A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing, the reviews make me very happy! This chapter is light on character interaction, but we do find out what happened to our favorite red masked turtle.

Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.

Disclaimer: The only ninja turtles that I own, are beanie babies. Sad right?

Chapter 3-Triceriton Warrior

Michelangelo felt a warm trickle roll down his arm as he stared at the spot where the black clad turtle had stood mere moments earlier. The longer he stood alone in the warehouse, the more the adrenaline rush wore off and the pain from his injuries started to settle in. Realizing that he could not stay above ground, especially alone and bleeding, the confused turtle stumbled back to the lair. His mind continuing to spin in circles over what happened. I'm not alone! There's another mutant turtle out there! Wait until I tell Master Splinter. I wonder if there are more of them. Where did he come from? This is so awesome! Wow I am a bit sore though. Actually it felt a lot like when I spar with Master Splinter, only he was really fighting me!

But as the excitement began to wear off, Mikey's thoughts began to shift to the more pressing questions. But who were those pajama wearing ninja's? And why was the Purple Dragon leader with them? And that turtle, he was wearing a mask with a claw symbol on it. Does that mean he's with them too?

Michelangelo was so deep in his thoughts about the night's events as he entered the lair that he didn't notice Master Splinter was speaking to him until he was whacked on the head with his walking stick.

"Michelangelo!"

"Oww!" He rubbed his head. What is with my head getting hit lately?

"Yes, Sensai."

"My son, what happened to your arm? Please come sit down."

Splinter was used to his son's poor attention span. He had exceptional speed and agility, possessing a raw talent for the martial arts and could become a gifted ninja. If it weren't for his extremely limited attention span. And apparently something monumental had occurred tonight because his son was rambling on at about a thousand words a minute!

"Michelangelo, focus! What has happened tonight my son?"

As the excitable turtle began his recap of the evening's events, Splinter's stomach sank. He had always known that this day would come and he was dreading it. Now it would appear that day has arrived. His Master's old enemy Oroku Saki, aka the Shredder, was still alive. And now that his Master Yoshi was gone, it was up to Splinter and his son Michelangelo to avenge his death.

What Master Splinter could not have predicted, was that Michelangelo's brothers had also survived the battle with the Shredder. He had thought the other three were lost during the explosion. But now Leonardo has been found, alive. Does this mean the other two are alive as well? And if so, what happened to them? That battle was many years ago and at the time so much happened at once. If Splinter and his pupil were going to take on the Shredder then they were going to need help to do so. And three additional ninja trained turtles could be just the help they need.

But this could not have happened at a worse time. The Battle Nexus tournament was to begin tomorrow and Splinter had already entered the contest. His honor would not allow him to back out of the games. He was the defending champion and required to go. It appeared that the fates had their own plans. With everything going on right now, Splinter could not leave his son home alone. Michelangelo's curiosity could prompt him to seek out his brother alone. And it does not sound like the other one will be easy to convince to fight against the Shredder. Especially if he did not remember his brothers and was raised by that evil man. No, it would be far safer to take the young teen with him to the games. And maybe while they are there, they can recruit a warrior or two to help them in their battle against the Shredder.

No it looks like it is time to tell his son what he remembered on that fateful day when his Master Yoshi battled the Shredder. And to introduce Michelangelo to the Battle Nexus.

Michelangelo didn't think this day could get any more interesting. Until his father started recapping what happened the day when he became separated from his brothers. He really did have brothers, and not one, but three of them! Splinter had never shared this tale with him before. The few times he had asked how they came to be a family Splinter merely shrugged it off, stating they were covered with some ooze from a mysterious canister and washed into the sewers. Splinter never elaborated further and as a turtle who wasn't going to analyze information, Mikey just accepted that this simple tale was all there was to know.

But now, with these new details, some of Splinter's strange behavior over the years began to make sense. Why there were five bedrooms in the lair even though it was only Michelangelo and Splinter. And all the times Mikey caught his Sensai's sad looks at the empty rooms. His father was saddened at what he thought was the loss of his three sons. And Mikey had three brothers, and at least one of them was alive! And if one of them was alive then there is the very good chance that the other two are alive as well! All they had to do was find them. And hopefully they were not as jaded as the black one. Maybe the three of them could convince the sword carrying turtle to rejoin his family as one of the good guys!

But even more exciting was that Michelangelo was finally going to join his Sensai to the Battle Nexus. Maybe he'll even get to compete in the games! This day couldn't get any more exciting!

Raphael kept repeating the same sequence over and over as he continued to pound away on his favorite punching bag. Start with a left gab. Follow with a reverse punch. Finish with a left hook. Repeat. The Battle Nexus tournament began tomorrow and Traximus was letting him enter the games for the first time.

But until then it was quiet. Too quiet for Raphael's taste. So he found himself repeating his strikes again and again, to starve off the impending boredom until tomorrow. Don't get the wrong impression, Raphael was happy that the Triceriton's were now at peace with the Federation. But ever since Traximus's Triceriton Rebellion had overthrown Zanramon's rule, there wasn't much to do anymore.

Raphael couldn't wait for the tournament. Getting to participate among the greatest combatants of various dimensions. Fighting against each other for the title of Battle Nexus Champion. The possibility gave the red banded turtle a rush like nothing else. The intensity of the fights. The ferocity of the contestants. It was going to be so exciting!

Raphael's thoughts continued to wander as he began a new sequence of punches and kicks to the bag. Maybe, just maybe, he could get some answers about what he really was and where he came from? Apparently the contestants for the Battle Nexus come from many dimensions. And while it is small, there is the possibility that one of the contestants could be just like him. He might finally find out where he came from! He could have brothers, or sisters, or even an entire family! Maybe he really wasn't all alone after all!

From what Traximus had told him, the red banded turtle just showed up one day, seemingly out of thin air. If his looks didn't give him away as a non-native to the Triceriton homeworld, his inability to breathe the nitrogen and sulfur air did. Because of this, Raphael has worn an environmental breather all his life. Apparently at the Battle Nexus he won't have too. The Battle Nexus is capable of supporting life forms from various atmospheric conditions. For the first time, he will be able to fight without worrying about protecting his environmental breather.

Raphael continued to pound away on the punching bag. Traximus had taken pity on the lost, young turtle and gave him a home. Taught him how to fight like a Triceriton warrior. And Raphael enjoyed the hand to hand combat. The ferocity that the Triceriton's fight with. The pride and honor they took in their battles. Yet, in addition to his obvious looks, something about the red masked turtle never quite fit in among the Triceriton's. It certainly wasn't his lack of temper. No. The hotheaded turtle could anger as easily and quickly as any Triceriton. And while he wasn't as physically strong as them, he worked out with weights daily, making himself as physically strong as he could be. Finished with his workout against the bag, Raphael grabbed one of the knives he kept tucked in his belt, giving it a quick spin in his hand he threw it at the target across the room. A slow smile spread across the turtle's face as he watched it land dead center. Yes, tomorrow was going to be interesting indeed.

A/N: It looks like Mikey is about to run into another brother soon. The action is going to pick up soon and hopefully Raph won't be as stubborn as Leo was. And speaking of Leo, I wonder what he is thinking after the rumble with Mikey? Until then, thanks for reading and please write a review. Virtual hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top to those who do.