meditation really had helped, but it didn't take away the fact that her dad would be leaving the next morning, and she would be stuck inside the house by herself for awhile. She supposed she could at least paint or do something to take the boredom and loneliness away, but a little part of her selfishly hoped that maybe Mikey or April would drop by and keep her company. Of course, she couldn't really expect them to do that, so she would simply have to hope for the best and enjoy her time the best she could.

She at last came to her exit and carefully climbed up the ladder. Lifting the heavy cover up was challenging, but with a forceful shove she managed to slide it over to the side and climb out. She cautiously glanced around and then pushed the cover back over. Noelle ambled to her dad's front door and unlocked it with her new key before shutting it firmly behind her.

"I'm home dad," she called out, hoping he hadn't fallen asleep yet. The hour wasn't late, but sometimes he would randomly doze off in front of his laptop after going long periods of time without rest. A creak in the hallway drew her attention.

"Hey kiddo. Did you have fun?" Felix yawned as he entered the living room to greet her. He had coffee stains on his white wrinkled shirt, and his black sweat pants were almost rolled up to his ankles, showing that he'd had another day of numerous cups of coffee.

Noelle tried not to wince at the sight as he approached, wondering to herself when the last time he had a bath was. "I did, thank you. Are you excited for your trip tomorrow?"

He shrugged. "I've been to California before, so I'm not looking forward to it as much as I used to. I guess it'll be nice to be away when it starts getting cold here though."

"That's true. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time." Noelle smiled, unsure whether she was trying to convince him or herself. "Do you need help packing?"

"Nah, I'm good. I'll just say goodbye to you now so you don't have to wake up early tomorrow."

"I don't mind getting up early."

"Don't worry about it. I'll just do it now so you can sleep in."

Her heart sunk when he stepped forward and briefly rubbed her head before backing off. "Be good kiddo. I'll see you in about two weeks."

"Goodbye dad. Be safe." She tried to keep the hurt out of her voice and off her face when he left her once more standing by herself. When she heard his door close she headed upstairs and unpacked her bags before she showered and finally crawled into bed, all the while wondering why he didn't hug her or at least seem remotely sad about being away from her. Then again, she usually only saw him once or twice a month, so maybe he didn't think much of it.

Noelle lay with the comforter pulled over her head and damp hair pressed into her pillow. She tried to ignore the disappointment she felt over being dismissed so easily as she tried to drift off to sleep. A vibration on her bedside table had her yanking off the blanket and reaching for her phone, her face lighting up when she saw that she didn't have a text, but was in fact receiving a phone call from Mikey. She excitedly answered the phone with a smile.

"Hello?"

"Noelle! What's up, girl?"

She quietly chuckled. "I'm not sure. You called me."

"Well yeahhh, but I still wanted to ask how you were. Here here, I'll go first. I'm spiffy and- oh wow! I just found some paint on my armpit! How did it even get there? Dude, that's so weird!"

Noelle bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from loudly laughing and alerting her dad. "That is certainly strange."

"I know, right?! Sooooo...whatcha' doin' tomorrow?"

It was almost spooky how he seemed to sense her thoughts. "Well, dad is leaving, so I'll be by myself for a couple weeks. Honestly, I don't know what I'll be doing." The corners of her mouth drooped slightly.

"That's great! We can hang out and eat pizza and play video games!"

Her frown reversed into a smile when another idea popped into her head. "You can also bring that comic book over so I can redraw it for you, if you want."

His breath hitched. "Really?! Dude, that would be so cool! Yes!"

"I'm happy for you Mikey, but would you please get out of my lab before you ruin something?!"

"Don't worry D! I won't-whoops."

She visibly winced at the sound of glass breaking.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME MIKEY?! SERIOUSLY?!"

"Uh...I gotta go! See you tomorrow!"

As soon as he hung up Noelle settled down to sleep, laughing to herself over how silly he was, and how the next day didn't seem as lonely anymore.

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"Here's money for food and whatever else you need while I'm gone. Be good kiddo."

$200 lay out on the dining room table on top of a note with barely legible handwriting. A part of Noelle had hoped he would have woken her up anyways to properly say goodbye, but he was unsurprisingly already gone by the time she'd roused herself from a deep sleep. She shook her head at the amount of money he left, and decided she would at least use it to go grocery shopping so he had some some food when he returned home, plus she could always buy frozen pizza for her and Mikey.

