AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.

I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.

PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.

Chapter 1

Ten Months Later...

Aislinn woke to a commotion in the living room and jumped to her feet. Grabbing her bow and arrows, she ran out of her room and into the hall.

"What's going on?" she shouted to her comrades.

"Merode's back!" shouted Jessica, the oldest of her friends.

Aislinn ran faster and met up with her rejoicing friends at the entrance to their house. She stopped and watched. Jessica and Kimberly were hugging a reluctant Merode.

Aislinn chuckled, shaking her head. "You always were one who didn't like hugs."

"Kelpie!" Merode said using Aislinn's old nickname. She looked at Jessica. "She still as blonde as she looks?"

Aislinn flew into Merode's brown furry arms, laughing. Merode had once been human but had been unfortunate enough to get too close to their enemy, the Shredder. She was now a mutant fox with brown fur that matched her shoulder-length hair, claws, and ears that caught everything. Behind her twitched a bushy tail. Aislinn had once teased Merode about her pointy teeth, saying that they were the only things that fit her demonic nature. That, and the sais that were hanging at her sides in her belt.

"Where have you been?" Aislinn asked, pulling back.

"Yes, where have you been?" Jessica asked.

Kimberly signed with her fingers. She was a mute and hadn't been able to speak for five years. She had watched her parents get killed and had gone in shock. Since then, she hadn't been able to speak. So Jessica spoke for her. "Its been almost four years."

Four years ago, Merode had left the house to cool down and look for a fight. She had never come back. They had looked everywhere for her, but to no avail.

"What, have you been counting?" asked Melody, smirking.

"Everyday," said Aislinn, laughing. "Come on, tell us where you've been."

Merode shrugged. "Here and there." She caught sight of Aislinn's swollen hand hidden by a leather glove. "What happened to you? Drop another candle?"

Aislinn laughed. When she had been fifteen, Aislinn had been cleaning her room and a glass candleholder had dropped on her foot, fracturing the third bone. "Unfortunately, no," Aislinn said.

"She was led into a trap," said Kimberly, Jessica translating.

"With a little bit of pizza, that'd be explanatory," said Merode, smirking at her friend.

"Hey!" Aislinn protested.

Merode chuckled. "Seriously, though, go on."

"I wasn't exactly 'led' into a trap. More like ambushed. I was hanging out with some friends—"

"Care to tell her which friends?" Jessica asked, scolding.

Aislinn rolled her eyes. After a year, Jessica still thought it was her fault. "A few friends. They aren't that bad, Jessica."

Jessica snorted as if she found that funny. She looked at Merode. "A couple girls and guys from the Purple Dragons."

"Purple Dragons!" Merode exclaimed. "Aislinn, do you know what kind of shit they do?"

"Aye, I do, but these people are different. You don't have to worry; I wasn't going to join them. They're just friends. Anyway," she continued. "Back to the story. I was hanging out with some friends at the skating pit across town. We were showing off moves to some beginners—"

"And you fell flat on your face," Merode broke in.

"Come on, Merode," Aislinn said, smiling.

"Sorry. I couldn't help it."

"And one of the girl's boyfriend found out about me."

"You mean...?" Merode didn't say it, because it didn't need to be said. The others knew of Aislinn's secret.

Aislinn nodded. "That and, don't ask me how, that you were a friend of mine. He tried to fight me so he could turn me in and get some money from Shredder. Then out of the blue, came these four mutant turtles. They looked exactly like real turtles, 'cept they could walk on their hind feet and talk just like humans. They fought the girl's boyfriend and ended up killing him."

"Course the girl was very happy and is still her friend," said Kimberly through Jessica. Merode wasn't listening to Kimi. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes were intent on Aislinn. "Go on," she said.

"All of sudden we were surround by men from the Foot. They threw this enormous net over us and threw this sleeping gas bomb into our midst. That's all I remember 'till I woke up three days later tied to an operating table. Shredder's minions had done tests on me." She drew up the sleeve of her silver sweatshirt and tore off her glove to reveal a deformed hand with only three fingers and a thumb, which were covered in coarse white hair like horsehide. Her fingertips resembled the material that made up horse hooves. "I escape before they could do more."