Her spirits lifted up when she thought of hanging out with him later, and decided that maybe she would try and tidy the house up before he came over. She quickly ate a package of pop tarts before she changed into a baggy shirt with sweat pants and proceeded to begin the cleansing process. Unfortunately, all she could manage to find were a couple rags, a broom, a vacuum cleaner, and some Windex all crammed into a narrow closet in the hallway. She sighed and decided to stop what she was doing so she could run to the store really quick and purchase what she needed.

About an hour later she returned with a mop, a bucket, dish soap, fabric softener, wood-cleaner, vinegar, Barkeep's Friend, bleach, and a cart full of groceries. She brought all the bags up one-by-one and put everything away before she resumed the cleaning process.

The house floors were swept, vacuumed, and mopped. She used vinegar and water to remove mold off the bathroom tiles while running a load of laundry, and then she wiped down all mirrors and emptied every trash bin. She scrubbed the toilet, thoroughly washed dishes, and polished everything wooden that she could find. By that time, she'd folded one load of laundry and was in the middle of folding another one when her phone suddenly buzzed. She wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead and glanced at the text.

hi! be over soon. bringing sum gamez! : D

Noelle smiled at how excited he seemed.

Okay. I will leave my window open for you. I might be in the shower when you arrive, so make yourself at home. : )

Satisfied with how much cleaner the house was, she quickly showered and put on a pair of jeans, a deep violet shirt, and her black sweater. She then blow-dried her hair and pulled two blonde strands away from her face so she could tie them back into her usual hair style. When she finally stepped out of the bathroom, her ears were met with the sounds of upbeat music and Mikey audibly humming along She dropped her towel into the hamper and descended down the stairs to see the teenage turtle playing some racing game on her dad's TV. She walked up behind him and watched in amusement as he crossed the finish line and threw a fist up triumphantly.

"Booyakasha! I win again!"

"Good job!"

He glanced up at her with a victorious grin and patted the floor space next to him. She sat down and crossed her legs while he jovially stared at her. "Thanks! So, what should we do first?"

Noelle was not the kind of person who made plans with other people, so she wasn't sure what to suggest without sounding bossy or selfish. What if she offered up an idea and he rejected it? Judging by the way he was looking at her though, anything she said he would approve of, so she carefully considered her options before settling down on one.

"Well, I could draw the cover while watching you play games if you'd like."

"Sweet! I totally brought it!" Mikey reached over to a knapsack he'd taken with him and pulled out the comic. He gleefully handed it to her, which she took with a kind nod before she went upstairs to grab some of her art supplies and returned down to her spot.

"Would you like to sit on one of the chairs or couch instead?" she offered, not wanting to seem rude and have him sit on the ground. "How about something to drink?"

"Nah, I'm good! I also already grabbed somethin'." He gestured towards an open can of orange Crush soda, and she smiled over his discovery of the drink she'd bought for him. She remembered from her first time staying over how he'd offered her the beverage, which she'd been too upset to indulge in at the time. This time, she drank one with him. She wasn't a big pop drinker, but she knew he would appreciate the gesture. He looked at her approvingly and gave a thumbs up when she reentered the room with a cold one in her hand and plopped herself down onto the couch.

He resumed his game, which she watched with interest while working on the drawing. She used what she gathered from his appearance to sketch him on the paper, including muscles, shell pattern, and different-colored spots scattered across his skin. Once she was satisfied with the rough drawing, she inked and then used Prismacolor markers to add in color and shading. Mikey was almost begging to look by the time she was finished, so Noelle revealed the completed piece to him and felt her heart pound with pride when his eyes widened in disbelief before he slowly took the drawing from her hands.

"This-this is so awesome! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She simpered at how similar his behavior was to when he first saw his disguise. Like before, he pulled her into a hug, no longer worrying over whether he was scaring her or not. "This is seriously the best! You're the greatest, Noelle!"

She shyly returned the embrace, blushing over his compliments and how pleased he was. "You're welcome," she murmured into his shoulder while trying to conceal her crimson cheeks.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing video games, which Noelle discovered she definitely wasn't the best yet. Mikey won every single time, but instead of rubbing his victories in her face he encouraged her and showed her little shortcuts she could take. By the time their little session was over, they'd indulged in frozen stuffed crust pizza, two cans of pop, and she had managed to work from dead-last to almost third place.

"So, what do you like to do for fun besides paint?" Mikey asked as he hung upside down on the couch after a rather impressively sated burp.

Noelle had seated herself on one of the armchairs, her fingers absentmindedly trailing across the leather. "I sometimes go to Central Park after school or on the weekends. I like being out in nature and away from the city, especially when I draw." She dreamily gazed ahead when images of water and tall trees penetrated her mind. "I found this hidden spot that I like to go to, and it's right next to the small waterfall. It's really peaceful and pretty."

Mikey watched her talk, unable to stop the smirk coming to his face when he saw how happy the place made her. His lips widened even more when an idea abruptly came to him. "Wanna go?"

Her eyes slid over to him, hope blossoming in her chest. "I...Are you sure?"

"Of course!" He rolled off the couch and stood up to extend his hand out to her. "For real, let's go!"

Noelle slid her hand into his and allowed him to pull her up, her face glowing with happiness. "Okay, I'm with you."

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It was evening when the two exited out of a tunnel in the park, which meant most people had already left to go home. Usually Noelle was cautious about being in the park at night, but with Mikey next to her she felt perfectly safe, plus she'd brought a satchel along to conceal her weapon in. He pulled her into the shadows so they would easily blend in and not be spotted by any night guards while she led him in the direction she wanted to go.

"This way," she whispered, and he obediently followed her, humming enthusiastically under his breath. They ended up across from an ample fountain in front of a group of huddled trees, which Noelle signaled for him to enter. They ducked under branches until they were pushed out into an open space that was concealed from the public eye. They walked in companionable silence, the audible sound of running water growing louder with every step taken.

"We're almost there," she informed him, barely able to contain the excitement in her voice. Mikey smiled at her and glanced around, taking in the sight of towering trees looming over them and creating a sort of roof with their mingling branches.

[Castaway-Opening Titles]

The pair emerged from the clearing and ended up next to a modest waterfall beside a stone bridge. Little lanterns were lit, giving the arched platform almost a magical glow. Noelle closed her eyes as she walked onto the overpass, the cool evening air gently lifting loose strands off her back and shoulder. She sat down on the edge so her legs dangled over the running river, suppressing the chill that ran up her spine.

"Wowwww," Mikey breathed out as he joined her and sat down, eyes wide with wonder as he gradually took in the sight before them.

Above the neighboring emerald trees he could distinctly view the city's rangy buildings, all erected and radiating like pillars of light as the stars dimly twinkled overhead. The moon hovered nearby, bathing a portion of the sky in an almost glow as it hovered above the metropolis like a guardian. Mikey wasn't exactly the best when it came to using descriptive words, but he knew that if Donnie were around, not even he would be able to form a sentence to truly depict what they were seeing.

Noelle tilted her head up, her eyelids still lowered and the corners of her lips slightly turned up. " You should close your eyes and listen carefully; it's really neat."

The terrapin raised a brow, but did as she recommended. Being a ninja heightened all of the senses, which meant his hearing skills were sharp and could pick up on sounds rather quickly. The water and late night chatter of birds and crickets were obviously the most audible, but in the distance he could make out cars honking, and even a ferry boat signalling its arrival.

"Woah, this is super neat!" He opened his eyes and stared at her with a grin. "Is that why you come here?"

"Yes," Noelle quietly responded before she opened her eyes and beamed at the sight in front of them.

"Hey, so, do you think we could bring my brothers next time? I think they'd really like it here, and then we could all hang out for a bit and it would just be super cool!" Mikey had a feeling she probably wouldn't care, especially if she shared her secret with him, but he still didn't want to be uncool and seem like he was taking over her spot without asking.

She contently smiled and leaned back, enjoying the idea of being able to share something precious to her with everybody. "That would be nice. I used to come here when I was younger with my grandma, and we would usually ice skate. Hardly anybody was around, and the ice was actual solid and safe enough for us to stand on, not to mention it was much less crowded than a lot of the other skating rinks out there. That was a long time ago, but it brings back fond memories and was one of the few things that made me happy."

"I know how that goes." They sat in silence and basked in the peaceful atmosphere for a moment before Mikey's face lit up. "Oh sweet! I just remembered that I've kinda got a secret place too!""

Noelle turned towards him at his exclamation in surprise. "You do?"

"Of course! Why don't we go? It's kinda high up, but we'll be fine."

Noelle smiled, wondering what it could possibly be. She didn't mind heights; in fact, she loved them. Still, she couldn't help being curious over where they were going, but forced herself to not ask questions and just be surprised.