"So you hide it," Merode said disapprovingly.

"Well, duh. I don't think I could see my friends in the Purple Dragons if I didn't. I'd scare the shit out of them."

"They shouldn't care."

"Merode, they're not like us. They aren't used to seeing mutations like this. They think we live in a world that is still somewhat safe."

"Man," said a male voice behind Merode. "Talk about your fixer-upper."

Merode spun. "Mikey! What the hell are you doing here?"

"We followed you."

"I told you all to stay at the lair." Merode stepped away to reveal a mutant turtle just like the ones Aislinn had described seconds ago. Suspicion and rage rose in Aislinn. Could this be one of the turtles that had ambushed her?

"Yeah, I know," he said. "The rest are waiting outside. I sneaked in before they could stop me." He grinned. "Raph's pissed. But, then again, that's normal." He caught sight of Aislinn and his grin broadened. "Hey! I know you! You're that chick with the cool board moves." She was right. He was one of them. He stepped forward and held out his hand. "Remember me? Me and my bro's helped you fight that big dude that was trying to kill you."

"Uh oh," said Jessica.

Aislinn smiled innocently. "Aye, I remember." She took his hand.

Next thing Mikey knew, he was on his back and Aislinn was sitting on top of him. She wrapped her hands around his neck and squeezed, slamming his head against the floor repeatedly.

"Dude...what's...the...deal?" he choked out a word each time his head hit the floor.

"Aislinn! Stop!" Merode tried to pull Aislinn back but her hands were firmly clamped around Mikey's throat and she only succeeded in doing more damage. Fearing she might hurt the dumb-ass more than needed, she let go of Aislinn.

"You bastard!" Aislinn screamed at him. "Its because of you that I'm like this!" She thrust her mutated hand in his face.

"Really? I don't remember doing that."

"Shedder did it, you ass-head! You ambushed me at the pit!"

"We did not!"

Aislinn pushed the button on the underside of her ring and a dagger about six-inches long popped out. She held it to Mikey's throat. He gulped loudly in fear.

"Aislinn, stop!" Merode shouted. "He means no harm!"

"Bullshit! He did this to me, Merode!"

"Shredder did it, Kelpie," Merode said softly. "Let him go."

"No."

"We didn't ambush you!" Mikey said, pleading. "We tried to help you. It was the Foot Clan that ambushed us."

"Oh, really? Then what's the deal with you leaving me there to die? In the hands of Shredder!"

"We tried to go back for you. You were gone when we got there."

"See, Aislinn?" Merode asked. "Now get off him before you hurt him."

Mikey rubbed the back of his head. "I think the damage has been done."

There was a nock at the door. "Aislinn?" Came a voice. "Linn? Are ya home? I need ta talk ta ya." The voice sounded urgent and scared.

Aislinn swore, pushing the button on her ring. The blade disappeared. "Its Ana." She looked up at Merode. "You have to hide. You'll scare her."

Merode cocked a furry eyebrow. "So you're ashamed of me?"

"No. I told you. She's an earthly-world girl. Mutants will scare her."

"Seem to be forgetting your hand," said Mikey.

Aislinn pulled the sleeve of her silver sweatshirt back down and got off Mikey. She pulled him up and shoved him at Merode. "Take him with you, please."

Merode sighed. "Fine. All right, kuso. Let's go. We're not wanted here." She took Mikey's arm and pulled him into the hallway and Aislinn heard Mikey ask, "Got any pizza?" before the practice room door closed.

Aislinn shoved her hand inside her pocket and opened the door with her free hand to find Ana just starting to turn away. She was dressed in a purple tank top—despite the cold of night—and very baggy khaki jeans. Bracelets were stacked one on top of the other completely covering her skinny wrists. Her blonde and purple streaked hair was pulled up in ponytails in several different places, sticking up everywhere. Concluding her attire was a large purple dragon tattooed on her left arm.

"Ana," Aislinn said softly.

The girl—she was about fourteen—turned and Aislinn found tear tracks down her cheeks. Ana wiped the tears away with one hand—the other was wrapped around herself—leaving her eyes red-rimmed. She sniffed.

"What's wrong, Ana?" Aislinn asked.

Ana's face crumpled and she flew into Aislinn, sobbing. Aislinn wrapped her free arm around the girl and held her. "Shh, Ana. What's wrong, dear?"

"Oh, Aislinn! There's something wrong with me!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"That's the problem! I don't know! Aislinn, I'm scared."

Aislinn enfolded her arm closer about Ana and the girl sobbed into her sweatshirt.

"Come on in. Jessica, will you make a cup of tea for her?"

Jessica nodded and left the room to go to the kitchen. Aislinn led the crying Ana into the den as Kimi sneaked off to the practice room, unnoticed. Jessica came back with a cup of steaming tea, handed it to Aislinn and left also. Aislinn glared at Jessica's retreating back. She couldn't have made it more obvious that she disliked Ana. Never a smile, hello, or comforting word. Just a stiff face and jerky movements as she left.

"Drink this," Aislinn said, handing the cup to Ana. "It'll calm you down." Ana did as told and in minutes she was crying softly instead of hysterically. "Now," said Aislinn. "Tell me what's going on."

"That's the problem, Linn. I don't know! But I've been having really bad pains in my leg for three months."

"Did you break it?"

Ana shook her head. "I haven't done anything that would break it." She took a deep breath, tears still streaming down her face. "I think it may be a disease, Linn."

"What?"

"I don't know. I've never heard of a disease that does this." She lifted her pant leg. The skin underneath was growing soft, tawny brown and black hair. It was at least three inches long. "I shaved this morning and this is what it looks like now. The skin is like this all the way to my hip."

"Oh, no," Aislinn said as her stomach became sour. Not again.

"What is it, Aislinn?"

Aislinn leaned forward and looked Ana in the eye. "Ana, I need you to tell me anything that you may have drank in the last six months."

Ana cocked an eyebrow. "Aislinn, ya know I can't tell you that. Ya know me, I drink way too much to tell you exactly everything."

"Okay, let me elaborate. Have you ever met any guys that talk Japanese and dress in ninja costumes?"

"No," Ana said with a disbelieving laugh. "Linn, what are you talking about? Did ya hit your head or somethin'?"

"Have you ever seen any?" Aislinn asked, ignoring Ana's question.

"Well, now that you mention it, I did see Kojr talking to two men dressed like you described. But it was dark and I was kind of drunk, so I could have been hallucinating."

"What were you drunk on?"

"Some kind of alcohol Kojr gave me."

"Do you know what it was called?"

Ana shook her head. She smiled sheepishly. "Like I said, ya know me. I'll drink anything that will get me drunk."

"What did it taste like?"

"Well... I dunno. Jack Daniel's with something else mixed in. Strange, though, I remember it having a green tint to it. But it was really good."

Aislinn nodded her head sadly. "Okay. Well, you sit back and relax. Take a nap if you fell like it. I'm gonna go talk to Kimi. She knows all about diseases and stuff like that."

Ana nodded but before she could lay back on the couch, Aislinn asked, "Hey, Ana? What's your animal?"

"Scuse me?"

"Haven't you ever found out what animal you're most like?"

"Yeah. Kodiac bear, or so my aunt says."

"That's what I kinda figured. Well, get some rest."

Ana lay down on the couch and she closed her eyes. She was soon breathing deeply and evenly.

Picking up her bow and arrows, Aislinn trudged to the practice room. Opening the door, she closed it quietly and leaned against it. She took off her silver cloth headband that she always wore around her head and ran her fingers through her blonde hair.

The laughter inside the room stopped. Mikey stopped walking on his hands and flipped onto his hind legs...only to fall on his behind.

"Kelpie? What's wrong?" Merode asked, ignoring the laughter from the others and Mikey's complaining.

"Shredder. He's been testing again."

"On who?" Mikey asked, getting to his feet.

She let her arm flop back into place beside her and lowered her head, whispering, "On Ana."