[+]

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The next opening they climbed out of almost gave Noelle a heart attack.

There were people everywhere, and thanks to all the lights, shadows weren't as plentiful as they were near her area. She knew they were in Time Square based off of the glowing signs advertising Broadway musicals, movies, TV shows, and so on, not to mention the pedestrians and powerful smell of heavily blended scents. Mikey had piggybacked her through the sewers in an agile rush, pausing only once to catch his breath before he continued to run until they reached the destined exit. Now, they were out in the open and at a high risk of been seen.

"What if somebody sees us?" She didn't feel comfortable being out in the open where a Kraang could spot her, or a random person coming across Mikey and freaking out over his unfamiliar appearance. The thought alone caused her stomach to twist into an uncomfortable knot.

[Thor: The Dark World- Vortex]

"Don't worry; I do this all the time!" the turtle jauntily reassured her with a laugh before he scaled up the nearest wall and vaulted onto the roof using the structure's window sills. He cantered across the surface and catapulted himself from one building top to the next like he didn't have a care in the world. Noelle kept an eye out to make sure there wasn't anybody around to detect them. Who could possibly see them was beyond her, but she was still feeling rather anxious about being out in the open around so many people.

As if sensing how concerned she was, Mikey paused and playfully bounced her up, snapping Noelle out her inner worries with a little gasp. "Hey, Dr. Sneakinstein will get us both there okay. Dude, I promise we won't get caught." He turned his head so he could smirk at her. "Listen, just close your eyes and then it will be a big surprise. I promise you'll love it!"

She sighed and decided to put her faith in him. After all, if they had managed to remain hidden in the park, then maybe Mikey would keep them safe to where ever they were going. "Okay," she confirmed with a nod, and then lowered her eye lids.

"Sweet, now hang on!"

Noelle gasped as she felt him take off running before he jumped up and once more started climbing up, prompting her to link her hands over his chest while her legs firmly encircled around his waist. She could tell there were a lot of people nearby, but the conversations became a faded blur of words as he kept escalating up the side of whatever building they were on.

When he suddenly stopped, she grew worried once more. "Are we okay?"

"Yup! We'll be there in a sec!" She felt him pull something out of his belt and raise his arm before she heard a loud zipping sound followed by a faint clank. They were suddenly being pulled up, Mikey cheerfully laughing while Noelle continued holding on for dear life.

At last they arrived at the top of what felt like a building. Noelle carefully climbed off and anxiously waited for him to tell her what to do next. Much to her surprise, she felt him step behind her and place a hand on both of her upper arms, gently guiding her forward. She blindly stepped ahead, trusting him to safely lead her while her cheeks warmed at his close proximity.

"Annnnnddddd...okay!"

His hands remained on her arms as she opened her eyes, thankful for his hold on her when she saw where they were.

All of Time Square was spread out before them with a beautiful display of lights and city life. The two friends were high up in the air, alone and and enshrouded in a mixture of the night sky and city lights. The view was absolutely indescribable.

Mikey gradually lowered his hands once he was certain she wouldn't fall over in shock, pleased with her reaction. "Mikey, this is...wow."

"Pretty neat, right? And look, there's the ball that drops on New Year's Eve!" He pointed up so she could see the famous crystallized sphere that she'd spent sixteen nights of her life waiting to drop. It was absolutely mind numbing to be near something so symbolic.

She licked her lips and swallowed to moisten her dry throat, unable to comprehend what could have possibly motivated him to find such a magical view. "What made you come here?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Well, sometimes I get really bored, and when my brothers don't wanna hang out with me I got and explore sometimes, almost like a big adventure, you know?" Mikey's eyes twinkled. "One day I just climbed up here and liked it so much that I decided to make this my little secret base." He turned to Noelle and beamed at her happily. "So now, it's our secret base, which means we have two of them!"

She giggled and nodded. "Okay, I promise not to tell anybody."

"Yes! This is awesome!" He held out his fist for her to bump, which she cheerfully did.

"It is pretty cool," Noelle agreed. She suddenly inched herself closer to the edge of the building and beamed over the sight she'd been lucky enough to view that night. Mikey stepped up beside her, and they gazed over the metropolis. After about a minute, she felt herself smile as a pleasant thought entered her mind. "Mikey?"

"Yeah?"

"Your world is beautiful too."

[+]